Chapter 4 - Mutation

The sky was brimming with the radiant light that seemed to envelop the whole planet. 

The beautiful sky was further enhanced by the two stars that seemed to intertwine with each other. They would either form a black hole or a heavier neutron star. 

But that process would still take a thousand years or so. The young lad, who had pristine white hair and a face that seemed to be carved out of perfection was thinking about it when he was brought back to reality by the sudden knock on his wooden door.

"Vyse, Can I come in?" The familiar voice said this was the same voice that he had heard when he first opened his eyes to this beautiful world. It was Alice Skye, his mother, and the one whose beauty rivaled even the ethereal queen of elves. 

Without wasting time, the young man, Vyse opened the door. The familiar figure hugged him as soon as it entered. This warmth brought a lot of joy to the young man, as he had never been hugged in his previous life. God had given him a chance, A chance to enjoy this warmth that he had never felt before. Here, His loving family always hugged him and took care of him, helping with his needs. 

"Vyse, you will soon be going through the awakening ceremony. Don't you worry son, Your father has already prepared everything. You are already a lot more talented and have worked hard for a lot of time. Your advancements have shaken a lot of nobles, who have manifested Aura at the tender age of 10 and would definitely be successful in the awakening ceremony." 

Alice's voice was steady, her hands resting gently on his shoulders. She looked into his eyes with a mixture of reassurance and solemnity.

She drew him close again, her gaze softening. "Listen to me, Vyse. The ceremony is significant, and it will certainly elevate your power. But even if you don't awaken it, don't be disheartened. Your father, too, failed his awakening, yet he became one of the strongest. Abilities don't define your power entirely. You have other paths to grow stronger. Even with my bloodline ability, I am still not as powerful as I'd like. Remember, talent can be complemented by hard work. Failure is merely the beginning of new success."

Yet the young man, couldn't help but be afraid. Afraid that he would fail to awaken it. He needed all the power he could, to defeat his foes. He needed power, he knew his father's protection would soon end. He figured it out when he discovered an unknown power, This unknown power gave him the ability to see the threads of corruption and mana, and questioning his father about it led him to discover that His father had contracted a demon.

Corruption was the antithesis of mana. Where mana brimmed with life and vitality, corruption thrived in death and decay. Mana flowed like a river of energy, nurturing, and healing, while corruption seeped through the cracks, spreading ruin and decay.

His ability allowed him to see both, It was a trait that he developed when he was training to sense mana. Unbeknownst to him, he could always see it. Both corruption and mana but his brain rejected it. It could not handle the stress of the tapestry.

On a certain day, Vyse was training in the training ground. The ground behind the palace was an expansive and meticulously crafted arena. It was designed to accommodate both aura and arcane training. It was brimming with magical artifacts, dummies each crafted with precision.

To one side, laid, a circular area with concentric rings, each inscribed with a set of runes that could heal the combatants. Surrounding it were stone benches, where the onlookers could observe the fights.

That day, the air felt alive, with the faint crackle of magical energy. A constant reminder to Vyse that the mana had its own will. People of this world were unaware of the fact. Their theory was flawed, they thought that mana had no free will, and it was bound by the will of its user.

Vyse discovered that mana, too, had its own will. This discovery led him to discover the foreign particles that were present in the air, these particles felt distinct, quite the opposite of the mana.

Knowing the theory was flawed, Vyse questioned the way he saw the world. They are unaware of the fact, Maybe this was the reason why he failed.

This discovery led him to enlightenment, he now, saw the world, in a different way. He also discovered that he was special, he could see it, he could see the mana, the corruption present in the environment.

As he focused on his training, Vyse began to see beyond the ordinary. The mana, which had once seemed like a static resource to be used, now appeared as a dynamic force with its own flow and intent. He saw the threads of mana swirling in patterns that defied conventional understanding, moving with a purpose and rhythm that suggested a form of consciousness or will.

In contrast, the corruption was a stark, unsettling presence. It was darker, and more chaotic, seeping through the environment like a creeping shadow. The foreign particles he had noticed seemed to feed on decay and destruction, their energy clashing violently with the life-affirming mana. Vyse could see how these particles interacted with the world around him, corrupting and distorting the natural flow of mana, spreading ruin where it touched.

But mana was stronger and abundant. This realization led him to believe that the demons used this force. 

Unbeknownst to him, Vyse's body had developed a new method of absorbing mana. Rather than forming a mana sphere in his heart, his cells had evolved to draw in and instinctively integrate mana and use it as a form of energy.

This mutated his body and became the reason that he was unable to form the tiny sphere of mana. Instead, manifested Aura. Vyse's once midnight-black eyes, which had reflected only the darkness of the void, now held an ethereal luminescence. They were no longer just dark orbs but had taken on a shimmering, otherworldly quality. 

As his mother finished her comforting words, Vyse took a deep breath, the weight of the ceremony and his responsibilities pressing heavily on him. His unique gift, the manifestation of Aura, and the newfound understanding of mana and corruption were both a blessing and a challenge. He had much to learn and prepare for, and the path ahead was uncertain.

"Best of luck for the ceremony, son," Alice said, her voice a soothing balm against his worries.

With renewed resolve, Vyse nodded. He would face the ceremony with all the strength and courage he could muster, knowing that his journey was just beginning and so he promised to himself that he would protect his new family at any cost.

Author note: well thats it for this week!