After my heroic accomplishment the other day, I decided to take a day off from practicing my magic and went to the forbidden library of King Arthur to unwind.
The first hall had a wide array of ancient books from the olden days of Dicartha, back when the first line of Valorians took control, I had learned this through reading different history books about the land.
I went gallivanting out an about the library, scrolling through different pages of any book I could find.
One book in particular caught my interest, The Aether Realm, it was one of the more obscure novels in the library that Headmaster Merlin himself had advised not to entertain, for the contents of the book had a connection with a banned type of magic.
As curious as I was I took the book and opened the first page, the first line immediately giving me the idea that I was walking a dangerous road
"To you, 300 years from now, please be advised that what you are about to engage with may make you question everything you thought you knew about this world, further engagement with this novel may cause death or worse to those not ready"
"What the hell? It couldn't possibly be that bad" I told myself, besides I had already gone through some of the most hardest trials so far in this new life, I could face anything.
I opened the next page slowly, suddenly out of nowhere darkness embraced me, clouding me in an endless amount of worry, it was pitch black.
This had to be it.
The Aether Realm.
As soon as the darkness disappeared, I slowly decided to open my eyes.
The Aether Realm stretched out before me, an endless expanse of swirling mist and light. Everything here felt... surreal. I had stepped through the portal with a sense of anticipation, unsure of what I would find, but now that I was here, standing at the threshold of this strange world, the weight of my journey felt heavier.
I walked cautiously, the ground beneath my feet soft and ethereal, as if the very fabric of reality was thinner here. The sky was a deep, stormy gray, with occasional flashes of light piercing through the clouds. It was quiet—too quiet, like the calm before a storm.
That's when I saw him.
A tall figure in black armor, his presence towering and ominous, stood ahead of me. His armor seemed ancient, engraved with symbols I couldn't begin to decipher. A long, tattered cape billowed behind him, even though there was no wind. His face was hidden beneath a dark helmet, but the red glow of his eyes pierced through the visor, locking onto me as I approached.
This had to be the Black Knight. I had only heard of him in urban legends surrounding the Aether Realm from locals in my stay in Dicartha, but to see the man face to face was a different story.
"Ryuji Valoria," his voice rumbled, deep and gravelly. "You stand in the realm between worlds, where fate itself is written."
I swallowed hard, feeling a cold sweat forming on my brow. "I know why I'm here," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I was told you could help me."
The Black Knight remained silent for a moment, studying me, before he spoke again. "Help, yes. But only if you heed my warning."
A chill ran down my spine. "Warning?"
He took a step closer, his presence weighing heavily in the air. "The enemy you seek... they are coming. But they are not what you expect. Be cautious, Ryuji. The forces at play are greater than you realize."
I nodded, feeling a pit form in my stomach. "Who are they? This enemy?"
The Black Knight turned his gaze away from me, looking out into the swirling mists. "Their name is not important yet. But know this—they seek the same power you are after. The power to shape reality, to bend fate to their will."
My heart raced as I processed his words. The Fate Scripts. The very power I had been relying on... others were after it too.
"You must be careful with your own power," he continued. "It is not infinite. The more you use it, the more you become bound to the script of fate. And once that binding reaches its limit, you will lose everything."
I clenched my fists, the reminder of my dwindling Fate Scripts still fresh in my mind. Ten thousand three hundred and twenty-one left. I had been so reckless with them, and now the price was becoming clearer.
The Black Knight's gaze returned to me, his red eyes burning with intensity. "When the time comes, you must choose carefully. Your fate—and the fate of those around you—rests on the choices you make."
I stood there, the weight of his words sinking into me. The responsibility, the danger, it all felt overwhelming. But I couldn't back down now. Not when so much was at stake.
"I'll be ready," I said, my voice filled with determination.
The Black Knight tilted his head slightly, as if contemplating my response. "We shall see."
The darkness began to embrace me again, taking me back to the library I quickly exited, entering the training grounds
When I returned to the physical realm, the sensation of stepping out of the Aether was jarring. Everything here felt so much more... tangible. Solid. Real.
I shook off the lingering unease from my meeting with the Black Knight, focusing on what was ahead. Training. If I was going to face this new enemy, I needed to be stronger. And so did she.
Selene stood at the edge of the training grounds, waiting for me. Her long, silver hair shimmered in the fading light, and her calm, focused demeanor was a stark contrast to the chaos I had just come from.
"Ready?" she asked, her voice soft but resolute.
I nodded. "Let's do this."
Selene had been working on her water affinity for months, honing it with precision and care. But now, after everything we had been through, she wanted to take it to the next level. And I was going to help her do it.
We stood across from each other, the ground beneath us damp with moisture as Selene summoned her power. Water swirled around her hands, forming intricate patterns in the air before shooting towards me in a wave. I dodged quickly, summoning my own power to counter her attacks.
She was fast—faster than I expected. Her control over the water had improved significantly, and she used it to her advantage, sending streams of water to cut off my movements. I grinned, impressed by her progress.
But this wasn't just about her improving. It was about us working together, pushing each other to become stronger.
I summoned a blast of wind to disperse her water attacks, sending a gust toward her. She countered with a shield of water, blocking my strike with ease.
"You're holding back," she teased, a small smile playing on her lips.
I laughed, shaking my head. "Just testing your limits."
Selene's eyes narrowed playfully. "Then stop testing and start fighting."
Her next attack was more aggressive, a torrent of water crashing down toward me with the force of a tidal wave. I raised my hand, calling on my magic to part the wave, but the sheer power behind it made me stumble.
She wasn't holding back anymore.
I quickly recovered, sending a wave of energy back at her, but she dodged, moving with the grace and precision that only someone with her level of training could manage.
We continued like that for what felt like hours—trading blows, testing each other's strength, pushing each other to new heights. By the time we finally stopped, both of us were breathing hard, drenched in sweat and water.
Selene smiled at me, wiping a strand of wet hair from her face. "You're getting better."
"So are you," I replied, grinning back.
"Ready for more?" I said
"Always ready hero" She said
After this tiring day I couldn't stop thinking about the Black Knight's words and the first things the system had told me upon arriving in this world.
Will the Valorian family truly fall because of me?
I didn't give it another thought, resuming my practice with Selene..
Who knew what more secrets this world had to offer? Will I even survive to tell the tale?
I asked myself and it was clear there was a chance I wouldn't, but it didn't mean I wouldn't die fighting.