"Well, you've got around two months before the new semester starts," Orion said, turning to Ryen. "You'll need to learn how to control core energy, and Mr. Caelum here will help you take the first steps."
"It's my pleasure, sir," Alastair replied, bowing respectfully to Orion.
"Good." Orion nodded, then added, "Start your training as soon as you can." With that, Orion stood, pushed open the door, and left the room, revealing a luxurious hallway outside—polished floors, elegant chandeliers, and walls adorned with intricate designs.
Ryen climbed off the bed, taking in his surroundings. "Whoa... this house is enormous! Is this Master Orion's place?" he asked, still in awe of the ornate furnishings.
"No," Alastair replied, a faintly amused expression flickering across his face. "This is my house."
Ryen started to laugh. "Ha! Why would you joke about something like—" He stopped mid-sentence, catching the serious look on Alastair's face. His expression turned from amusement to disbelief. "Wait… are you serious? This whole place… is actually yours?"
Alastair shrugged, looking slightly puzzled by Ryen's shock. "Yes, what's so surprising about that? It's our family's mansion."
Ryen's jaw dropped as he took it all in, thinking of the rundown clinic Alastair worked at. With tears almost welling up, he muttered, "All this time, you've been living in a place like this… but you went to that broken-down rental building and worked at a tiny clinic? Why?"
Trying to brush past Ryen's surprise, Alastair replied, "My parents aren't home much. They visit the estate only on official academy occasions. But my—"
Ryen, unable to contain his curiosity, interrupted, "Wait, what do you mean by 'academy estate'? Do you have a mansion like this somewhere else, too?"
Alastair shook his head. "No, not like this." Ryen let out a sigh of relief.
"The other one's actually bigger," Alastair added offhandedly.
Ryen's eyes went wide, his face filled with disbelief, as he barely stammered, "B-bigger than… this?" The shock was almost visible as his hands dropped to his sides, his face a mix of awe and envy
After a brief exchange, a man who looked like an elderly servant knocked lightly on the door. He entered, bowed, and said, "Master Alastair, breakfast is ready."
"Thank you, Uncle Moris. We'll be right there," Alastair replied with a nod. The servant bowed again before quietly departing.
They made their way to the dining hall, and Ryen's wide eyes took in every detail of the mansion as they passed lavish furnishings, elegant artwork, and hallways lined with chandeliers. Soon, they finished their breakfast and headed outside to the training grounds—a vast, open expanse stretching far into the distance.
Ryen glanced around, still in awe. "Is… is all this your land?" he asked, gesturing to the seemingly endless grounds.
Alastair nodded, a slight smile on his face. "Yes. Everything you can see belongs to my family."
Ryen bit his lip, trying to hold back a mixture of awe and frustration as he thought back to Alastair's humble life in town.
Alastair shifted the focus back to training. "Alright, let's get started. First, you need to awaken your core energy."
"Wait, I've got a question," Ryen interrupted. "Why is it called core energy? Wouldn't 'meteorite energy' or 'fragment force' sound better?"
Alastair smiled, amused. "It's called core energy because the meteorite's core fragment held the most intense power. The closer the fragments were to the core, the stronger they were. But nobody has ever found the core itself—its location, or if anyone's even possessed it, remains a mystery."
"Alright, so that's why it's called core energy," Ryen nodded thoughtfully.
"Good. Now, close your eyes, take steady breaths, and concentrate. Core energy is… hard to explain, like a sticky, molten flow within you. Focus and try to sense it."
Ryen scrunched his brow, his eyes closed tightly. "I don't even know what I'm supposed to be looking for," he muttered, clenching his fists.
"It's natural for it to feel challenging at first," Alastair replied patiently. "Mastering it takes dedication, but if you work hard, you'll find it."
Time passed as Ryen attempted to sense his core energy after half a month of relentless effort, a shift happened.
"You did it!" Alastair exclaimed, seeing the glow in Ryen's eyes. He extended his left hand, covering it in a dark, flickering aura. "You've taken the first step. That glow in your eyes is a sign of awakened core energy. Now, try channeling it to your hand."
"What's the point of the color?" Ryen asked, still adjusting to the sensation.
"The color of your energy reflects your elements tied to it," Alastair explained. "I didn't expect you to reach this point so quickly… I only awakened my core energy after nine days, and it took you sixteen. You're not far behind."
"Does everyone have their own element? What are they, and what's the point of them?" Ryen asked, curiosity sparking in his voice.
Alastair gave a small nod. "Elements are essentially the nature or type of one's core energy. A person's element is influenced by several things—their personality, heritage, even their family line."
"What does family have to do with it?" Ryen asked, his brow furrowed.
"Remember when Master Orion mentioned the fragments of the meteorite?" Alastair began.
"Most of it, I think," Ryen replied, trying to recall.
"That incident was in ancient times, but the legacy of those fragments has persisted. These fragments—and the metbeast spirits tied to them—are like an inheritance, passed down through generations. For those who come from ancient families, the fragments have influenced their lineage deeply. Take my family, for example; all of us possess abilities of sea . My specific power is tied to the 'Cursed Sea,' and my spirit is Vorthun." Alastair's expression grew solemn. "Vorthun has been bound to my family for generations. As long as I'm alive, no one else can claim him. Before me, Vorthun belonged to my great-grandfather, who had the 'Clouded Sea' ability."
Alastair paused, letting the weight of his words settle. Ryen absorbed it all, then asked, "Okay, I get it. But what about someone like me who doesn't come from one of these 'ancient families'?"
Alastair's gaze sharpened. "If someone doesn't come from those old families, then they're typically ordinary humans, not Meteorions. But you do have core energy, which suggests you're not ordinary—you must be connected to one of those families, even if it's unknown to you."