Riley stood in the center of the Astral Grove Training Hall. The crowd had gathered around, watching him closely. His opponent, a young Body Awakener, smirked as he stretched, showing off his enhanced muscles.
"You sure you want to go through with this?" the Awakener asked. "You're unawakened. This won't end well for you."
Riley ignored the taunt, his eyes focused on the Awakener's stance. "We'll see," he replied calmly.
The bell rang, signaling the start of the duel. The Awakener charged forward, his speed impressive. Riley sidestepped the first punch with ease, causing the crowd to murmur.
"That's all you got?" the Awakener taunted again, swinging another fist toward Riley's face.
Riley ducked and spun, sweeping his opponent's legs from under him. The Awakener stumbled but didn't fall.
"You're quick," the Awakener admitted, his grin fading. "But speed won't save you."
Riley didn't respond. He stayed light on his feet, waiting for the next move. The Awakener rushed in again, throwing a flurry of punches. Riley weaved through them, barely getting touched.
"Why aren't you fighting back?" the Awakener growled, growing frustrated.
"I am," Riley said, landing a sharp kick to his opponent's side. The Awakener winced and backed off, surprised by the force of the blow.
The crowd grew louder, sensing the shift in the fight. Riley was outmaneuvering the Awakener, dodging and countering with precision. The Awakener's strength didn't matter if he couldn't land a solid hit.
"Impossible," someone from the crowd whispered. "He's just an unawakened."
Riley heard the whispers but stayed focused. He could feel his own limits, but he knew his experience would give him a chance. The Awakener came at him one last time, lunging with everything he had. Riley saw the opening and struck, hitting him square in the chest. The Awakener gasped for air and fell to his knees.
The crowd went silent. Riley stepped back, breathing heavily but still standing tall.
"You... won," the Awakener said, disbelief in his voice.
Riley nodded. "Experience counts for something," he said before walking away, leaving the stunned audience behind.
Riley sat alone on a bench outside the Astral Grove Training Hall, staring at the ground. The noise from the duel had faded, but his mind was far from quiet.
He clenched his fists, the memory of that night playing in his head. His mother's voice echoed, calling out his name. "Riley, run!"
"I should've done something," he whispered to himself, eyes tightening. "I just stood there... like a coward."
He remembered the Magic Beast. Its dark shape loomed in his mind, sharp claws slicing through the air. His mother had pushed him aside, shielding him. She didn't survive.
"You couldn't help her," he muttered bitterly. "You were too weak. You froze."
The guilt weighed heavily on him, more than anything else. Every time he thought about becoming stronger, it dragged him back to that night. Could he ever be strong enough?
"If I awaken," he whispered, "what if I freeze again? What if... I can't protect anyone?"
The question sat heavy in his chest. His mother had given her life to save him, and now he doubted his own strength. Could he really live up to that sacrifice?
"I'm not ready," he said, shaking his head. "I'm not like them. I'll never be strong enough to face something like that again."
He lowered his head, the image of his mother still fresh in his mind. Her sacrifice felt like a burden, one he wasn't sure he could carry.
Riley sat across from Mr. Bigg in the small office. Bigg leaned back in his chair, his usual calm expression in place.
"You've got potential, Riley," Bigg said. "You just need to awaken. A Crypt's the best place to push you over the edge."
Riley shook his head, his hands clenched in his lap. "I'm not ready, Bigg. What if I mess up again?"
Bigg frowned. "You're thinking about your mother."
Riley's jaw tightened. "I couldn't save her. What makes you think I can protect anyone else?"
Bigg leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. "You were a kid, Riley. You froze because you didn't know how to fight. That's different now. You've trained hard."
Riley looked away, his chest heavy with doubt. "It doesn't matter how hard I train. What if it happens again? What if someone else gets hurt because I'm not strong enough?"
Bigg sighed, then pulled a small card from his drawer and slid it across the desk. "This is a contact for an adventure team. They're good. You'd be with people who know what they're doing."
Riley glanced at the card but didn't pick it up. "I don't know, Bigg. I don't want to depend on others. I need to do this on my own."
"You don't have to," Bigg said firmly. "That's the point of a team. And I'm offering to help with the funding, so you won't be alone in this."
Riley stayed silent for a moment, staring at the card. The thought of awakening was tempting. He wanted to be strong enough to avenge his mother, but the fear of failing again lingered.
"I'll think about it," Riley said finally, pushing the card back toward Bigg.
Bigg nodded. "Take your time, but don't let fear hold you back forever. You're capable, Riley. You just need to believe it."
Riley stood up, still unsure. "Thanks, Bigg. I'll let you know."
Riley checked the contact and glanced at the date. "So, I'm 18. It's time for the Quintessense Ceremony," he reminded himself as he forced a smile and left the Training hall.
Riley pulled up to the stadium on his hover bike, parking near the edge of the crowd. People filled the area, their voices a low hum of excitement. He took off his helmet and scanned the crowd, feeling disconnected from their energy.
Commander Evander stood on the stage, his uniform crisp and sharp. The scar on his cheek stood out as he addressed the audience, his voice booming through the speakers.
"Today, we honor Red Quintessense Day," Evander announced. "We remember the lives lost to the Bysteds and vow never to forget their sacrifice!"
The crowd erupted in cheers, their voices filled with emotion. People waved flags, some with tears in their eyes. But Riley just stood there, hands in his pockets, feeling distant.
Evander's words used to inspire him. Speeches like this would have lit a fire in him, pushed him to dream of becoming stronger. Now, all he could think about was his mother.
He shook his head slightly, trying to push the memories away. Her face. The night she died.
His gaze drifted to the sky as Evander continued his speech. The image of the girl with golden eyes flashed in his mind again. She appeared often in his dreams, always watching him silently.
"Who is she?" Riley whispered to himself, frustrated by the mystery.
The crowd roared again, but it didn't reach him. Riley looked back at the stage as Evander raised his fist, the audience following his lead.
But Riley felt nothing.
"This isn't for me anymore," he muttered, turning away from the stage and walking back to his bike. The cheers faded behind him as he put on his helmet, lost in his own thoughts.
Suddenly, his system beeped.
"Your mother's death was inevitable, even if you had awakened," the system's voice said, calm and clear.
Riley's eyes widened. What?
"Your efforts would not have saved her. Her fate was already sealed."
He clenched his fists, his heart racing. "That's not true," he muttered under his breath, trying to keep his anger in check. "I could've done something."
The system didn't respond, leaving him to stew in the uncomfortable truth it had dropped on him. He felt a surge of frustration. Why did she have to die? Why was I the one left alive?
Commander Evander's voice faded into the background as Riley's thoughts spiraled. His mind kept going back to that night, how powerless he'd felt, how he couldn't protect her. And now, this revelation just made it worse.
The system's words echoed in his mind. Even if you had awakened, nothing would've changed.
But as Riley's frustration grew, something inside him shifted. His mind went back to his mother's final words, the ones that haunted him every day. "Save Trish."
For a year, he had avoided awakening. The fear of failure, of being too weak, had kept him from moving forward. But now, a new determination filled him. If I couldn't save her, I can still save Trish.
Riley recalled when he was forced to see a Telepath to help deduce his recurring dreams...
"These dreams you keep having," the Telepath said, not looking up. "They're just symptoms of PTSD. Losing your mother like that… It's common."
Riley frowned. "It doesn't feel like that. There's something more. The girl with the golden eyes—she feels real."
The Telepath sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Dreams often feel real, Riley. But they don't mean anything deeper in your case. You've been through a traumatic event. It's affecting your subconscious."
Riley tightened his fists. "I'm telling you, there's more to it. I see her every time. She's always watching me."
The Telepath raised an eyebrow but didn't seem convinced. "Look, without consulting a higher-level Psychic, I can't tell you anything more than what I already have. And from where I stand, it's just PTSD."
Riley stood up, frustrated. "Then I'll find someone else who can give me answers."
"Good luck with that," the Telepath said, shrugging. "But you'll get the same answer."
Riley left the office, his mind still racing. **They don't understand. It's not just trauma. It's connected to her death, I know it.**
He didn't have the resources to go to the higher-level Psychics, but he couldn't shake the feeling that these dreams mattered. Something deeper was hiding in them, something tied to his mother's final moments.
"I need answers," he muttered, walking down the street. "I can't ignore this anymore. I need to take action."
His next step was clear. Riley took a deep breath, his jaw set. "I'll do it," he said quietly. "I'll enter the Crypt. I'll awaken, no matter what it takes."