She paused, allowing the weight of her words to settle. "But don't let this initial victory fool you. Awakening is merely the beginning. The journey ahead will be relentless, filled with challenges that will test not only your strength but also your will, your purpose, and your very identity. I hope you're all prepared because the trials only grow more demanding from here."
"For the next fifteen weeks, I'll be teaching you aether control, the history of aether, the fundamentals of the aetheric nexus, and combat training," Ms. Athena said. "At the end of this period, you'll face the midterm exam. I can't share the specifics yet, but know this—it will test you on everything you've learned here in addition to your outside education."
She glanced around the room briefly. "This won't be an individual exam. All classes will participate, so your performance will reflect not only on yourselves but also on your group members. So make sure you study hard and train hard for the midterm exam."
"Now, let's begin," she said. "The introduction of aether dates back over 100,000 years. It seeped into the material universe from what is now known as the Aether Realm. This newfound energy didn't just affect living beings—it altered everything. Planets underwent rapid transformations. The hydrosphere, geosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere—all were reshaped under the influence of aether. Forcing life across countless worlds to adapt and undergo rapid mutations to survive."
She paused, her gaze steady as the room fell silent. "Most of the elderly couldn't endure these drastic changes. The mutations wrought by aetheric energy were too much for their bodies to bear. It was the young who adapted, who carried the torch forward into this new era."
"Now, most of you must be wondering—why did aether suddenly enter the material universe?" Ms. Athena said, her tone inquisitive. She paused, scanning the room. "Do any of you have ideas or theories on the matter?"
I stayed quiet, thinking back to my past lectures on this topic. I had heard many theories, but in the end, they were just theories. There was no concrete way to prove any of them.
A dark blue-skinned Veyrain boy named Thesis raised his hand, his deep, measured voice breaking the silence. "Well, the most prominent theory suggests that the Aether realm is like soil to a seed. It's the foundation—the beginning and the end. It nurtures the material universe, shaping and sustaining it. Without the Aether realm, existence itself would be barren. It's the hand of the universe, a guiding force, a mother cradling her child through growth and change."
He paused briefly, his dark eyes scanning the room. "Some believe it wasn't just coincidence or chance that caused the aether to flow into the material universe. It was destined—perhaps inevitable like the seed eventually breaking through the soil to sprout."
"The problem with that theory," I said, my voice steady as I glanced around the room, "is that there was flourishing life before the introduction of Aether. So, if you use your metaphor, it would be like stating a seed can grow without the presence of soil or nutrients, which is impossible. Thus making that theory flawed in nature ."
I turned towards Noel as I heard her voice cutting through the room.
"But can we really consider life flourishing before the introduction of Aether?" she asked, her tone thoughtful but firm. "Even the most prestigious races only had lifespans of a couple of centuries, even with advanced technology. Most planets were stripped of their natural resources, harvested in the dozens, leaving barren worlds in their wake."
There was a slight pause in the conversation before Thesis cut in again, his voice sharp and insistent. "As you see, Noel makes a good point. The introduction of Aether is like a catalyst. It didn't just transform life—it gave every form of life a chance to survive and evolve through the aetheric trails. It unlocked the potential within all living beings, turning limitations into possibilities. Without it, we might still be stuck in the same cycle of resource exhaustion and slow progression."
His words hung in the air, stirring something in me. He wasn't completely wrong, but the deeper questions still lingered—what had driven Aether to enter the material universe in the first place?
Argon's words cut through the room, the tension in his voice palpable. "Of course we know that," he snapped, his eyes narrowing in frustration. "You forget that House Solis has always been aligned with both life and light—key elements of the universe's foundation. We're not just some bumbling bookworms, content with asking redundant questions and studying all day." His tone softened slightly, but the underlying pride in his heritage remained clear.
Thesis stood abruptly, his dark blue skin contrasting sharply with the intensity of his glare. "Bumbling bookworms… How dare you," he spat, his voice sharp as a knife. His posture turned rigid as a surge of emotion radiated from him. The tension in the room spiked as everyone braced for his response.
"The aetheric lineage of the Veyrain race doesn't lag behind House Solis," Thesis shot back, his voice low and dangerous. "You humans are always so arrogant, assuming you're the pinnacle of everything. You're not the only ones with power." His words were filled with a fury, the air around him practically crackling as he released aetheric energy from his newly formed core.
"Don't group us with regular humans," Argon stated, his tone icy and filled with disdain. "Though we share a distant ancestry, through speciation, we've separated so far apart that it's almost like comparing apes to humans." He glared at Thesis, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air.
I couldn't help but shake my head and sigh, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. While what Argon said was technically correct, the way he said it was… repulsive.
House Solis, particularly the nobility, had a long history of genetic crafting that set them apart. Through the meticulous work of genetic crafters and countless generations of experimentation, we spliced traits from various species into our lineage, enriching our genetic pool with key aspects that enhanced our natural abilities. Strength, speed, adaptability, and resilience—every enhancement was carefully selected, refined, and passed down.
This genetic tampering wasn't just beneficial to us as unawakened beings; it became a foundation that supported our aetheric growth. For example, even before reaching Order 1, members of House Solis exhibited faster healing and greater stamina compared to others. These traits, acquired initially through experimentation, only grew more potent once we became Awakened.