The sun had fully dipped below the horizon, leaving behind streaks of faint purple and orange that lingered across the sky. The golden hour had passed, and twilight crept steadily into Rui's recovery chamber. The faint hum of mana conduits embedded in the walls was the only sound that accompanied the soft glow of runes etched across Rui's body.
He sat upright now, his back straight, his hands resting lightly on his lap. His silver irises, still faintly glowing with those intricate runes, reflected the fading light. He was calm—eerily so.
Kovar stood to the side, his glass brain dome flickering with waves of cascading data, his sharp eyes never leaving Rui. Fenrir remained a step back, his powerful arms still crossed over his chest. His gaze, sharp as a predator's, remained trained on Rui's glowing eyes.
The silence was heavy, but Rui seemed unbothered by it. Slowly, he raised one hand before him, his palm facing upward. Mana began to pool there—thin silvery threads forming a delicate lattice above his hand. They danced, twisted, and reformed into intricate patterns, guided by an invisible hand.
Kovar exhaled sharply, breaking the silence. His voice trembled slightly, though whether from awe or exhaustion, it was hard to tell.
"It responds to you… effortlessly."
Rui tilted his head slightly, his eyes never leaving the floating lattice of mana in his palm.
"It's not about control." His voice was soft, almost distant. "It's about… harmony. Mana doesn't need to be forced. It needs to be understood."
The threads of mana dispersed into faint mist, fading into the ambient glow of the chamber.
Fenrir took a step forward, his voice steady and low.
"Do you understand what you've become?"
Rui's gaze lifted, locking onto Fenrir's piercing eyes. For a moment, there was silence again, before Rui spoke.
"I don't think 'become' is the right word. I haven't reached an end; I've just… stepped through a door. The other side is still endless."
Fenrir grunted softly, his expression unreadable. Kovar's gloved hand twitched slightly before he spoke.
"Your neural pathways, your mana circuits—they've stabilized far beyond anything I've ever documented. Your core is… silent, Rui. Silent in a way that isn't natural. Like a still lake reflecting the sky without a single ripple."
Rui's brows furrowed faintly, but he said nothing. His gaze turned outward, out the arched window where twilight had begun to blanket the sky.
Kovar sighed heavily, rubbing his temples before turning to Fenrir.
"His vitals are stable. More than stable—they're perfect. But what happens next depends on him. You both understand that, don't you?"
Fenrir nodded curtly. "I know. But the council won't give him endless time. They're already waiting for answers."
At the mention of the council, Rui's gaze shifted back to them.
"The Sovereign Council…" Rui's voice carried weight, the glow in his eyes intensifying faintly. "They're watching, aren't they?"
Fenrir exchanged a quick glance with Kovar, who cleared his throat before responding.
"They've been watching since the moment the procedure started. They're… apprehensive."
Rui nodded slowly, his silver hair catching the faint light of the conduits.
"They should be."
The simplicity of those words carried an unsettling confidence, one that neither Fenrir nor Kovar could easily refute.
Kovar stepped closer, lowering his voice slightly.
"You need time, Rui. Your body is stable, yes, but your core—it's still refining itself. Pushing now, rushing into anything reckless—it could unravel everything."
Fenrir's gravelly voice followed immediately after.
"The council will summon you soon, boy. Be prepared. They'll test you, question you, and perhaps even provoke you. Don't let them see weakness."
Rui turned his gaze back out the window. The twilight had faded, giving way to a blanket of stars scattered across an ink-black sky. His glowing eyes reflected the constellations, mirroring them like twin pools of silver.
"I won't."
Far above, in the Grand Observatory, the members of the Sovereign Council gathered once more. The crystalline screens projected Rui's chamber in sharp detail, showing every flicker of light, every subtle movement.
High Sovereign Kaelith Drayen stood at the head of the chamber, his arms clasped behind his back, his piercing silver eyes studying Rui's every motion. Beside him, Elyra Valeheart sat with her hands folded neatly, her eyes sharp and observant. Across the room, Kovar's seat remained empty, though his presence echoed in the streams of data scrolling above his vacant chair.
Kaelith spoke, his voice sharp and commanding.
"He's awake. Stable. And aware of us."
Elyra inclined her head slightly, her sharp eyes narrowing.
"The mana responds to him like threads drawn to a needle. He isn't wielding it—he's listening to it. Speaking to it."
One of the lesser council members spoke hesitantly.
"Is he… safe? Can we trust him to remain under our observation without becoming a danger?"
Kaelith's piercing gaze silenced the murmurs before they could spread.
"Rui is not a threat—yet. But his power must be guided, monitored, and tempered. We cannot allow him to wander unchecked."
Elyra's smooth voice followed.
"If we act with fear, we will only drive him away. Power like his doesn't react well to chains or shadows. He must be approached with caution—and respect."
Kaelith nodded once.
"The boy will recover fully. Once he's ready, he will be summoned before this council. We will speak with him directly."
The council members murmured their agreement, though unease still clung heavily to the air.
Back in the recovery chamber, Rui stood at the window, his bare feet touching the cold stone floor. The faint silver glow of the runes etched into his skin pulsed softly, synchronized with his steady breathing.
The world outside was vast—stars stretched across the sky, and faint lights flickered in the distant city below. The air felt heavy, charged with something ancient and alive.
Kovar had left to file his latest observations. Fenrir stood near the chamber door, leaning silently against the frame. His sharp eyes watched Rui carefully, but he said nothing.
Rui raised a hand, his palm facing the window. Threads of mana responded instantly, faint silvery lines drawing themselves across the glass pane, forming intricate patterns that shimmered briefly before fading away.
For a brief moment, Rui closed his eyes, listening to something only he could hear. When he opened them again, his silver irises burned faintly in the darkness.
"The world feels… louder now."
Fenrir's voice carried softly across the room.
"You've changed, boy. And whether you realize it or not, the world will feel it too."
Rui nodded slowly. He could feel it—the ripples spreading out from this room, reaching across cities, across continents. His awakening wasn't just his own—it was a tremor in the foundation of the world itself.
He turned away from the window, his faintly glowing eyes locking with Fenrir's.
"I'm ready to face them."
Fenrir straightened, his predatory aura sharpening slightly.
"Good. Because they're ready to face you."
The night pressed against the chamber windows, but Rui felt none of its coldness. Within him, the mana threads hummed softly, whispering secrets only he could hear.
The next step had been set.
The world was watching.
And Rui was ready.