Lira continued her relentless training. Just when she was about to retire from extreme fatigue, her Ascension System chimed in. She received a message from Mylar of the Ironclad Order.
She knew Mylar. Although they were not close, they had once interacted when they embarked on training quests to level up and meet guild entrance requirements.
Lira had set her sights on the Ascendants Guild, while Mylar aimed for the Ironclad Order.
Each guild's requirements differed, but the Ascendants Guild's were considered among the harshest and strictest.
The guild itself ranked as one of the top guilds in the Ascension System—not only because of its elite members but also due to its owners, the enigmatic beings known as The Ascendants.
The Ascendants were not from Erendath. They hailed from another world, wielding mysterious powers. They could not die, or if they did, they would respawn back to their optimum state, as if they had nine lives.
Their existence in Erendath dated back to the birth of the Eternals.
Prophecies and legends dictated that their presence was tied to the emergence of Darkspawns—creatures of nightmare and destruction. The Ascendants were seen as saviors, sworn to rid Erendath of these abominations.
Nobody knew what otherworld they came from, but the people had learned to accept them as heroes.
The Ascendants even had a peculiar name for the locals—NPCs. Although the locals did not understand what it meant, they took it as a badge of acknowledgment.
Many awakeners of Erendath sought entry into guilds owned by the Ascendants because their missions offered the greatest rewards.
If lucky, an awakener could even accompany an Ascendant on a major quest.
Missions given to non-Ascendants were often mundane—collecting herbs, sourcing materials, mining, and transporting goods.
Only by joining an Ascendant-led mission did one face true danger and, in turn, true rewards—especially when venturing into towers and rifts.
But no one in Erendath knew that these so-called heroes were merely players of an online MMORPG called Ascension.
********
[System Alert: Message from Mylar (Ironclad Order).]
Lira opened the message, curiosity piqued. The moment she read it, she froze.
Then, without hesitation, she bolted from the training area, drawing curious glances from other guild members, particularly Ral.
"Lira, what's wrong?" Ral shouted after her.
She skidded to a stop, turning toward him, eyes wide with urgency. "They found him, Ral!" she exclaimed. "My brother. He's alive."
She could barely contain her emotions—excitement, nervousness, but also a gnawing sense of dread. Mylar's message had been vague, mentioning something had happened to Kael, but he had not specified what.
"You mean Kael? They really found him? That's great news! Then you don't have to join the Rift Mission," Ral said, relief evident in his voice.
Lira nodded her head. "I need to get to Greythorne. Fast. I need to use the portal."
Her mind raced, urgency gripping her. She needed to confirm it was really Kael, to see him with her own eyes.
Mylar had also informed her that he did not need the reward—since they were both from the same city. She finds it secretly comforting.
In fact, the reward amount was almost everything Lira had left. Most of her savings had gone into funding the search for Kael; only a small portion had been used for her training and leveling up.
Yet, she felt uneasy. She had promised a reward, and it felt wrong to simply let it go. Instead, she sent Mylar a reply: "Then let me treat you instead."
To her relief, Mylar agreed. He then sent her their location.
Now determined, Lira sprinted toward the portal area of their guild.
She was going to find her brother. No matter what it took.
********
Kael strode through The Commons, his sharp gaze flickering over the lively market street.
The air was thick with the scent of spiced meat and freshly baked bread, and the rhythmic clatter of merchants arranging their goods mixed with the distant clang of a blacksmith's hammer.
Every step he took carried him deeper into the chaos—hawkers shouting prices, coin pouches jingling, the hum of dozens of conversations layering over one another.
But he wasn't here to linger.
He adjusted his pace, heading straight for the Awakeners Ward, where his real destination was set. Limo, his furry system guide, was nowhere to be seen—no helpful advice, no cheery remarks. Not today.
And deep within his consciousness, the entity stirred—not yet awakened, but still evolving. Kael could feel it growing stronger with every passing moment.
Kael finally reached the gates of the Awakener's Ward—a towering stone archway flanked by two armored sentries. Their polished steel breastplates reflected the morning sun, and their hands rested lightly on the pommels of their weapons. A silent warning.
As he approached, one of the guards raised a hand, barring his way.
"Halt." His voice was firm, practiced. "This place is for awakeners only. You'll need an Awakeners Pass to enter."
Kael frowned. "Awakeners Pass?"
"No pass, no entry," the guard stated flatly.
Kael exhaled sharply. "Where do I get one?"
At that, the second guard smirked. "Newly awakened, huh?" He jerked his chin toward a large notice board just off to the side. "Check there. It'll tell you what you need to know."
Kael gave a short nod and turned on his heel. He wasn't irritated—he was intrigued.
This wasn't just a town with rules. This was a world with a system. And if he was going to break into it, he'd start here.
His steps quickened.
As Kael reached the notice board, a familiar chime echoed in his mind.
[ System Alert: 'Information Board' Discovered. ]
A notification flashed across his vision, and instantly, the system added it to his Domain Tab.
Kael's mind flickered back to Limo's explanation—the Domain Tab stored key data about his surroundings.
Maps, town details, city guides—everything he unlocked would be accessible there. And now, a new icon labeled 'Information Board' appeared, giving him an instant shortcut to access it anytime.
Curious, he tapped the icon.
A single location appeared: Greythorne.
Kael clicked on it, and lines of text unfolded before him—a comprehensive guide for awakeners traveling through Greythorne. Among the listed entries, one immediately caught his attention: The Awakeners Ward.
His eyes narrowed as he skimmed through the details.
[ Awakeners Pass Requirement: ]
— Must be a registered member of an Awakeners' Guild.
— Minimum Level 10 required to join a basic guild.
— Higher-tier guilds have stricter entry conditions.
Kael's brows furrowed.
"I need to join an Awakeners Guild?" he muttered. His fingers scrolled down, his frown deepening. "And I need to be at least Level 10 just to qualify?"
A heavy sigh escaped his lips.
According to the guide, every awakener registered under the Ascension System received an Awakeners Pass upon joining a guild. This pass wasn't just for Greythorne—it granted access to any Awakeners Ward across the cities of Erendath.
But what caught his attention was the pass ranking system.
[ Awakeners Pass Tiers: ]
— Bronze (Basic Perks)
— Silver (Increased Mission Rewards)
— Gold (Priority Access to High-Rank Quests)
— Diamond (Full Guild Privileges, Exclusive Perks)
Kael let out another breath. "Four pass levels… and the highest is Diamond." He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "I don't even qualify for the lowest tier yet."
A guild. And not just any guild but an awakeners guild.
To get in, he needed Level 10.
Silence settled around him for a moment, but then—his gaze sharpened.
"Time to hunt."
Without another word, he turned on his heel and strode into the streets heading towards the outskirts of town, his mind already planning his next move. If leveling up was the key, then he'd make sure to reach Level 10—fast.