That night, Orion sat up, gazing at the sun-beaten wooden beams of the ceiling. The faint sibilance of the power grid of the colony hummed through the noise-thick silence, a reminder of a humble life he had always known. Usually, that yearning sound was a balm that soothed him like the heartbeat of stability in an unpredictable world. This night, though, it nearly amplified the upheaval in him. The very words of Adi echoed back and forth in his head, rising above the thick shroud of pressure and the greatness they promised. Or an Ember Aura, he had said. An aptitude powerful enough to change the world, bend the very fabric of existence. Who is he, a nobody in the eye of the clans, to deserve such a destiny?
He tossed and turned, the threadbare mattress yielding little comfort to his frustrations. What if Adi was right? What if he was really unawakened, someone who needed to be shown passionate things? And, so, the beginning was frightening. Leaving the cozy grip of the colony, the habit of a lifetime didn't sit well with him at all. Then, fear of failing-a what if flooded his mind: what if he tried and failed? Worse, what if he managed to get it right only to bring down the wrath of the clans or the council on his people? Thus his friends, Caden and Lara, had repeatedly warned him against meddling in clan affairs; and he knew they were right. Even so, the ache to prove himself, to become someone other than an ordinary colonist, ate away at him. Somewhere between all these hoot and snare thoughts, as pale dawn light spilled into his room, Orion made a decision.
The sparring area was still and quiet that morning, as it always was; most of the colonists were busy with their daily chores-tilling the farms, fixing tools or chairs, or setting a council meeting. Alone, in the middle of the training ground, Orion held his sword in his hand for comfort. The area, of course, was small; a large square of bare earth surrounded by wattle fencing and a couple of ragged training dummies. To Orion, that was always more than it seemed; it was a place from where clarity could come in-a disappearing world from where only he and the discipline of practicing remained.
On that day, however, clarity shuffled away from him. The swings were uneven; the footwork was lame. Each action seemed more of opening his frustration into another than a sheer exercise act of precision. The conversation with Adi sat there in his head, an itch he couldn't scratch. Why me? Why now? Right from the day he closed his eyes in the cradle, he had felt an afterthought; those destined to live and die in the fallen obscurity of the colony. For someone like Adi to notice him or point him out was both the most exhilarating thing yet terrifying.
He swung harder, teeth gritted, the sword singing its whistle as it cut through the air with speed. Perspiration streamed down his brow, stinging his eyes, but he did not stop. Each swing was a silent argument with himself, a battle between the life he had known and the one he was too terrified to grasp.
The sound of footsteps broke his concentration. He lowered his sword and turned to glance at Lara walking toward him. She wore a simple tunic and boots, with loose auburn hair braided back. Her sharp green eyes, always so observant, were directed toward him with an expression of concern mixed with that of someone who loved picking his brain.
"You've been at it for hours," she said, leaning against the fence bordering the sparring area. "What's with you, Orion? You're usually not this.... intense."
Orion wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand; his chest rose and fell as he caught his breath. For a moment he hesitated, wondering if he ought to raise Adi again. Lara had always been one of the few people in whom he could fully trust. If anybody could help him sort things through, it would be her.
"I've been thinking of what Adi has said," he spoke lowly, "about the offer he made."
Lara's expression steeled; really deep concern turned now into something sharper. "Orion," she said, "don't tell me you are still considering it."
"I have decided," he said quickly, sensing the sting of her voice. "I told him 'no.' I think it would be very foolish to accept his offer."
For a moment Lara held his gaze, her own steadily searching his face for any evidence of doubt. "And you're sure?" she finally asked.
He nodded, but the weight settled heavier. "I don't want to leave the colony. I don't want to get involved with clans and power struggles. It's not worth potential losses," he said finally.
Lara relaxed her shoulders a little with a long sigh. "Good. You've made the right choice, Orion. Whatever potential that idiot sees in you doesn't justify losing everything you have here. This is home; this is family. Don't be so foolish as to let someone like him take that away from you."
Orion forced a small smile, thankful for her comfort, even if it didn't entirely ease the doubts racing in his mind. "I just... wish it didn't feel like I'm giving up on something important," he admitted.
"You are not giving up," Lara said firmly. "You are protecting what matters. And if you're serious about strengthening yourself, there are other, safer ways to go about it. You don't need someone like Adi for that."
Orion looked down at the sword in his hand, the worn leather grip was both familiar and reassuring. "Maybe you're right," he said softly. "I'll concentrate on what I can do here, with what I possess."
Lara smiled, something resembling warmth breaking through her usual serious facade. "That's all a person can do, Orion. One step at a time."
As she walked away, Orion watched her melt into the distance, the soft crunch of her boots on the dirt gradually disappearing away. He knew this was what was right for him, but the uncomfortable feeling of unfinished business still lingered. He had made his decision, and for now, he would stick by it. Deep down, however, he wondered: was this the end of the story? Or just the beginning?
Orion stayed at the sparring area for a while longer, falling back into the rhythm of his training. The familiar motions of swinging, parrying, and dodging helped ease his mind, if only slightly. But no matter how much he tried to focus on the present, the image of Adi's blazing Ember Aura continued to haunt him. It was unlike anything he had ever seen, a power that seemed to defy the rules of the world he knew.
When he finally left the training grounds, the sun was high in the sky, casting its warm light over the colony. Orion felt a little lighter, though he knew the weight of his decision would follow him for some time. For now, though, he had a direction. He would stay, train, and protect the life he had here.
What he didn't realize was that his choice had already set events into motion—events that would challenge everything he thought he knew about the world, and himself.