Kain sat on the edge of his bed, absently flipping the Umbra-Source Crystal in his hand, its dark surface glinting faintly under the room's light. His thoughts drifted as he leaned back against the wall, staring out the window where the last vestiges of twilight were slipping away.
"So, tomorrow's the entrance exams, huh? Should be fun to watch, since I was seeded candidate there is no need to participate" he muttered, a faint smirk playing on his lips. He was already looking forward to seeing the faces of his fellow students struggle with the challenges ahead, knowing full well that, for him, it would be a rather amusing spectacle.
He turned the crystal in his fingers, it's cool surface grounding his thoughts. 'It's been a while since I entered the Mind Chamber', he mused silently, his gaze sharpening. The Mind Chamber—a unique space accessible only to Ascenders—served as a window to their inner attributes and progress. It was a realm where one could truly connect with their abilities, where the soul could commune with its power.
The world had always been too loud for Kain, filled with distractions and demands, but the Mind Chamber was different. It was a place where silence reigned, and where his deepest intentions could materialize as tangible forces. It was a personal domain, just for him.
Crossing his legs on the bed, Kain straightened his back and began a light meditation, calming his breath and centering his focus. He drew in a deep breath, letting the air fill his lungs before slowly exhaling. His senses sharpened as he pushed aside the noise of the outside world.
"Open," he commanded, his voice quiet but firm, a single word carrying a weight of resolve.
The world around him shifted. The edges of his vision blurred and faded, the sound of his breath replaced by a ringing silence. His consciousness sank into the depths of his being, deeper and deeper, until finally.
The Mind Chamber materialized before him. It was vast, an endless white expanse stretching out in every direction, its purity overwhelming. The air was thick with stillness, as though time itself had come to a halt. There were no walls, no ceiling, no floor—just the infinite void that existed inside him. But despite its emptiness, it was the most familiar place in the world. It was a part of him, and he, a part of it.
Before him, two crystals floated serenely in the air. They were manifestations of his attributes, visible symbols of his growth as an Ascender. One crystal was a light, almost ethereal green—Aerokinesis, his primary element. The other was a pure white crystal with gold markings that seemed to pulse faintly with potential—an attribute that was still unknown to him, an enigma.
Kain stepped closer, his eyes narrowing as he observed the crystals. The green one, his Aerokinesis, had a steady glow to it, soft but undeniably present. He understood its significance. It was at Stage 2—a decent level for most Ascenders. He could manipulate the wind, create gusts, enhance his speed, and even control air currents to an extent. But he knew wind was nothing compared to other, more destructive elements like fire or lightning.
He had long known the stages of progress each attribute went through:
Stage 1: No glow. The user could enhance themselves with the attribute but had no control over it.
Stage 2: A faint glow. The user could imbue objects with the attribute's power, manipulating it in small ways—creating minor control over the element itself.
Stage 3: A bright, radiant glow. The user could fully control the element, bending it to their will with complete mastery.
Kain's Aerokinesis had reached Stage 2, and while that was useful, he always felt that it was… lacking. There was more to be done, more to be unlocked, and the faint glow of his attribute seemed to mock him. He could do more, and he just needed the right push.
His attention shifted to the white crystal. It was dormant for now, its glow faint and barely perceptible, but Kain could feel its latent potential. This was his second attribute, the one he'd been trying to understand since its emergence. The markings on the crystal shimmered with an almost ancient energy, but it was still at Stage 1—untapped.
That was when he had an idea.
He looked at the Umbra-Source Crystal, the dark crystal given to him by Zander. It had been a curiosity since he first obtained it. 'What would happen if I merged this with Aerokinisis?'
He had an instinct that something profound would happen if he merged the two—Aerokinesis and Umbra-source crystal. It was a crazy thought, but then again, Kain wasn't the type to shy away from reckless experimentation.
"A man's gotta do what a man need to do," Kain muttered under his breath as he pressed the Umbra-Source Crystal against the green Aerokinesis crystal.
The moment their surfaces touched, a pulse of raw energy shot through the Mind Chamber, vibrating the very air around him. His vision blurred as an overwhelming surge of power coursed through him. The crystals began to vibrate wildly, the space around him warping as if the very laws of reality were being bent.
Pain shot through Kain's head, and for a moment, he felt as if his body would implode. It was too much, too fast—but Kain refused to relent. He pressed harder, focusing all of his will into the fusion.
Suddenly, the white crystal with golden markings flickered, then began to glow faintly. A soft white energy escaped from the crystal, twisting through the air before merging with the other two. For a split second, everything seemed to freeze. Then, there was a bright, blinding flash, and Kain was sent flying backward, his mind overwhelmed by the surge of power.
Kain's eyes snapped open. He was back in his room, his body drenched in sweat, his breath coming in short, shallow gasps. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear the haze from his mind, feeling a deep throbbing pain in his skull. But despite the dizziness, he could feel that something had changed—something fundamental.
For a moment, he simply sat there, taking stock of his senses. 'I'm alive', he thought with a small, strained chuckle. But that wasn't the end. He wasn't finished. Not yet.
Closing his eyes once again, Kain returned to the Mind Chamber. This time, he was determined to see the results. The endless white space stretched before him, still and silent.
The green Aerokinesis crystal, once dull and faint, was now glowing brightly, but it had undergone a dramatic transformation. Its green hue had shifted into a vibrant sky blue, with dark black markings etched across its surface like intricate veins.
It pulsed with power, far stronger than before—Stage 3. The fusion had not only elevated its strength but also altered its very nature, making it something entirely unique.
The fusion had worked. The green crystal was no longer just Aerokinesis; it was something new, something more. His first true Stage 3.
But then, Kain's attention shifted to the white crystal.
It too was glowing but slowly dulling, though far more subtly. The golden markings seemed to shimmer with a new intensity, as if the crystal had become aware of something—or perhaps, it was aware of him.
"Who… are you?" Kain whispered, his voice barely audible in the quiet chamber.
The crystal offered no answer, but Kain felt its power radiating around him. It was ancient, mysterious, and undeniably tied to him. But how? Why?
As the Mind Chamber began to fade from his consciousness, Kain couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. Tomorrow's entrance exams would be interesting—both to watch or to participate in.
.....
[Author note: The upcoming chapters will progress at a slower pace as I will be incorporating world-building elements to clarify any potential confusion. Please bear with me.]
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