Julian cautiously approached the mysterious door. The air around him was charged with an incomprehensible energy as if the whole world held its breath in anticipation of the decisive moment. He slowly extended his hand toward the door, and when his fingertips brushed its cold surface, he felt as though a lightning bolt of energy pierced his body. Suddenly, fleeting visions overwhelmed him.
The sky before him stretched endlessly, filled with stars that formed and exploded in the blink of an eye. He saw galaxies being born and extinguished, like shooting stars burning out in an immense sea of darkness. Julian felt as though he were part of this infinite universe, as if his body had no boundaries, and his soul was floating among the stars.
But amidst this mesmerizing beauty, a strange voice pierced through everything. It was a torn sound, coming from the depths of the universe, carrying a warning tone:
"The Raven!"
Julian's consciousness froze for a moment, and the scene shifted rapidly. He found himself in a dark, cold place, where only floating shadows could be seen.
There, in front of him, stood a strange figure. His long hair seemed to wrap around him as if it were part of the darkness itself. He was bent over a mangled corpse, tampering with it as though searching for something inside.
Despite the terror engulfing him, Julian couldn't take his eyes off the figure. He felt as if the being before him was aware of his presence, and indeed, the figure slowly raised his head, revealing glowing red eyes.
That gaze pierced Julian's mind like a sword, rendering him motionless.
Suddenly, a massive beam of black energy shot out from the being's hands, speeding toward Julian faster than thought. He tried to move, to flee, to do anything, but his body was frozen in place.
Julian screamed in terror and yanked his hand away from the door violently, crashing to the ground, gasping for breath. His body trembled as if struck by a powerful electrical current, and his eyes were wide with fear and confusion.
"W-what… what was that?" he murmured, his voice shaking, trying to calm his breath.
After a few moments, he felt a strange sting in his chest. He looked down to find a peculiar tattoo beginning to form on his body. It was a silver spiral, surrounded by small glowing dots resembling stars, as though it were a miniature cosmic map. The tattoo faintly glowed, but it carried a sense of immense weight as if it concealed an unimaginable power.
Julian returned to the real world, feeling the weight of the tattoo on his chest. Around him were Kross, Albus, and Adair, watching him in awe and astonishment.
Adair stepped back and smiled, saying:
"He did it."
Kross broke the silence with a wide grin, crossing his arms:
"Not bad, huh? But…" he looked directly at Julian with a serious gaze:
"Do you know what this tattoo means?"
Julian looked at them in silence, as if trying to comprehend what was happening. He was given no time to think as Albus stepped forward and said in his deep voice:
"This is not just a tattoo. It is proof of spiritual binding. You have chosen the Sitrai of Space and bound it to yourself. But with power… comes a cost."
Julian felt the tattoo as if it were speaking to him, whispering with some confusion: "The cost? What do you mean?"
Albus answered in a calm, yet heavy tone:
"Space is a complex power. It's not just energy… it's a connection. With the universe… and with yourself. If you dare to use it without understanding it, it will consume you from the inside."
Kross quickly intervened, smiling as if trying to ease the tension:
"Don't listen to all that exaggeration. The power is what you make of it. What matters now is to see what this power can do. Now, let's see what you can do."
Moments later, Julian stood in the middle of the hall. He remembered Kross's words: "Feel the energy within you, release it, and direct it."
He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and tried to concentrate. He recalled that energy he had felt behind the door, that sense of connection with the entire universe. He felt a heat rising inside him as if a small volcano was awakening.
He suddenly opened his eyes and raised his hands. A small beam of black energy shot from his hands, surrounded by glowing red threads. The beam struck the nearby wall, leaving a small mark on it.
"Not bad," Kross said with a slight smile, then added:
"But your power still needs more training to reach its true level."
Julian looked at his hands in astonishment, as if he couldn't believe what had just happened. He muttered to himself: "So… this is how it works?"
Kross smiled and said:
"This is just the beginning. Your power is great, but it needs refinement and control. With the right training, you'll be able to accomplish things you can't even imagine."
Julian smiled and said confidently:
"I'm ready…"
Hours later, Julian was walking through the halls of the castle, but his mind was preoccupied with what he had seen behind the door. He remembered the strange figure and the scream he had heard.
"The Raven…" he muttered to himself as if trying to understand the meaning of the word.
He reached his room and closed the door behind him. He sat cross-legged on the bed, trying to calm his thoughts. He took a deep breath and began gathering the energy around him. He felt the tattoo on his chest glow as if it were responding to his call.
After a few minutes of meditation, he decided to seek answers. He grabbed the book "The Comprehensive Guide to Sifrania."
He opened the book and began searching for the section on Sitrai of Space. When he reached the desired page, he read aloud softly:
"Sitrai of Space is one of the highest paths of Sifrania. It revolves around controlling gravity, traveling between different places, controlling destructive waves, and having absolute control over the spatial realm."
Julian raised his eyebrows in astonishment and said in a low voice:
"This is amazing."
He continued reading:
"Although the abilities of Sitrai of Space are immense, they require a huge amount of energy to control. Insufficient energy can lead to the destruction of the person. Therefore, one must continuously work on raising their energy and expanding their abilities."
Julian closed the book and looked at the tattoo on his chest. He murmured to himself: "If this is the path I've chosen, I'll be ready for its challenges."
The next day, Julian woke up with the first rays of sunlight creeping through his room's window.
He sat cross-legged on his stone bed, closing his eyes and trying to gather the energy he felt swirling around him as though it were a living entity waiting to be summoned. The air in the room was charged with hidden energy, but Julian couldn't fully control it yet.
Suddenly, his concentration was broken by a sharp knock on the door.
Knock… knock… knock…
He hesitated for a moment, then got up slowly, stretching his body, still sore from the training the day before. He quickly dressed and opened the door to find Adair standing there. Adair's dark hair was covered by the shadow of his black cloak, and his serious expression made Julian immediately pay attention.
"Good morning, Julian," Adair said with a small smile, but his eyes held something deeper.
"Good morning, what's the matter?" Julian asked cautiously, trying to read his friend.
Adair confidently stepped into the room without waiting for an invitation, as if the place belonged to him. He gently closed the door behind him, then leaned against the wall, as if weighing his words before speaking.
Finally, he said in a low voice but with gravity:
"You've been assigned your first official mission in the organization."
Julian's eyes widened in surprise. He had been waiting for this moment since joining. "Really?"
Adair nodded and a small smile appeared on his lips. "Yes. It's a big step for you, but it's just the beginning."
He said with suppressed excitement:
"What's the mission?"
Adair walked over to the window, glancing briefly at the castle, which seemed to be engulfed in the stillness of the morning. Then he turned back to Julian and said in a firm tone:
"You will come with me and another person named Bain. We've received information about a group of wanted individuals hiding in the Darius Forest.
This group is residing in an old castle hidden among the mountains, and our goal is to eliminate them."
Julian felt a mix of excitement and anxiety. He knew that this step would lead him into a dangerous world with no return.
"Are you sure I'm ready for this?"
Adair smiled lightly and said in a reassuring tone:
"Don't worry. You'll be under my supervision, and Bain is an expert in this kind of mission. You'll be fine as long as you follow the instructions."
Julian clenched his fists, showing his confidence. He said firmly: "I'm ready!"
Half an hour later, Julian was walking alongside Adair through the vast hallways of the castle.
Everything around him pulsed with energy and awe. The cold stone walls echoed their steps as faint light filtered through the tall window slits.
"Adair, I have a question," Julian said, trying to break the silence that seemed to increase his tension.
"Go ahead."
"Can I choose my missions someday?"
Adair chuckled softly, stopping for a moment before answering: "Not right now. Choosing missions requires experience and a high rank. Only those who reach that level are given that freedom."
"How long does that take?"
"Years… if you're lucky."
Julian felt the weight of his words as if they added a burden to his shoulders. He swallowed and said with a faint smile:
"Seems harder than I thought."
Adair shook his head seriously:
"It's harder than you can imagine. But the hardest part is what awaits you outside these walls. Enemies won't give you a chance to learn, so you always have to be ready."
In the distance, a figure appeared waiting for them at the castle gate. He was tall, standing like an unyielding wall against the world.
As they approached, Adair greeted him casually, while Bain stared at Julian with sharp eyes.
"This is Bain. He'll be part of our team for this mission."
Bain extended his hand toward Julian and said in a calm yet experienced tone: "Pleasure to meet you."
Julian shook his hand firmly, trying to seem confident, and said with a hesitant smile: "Pleasure to meet you too. I promise I'll live up to your expectations."
A faint smile crossed Bain's face as he said quietly: "We'll see about that soon."