Three long days had passed within the walls of the Veridan Institute. Each day for Aysse felt like a slow, grueling climb up a steep learning curve. The sparse, single room he was assigned featured a high glass ceiling that cast a constant, pale light.
Every waking hour, he immersed himself in understanding his Faery—a silent, pulsing extension of his body that now wielded mysterious, raw power.
Aysse's thoughts churned as he observed the Vindows Operating System manifest in his mind. Unlike a computer screen full of icons, it appeared as a subtle overlay within his very senses. Menus unfurled like ribbons of light and texture, each option as tangible as the grain of sand slipping through his fingers, accompanied by faint lines of code flickering at the edge of his vision. Accessing Faeriar readings sent a low hum resonating within his skull, a strange, internal feedback loop. It was both mesmerizing and intimidating.
He spent hours navigating functions like Faery Cache Status, Skill Library, Temperature Readings, and Resource Logs. Although the memory superposition had clarified some basics, the sheer volume of new information was daunting—like a kid who just learned to count being asked to actually count to 1,000.
(Aysse, thinking): "I must learn to balance the flow—too little and I fizzle, too much and I overheat. Every adjustment matters."
During these intensive days, Elias made brief, intermittent appearances. On one of his visits, Elias had remarked with a wry smile,
Elias: "Internship. House Veridan keeps interns busy."
Aysse had since learned that Elias was not only a student at Velstein Academy but also in an internship at his own house, the Veridan Institute—and a third-year at that. His rare visits were packed with concise pointers.
Elias: "Practice. It's all about getting the feel for it."
That simple advice echoed in Aysse's mind as he devoted himself to practical experimentation.
Matter Production
Aysse's first experiment was Matter Production. Following the on-screen instructions of the Vindows overlay, he closed his eyes and envisioned a simple, solid cube. He directed a measured flow of Faeriar into his palm, watching as the OS registered each input. His initial attempts produced only faint, purple cubical shimmers that vanished before they could solidify. Sweat beaded on his brow, and his tentacle twitched slightly on his forehead as his focus wavered. Understanding flickered at the edges of his concentration.
(Aysse, thinking): "Perhaps it's not just about the intensity—small adjustments in the Faeriar flow can affect size and stability."
He began tweaking the parameters on the OS interface, monitoring Faeriar levels and temperature in real time. After several attempts—and with his heart pounding with anticipation—a small, dull purple cube materialized in his hand. It was rough and brittle, lacking the perfect solidity of a finely crafted object, yet it proved one essential truth: he could shape Faeriar into matter.
Energy Production
Next came Energy Production. Guided by both the on-screen instructions and Elias's fleeting advice during one of his visits, Aysse concentrated on sparking a controlled burst of energy. He focused intently, feeling a tiny flicker of heat dance on his palm. That spark, however, was unstable and vanished almost as soon as it appeared.
He took a deep breath, his mind racing with calculations.
(Aysse, thinking): "Too little Faeriar and the energy fizzles out. Too much, and I risk raising the system temperature."
Each failure deepened his understanding of this delicate balance—the interplay between energy output and thermal regulation. He learned that every adjustment in Faeriar flow affected both the intensity of the energy burst and the system's temperature, an insight that would prove vital for survival.
Understanding the Economy
Not content with abstract practice alone, Aysse turned his attention to the practical side of life in Eurory. He found and navigated a specialized section of the Vindows OS dedicated to memory superposition—a repository designed to help new Otherworlders adapt quickly. Here, he discovered the harsh economics of this world. Everyday necessities were priced in Faeriar currency: a simple meal, composed of rice meat and tap water, demanded 10 Faeriar, and even a basic night's lodging cost even more than that—40 Faeriar a night.
(Aysse, murmuring to himself): "Faeriar isn't just raw power—it was the essential currency for 'staying alive.'"
He now understood that Faeriar was essential not only for powering his abilities but also for all his basic needs. Without it, one couldn't secure food, shelter, or even a moment's comfort.
Observing the Training Ground
Each day, Aysse found himself drawn to the training ground—a vast, open area where Otherworlder recruits sparred with Lesser-Class creatures. He watched as recruits dueled with wolf-like beasts whose Faeriar signatures were weak and whose attacks were clumsy and predictable.
(Aysse, thinking): "Every move here is a lesson. I must learn the flow of energy in combat as much as in creation."
He recorded every movement: the swift Simple Slash, the steady Basic Shielding, and the nimble Agile Boost—techniques available for free at the Veridan Institute if one chose to install them in one's Faery. As he observed the ebb and flow of Faeriar energy during combat, Aysse began to discern clear patterns. Slowly, a quiet confidence emerged within him.
One afternoon, he watched a particularly clumsy Otherworlder recruit struggle against a Lesser-Class creature. The recruit's wild, inefficient strikes rapidly drained his Faeriar reserve, and within moments, his system began to overheat. Aysse watched as the recruit attempted a Counter Block, but mistimed the Faeriar expenditure, causing the shield to flicker and fail just as the creature lunged.
"He's pushing too much Faeriar into the initial block," Aysse analyzed, his eyes narrowed, "needs a shorter, sharper burst for the block, then a controlled flow for the counter-attack, or he'll overheat his coils before he can capitalize."
He replayed the battle in his mind, noting every misstep and wasted burst of energy.
(Aysse, thinking): "I see now—the rhythm of the beast and the precise timing of your strikes can be the difference between success and failure."
He concluded that while a single Lesser-Class creature might be manageable even without any reliance on Faery skills, facing two or three simultaneously would demand careful maneuvering, precise strikes, and controlled expenditure of Faeriar.
...
As the third day drew to a close, a clearer picture of his purpose began to solidify in Aysse's mind. He recalled Elias's cryptic words:
Elias (remembered by Aysse): "The future of this world has already been sold. The question is—to whom?"
And he remembered the constant, underlying unease that had pervaded his thoughts since his Insertion. The fragmented memories of his past, the lost year, the sudden arrival in this strange world… it all pointed to something larger, something more significant than just a random Insertion.
(Aysse, thinking): "I wasn't just any Otherworlder. I was sent here for a reason—a mission buried beneath the layers of my overwritten memories."
A chilling certainty settled over him. He hadn't simply stumbled into Eurory. He had been sent. Sent for a reason he could not yet fully grasp—a purpose intertwined with the destiny of this cursed world. In hushed moments, it became clear that influential nobles, with power beyond even House Veridan's reach, were taking part in world-threatening business.
Slowly, the weight of that potential destiny began to press upon him.
(Aysse, softly to himself): "I am not here merely to survive. I must understand this destiny and find the strength within my Faery to fulfill it."
He realized that his journey to Velstein Academy was no longer just about mastering new abilities or surviving in a hostile environment—it was about reclaiming his true purpose and fighting against the darkness that threatened Eurory and its human population.