Astra stood before the looming, ancient estate of Odinson Steel, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous, almost feverish excitement. The very air around the estate seemed to pulse with an ancient, forgotten power, as though the stones themselves whispered of bloodlines long buried and secrets that time had nearly claimed.
He withdrew to a shadowed corner, away from prying eyes, his mind churning as he tried to digest the heavy revelations that had been thrust upon him.
His heart pounded in his chest, and the weight of destiny pressed down upon him like a suffocating fog. Who he was, who he could become—it was almost too much to grasp.
"Royalty..Godhood." he muttered under his breath, the word tasting strange on his tongue. A bitter, yearning sensation twisted in his gut. He had always felt the weight of isolation, an outsider in a world that seemed to scorn him at every turn.
But now, the truth unraveled itself in cruel clarity—he was not some forgotten wretch; he was of divine descent, bloodlines steeped in darkness and power.
He was a king among mortals, yet no crown would grace his brow. No throne would await him. Instead, he was left to ponder the price of a legacy stained in shadows.
Well to he actually I was crowned, and by a godhood at that. the corners of his lips curled slightly.
The pieces of his past, his present, and the terrifying future ahead of him collided in his mind, forming a picture that was as beautiful as it was cursed. The darkness was calling, and Astra was poised to answer.
Two fates. Rise in power and claim my rightfully authority as The prince of Stars and Lord of Shadows. Or dying a brutal death in a ditch after being hunted by all the great heights ending my Houses chanced and Lineage.
Astra's hand trembled ever so slightly as he reached out, calling upon the connection with his coin. The moment his fingers brushed against it, a surge of information poured into his mind, flooding his senses like a deluge of forgotten memories.
The world around him seemed to fade into shadow, leaving him alone in his own mind, with only the coin as his anchor.
The transformation was immediate.
His gaze locked onto the coin. The Pawn—no longer the humble, worn token it had once been. It had evolved. The once simple copper-green surface now gleamed with a dark, almost ethereal hue.
The dagger etched into its surface remained, yet something more profound had taken root. The back of the coin was like the night sky itself, an endless abyss speckled with tiny, glittering diamonds—each one a shimmering fragment of the universe's eternal void.
Astra's breath caught in his throat. Imperial Pawn, it was now called. No longer just a tool, but something far greater. Something... alive.
A strange satisfaction settled in his chest as he turned the coin over, noticing the inscription etched into its surface, hidden beneath the gleaming night. The words seemed to carry weight, a promise from the very heavens—or perhaps from the depths of darkness itself.
"Forged in Night. Crowned by Stars."
A smirk tugged at Astra's lips. He couldn't help but wonder if the coin itself had somehow known him, understood the darkness that had always gnawed at his soul.
As the words burned themselves into his mind, more information flooded his consciousness. He could feel the essence of the coin merging with his own, threading itself through his soul like a dark tether, connecting him to something greater.
His heart raced, his veins alight with power. The connection was more than just physical—it was intimate, almost like an extension of his very being.
Astra closed his eyes for a moment, his mind drifting inward, accessing the status screen that had long been a part of his reality.
The familiar text appeared before him, but this time it was different. More intricate, more... alive. He could see the changes in real-time, feel the shifts and growth deep within the inner sanctum of his soul.
He was no longer the same as he had been moments before.
His domain had expanded. No longer was it a mere reflection of his mind, but now it had become a living, breathing manifestation of his will—a kingdom born of his own power, forged from the night itself. He was faintly Crowned by Stars and Cloaked by wisps of Shadows.
Astra could sense the deep, invisible currents flowing through his inner world, pulling him toward something new, something darker. The connection to the Imperial Pawn was now far more than symbolic.
It was a gateway, an anchor to the stars, to the void. It was his key to unlock whatever lay hidden within the night, within the vast, unreachable heavens.
His gaze sharpened as his fingers tightened around the coin. Astra could feel its power thrumming against his fingertips.
The changes were subtle but undeniable. He could now feel the weight of the coin's potential within his grasp. It wasn't just a tool. It was part of him. His heart and soul were intertwined with its purpose.
As Astra's eyes opened again, the room around him seemed to fade, the shadows deepening, the air thickening with the weight of unseen power. The Imperial Pawn had awakened something inside him. A part of himself he hadn't yet realized existed. Something ancient. Something deep.
Something that would carry him further than any mortal man could dream
[Astra, Noctis]
[Prince of Night, Lord of Shadows, Prince of Stars]
[Rank One][Pawn]
[Mana Core] [One]
{GodHood}
[Two connected]
[Crown of Stars][Cloak of Shadows]
{Increase in rank needed to gain more knowledge}
[True Mana]
[Shadow][Star]
"Wow, Lord and Prince. That's new and sick," Astra thought, his gaze narrowing as he scrolled through his status. There was nothing overly shocking—nothing that screamed power—but there was a noticeable change. The familiar presence of water had disappeared from his true mana. Second Godhood artifacts were now "connected" not claimed Astra reminded himself. He needed to get stronger to learn more It seems. he sighed as he shifted his focus to his true mana.
True mana, Astra knew, was the core of one's magical potential—the raw energy a person was most attuned to, the essence that defined their true strength.
He could still access the other forms of mana, of course, but doing so would be like a warrior wielding a broken sword. In the simplest terms its like a boxer switching over to grappling, while one can make the switch, in the end your still a boxer, the habits and philosophy instilled in you is still there, one can make the switch but It was inefficient. A waste of potential.
He couldn't help but chuckle darkly as he thought of it. It was like having a body forged to wield a war hammer, but choosing instead to fight with a flimsy short sword—small, quick, but ultimately lacking the strength and force to be truly effective. It was a waste. It always had been.
Astra ran a hand through his curls, feeling the weight of his choices settling in. The power of the night—the true power of the stars—was now his to command.
And as his status made clear, it was time for him to stop settling for second best. There was no more room for weakness. He could feel the pull of his destiny, the weight of the stars calling to him, guiding him toward something greater.
He wasn't meant to be a puppet of other forces. He was meant to shape the world with the raw might of the night itself.
A grim smile tugged at his lips. "Time to stop wasting potential."
Astra thought about the Archives of Night
[Archives]
[Records][Mana][Locations][Paths][Artifacts][Messages]
Astra's eyes moved without hesitation."Mana."He could feel it—something within the coin pulsing, guiding him like an unseen hand brushing across the edge of his consciousness.
But before the menu fully loaded, a deep hum echoed through his mind, followed by a jagged whisper that felt older than language itself.
[Warning: Access Restricted – Contingency Mode Active]Coin functionality is currently limited due to insufficient Rank.Certain knowledge, archives, paths, and spell functions have been sealed due to Contingency Scenario.Full inheritance is locked. To receive greater knowledge and dominion, Rank must increase.Mana will be transmitted as rank increases.
A moment later, Astra's body jerked as if submerged in cold water. A storm of alien sensation tore through him—not pain, not thought, but instinct. Spells were not taught to him. They imprinted.
Not vague instinct. Not abstract intuition. These were lessons—pages pulled from arcane volumes, fragmented chapters from shadow-grimoires that should've cost fortunes or been locked in noble vaults. Yet they burned into his thoughts, as if he had once read them and forgotten, and now remembered.
His head throbbed with spell diagrams, combat notes, notations scribbled by warlocks who had walked the path of shadow magic before him.
So this is how the coin circumvents the cost of knowledge… spellbooks embedded into mana. Taught, not discovered.
But the moment the knowledge settled, he understood the difference between knowledge and power.
Knowledge is power.
Knowing how to cast a spell meant nothing if his reflexes failed. If his enemy was faster. If his intent was sloppy
So this is how the old bloodlines passed spells—through the coin. Through mana itself.
There were those across the Realms who spent decades gathering coin to buy spellbooks—arcane tomes painstakingly compiled by mages, sorcerers, and battle-tested warlocks. Some of these books were guarded by guilds, others auctioned to nobles. There were self-taught mages too, ones who spent years shaping and reshaping mana through trial and error, carving magic into themselves until it obeyed.
But Astra? He had learned the magic.
These words also weren't spoken aloud. They poured into his spine, like memories he had never lived. Not learned—remembered. His body stiffened, his breath shallow, as an invisible weight pressed against his skull.
Interesting, it seems due to the fall of my ancestors they had sealed their knowledge wealth and systems. It would make sense, imagine if gods were to see the secrets of house night, it also houses secrets of the church and perhaps ancient secrets even seraphs might not be privy to. So in the collapse of the house they sealed their knowledge and are now following a plan? It does bring me comfort to know I perhaps might not be completely alone.
a unknown voice flashed before his mind.
"You're not ready for the deeper secrets."
He blinked hard, regaining his composure. The interface reformed, not through conscious navigation but as if shaped by his desires.
[Mana]
[Access granted]
[Star][Shadow]
Other mana types flickered in the corners of his vision—Blood, Dream, Void, Gravity... But something pulled him toward Star, and Shadow. He had access to them after all.
The coin throbbed with subtle warmth at his choice.
[Star]
Rank 1 - 7
Astra's breath caught in his throat."Rank... seven?"
He reached for it—like an instinctive lunge toward something far beyond reach.
[Access Denied – Rank 6 Required for Tier 7 Access]
Expected. Still, bitter.
He scrolled to Rank One and Rank Two, and the coin responded. Not with text, but with sensation.A pulse, a whisper, a mirrored rhythm in his veins. The knowledge was not shown.It was downloaded into his instincts.
Each spell became a truth, felt rather than understood. Not a manual—a dream remembered vividly.
[Rank One]
[Warning] These spells are not fixed instructions. They are reference echoes, concepts to be bent and rewritten through personal control and form. Every caster expresses star magic differently. These are fragments of others' instincts—borrowed, not owned, Find your own style and uses for these spell lest become average and obsolete.
Other Uses of Mana Exist, these are mere guides and potential ways of usage.
[Nova Flash] – Disruption
A flare like the death of a dying star. Short, painful, blinding.
✦ Briefly disorients foes✦ Minimal damage, chaotic flare✦ Unstable—more feeling than aiming
[Stardust Veil] – Concealment
A shimmer, like fading starlight over a corpse. Barely visible. Barely there.
✦ Obscures vision✦ Light bends around you✦ Fragile illusion, easily broken
[Celestial Bolt] – Offense
A shard of night-sky agony. A child's attempt to command thunder.
✦ Burn flickers across a single point✦ Unreliable trajectory✦ Requires absolute focus
[Stellar Flock] – Illusion / Distraction
Birds made from light-memories. Useless, beautiful, haunting.
✦ Confuses and distracts✦ No damage, no substance✦ Dies on contact like dreams
[Astral Step] – Movement / Escape
You disappear—not with control, but surrender.
✦ Teleports a few feet✦ Leaves a trail of starlight✦ Causes vertigo, dislocation, possible nausea
[Starlight Shard] – Weapon Manifestation
Not a sword. An idea of a sword. A pale imitation of divine war.
✦ Cuts through weak matter✦ Fragile—shatters after brief use✦ Born from willpower, not steel
[Requirements to Wield Star Mana]The stars do not bow. One must first find the inner star—the fragment of heaven buried in the soul.This refinement must be done alone, without aid, without guide.
Only when your spirit resonates with the celestial will shall you be granted access to Celestial Mana—The fuel of the stars, a divine energy not born on this realm.It cannot be found.Only earned.
Astra's mind reeled. Not from confusion—from clarity.
It seems I have a ritual required for my mana, damn only powerful and unique mana types require such performances. I really am blessed.
His heart pounded. Cold. Hollow. Unworthy.
The stars weren't distant because he hadn't tried.They were distant because they had judged him.And they had found him lacking.
He had always been clawing at the sky with broken fingers, begging for light with no flame of his own.
But still... the Rank Two spells called to him. He moved toward them like a moth toward a dying flame.
[Rank Two – Spells in Lockstate: Partial Mode]
Even here, the knowledge came not in words but in weight—like muscle memory from another lifetime.
[Celestial Lance] – Ranged Destruction
A spear of divine retribution. Heavy. Final.
✦ Thrown or wielded✦ Explodes on impact✦ Leaves celestial burns✦ Requires extreme focus or risks backfire
[Nebula Shield] – Starlit Barrier
A wall of gas and gravity. Weak if shaken. Strong if believed.
✦ Absorbs short-term damage✦ Drains energy with time✦ Flickers with your fear
[Starfire Storm] – Area Destruction
Call down fire from the high places.
✦ Bombardment of burning shards✦ Indiscriminate damage✦ Dangerous to allies and self alike
[Stellar Binding] – Restraint
Chains made of starlight and guilt.
✦ Immobilizes weaker foes✦ Causes crushing pressure✦ Unstable over distance
[Comet Surge] – Devastation / Movement
Ride the wrath of the sky. Or fall with it.
✦ Conjures a celestial impact✦ Explodes on strike✦ Slow, hard to steer—deadly in wrong hands
[Astral Chains] – Control
Not made for justice. Made for dominion.
✦ Long-range binding✦ Gravitational compression✦ Can pierce soul if used without mercy
The deeper he read, the colder it got. Not around him—inside him.
The stars weren't gifts.They were temptations.
There are so many uses for this type of mana, interestingly though, these are not the ways I have to use my mana, no these are the ways I could use it. I need to train and experiment to find a way, I also need to integrate it into a sword style once I get the basics down. There is so much to do, I also have shadow magic to worry about.
His fingers curled into a fist. The heavens had made their stance clear.He was not chosen.
But that didn't mean he couldn't choose himself.
"Then I will not beg. I will earn."
He smirked, not with joy—but with wrath.
Let them deny him. Let them call him shadow-born, unwanted, unseen.If the gods turned their gaze away from him, then he would tear open the sky and force them to watch.
He would refine his inner star.
Not for blessing.Not for destiny.
For dominion.
The power of the stars was both a gift and a curse. A gift that only the worthy could embrace, and a curse for those who would wield it with recklessness. Astra had no illusions about his journey ahead. He had no allies, only enemies, all eyes watching him from the shadows, ready to crush him when he faltered. The celestial mana he sought—if he could even reach it—was a dangerous beast, one that could consume him in a heartbeat.
just as he thought this the coins alerted him
[Quest update]
[Rank Legendary]
[Rank 1]
[Refine Inner Star]
Astra couldn't help but smirk. He was making progress. Suddenly another quest noticed popped up.
[Quest]
[Rank Mythical]
[Rank 1-7]
[Collect the Seven Godhood Symbols of Noctis and Umbra]
{Warning!}
[Some symbols are already claimed]
[Progress 2/14]-Claim reward at 4
[Umbra 1/7]-Claim Reward at 2
[Noctis 1/7]-Claim Reward at 2
Reward-Authority of Night + Authority of Shadow
Astras eyes narrowed as he gasped.
A mythical quest, the highest rarity!!! and It even Involved deities!!! It's a lifetime quest that is going to be present from rank 1-7 !! what is my life!!
The final reward.....Made him a god. Authority of Night was stated in the sermons of the god of Night, Everyone knew it. His name was The Infinite Known and Unknown, The embodiment of the Void and Cosmos, Father of Stars. The Lord of Silence and Eternity. The ruler above Space and Time. The God of Night.
And authority of Shadow was. The Hidden and Unseen, The Shadow of the Universe. Embodiment of Secrets and Mischief. Keeper of Souls and Mother of Curses. The goddess of Shadows!
To inherit all of these authorities! Would make me a being of unreasonable calibre!
Astra almost passed out. How am I a mere rank one issued such a quest!!! Astra was way out of his depth here!
He'd no doubt have to fight Angels and Seraphs for even a chance at such power!