Black fog gathered behind Logos, rapidly materializing into a black stone throne. He sat upon it, his left foot resting on his right knee. His demeanor had shifted, exuding a sense of ease and dominance.
To Elara, he appeared like an arrogant king, presiding over his court. Holograms of black rings materialized above him, forming a spiral of thirty-nine rings. Twenty-six of them contained symbols, while thirteen were empty, positioned between each pair of symbols.
Simultaneously, thirteen more symbols enclosed within black rings appeared to the left of the spiral, arranged in a crescent formation. No two symbols were alike.
Elara focused on the twenty-six symbols in the spiral, examining each one from the center outwards.
She then turned her attention to the thirteen symbols in the crescent formation, observing them from top to bottom:
"Runes!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with awe.
"Yes."
"Amazing!"
"You underwent an Awakening, a process that unlocked your soul's ability to interact with existence, enabling you to bend reality."
"I already knew that. But what does it have to do with Runes?" she asked, eager to learn more.
"The 'what' is linked to the 'how,'" Logos smirked. "How do you think Riders bend reality?" he grinned. Elara seemed to grasp his meaning, her mouth slightly agape, but she held back her questions, waiting for his explanation.
"Runes are codes that Riders use to bend reality. They are the tools that allow one to manipulate reality according to their will," Logos elaborated. It was revealed to Elara that within the Akashic Records, thoughts were given form. She was encouraged to accept the literal meaning of those words.
In the deeper layers of the Akashic Records, concepts, abstracts, ideas, and definitions of the mechanics of both physical and metaphysical phenomena were given shape after being captured by the Akashic Records. These concepts manifested as Transcendent Objects. Riders, by mind diving into these deeper layers, could extract forms of these Transcendent Objects, converting them into information that they then sealed within the Runes inscribed on their bodies. This allowed them to influence reality according to their will. By triggering a Rune through conscious thought, the Transcendent Object sealed within the code would exert its influence on reality, producing the desired effect. This was what Riders called RuneCalling.
"How is it done?" Elara inquired, her curiosity piqued.
"That 'how' is Thûl classified."
"Huh!" she exclaimed in frustration. "How can I seal Transcendent Objects if I don't know how? I need to know this process to use Runes! That's why I'm here."
"You don't need to," Logos replied. "You can already trigger and use them as they are."
"Wait!" Elara blurted out. "You mean the Runes I see have already determined Transcendent Objects sealed within them? Does that mean I can't seal something else in them, even if I wanted to?"
"Correct."
"Who decided that?"
"The Ascendants chose this path for themselves and those who followed."
"Ascendants?"
"That 'who' is Azimuth classified."
"That's stupid!" she shouted, the space around them turning crimson. "Tell me what I need to know, NOW!" she demanded, realizing why she had traded her initial memories of their encounter to gain clues about the 'who' and the 'how'.
"You know the rules," Logos responded calmly, unfazed by her outburst. "You don't possess information of sufficient value to make that trade."
"Are you saying I don't have the freedom to choose what I want sealed within Runes?"
"Not quite," Logos clarified. "As you said, the Runes you see have already determined Transcendent Objects sealed within them." The twenty-six Runes in the spiral began to glow with a golden light, while the thirteen empty rings remained black. "Each glowing Rune contains a unique Transcendent Object, and you cannot change that or seal more than one Object into a single Rune. This makes them universally usable by Riders, including you, as they are. However, if you wish to seal other Transcendent Objects into Runes, it is still possible." He shared another piece of information with her: Transcendent Objects respawned within the Akashic Records after being captured using the twenty-six Runes.
"Tell me!" Elara nearly screamed. "HOW!"
"You'll learn that 'how' when I finish explaining this 'what' and this 'how'," Logos assured her.
You are driving me crazy! She thought, but managed to control her frustration. "Carry on," she said through gritted teeth as the space around them returned to white.
"Good," Logos continued. "After the Ascendants discovered StreamBreath, a simple question arose: what if we could harness this energy to bend reality? That question led them to StreamState and the Path of Runes." He created a projection of Elara, identical in every detail, standing before her. It was as if she were looking at a reflection of herself. He then created another projection, this one standing beside the first, facing him instead of her. Elara could only see its back. Logos removed the white shirts from both projections, revealing their upper bodies. On the first projection's chest, Elara saw the symbol, drawn in black within a ring-sized circle.
On the back of the second projection, she saw the same spiral of Runes projected in the air.
Elara was surprised to see the markings on her projected bodies. I have nothing drawn on me, nor do I remember anyone drawing these symbols, she thought, pulling at her shirt to examine her chest. There it was, the symbol, exactly where it appeared in the projection.
"What is this?" she asked, looking up at Logos.
"A Primal Rune," he replied. "Also known as the Sigil among Riders. It's another gift you received from the Awakening and the first Rune that Obtains attain."
"Primal Rune!" she exclaimed. She noticed that the symbol seemed familiar. As she released her shirt, she glanced at the thirteen Runes in the crescent formation and spotted it. It was the seventh symbol from the top. "I've seen this before!" she gasped, recalling the circles on the floor of the glass hall before the Fuse.
"Your Primal Rune belongs to the LastBorn, the Rider kind you now belong to," Logos explained as the thirteen Runes in the crescent formation glowed golden yellow.
It was revealed to Elara that those who attained StreamState could absorb StreamBreath and utilize it in various ways beyond RuneCalling. However, it remained a prerequisite for using Runes, as was the Sigil.
Without them, one could not draw sufficient StreamBreath to bend reality through Runes. "There are thirteen Primal Runes, representing the thirteen kinds of Riders in existence," Logos continued. "Each kind has its unique Sigil. Six of these Sigils stem from the different origins of those kinds, while the remaining seven are a result of the Awakenings performed on Obtains after their Collection. Unlike the twenty-six Runes in the spiral, Primal Runes differ in shape, but their function remains the same – they allow Riders to channel StreamBreath into their bodies, enabling the use of Runes."
Elara stood in awe, surprised to learn of the numerous Rider kinds. "Are all Riders alike?" she inquired.
"Yes and no," he replied enigmatically.
"Then how are they different?"
"I've already given you one answer. To hear the rest, you'll need to be patient," Logos responded. "But for now, know this: once, one was born a Rider, but things changed with the advent of Awakenings. Take your kind, for instance. After the Collection, the LastBorn fuses WhiteStones with the hearts of the chosen Obtains – the Fuse – which summons the Primal Rune you see on your chest and all the Runes on your back."
"I know that already," Elara said. "What about the other Awakenings?"
"That is Azimuth classified," Logos answered. "Every sentient being is born with an inherent affinity for StreamBreath and can manipulate it to a certain extent with sufficient knowledge, even without StreamState. These sentient beings are what your kin call Unawakened, and their abilities are considered minimal. However, they cannot use Runes until they undergo an Awakening, just like you did with the Fuse. These Rites have different names and methods, but their purpose is the same – to achieve StreamState and summon the Sigil and Runes onto the body of an Obtained. This makes them both catalysts and prerequisites."
"I see," Elara said, understanding dawning on her face. "So each Sigil represents a Rider Kind!"
"Correct. Look at the first Primal Rune at the top," Logos instructed, and the Rune at the top of the thirteen glowed red. "This belongs to the Celestials, those who arose from dogmas." He continued down the line, each Rune glowing red as he spoke. "This one belongs to the ShadowWeavers, those born from the thin layer between red and blue fire. This one belongs to the Dragons, whose origin is Exegis classified. This one belongs to the Abyssal, those born of spirits. This one belongs to the Massons, who arose from Stream Trees connected to the Nexus. And this one belongs to the TechKin, formerly known as Clayborn, who arose from water and dirt." Logos smirked. "These six Rider kinds are known as the SixOriginals. Unlike the LastBorn and the other six kinds who require Awakenings to achieve StreamState and use Runes, the descendants of the SixOriginals are born with StreamState and Runes already inscribed on their bodies. This makes them the original Rune users, the first Rider kinds, and the first races to rise above all other sentient life since the beginning of the fifth epoch. One more thing – of the remaining seven Rider kinds, six arose from the SixOriginals, while only the LastBorn emerged of their own merit, independent of the SixOriginals or the other six," he concluded, tilting his head slightly as he observed her reaction.
Elara nodded, indicating for him to continue. While his last statement piqued her interest, she was more eager to learn about Runes than the LastBorn.
"However, not all descendants of the SixOriginals can use Runes, as RuneCalling requires rational and conscious thought, which some of their varieties lack. Therefore, even though they possess the inherent ability, not all of them can utilize it," Logos continued.
"I think I understand what you mean," Elara said, nodding in agreement.
Logos then illuminated the remaining Runes, one by one, explaining their origins. "This is your kind's Sigil. From here on out, a fixed origin is not relevant, as anyone besides the SixOriginals can attain this Sigil. This applies to the remaining six Sigils as well." He identified each Rune for the LastBorn, for the Knights, for the Assassins, for the Huntsmen, for the Freefolks, for the Forgemasters and for the Scavengers.
"I see," Elara said, absorbing the information.
"All these kinds have ancient names, but they have changed over time," he added. "Would you like to know what they were once called?" he asked, hinting at a trade for that knowledge.
"Not now," she declined. "Tell me what I need to know!"
"As you wish," he conceded. "First, we'll start with Primal. Close your eyes and imagine yourself submerged deep beneath the ocean."
Elara nodded and closed her eyes, envisioning herself in a dark, deep ocean. She felt a slight pressure enveloping her body, as if she were truly underwater.
Logos smiled, observing her reaction. "The pressure you feel is the StreamBreath that surrounds you," he explained. "Now, imagine a hole in your chest, allowing the water to flow into your body."
Elara followed his instructions, picturing a tear in her chest. The symbol and its circle above her heart expanded to the size of a palm, and she felt the imagined water rushing into her body. It was cold, yet it filled her with an unprecedented strength.
"I can feel it flow!" she exclaimed in amazement.