In a place that felt both empty and endless, like time had stopped, something was about to wake up. A hidden power moved through the stillness. Then, in a mix of bright, dark, natural, and magical energies, a child showed up, as if nature itself had created him.
He looked about seven years old, small and fragile, but he wasn't moving. Around him, wild natural forces danced. Flames twisted like silk ribbons, water swirled into sparkling spirals, gentle winds whispered softly, and thunder rumbled from above like a heartbeat. Other unseen energies hummed, drawn to him as if he were a source of light.
But the boy stayed still, like his soul hadn't awakened yet.
Then, from above, something started to take shape. A bright crystal, glowing gold and pulsing with energy, appeared slowly, hovering just above the boy's chest. The air around it warped with pressure and heat, sending a wave of warmth that scorched the ground below, only to suddenly turn cold. A strange calmness settled over the scene.
The crystal trembled once before it broke. Shiny golden pieces scattered everywhere, like fragments of sunlight. At first, they floated around aimlessly, as if searching for a way out. But the wild energies surrounding the boy moved with a purpose. They rushed inward, weaving together to form a protective shell, like an energy prison.
The golden motes were trapped, with nowhere to go. They waited… then they gave in. Like rain soaking into dry earth, they began to flow into the boy's body. Seconds turned into minutes, and almost an hour went by.
Finally, the particles completely merged with him.
Then, something amazing happened. A new energy started to rise, not from the broken crystal or from nature's forces, but from their combination inside the child. It shimmered with colors, a mix of red, green, blue, and violet. It was like looking at a rainbow aura. This shimmered power held a lot of potential within.
The surrounding energies tightened their grip, guiding this new force gently but firmly into the boy's core, where it was absorbed and locked away. Then everything went quiet. The chaos of nature disappeared. No more winds, no fire—just peace. Only the boy remained, alone and still, in the middle of a quiet forest.
He took a breath. A twitch. His eyes fluttered open. They were a bright gold, clear and reflective, filled with a knowledge no child should have.
"This… I-is…?" he mumbled, his voice confused. Slowly, he sat up, placing his small hands on the soft, damp moss beneath him. Above, the trees swayed gently in the breeze. He could hear birds chirping, branches rustling, and the distant sound of flowing water.
"I'm alive…?" he whispered. The last thing he recalled was darkness, a void without beginning or end. Silence had surrounded him, a weight of eternal stillness.
And now… this.
He looked down at his tiny limbs, his small chest, and pale hands, untouched by time. He was young again. A soft smile appeared on his beautiful face. "I'm… young again."
Before he could think more, a golden screen appeared in front of him, floating like a projection just for him.
[Evaluation System Enabled.]
[Does Host wish to bind with Evaluation?]
He blinked, staring at the screen.
A system?
He hesitated, then nodded slowly. "Yes."
Instantly, the screen changed.
[Evaluation System]
Name: Areon Eclipse
Age: 7
Race: Eclipse
Status: Reincarnated | Orphan
[Skills]
Heris – (Passive)
Devouring – (Active)
Areon stared at the information silently. So much had changed. He had a name, a body, a destiny. His eyes lingered on the skill called Heris. There was something strangely familiar about it. With quiet determination, he asked, "What is Heris? Who are my parents? What is an Eclipse?"
The screen answered right away.
[Heris is an energy source different from Mana, Krypton, and Ousis. Unique to the Eclipse race, it combines traits of all three—raw natural force (Mana), life and death (Krypton), and the very structures of reality (Ousis). Theoretically, its potential has no limits.]
[Host was not born, but manifested. Nature formed the Host; the System was assigned by nature. Host has no parents.]
[An Eclipse is a being born once every 2,000 years. Formed by the combined cosmic energies, they can master every form of power known—and unknown—to this world.]
Areon narrowed his eyes, understanding the information. He wasn't born, he was created. No sad past or lost family to motivate him—just purpose. A design beyond understanding.
"Then… tell me about this world," he said, his voice calm.
[The Galaxy of Alith is rich in magic, split among four planets—Nyxra, Elesyl, Theronoxis, and Orecelium. There are six different races other than the Eclipse.]
[Astrals and Abyssals live on Nyxra's bright and dark sides.]
[Humans and Elves live in Elesyl.]
[Oracles live in Orecelium, while Feralyns roam the wild lands of Theronoxis.]
Areon let out a slow breath, feeling the weight of it all. A whole galaxy filled with different races, planets, and destinies. And now he was a part of it.
"Can I train Heris now?" he wondered aloud.
The screen flashed in agreement.
[There are two ways to grow Heris.]
Use Devouring to absorb magical beasts and their natural essence.
Develop Heris directly from nature.
Instantly, knowledge flooded his mind—techniques, pathways, meditative states, methods of absorbing. He staggered slightly from the sudden information but quickly steadied himself.
"Let's start with nature. I'm too weak to fight a Level 1 beast anyway," he muttered.
He found a flat rock near a gently flowing stream, surrounded by sunlit trees. Sitting cross-legged, he closed his eyes and began to draw in the surrounding energy.
Breathe in. Sense the air. Feel the pulse of the earth.
At first, there was only silence. Slowly, like dew forming in the morning, he felt the faint pull of energy from his surroundings. It entered him softly, drawn not by force but by connection.
Dormant Eclipse. That's where he began. But now, as the flow intensified, he felt it change within him.
Flickering Eclipse.
Heris curled inside him like a waking snake, growing with each breath. The rainbow aura surrounding him was faint but visible, his skin glowing softly in its light. This was just the beginning.
From Dormant Eclipse to Flickering Eclipse, to Half-Moon Eclipse and beyond, the levels stretched:
Dormant Eclipse
Flickering Eclipse
Half-Moon Eclipse
Full Eclipse
Rift Eclipse
Astral Eclipse
Transcendent Eclipse
Every step would take time, focus, and strength. The difficulty to level up would increase after the Half-Moon stage.