Chapter 4 The System Within
The empty practice yard at dusk was a cathedral of solitude, a place where a man could scream and listen for the echo of his own power. Lyon stood on the cold flagstones, opened his palm, and willed a thread of Dominion to life. It was not like casting a spell; it was like coaxing a wild animal from a cage—a shimmer of black and gold energy that twisted in his grip, both hungry and curious.
[SYSTEM: Tutorial - Skill Creation Unlocked]
[Objective: Expend 1 Aether Point to create a Tier-1 Skill.]
[Guidance: Intent shapes outcome. Precision precedes power.]
He inhaled, centering himself. This was a different kind of magic. It was programming with will, engineering with soul. He pictured a simple, efficient tool: a compressed pulse of force, designed to sever a joint, not vaporize the entire golem.
He focused, and the world obeyed. A kernel of annihilating light bloomed in his palm—a sphere of perfect black wreathed in a hair-thin filament of gold. He flicked his wrist. The projectile hissed through the air, a silent arrow of nothingness that struck the training dummy's shoulder and left a clean, smoldering hole in the reinforced arcanite. Precise. Surgical.
[Skill Created: Void Bolt — Tier 1]
Description: A focused projectile of spatial compression.
Cooldown: 15 seconds.
Aether Cost: 1
"Not bad for a first try," he murmured to the twilight.
Footsteps, deliberate and paired, approached from the archway. Seraphina Nightveil and Aria Valeheart entered the yard together—a vision of contrasting shadows. Seraphina's crimson eyes seemed to drink the fading light, while Aria's gaze was a reflective silver, giving nothing back.
"It is unwise to practice such arts alone," Seraphina said, her voice a low melody. "Power like yours is a beacon in the dark. It draws more than just curious eyes."
Lyon let the energy in his hand dissipate. "Better the known watchers of the academy than the strangers in the shadows, don't you think?"
A faint, almost imperceptible softening touched Seraphina's expression. "During the trial… you pulled me from the collapse. You have my thanks." The words were formal, but the weight behind them was genuine.
He was caught off guard. "You held your own. That fire of yours… 'forbidden' doesn't quite cover it."
A ghost of a smile played on her lips. "My lineage is one of taming dangerous things. I have survived the process. We shall see if you do."
Aria, who had been observing in silence, finally spoke, her tone as sharp and clear as a honed blade. "Control, Lyon. Without it, strength is just a weapon waiting for the wrong hand to wield it. Even fate can be careless."
"I'm learning," he replied, meeting her gaze. "One bolt at a time."
They stood in a triangle under the darkening sky, three points of a star forced into constellation by chance and power. The silence between them was not empty; it was charged with unspoken alliances and future rivalries. The system hummed in Lyon's mind, a patient, hungry presence offering infinite possibilities at a price.
Later, in Professor Mirelle's lecture hall, the exercises were about balance. Students conjured flames and shields, but Lyon's task was more delicate. He had to make the void create—to form a stable, shimmering shield of hard light from the same energy that sought to unravel it. It was like forcing a wolf to guard sheep, the energy straining against his will, a low growl in his soul.
By midnight, his persistence bore fruit. The system logged two new creations.
[Skill Created: Aegis Echo — Tier 1]
Description: A momentary barrier that disrupts incoming spell matrices.
[Skill Created: Null Seed — Tier 1]
Description: Imbues a small area with mana-deadening properties for 5 seconds.]
Each creation cost him. A flicker of fatigue, a coppery taste on his tongue—the subtle tax of playing with the laws of reality.
Outside his dormitory window, a Southern Guard patrol ship cut across the face of the moon, its silhouette a stark reminder that the academy was not the whole world. Beyond these walls, empires stirred and cosmic debts were waiting to be called in.
As he lay in bed, the system presented a new, profound option, glowing with potential and peril.
[New Feature: Alliance Interface — Unlocked]
Function: Forge a soul-bound link with trusted allies. Enables shared perception, coordinated tactics, and experience sharing.
Warning: A broken bond inflicts severe spiritual feedback. Choose wisely.]
It hovered in his vision, an unasked question. He thought of Aria's unwavering discipline, a blade of pure order. He thought of Seraphina's enigmatic strength, a well of ancient, controlled chaos.
He stared at the starless void between the towers, understanding now that the system was not just a tool. It was a mentor with the mind of an engineer and the moral framework of a god—efficient, vast, and utterly unforgiving of sloppy work.
If fate was a push, he would answer.
But he would build the lever himself.