The morning sun of October 15th bled through the blinds, painting bars of gold across Elian's room. He awoke before the alarm, the silver sleeve on his arm humming with a low-frequency vibration that made the air feel heavy. He quickly pulled on a long-sleeved compression shirt, concealing the shimmering geometric fractals that stretched from his wrist to his collarbone.
At the Academy, the atmosphere was thick with a mixture of terror and intoxicating hope. Thousands of eighteen-year-olds stood in the courtyard, grouped by their birth date, but the unity of yesterday was gone. Some students were already weeping, having awakened as 1-Star Adepts with traits as mundane as "Enhanced Digestion." Others stood with chests puffed out, their silver marks visible on hands or necks, boasting about their potential.
Elian kept his head down, moving through the halls until he reached Testing Chamber 4.
"Next. Elian Thorne," a drone chirped.
He stepped into a sterile, white room. In the center stood a massive crystal monolith—the Aetheric Resonance Gauge. Surrounding it were three high-ranking officials: two Travelers in scarred leather armor and one Lord wearing the pristine white robes of the City Council.
"Step forward, candidate," the Lord commanded. "Place your hand on the gauge. This will determine your Star Ranking and record your Primary Trait for the National Registry."
Elian felt his heart hammer against his ribs. Hide the stars. Blend the traits.
As his palm touched the cold surface of the crystal, the monolith roared to life. A pillar of Luminous Silver light shot toward the ceiling. Elian felt the "13" in his soul flare like a supernova. He immediately visualized a mental dam, slamming his willpower against the flood of power. He focused on his Sovereign Manipulation trait, using it not on the world, but on himself—forcing the readout to stall, to stutter, to lie.
The crystal groaned. The silver light flickered violently, turning from blinding white to a steady, manageable glow.
[Registration Initializing...]
[Detection: 5-Star Potential]
[Trait Identified: Multi-Phase Transmutation]
The officials leaned in, whispering. A 5-Star was high—elite—but not unheard of. It was the perfect cover.
"A 5-Star Transmuter," the Lord noted, scribbling on a digital pad. "Versatile. You'll likely be categorized as a Traveler-Lord hybrid. Report to the logistics station to receive your starter pack and coordinates for your Home Territory."
Elian withdrew his hand, his skin tingling from the effort of the deception. He walked out of the chamber, ignoring the envious stares of his classmates. He made his way to the back of the academy where the "Gateway Plazas" were located.
Thousands of shimmering, vertical ripples in the air lined the plaza—the gateways to the Realm of Enlightenment.
Elian found a secluded terminal and swiped his new ID. The screen flashed: [Lord Thorne, Territory #992-Delta. Status: Unclaimed.]
He took a deep breath, clutching the Phase-Shard blade hidden under his jacket. He thought of Mara's 2-Star struggle and the 13-Star burden on his soul. With a single, focused thought, he triggered the telepathic gateway.
The world didn't just fade; it shattered.
Elian felt himself being pulled through a needle-thin point in space. When his feet hit solid ground again, the air was cold and tasted like ozone and ancient dust. He stood on a floating plateau of purple stone. Above him, three moons hung in a sky of bruised velvet.
[Welcome to the Realm of Enlightenment, Lord Thorne.]
[Your 10-Day 'Tireless' Period has begun.]
He was alone, miles from the nearest Citadel. He reached into his Void Storage, pulling out the ten summoning scrolls Mara had given him. He looked at the desolate, floating island that was now his to command.
"Extraction. Manipulation. Genesis," he whispered, his silver sleeve flaring to full brightness for the first time. "Let's see what a god-ranked soul can actually do."
He cracked the first summoning scroll, and the purple dust of the Realm began to swirl into the shape of something monstrous.