Alternative Physics

Ethan's intense focus on his training was abruptly interrupted as a figure confidently strode towards him, a smug grin plastered on his face. He was a tall, broad-shouldered male student, known for his family lineage and his exceptional command of the wind element.

"Ain't you the sight for sore eyes, Ethan," he sneered, folding his arms over his chest. "Trying to turn yourself into a warrior, are you? With sweat and effort?"

Ethan, panting and soaked in sweat, paused and glared at him, his breath fogging up in the cool night air.

The male student laughed, a harsh, unkind sound echoing through the deserted field. "Do you think hard work can make up for everything? In your dreams, Turner."

He stepped back, a sudden breeze playing with his hair. "You see, everything boils down to blood. It's all about the lineage," he proclaimed with a disdainful smirk.

With a swift motion, he extended his arm, his fingers outstretched, and Ethan watched as the atmosphere around the student began to vibrate. The wind began to swirl, converging on his fingertips. It sharpened, becoming a swirling vortex of razor-sharp currents.

In an instant, the student swung his arm, directing the wind like a conductor guiding an orchestra. The ground before him cracked and shattered as the wind, transformed into unseen blades, tore through the earth, sending a plume of dust and debris into the air.

The student turned his gaze back to Ethan, satisfaction glinting in his eyes. "And that, Turner, is something you'll never have, no matter how many nights you spend sweating on this field." He turned away, leaving Ethan in the midst of floating dust particles, his laughter reverberating under the silent, moonlit sky.

Ethan clenched his fists, a defiant glint in his eyes. His chest heaved as he caught his breath, a derisive smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth.

"Wow, what a show!" Ethan quipped, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Should've brought popcorn."

The student's face flushed red with anger, his previously smug smile evaporating. "You...you dare to mock me, Turner?" he spluttered, his voice echoing in the silent field.

In the blink of an eye, the student charged towards Ethan, fists balled and face contorted in rage. He lunged, his powerful right fist aimed directly at Ethan's face.

Ethan dodged, his heart pounding in his chest, adrenaline surging through his veins. His body moved on instinct, conditioned from years of physical training and recent struggles.

The scene was a dance of violence under the moonlight, the air filled with grunts and the thud of connecting punches. The two figures moved like shadows, shifting and attacking, each parry met with a counterstrike.

But Ethan's strength was fading. Each dodge and parry was a little slower, a little less precise. The nano-system had drained most of his energy and he couldn't materialize the hammer to defend himself.

His legs were shaky, his breaths came in sharp gasps, but he refused to back down. He weaved to the side, narrowly missing a vicious hook from the student.

The punch that finally landed was unavoidable, a sharp jab that connected with Ethan's cheekbone. The force sent him sprawling backwards, the taste of iron filled his mouth as he collapsed onto the ground.

Ethan laid there, his body throbbing with pain, a triumphant, cruel laughter echoing in his ears. His vision blurred as he looked up at the starry sky, his determination burning as fierce as ever. This was just the beginning.

***

Lying on a sterile white bed, Ethan turned his gaze towards the soothing voice that had roused him from his haze. His eyes met those of a woman, probably in her late twenties, her brown hair pulled back in a neat ponytail. She was pretty, in an understated way, with a kindness in her eyes that softened her professional demeanour.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice carrying a soothing lilt that somehow eased his discomfort.

"Just a few monkeys trying to climb the tree," Ethan replied, giving her a weak smirk. His ribs ached with every breath, but he kept his tone light.

She shook her head, her eyes reflecting a mixture of admiration and worry. "You're quite the character, aren't you, Ethan? Stepping on so many toes without a care."

A grin crept onto his face as he winced through the pain. "I guess I have a knack for it."

The doctor set about her task with practiced ease, treating his wounds with an uncanny gentleness. Ethan marveled at her dexterity, the soothing calmness of her aura, and the way she made him forget his pain, if only for a moment.

As she worked, they spoke of inconsequential things, the conversation serving as a welcome distraction from the pain and the reality of his situation. Her words were reassuring, her presence comforting.

Dr. Ava Garland, the kind-hearted woman treating Ethan, paused her task and followed his line of sight to the rack of neatly organized bottles, the substances contained within marked with familiar names.

"Curious, aren't you?" She smiled, returning to her work.

"Everything here seems familiar, yet so alien," Ethan admitted, his gaze wandering around the room.

Intrigued by his words, Ava queried, "How so?"

He considered her question for a moment, letting his mind wander back to the world he'd left behind. The scientific theories, the philosophical debates, the quest for knowledge that had defined his life. "Do you know who Friedrich Nietzsche was?" he asked suddenly, remembering his studies in humanities.

Ava's hands paused in their ministrations, surprise evident on her face. "You're the first one in this school to ask me about Nietzsche," she confessed. "Yes, I do know of him. His name, along with many others, comes from the world before the Resurgence, as we like to call it."

Her confirmation stirred a new wave of questions in Ethan's mind. "Resurgence?"

"Yes. It was a time of great upheaval, where the known laws of physics changed." Ava's voice adopted a somber tone as she spoke, her hands once again busy with their work. "A new theory emerged, one we call Alternative Physics. It fundamentally altered our understanding of the world and allowed the impossible to become possible."

"Like martial arts... and advanced medicine," Ethan murmured, connecting the dots in his mind.

Ava gave him a confirming nod. "Exactly. It was as if the old world's science and the new world's magic merged, giving birth to this reality."

Ethan lay back, absorbing this information. His gaze fell on Ava, her features lit by the soft glow of the infirmary lights. In her, he saw the fusion of the old world's wisdom and the new world's wonders.

For the first time, he felt a real connection with this world, a thread tying him to its past and present. And in that moment, Ethan knew he was ready to face whatever this world would throw at him next.

The conversation took a deep turn as Dr. Ava began to discuss dimensional warping, a concept that seemed almost absurd in Ethan's world. She spoke with a passion that was both entrancing and slightly unnerving.

"You know, Newton's laws, which were considered absolute in the old world, can be reversed here," she told Ethan, her eyes gleaming with an inner fire.

"Reversed?" Ethan echoed, a frown of confusion marring his brow.

Dr. Ava nodded, seemingly unfazed by his incredulous tone. "Precisely. Even gravity, that relentless force that keeps us grounded, can be turned on its head," she continued. "We're able to manipulate the planetary gravity to a point that it becomes a negative force, allowing things - or people - to lift off the ground."

She gestured upwards, as if to illustrate her point, and Ethan found himself thinking of the people he'd seen 'flying' on swords. A revelation hit him, causing his eyes to widen.

"The flying swords... They're not really flying, are they? It's just the reversal of gravity." Ethan mused aloud.

Ava smiled at him, her gaze approving. "Bingo, Ethan. They manipulate their inner energy to create a sort of anti-gravity field around the swords. That's what allows them to 'fly'."

Ethan felt a rush of excitement course through him. The scientific possibilities were endless. But even more than that, there was something thrilling about living in a world where the impossible was within reach.

"This is...incredible," he breathed, already imagining the plethora of experiments he could conduct in this world where the laws of physics were mere suggestions.

Dr. Ava chuckled at his enthusiasm. "Welcome to the new world, Ethan. I hope you're ready for a wild ride."