The Test

***

"The foundation of all magic and sorcery in our world is from a substance known as quin. This invisible energy permeates everything, existing all around us and within every living creature, including you, the reader. Quin is highly reactive, responding to anything, especially a person's will and intent. The essence of spell-crafting, sorcery, and weaving lies in exerting your will upon the quin, moulding and shaping its formless energy into a tangible expression of power. Through this process, one can generate a myriad of phenomena: quin can be transformed into fire, water, solid matter, and even something that mimics life itself.

However, it is essential to note that anything made from quin is usually temporary. Quin will eventually revert to its invisible state without continuous exertion of will. This transient nature of quin-based constructs requires constant focus and intention to maintain their form and function."

(Quin Mastery, 2119 p.1)

***

Jack sighed as he read the introductory paragraph to 'Quin Mastery', the book given to him by his mother for the umpteenth time. Jack slumped deeper into his chair, running a hand through his already messy hair. He could recite half the book in his sleep, yet Leo, that damn bastard, still insisted he read it again. Was this some kind of cruel joke? A way to stall his progress and stunt his growth?

At that point, he could have rewritten the book, but no... here he was rereading it.

Even through his frustration, a small smile tugged at his lips. Today, he would finally see it—the core that could define his future. Its rank, its potential. The power that was slumbering within him. Would it be something grand? Or would it be a disappointment, another cruel twist in his fate?

Though the initial output of his abilities would be determined by the percentage purity of his Xeron crystal, but its ultimate strength would be dependent on him.

Strength was never static. Some carved their own path, shaping power to fit their will. Others followed well-trodden roads, refining methods proven by time. Either way, power was a currency—and Jack was about to see how much he had to spend.

It had been exactly seven days since he consumed the Xeron crystal, and so far, he had experienced no negative side effects. Although Xeron remained as volatile and enigmatic as the day of its discovery, a few things were now clear about it. The initial manifestation of Xeron varied, researchers discovered—from almost instantaneous reactions to some taking as long as one full year. On average, however, it took about seven days.

All Jack had to do now was wait for Leo to come back from wherever he was so that he could learn something new from him. Almost as if on cue, Jack heard Leo call out to him.

"Hey, kid..."

"I'm here. When are we going to start training and don't give me some crap like I should continue reading... I'm through with that." Jack said, his annoyance palpable from a mile away.

Ignoring Jack's irritation, Leo continued. "If my memory serves me right, then today is the day you are supposed to test your core... right?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah, I was actually on my way to the testing centre downtown to get checked."

*Facepalm*

"How can you be so careful and smart in one instance and dumber than a retard in the next?"

"What do you mean?" Jack asked, genuinely confused.

"Okay, let me ask you one question."

"Go on."

"How did you obtain your Xeron crystal?"

"Through a questionable but legal cha... Oh, I get it now." Even without looking at Leo's face, he could see Leo's smug, knowing smirk practically radiating an 'I told you so' energy written all over it.

After letting the realisation sink in, Leo continued.

"I know a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy, and upon speaking to them, I found a legal but somewhat questionable channel for you to have a test, and the technician is one of us; perhaps he may provide more insight into your case."

"Are you sure this is not just an elaborate plan to get me captured or killed? Probably discovered a recent loophole in the spell, haven't you?"

"You know how this thing works; it would be almost impossible to break out of the contract without my soul crumbling." Leo snorted at Jack's naivety.

"So you do admit that there is a way to break out of it and still stay alive."

"HAHAHA, don't get cocky, brat; there are worse things in this world than death. Things that would make you crave dying in the most brutal way possible."

Jack swallowed hard; his throat suddenly parched. Leo's words weren't just a warning—they were a sentence. His aura carried a weight that pressed against Jack's chest, an unspoken truth lingering in the air. There were fates worse than death, and Leo had likely seen them firsthand. Jack decided to just drop the matter.

"You said something about knowing a guy to help with my... umm... problem?" Jack said. Leo's aura receded a bit, but it still lingered like a tiger crouching, waiting to pounce.

"Yeah, follow me; we leave now. My contact doesn't like to be kept waiting."

***

Steeping out into the streets of Kneuman, the familiar hum of the city pulsating with life greeted him—hover cars streaking across the skyline, their neon underglow leaving streaks of blue, red, and violet in their wake. Giant digital billboards flickered with vibrant advertisements of the latest technology, entertainment, and even political slogans.

Vendors lined the streets, selling everything from synthetic food cubes to hyst boosters to hyst trinkets—though questionable.

Leo walked beside him, his hands shoved casually into his coat pockets, but his eyes scanned the street with keen awareness. Jack knew Leo's calm exterior was just a facade, a trap to lure in the enemy and catch them off guard.

"So, where exactly are we going?" Jack whispered, stepping over a crack in the pavement where a creeping vine of bioluminescent moss had taken root.

Leo ignored Jack's question, as it wasn't a direct command. He turned down a dark alley and crouched to dodge a piece of rusted and jagged steel sticking overhead.

The deeper they ventured, the more the city changed. The vibrant hum of neon and chatter faded into hushed murmurs and flickering streetlights. Shadows stretched unnaturally, clinging to the walls like silent sentinels. Jack's stomach twisted—this wasn't just a bad part of town. It was the kind of place where people vanished without a trace.

No matter how hard he tried and no matter how intricately bound Leo was to him, he could only trust him as far as he could throw him.

Jack stole a glance at Leo. Leo, sensing his gaze, exhaled.

"We are heading to one of the underground testing facilities. Safer than the official ones—for people like you, I mean."

Jack furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean, people like me? You make it sound like I committed a crime."

"You still don't get it, do you? If the wrong people find out about you being alive despite cultivating both a quin and hyst core, you'll have a target on your back."

"Won't that just make me special, almost like a protagonist in some crazy action movie?"

Leo chuckled. "That would make you a protagonist, indeed—a protagonist in a scientific and supernatural experiment. In this world, power is everything. If you have something others want, they will come for you. So do what I do, keep your head down, and maybe—just maybe—you'll live long enough to learn to use that power. 

Jack just nodded. Jack had always considered the danger involved ever since he vowed revenge, but now that he had truly stepped onto the path of acquiring strength, Leo's words brought the danger closer than he imagined.

He had to be ready for whatever was to come. He took a deep breath and steeled his nerves.

"Come on, kid. There is plenty of daylight left, and we've got business to take care of." Leo turned, noticing Jack's pause, motioning for him to follow.

Official government labs required identification and monitoring, and Jack had no intention of putting himself on any more radars than necessary. He still didn't know who had sent the assassins after his mother, and until he was strong enough, he would remain in the shadows.

It took them considerable time to arrive at the facility, which was buried deep underground; it was one of the many abandoned bunker districts.

These districts, which had once been a haven for mankind during the First Itonian War, protecting them from the annihilating plasma rays that would rain from above, had now become a hotspot for crime and society's dark deeds.

Leo navigated through the ruined buildings and dim alleyways until he arrived at a nondescript entrance—a rusted door with a glowing keypad. He knocked twice, paused, knocked once, and knocked three times.

A soft beep followed. Jack tensed. The door didn't open right away. Seconds stretched, each one heavier than the last. Then, with a whisper of rusted metal and a hiss of pressurised air, it slid open silently. 

The darkness beyond swallowed everything. A void, waiting. Jack took a breath, the cold scent of metal and old air filling his lungs. He had come this far. He had made his choice. And yet, as he stepped forward, the weight of the unknown settled onto his shoulders. There was no turning back.