Encounter

Astras inner domain was quite unique

he knew this but never revealed it to anyone.

Naturally he never trusted anyone as he used to lived in the outskirts which were riddled with scum who would sell you out for a piece of bread.

As Astra stepped into the depths of his inner domain, the world he knew seemed to fade away. It was not a physical space he entered, but the vast, untouchable expanse of his very soul, where thoughts and memories twisted and merged with the fabric of the universe itself. The air was thick with the scent of infinite possibility. His senses stretched, and the very essence of his being merged with the place, as if he were no longer a man but something much larger, much older—something timeless.

Before him, the sky unfurled into an endless ocean of stars—an infinity of light scattered across the vastness, a tapestry woven from the shimmering threads of countless galaxies. Each star twinkled with its own story, its own fate, burning with the secrets of the cosmos. They stretched endlessly, beyond the reach of his vision, as far as the mind could fathom. Galaxies spiraled lazily, vast and awe-inspiring, their arms reaching out into the void like the delicate sweep of a hand across an infinite canvas. Nebulae bloomed in gentle clouds of color, soft and ethereal, swirling in shades of violet, gold, and blue.

Beneath this celestial tapestry stretched an ocean, dark and endless. Its surface was smooth as glass, an abyss of inky blackness, save for the soft, rippling reflections of the stars above. There was no shore, no end. It stretched out into infinity, timeless and unbroken. A cool, gentle breeze whispered across the water, a breath of forgotten winds, carrying the taste of something ancient and distant. The waves lapped softly at the edges of his mind, almost like a lullaby, pulling at the very edges of his consciousness, as though the ocean itself wished to draw him deeper. 

Astra felt that he ever was to let his sense of self slip in the ocean...he would never make it back.

Yet amidst the beauty of this world, something stirred. Shadows, shifting and flickering, danced at the very edges of his vision. They were like tendrils of thought, wisps of forgotten memories or silent fears, slipping between the stars, their forms never fully revealed. They moved with a kind of purpose, but never in a way that could be understood—elusive, ephemeral, like the very passage of time.

And at the center of this infinite expanse, at the heart of this universe itself, hung a single, radiant star, larger and brighter than all the others. Its light was intense, almost overwhelming, a pure, brilliant white-blue that seemed to pulse with a life of its own. It shone with a warmth that reached deep into the soul, filling him with both reverence and awe. It was the star that gave light to this entire domain, its brilliance cutting through the darkness of the ocean, casting ripples of dark blueish, light across the endless sea.

This star was not just a beacon of light; it was a presence, a force unto itself, both familiar and foreign. It radiated a power that spoke to the very core of Astra's being, as though it were the source of his own existence, the heart of his soul. Every pulse of its light seemed to beat in time with his own, as if it were bound to him, a reflection of his own truth—a truth he had yet to fully understand.

Above the radiant star hung a single bright sun, this was his mana core.

A rank one mana core of a Star Mage

In this vast, ethereal expanse—where time had no meaning and reality bent with each breath—he stood alone, gazing at the star at the center of it all, feeling the quiet pull of the shadows, the gentle embrace of the ocean, and the infinite possibility stretching before him. It was a place both of creation and destruction, of peace and unrest, a domain of both perfect harmony and unsettling chaos. It was the very essence of his soul, vast and unfathomable—where all the answers and all the questions existed side by side.

It was majestic, Astra loved the sight of his inner domain, it was just like him, unique, pretty, majestic but most of all.....lonely....

 it was truly a reflection of himself.

Astra sighed as he finally called upon his mage coin,

[The Pawn] shimmered into existence, casting different information and paths to Astra what was strange however is that the mana reacts in weird ways and communicates in weird ways, it's a language that's weird and unique to everyone, someone can see mana as numbers, while someone else can see mana as shapes. It depends on how one reacts to the world, and how they exist within the world. mana knows this, the coins harness magic in a standardized way and control the flow of calamity, now the entropy becomes harnessed, and mana becomes standardized, however if one truly wishes to advance through the ranks and form strong tiered mana cores, they need to understand mana at its raw nature.

Astras excitement arose, as usual, he can never contain himself when faced with the endless potential infront of him, the mana around hum pulsed

The shadows danced wildly happy as they embraced him, the stars in his domains sky shimmered ever so brighter and twinkled, the silent ocean produced ripples that intensified, in the center of his domain the singular bright white star shone ever so brighter, it got ever so hotter, yet astra felt colder, the star now was the brightest object in his domain

This was Astras inner domains full strength. The strength of the stars, the strength of the shadows, the strength of the ocean, his talents and aptitudes fully revealed to him now due to [The Pawn]

Astra had a aptitude to shadows, [A-Rank ]by the way the shadows seemed to revel in his existence, to the water he had also an [A-Rank] affinity as he had a literal ocean in his domain, however what stumped him was the star and the stars, he can use shadow magic, he can use many water magics but never has the stars done anything to him.

astra had other affinity's like a [B-Rank] affinity to fire, and [A-Rank] to light these affinities made him quite favored by the world but...he was a nobody compared to most talents and geniuses . They would destroy him easily as he had access to less prominent training and he had no real battle combat skills.

The letter ranks were more of a classification on talent and control of magic rather than a ranking of actual power, people can either have this innately or can developed this, it greatly impacted one's mana cores. a being with a lower ranked aptitude can still develop and evolve, it all depended on effort and skill after all.

As for Astra's combat skills, he didn't have many.

His swordsmanship was novice at best, he was at a level where he can cross swords with most warriors, but to beat and even survive was in question. his coin loved to remind him just how unapt he is with a sword...

for hand to hand combat however was above average as he did grow up in the outskirts of Duskfall, he has had many fights with various peoples of many skills, he was pretty decent in many forms of hand to hand combat as he has also picked up techniques from many travelers, be it by conversing with them at a tavern, or fighting them drunk and getting his ass beat.

what stumped astra the most however was the star magic in his inner domain.

Astra recalled all his knowledge on Star magic as it was weird, there was no one in the world who had it to his current knowledge anyways and his coin , the only times he had seen it even mentioned was in the legends of battles of old over 300 years ago with exiled figures who's names weren't even mentioned, and the spells were not listed, but what they did was

The history books were every vague, from teleportation to bombardments of extreme destruction, the affects of such spells was also heavily shrouded and vague, as if the books were censoring the contents, it was....strange.

What was described however was also not in the least helpful as star magic reacted to every user differently and he got that out of his coin, the coin didn't even give him much regarding to star magic,

for quest objectives, it simply stated [Know the Night]

He had absolutely no idea what that meant. Star Magic was truly mysterious, just like the infinite night sky

It drove him insane, no matter how hard he tried to use or communicate with the star magic which was this rare and legendary magic that only shows up in legends has never once even been used by him.

he sighed as he looked around his domain one last time, prepping himself mentally for his little...side quest of procuring funds.

As he exited his inner domain Astras eyes regained their intelligence

He gazed around and saw the guards finally move, as he called upon the shadows around him, this was basic boosting, a rank one way to use the shadows called [shadows embrace] it made him decently faster and more hidden when he was in the shadows,

The twilight aurora made by the tower of dusk shimmered in the sky, the shadows danced from corner to corner, bright fireworks larger than the ones before continued to light up the sky and music hummed in the air, this made the bazaar which was littered with deep shadows his perfect hunting grounds,

Astra gazed upon the inner part of the bazaar

At the heart of the bazaar, towering banners of gold and crimson catch the fading light, their embroidered sigils shifting ever so slightly as though alive. The air is thick with the scent of exotic spices, enchanted incense, and mana. Sounds of soft laughter and lively conversation mingle with the chime of bells and the low hum of mana that pulses through the ground like a heartbeat.

Noblemen and women, draped in flowing robes of silk and velvet, stroll leisurely through the maze, their jewels glinting like stars, dressed in their festive Nobel attires, as they haggle with powerful sorcerers, enchanted beasts, and magical artisans. Their faces, though regal, are a mix of curiosity and wealth-fueled indulgence. They spoke clearly and tones that demanded respect, exchanging secrets of hidden relics and untold riches, their words barely louder than the rustle of cloth and the gentle clink of coins.

Stalls overflow with a treasure trove of items beyond imagination. One merchant, a gnarled elf with eyes like liquid silver, offers crystalline vials that shimmer with strange, swirling mists, each containing a whisper of forgotten knowledge or a memory trapped in time. Another vendor, a hulking half-orc clad in armor etched with runes, displays swords that hum with an ancient power—blades that seem to absorb the ambient light, their edges impossibly sharp. The swords pulse with a quiet menace, their hilts adorned with the bones of long-dead creatures and glinting with gemstones that glow faintly in the twilight. these items gave off the strong aura of rank two, some even coming very close to rank three. this showed just how powerful dusk full truly is, to have its bazaar littered with rank two artifacts.

Nearby, a curious vendor sells enchanted beasts—miniature rank two lower wyverns that coil lazily around their owners' wrists like living bracelets, rank two and one feathered peacocks that stretch their wings as if remembering an ancient sky, and a rare rank three panther-like creatures with shifting fur that blends into their surroundings like shadows. The creatures seem both tame and wild, and their eyes flicker with an intelligence that unsettles some and delights others. contained by specialist rank two beast tamers and trapped in powerful mana cages.

A pair of wizened, hooded figures sit beneath a golden canopy, their hands moving in intricate gestures as they weave illusions from nothing, crafting living scenes out of light and shadow—fey gardens, swirling storms, landscapes of distant lands. Their wares are not objects but experiences, memories, and dreams spun into tangible forms. many gathered to converse and share experiences, these figures gave off faint rank two auras, however their quality was that of the pinnacle of rank two, famed adventurers. 

Above the din, the faint sound of a haunting melody drifts through the air—a lone bard perched atop a stone balcony, playing a harp woven from ancient wood. The music lures passersby, offering them an escape from the market's endless bustle, wrapping them in a moment of quiet magic. Hoping to get some coin.

But not all is as it seems. Hidden in the deeper corners of the bazaar, shadowed by towering stalls, one can find darker things—enchanted items that carry a price greater than mere gold, ancient tomes of forbidden knowledge, and cursed relics that whisper promises of untold power. Beneath the layers of opulence, there is a sense of danger, a knowledge that in such a place, even the nobility might not be what they seem. or so the rumors say, Astra however felt the subtle aura of malice and dark humor in the air, there was without a doubt darkness here.

The sky above deepens as the twilight becomes even more powerful for some reason, this early happened Astra even felt a subtle premonition...., the bazaar takes on an even more ethereal glow, the magic in the air intensifying. It is truly a place of wonder, wealth, and power, where bargains are struck, dreams are made real, and the very fabric of reality seems to bend and shimmer.

Astras, still glued to the shadows was without a doubt one of the weakest beings here, in rank

Astra ran from shadow-to-shadow hiding looking through chests as he wasn't dumb enough to try pickpocketing literal rank twos, he eventually laid his eyes on this drunken novel and snagged about bag of coins, from the unsuspecting Nobel who was drunk out of his mind. the Nobel gave off rank two aura, but he could not even function properly, if astra really wanted to...he could easily kill him and no one would even know....

shaking his head astra smiled as he let these thoughts go through him

The Nobel seemed to have one guard, and that said guard was busy flirting with an elvish servant, the servant was extremely pretty even for elf, this made astra sigh as the girl looked uncomfortable,

Astra knew how it felt to be pressured by those in power, as a certain Nobel woman came up to mind...he shuddered.

The Nobel by his wealth and aura seemed to be a lower member of house palm tree. A medium sized house located far away from here, he sighed as this was an ideal target,

he quickly retreated and hid in the shadows behind a building, he was elated at the fifty gold coins! The most he's had was five at once! And that was a result of him swindling an old Nobel lady who wanted to use his body! He shivered at the thought. "I really don't wanna remember why do I keep remembering ugh..."

Astra knew that nothing good came from greed, he planned on taking his bounty and getting the hell out of here

As he made up his mind to leave the upper bazaar Astra suddenly felt a thick and heavy gaze lock onto him, this made the hairs on the back of his nick stand as his body started to shake, he felt like a deer that was being stalked by an apex predator! "what the?" astra felt as if he had a second before he was done for....

Astra listened to his instincts and immediately used a combination of magic

he called upon the mana and instantly cast a small water barrier

A rank one spell! [Water Dome] but he wasn't done yet as at the same time he also used

[light of the sun] creating this small blinding affect like orb of light and. he combined, he wasn't done yet however, he used the light of the sun and shot it through the water dome as it collapsed, the shadows retreated and many people stared into the now bright alleyway confused at who dared cast such a distracting spell in the upper bazaar, the duskguards hurried over and even dusk knights casted their gazes over the area, the tension rose, and astra booked it as he retreated the gazed upon him flickering and faltering

Astras use of magic was truly innovative, the gaze seemed to waver and as Astra booked it into the through the dark alleyway into the entrance of the lower city. 

He went through a stairwell that descended all the way to the lower city where the shadows were even deeper. Astra called upon the shadows as they embraced him once more...

...….

Upper Bazaar

"What the fuck ugh, that hurt!" a blonde elven women yelled out as she rubbed her eyes, a frown on her face

"My Princess please watch your tongue" replied the man next to her,

The pair was sporting two regal dark green cloaks with the sigil of an ancient archaic bow on them,

In the crowded bazaar, the elven princess moved like a ghost, her dark green robe shimmering faintly with silver threads. Her curious light blue eyes, which had a dark brown mixed inside glanced through the chaos, distant and commanding, her hair skin pale, and her hair a beautiful blonde, her beauty drawing fleeting glances but her presence demanding respect.

Behind her, her mentor towered like a shadow. His green dark robe blended with the crowd, yet his stature and silent subtle power made people step aside, He was middle aged, tall, he had deep green eyes and long blonde hair. when people did look all they had to do was see the sigil of their house which said all that needed to be said. His watchful gaze never wavered, a calm protector amidst the noise. Together, they stood out—regal, quiet, and unyielding in the midst of the bustling market where Nobels, and magical items of all fashions were present.

"What an interesting kid" mumbled the tall elf and his hair covered in the cloak, his eyes seemed to be looking through the very ground still tracking something, 

"ugh he's a creative thief! what was that a rank one [flashbang] spell? Those don't even work that well on these eyes of mine!" the princess was seemingly pissed

"No, it was a combination of light and water magic used ingeniously for two purpose's, the first was to defend as he seemed to have felt your eyes upon him which is why he erected a water barrier and one that's quite effective as well, looking at the density and how the water rotated he definitely has [A rank aptitude], the second reason was for it to refract on the light and become almost a magnifying glass," the man kept mumbling,

"[A-rank] Water magic? And a Light aptitude? As well as a high affinity to the shadows! On a thief like him! What a joke... whatever let him go, he also has A rank shadow magic and when I first spotted him something deep inside of me told me to fully scan him, when I did, he freaked out! most people can't even feel my gaze... he's not normal…what kind of secrets is he hiding to seemingly find such a response fitting I wonder...."

"what an interesting apprentice" mumbled the tall elven man

"ugh I was just bored and ended up almost blinded, what a joke, Gadriel, go tell that stupid palm Nobel that he got robbed"

"As you wish my princess"

"Also stop calling me that!"

"Yes my princess"

…..