Echoes Of The Divine (2)

"Echows of The Divine is a title that Spheraphase gives to beings who would save it from total destruction. However, for you to fully use it, all of you have to get stronger. In short, only be being a Divine can you fully be able to utilize it."

"And so, the world killed all ten of you for you to be stable enough to use something called Epoch Cycles."

Natas sighed, his gaze sweeping across the room of resurrected students.

"Let me explain this in terms you'll understand. Spheraphase, the very world we live on, has deemed you the ten most critical individuals to its survival. To truly unlock its potential, you must ascend to godhood. No shortcuts, no half-measures."

He clasped his hands behind his back, beginning to pace.

"Now, here's the part where things get interesting. That eclipse? It wasn't just some random celestial event. Spheraphase itself orchestrated your deaths. It wiped the slate clean because your forms weren't sturdy enough to handle this power. You needed to be reforged. Your bodies, your minds, your very souls."

"..."

"Only through that process could you become stable enough to bear the burden. So, congratulations. The world killed you to save you."

Eldrigan frowned, his arms crossed.

"Couldn't it have done that without, you know, the dying part?"

Natas stopped pacing.

"You think the process of being remade into something capable of harnessing god-tier power is a gentle one? Be glad you were dead during it. Otherwise, the pain alone would have shattered your sanity. This was mercy, believe it or not. All of the Third Generation have the curse the First Generation cast upon their descendants after all so Spheraphase lessened it for you."

Farrynelle raised her hand cautiously.

"And what about these... Epoch Cycles you mentioned?"

Natas nodded, acknowledging her question.

"Ah, yes. The Epoch Cycles. These are your second great gift from Spheraphase. They allow you to step outside of linear time, to journey into the past, the future, and sometimes even alternate threads of reality."

"You will face challenges, solve ancient riddles and confront truths that might break lesser beings. All of this is to prepare you for what lies ahead and to ensure that when the moment comes, you will be strong enough to fulfill your roles."

Xander sighed, his brow furrowed.

"And if we fail?"

Natas's gaze turned steely.

"Failure is not an option. The world has placed its faith in you because it had no other choice. If you falter, the consequences will be catastrophic, not just for you, but for all of existence. Spheraphase doesn't give second chances lightly. If this experiment fails, there will be no resurrection, no redemption. Only oblivion."

The room fell into a heavy silence, the weight of his words pressing on the students. Then, Vastarael spoke up

"So, we die, we're reborn, and we're handed this title… because the world believes in us. Because it has no other choice."

Natas nodded.

"Precisely. The First Epoch Cycle will happen after a month. And unfortunately, you're not the only one who'll go through it. Other students, mostly from the Sixth to the Third Enlightenment have been chosen too. Not all of them but a specific few."

"So you'll all have to be in a team of two or more. Believe me, you can't stay alone in an Epoch Cycle. You will die. So, in the meantime, all of you will not study until this month is over. You'll have to prepare yourselves for this soon."

Silence.

Without waiting for questions or complaints, Natas turned on his heel and strode out of the room, leaving the Seventh Enlightenment students to face each other. The doors shut with an ominous thud.

For a moment, no one spoke. Most of the students were still processing the implications of what Natas had said. An Epoch Cycle? Survival? Death? It felt less like an academy and more like they'd been thrown into a battlefield. A week barely passed! Didn't they come here to gain influence for themselves?

Vastarael leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly. He glanced at Elyonari, who sat beside him, her silver hair catching the dim light. She looked equally thoughtful, though her calm demeanor betrayed her preparedness.

"Well," Vastarael said, breaking the silence, "I guess we're a team already, right? No point wasting time."

Elyonari smirked slightly, her green pupilless eyes flashing with amusement.

"You're assuming I'd even want to team up with you."

He gave her a lopsided grin.

"Oh, please. Who else would put up with your sharp tongue and obsession with plants?"

"Fair enough. You're tolerable company, I'll give you that. Count me in."

The rest of the students, meanwhile, began to stir. Narisva Starisnova, sitting at the far end of the table, tilted her head slightly as she scanned the room. Her cold, calculating eyes settled briefly on Vastarael before moving on. She said nothing but seemed deep in thought.

"I'll be alone," Narisva revealed. "So no one who try to team up with me."

And they didn't object. To be fair, she was an enigma, even to her own Dynasty.

Others, like Xander Fedres and Farrynelle Skyrover, were quicker to act.

"I'm not teaming up with just anyone," Xander declared. "I need someone who can keep up with me. Someone reliable."

Farrynelle rolled her eyes.

"We all need someone reliable, Xander. But fine, count me in. At least I won't have to listen to you complain about incompetence."

"Good," Xander replied, though his lips quirked into a rare smile. "We'll make a solid team, Princess Farrynelle."

Across the table, Adelasta shifted uncomfortably. She fiddled with the edge of her sleeve, her crimson eyes darting from one face to another. Denisia Andelaris, noticing her hesitation, leaned closer.

"Do you want to team up with me?" Denisia asked gently, her voice carrying a note of encouragement. "I think we'd work well together."

Adelasta hesitated but nodded after a moment. "Sorry. I'm going to team up with Vastarael."

Vastarael grinned as he faced Adelasta. "I'm glad you chose to do that, future Duchess. I thought you didn't want to do that."

Adelasta gave him a cold glare that made Vastarael grin even more.

"I don't have a choice and you know why."

Of course he knew.

While the others continued forming their teams, Vastarael couldn't help but observe the dynamics around the table. Each pairing revealed something about the individuals involved, the alliances they trusted, the skills they valued.

But his attention soon drifted back to Elyonari.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?"

She glanced at him, her expression softening slightly.

"I've been through enough to know that there's no such thing as being 'ready.' But I trust myself. And you. You're more powerful than I think and I'm the same."

"That's all we can hope for, I guess," he replied, though his tone carried an edge of doubt. Deep down, he was already strategizing. The Epoch Cycle was going to be deadly and Natas wouldn't have warned them so gravely if failure weren't a very real possibility.

Around the room, the hum of conversation continued. By the time Natas returned, the teams were mostly settled, though the air was still thick with unease.

"Well," Vastarael muttered under his breath to Elyonari as the doors creaked open, "let's hope this 'Epoch Cycle' is more forgiving than he made it sound."

Elyonari raised an eyebrow. "You don't actually believe that, do you?"

He chuckled humorlessly. "Not for a second."

By the time it was over, it was already decided.

Narisva was alone.

Xander Fedres and Farrynelle Skyrover were together.

Natalis and Denisia Andelaris, the twin angel and demon, were together.

Adelasta, Vastarael and Elyonari were together as a team.

Eldrigan and Peroncerea were a duo on their own.

A total of five teams.

"I see. Now then, all of you will have to coordinate your battle skills and abilities. The First Epoch Cycle is not as easy as it looks. If you want to know more, go to the library. To be honest, I'm not going to give you more details than I already have. After a month is over, the eclipse will end and you will be sent to the past. Don't waste this month, students. If you do, you will not make it out alive."

°°°°°°°

After Vastarael found all the information about the Epoch Cycle, he finally got a full understanding of it.

The Epoch Cycle is a world-altering event that sends chosen individuals into critical moments of the past or future in order to resolve significant issues, stabilize the world, and gain strength. Apparently, past generations experienced it and for the Third Generation, this was the first Epoch Cycle.

It's a process that essentially forces them to become stronger both physically and spiritually, to prepare for future battles that will protect Spheraphase.

The individuals are sent into the past or future, either to avert impending disasters, change critical events or fix broken pasts. They are expected to correct what went wrong or face challenges that could have catastrophic consequences for Spheraphase.

By going through these trials, they evolve, gaining new powers or refining existing abilities. This is part of why they are resurrected with the ability to access Echoes of the Divine, which helps them in their missions but can only reach full potential once they've achieved god-like status. They need to grow stronger through these cycles to fully master their abilities.

As part of the cycle, the participants will uncover Hidden Truths about the world, themselves, and the history of Spheraphase. This is part of the growth process as they become aware of larger forces at play, such as the nature of the world and the roles they are meant to play within it.

And for Vastarael, he understood that his condition with Thyrexxa will happen in the Epoch Cycles.

"One month of preparation, huh? Then I'll ask my siblings to search for clues about the Orchestral Vialex while I focus on survival."