Opposites

The moon loomed over a mountainside tribe. Placed on an artificial plateau nestled on the mountain.

The closer one would get, the more eerie the surroundings became.

A boy that looked to be around 10 years old—appearances were a deceiving thing considering his lineage—walked while muttering to himself.

He had hair, which shone an otherworldly white, and black eyes.

The grime and face tattoos did little to hide his beauty. Around him were tents and small wooden buildings, but something was off.

It was silent. There was no sound, not the ambient noises of birds, insects, or rustling tree branches.

No singing of the vale, not even the sound of the boy's footsteps on wet leaves.

Even stranger, the boy left no footprints or trail. His lips were moving, but nothing came out. In the dim twilight, the world was utterly still.

Except for the boy.

That was until he left the vicinity of the tribe.

The world before him was animated. Ahead, the forest was alive and loud.

He paused, and then looked behind him, at the still world he used to call home.

It was a strange sensation, to be between a world of ghostly silence, and another of humming nature.

Resolving himself, he looked forward. Towards the beautiful scene of sprawling mountains that reached beyond the clouds above, and under the thick fog below. He began walking.

Crunch

He stepped on something, perhaps a snail or dry branch—which was a rare thing on Kaelar. He looked down to see the source of the wet feeling between his toes.

It was the former. Light red lines ran from his eyes to his neck, he was too worn out to care.

He was walking South. Towards where the elders told him to never venture towards. To the human settlements.

His murmurs now audible; "I will save everything." His deep black eyes steeled.

"For my name is Belphet."

* * *

The 2:00 PM class on Disaster Readiness brought the students into a simulated environment designed to mimic real-world catastrophes.

Professor Veyon, a tall, wiry man with wind-tousled hair, stood at the front of the room. His voice carried the weight of someone who had weathered the very storms he was teaching about.

"The storms of Kaelar are no ordinary tempests. They are the remnants of an ancient event, that which carved its will into the land and sky. They are relentless, unpredictable, and often fatal. Your survival depends on preparation and understanding."

He detailed the kinds of storms that hit Fenros frequently. There are the regular typhoons and hurricanes that at the minimum, reach 200 km/h. It is rare actually to be hit by simple water. Most of the time the winds carry ice of varying sizes—from one the size of a raindrop to entire houses.

Some hurricanes have been enhanced by Laws even, which was what he meant by "an ancient event that which carved its will into the land and sky."

Leia's eyes glinted. 'Could it be related to the Sundering?'

The Sundering.

A tale he's come across among the books in his family's bibliotheca. Said to have shaped Kaelar itself—a cataclysmic event that shattered an entire world. 'Or something.' Leon shook the thought away, focusing on his notes.

"Earthquakes and tsunamis also happen every few years. The last large earthquake caused buildings in Oran to topple, the cobbled roads to split, and was the reason for the peace in recent years. The epicenter of that earthquake was underwater, under Kael's Veil all the way in the south of Fenros."

The students gulped. Oran was in the northern center of Fenros, so it was the second farthest from the south.

"What even is Kael's Veil?" Questioned one student.

"It is the unabating fog that surrounds the south of Fenros. No ship has ever sailed in that direction and returned. Sir Hallen will brief you further about matters related to our continent."

He continued by saying that the appearance of the fog was relatively recent. Just over a hundred years ago.

He left, some students were unable to ask one burning question. The Serth arrival.

Veyon's lecture ended, leaving the students with some pride for their nation. It was the only one that did not have a coast, and so was least affected by the storms of Kaelar.

Its south was a large swath of land, in Hathur and Serth—which also covered east of Oran. To the west of Oran was Caldros, and then the mountainous region of Avarin in the north.

The simulated classroom environment gradually faded as Leon and his classmates filed out. The weight of Professor Veyon's lecture lingered in the air. Leon found himself glancing at the faces around him—some wore expressions of awe, others apprehension. He couldn't help but ponder the enormity of the storms they had learned about.

"Kael's Veil... I wonder how far it goes." Leon mused. The professor's ominous tone and cryptic remarks about the southern fog gnawed at his thoughts. He clenched his hands. A part of him felt an inexplicable connection to the subject. "I need to know more... Not just about the Veil, but this entire world. The Laws, the past… everything."

He wondered. 'Why?'

Beside him, Leia turned to Leon. "What did you think about Veyon's lecture?"

Leon shrugged. "Informative, I guess. But if these Law-powered storms are 'rainbows' compared to the outside, I'm more interested in what is considered a real storm."

Leia smirked. "True. And the Veil..." Her voice trailed off before she added softly, "It's fascinating, but terrifying too."

Leon nodded. "Yeah. I'll definitely go there one day."

Leia chuckled, a brief, fleeting sound. "Well, some of us definitely want to know more." She glanced sideways at Leon.

"And I noticed you paying extra attention when they mention Laws or history."

He scratched the back of his head. "What can I say? It's all just... interesting."

"Interesting, huh?" Leia's smile lingered for a moment before fading. "You might not want to get too interested. Curiosity doesn't always lead to good things."

Leon frowned but didn't press further.

3:00 pm classes began, and it was an incredibly dense lecture. Spanning the Arbiters, Amalgams—non humanoid integrated— and Anatomy.

All those that wield Law, Integrated or not, are called Arbiters. There are several specializations that one takes—regardless of one's identity, be they a Ferrier, Warrior, or Overcomer;

Vanguard: Arbiters that make use of Laws to cause damage, a straightforward role.

Aegis: Arbiters that focus on defense, to protect a team or structure.

Pillars: Arbiters that specialize in supporting other Arbiters. Whether by enhancing their abilities or weakening the opponents.

Creators: Arbiters that use the Laws to forge weapons, enhance objects, and create artifacts. The most broad specialization that has further distinctions; Forgers, Crafters, Runemasters and their counterparts—Weavers.

–Forgers create weapons that can withstand Laws or Wills that are cast through them.

–Crafters create artifacts that are used for miscellaneous purposes. Artifacts come in infinite forms.

–Runemasters: Engrave their wills into a physical body for enhancements. The act of imprinting the Laws is called Imbuement: something the Weavers do but differently.

–Weavers: Engrave their wills through their Souls. A most rare ability, and their enhancements don't clash with Runes, as long as both aren't inherently discordant.

Animators: Also called Summoners, are Arbiters that can generate golems and undead to command to fight their opponents. Theoretically, it is possible to create living creatures that follow commands. The reason they are not officially called Summoners is that they can command already existing constructs like trees or even buildings.

Augmenters: Arbiters that enhance themselves by fusing their souls with Amalgams. Through this, they can gain the abilities of the Amalgam. One needs a fully willing one in order to properly do so. It is the most risky, as the Amalgam might decide to fight back the Will of the Augmenter, causing damage to both Souls. There are families dedicated solely to rearing Amalgams.

* * *

Leon wandered into the school courtyard after the lecture. The sun hung low behind the mountains, casting a warm orange glow that danced on the Institute but did not reach the academy. The source of light in the valley are a multitude of glowing orbs that floated and bobbed in the wind. The larger ones float higher, and one that was comparable to a firefly was nestled on Leon's palm.

He spotted a small crowd of students gathered near the central fountain. Intrigued, he edged closer, catching sight of the source of their excitement.

In the center of the circle stood an older student, a fifth grader by the look of him, holding the attention of the group with a display of skill. The boy's presence was commanding, not just because of his age but because of the creature at his side—a sleek, quadrupedal Amalgam that shimmered faintly, its form constantly shifting between furry flesh and translucent energy.

"Watch closely," the boy said, his voice carrying an air of confidence. With a flick of his wrist, lines of golden light flowed from his hand, forming intricate patterns that hovered in the air before spiraling into the Amalgam.

The creature responded instantly, leaping into motion with inhuman precision. It dashed around the courtyard, leaving trails of shimmering light as it bounded off walls and slid under arches. Then, with a graceful pivot, it extended its claws, slicing through a suspended piece of fabric that pulsed with Laws. The crowd erupted in cheers and murmurs of amazement.

"That's Imbuement," Leon muttered to himself, recognizing the golden glow from their earlier lessons.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Leia's voice came from beside him, startling him slightly.

"When did you get here?" Leon asked, raising an eyebrow.

Leia smirked. "I could ask you the same. Didn't think you were someone who'd watch this sort of thing."

Leon shrugged, his eyes fixed on the Amalgam as it performed another intricate trick. "I was curious. Besides, it's not every day you see an Amalgam doing tricks like this. Look at the control—it's like the thing knows exactly what the boy is thinking."

Leia crossed her arms, watching intently. "That's because it probably does. A bond between an Augmenter and their Amalgam is as much mental as it is physical. They share their Will, their intent. They have accepted each other. The stronger the bond, the better the control."

The fifth grader smiled, clearly reveling in the attention. "Now for the finale," he declared, raising his hand high. The Amalgam's form shifted again, its translucent parts solidifying into jagged crystalline shapes. It leaped into the air, its claws slicing through a suspended rune mid-flight before landing gracefully. The crowd broke into applause, a few younger students even cheering.

Leia glanced at Leon. "You thinking about getting an Amalgam someday?"

Leon hesitated. "Maybe. If it's as cool as that one, I might."

Leia chuckled. "Careful what you wish for. Bonding with an Amalgam isn't all fun and games. They can be temperamental."

Before Leon could reply, the bell chimed in the distance, signaling the end of the day. The older students began to disperse, and the crowd around the fountain thinned.

Leia turned to Leon, her expression softening as the two walked toward the dormitory halls. "Guess this is where we part ways. Girls' dorms are on the other side."

Leon nodded. "Yeah. See you tomorrow?"

"Of course," Leia said, giving him a small wave before heading off.

The orange glow of the setting sun bathed the Sentinels in a serene light, but Leon's mind was far from peaceful.

As he walked, he thought back to the fifth grader and his Amalgam. The intricate control, the seamless bond—it was mesmerizing. But more than that, it stirred something deep within him.

"Someday," he muttered to himself. "I'll find my place here, too."

The thought lingered as he entered his dorm room, a simple yet cozy space with a small bed and desk. He dropped his bag to the side and grabbed a practice sword from the corner.

Before the day ended, he had one more thing to do.

With determined eyes, Leon stepped into the courtyard outside the dorms, the glow of the moon now faintly visible in the sky. He began practicing the swordsmanship he had watched Garthem and Felix perform countless times. He had mimicked their swordstyle, and changed it to feel more natural for him.

Swing after swing, he repeated the movements, pushing his body to its limits. He is actively trying not to imbue his Will into the slashes, as to not cause accidents.

The weight of the day's lessons pressed on his mind, but instead of overwhelming him, it fueled his resolve. With each swing of the sword, he felt closer to the answers he sought, closer to understanding the world of Kaelar and his place within it.

*

After cleaning himself he layed on his bed, and was left without distractions. 'I see why.'

He clenched his fists and tightly closed his eyes in a a grimace. Back home, he had always suppressed himself.

To limit the shock that his family experienced, he hid his actions.

But now he realized that it wasn't only his capabilities that he was restraining—but also his thoughts.

'I was named Leon because of the clap of thunder when I was brought in the house. The roaring thunder resembled a lion's.'

He remembered the Amalgam from before which resembled a lion cub. There was something about the pair that he instinctively felt displeased about.

His curiosity stemmed from wanting to know more about his origins. But his familiarity with the bond the Augmenters shared confused him. He felt that they were opposites.

'I wonder where I came from.'

"Haaah." He ended his thoughts with a loud sigh.

But a smile found its way on his lips.