Fragment 1 "The First Wave"

"Hey, you. Yeah, you—who decided to open this book, app, webpage, or whatever you wanna call it. Got a question for you."

"Let's say you're given power over everything—every universe, every life, every moment across time itself. Sounds cool, right? But then, some smug asshole comes along and says, 'Here's your ultimatum—wipe it all clean, or kill everyone you've ever cared about to save something else.'"

"What do you pick?"

"Take your time. Think real hard. Because I'm here to tell you… whatever answer you just came up with? It's wrong."

"The only right answer—the only real answer—is 'Fuck you,' and then you kill them instead."

"Why? Simple. You were given the power over everything. So use it. Bend the rules. Break the board. No one gives you two shitty choices unless they think you're dumb enough to play along."

"That's what I told them, anyway."

"But let's rewind a bit. My name's Lucian, and this isn't some grand hero's tale. I wasn't chosen, I wasn't special, and I sure as hell didn't ask for any of this. The world didn't want me—I just refused to leave. And now? Well… now I get to decide how the story ends."

"So, sit back, get comfortable, and keep your eyes open. Because if there's one thing I've learned—it's that everything, and I mean everything, can change in an instant."

The sun sat high in the sky, heat blasting through the car windows, touching my light bronze skin. The houses blurred past as the hum of the engine carried my thoughts.

Last day of school. Finally.

I didn't have any friends to say goodbye to. My actual friends moved away in kindergarten, and the rest? Annoying bastards who lived to fuck with me. Which meant I was their bitch for a while.

School itself wasn't hard—I was always smart. My problem? I had no idea how to use Aether. No core, no circuits, nothing. Just a tall, easy-to-spot target who couldn't fight back.

And they knew it.

Take Rion, for example. That praying mantis-headed fucker was the ringleader. He was shorter than me but the same age, with big dark brown eyes, weirdly long arms, and a mohawk that made him look like he lost a bet.

And his posture? Always standing like his hands were wet.

I shit you not—if a praying mantis and Dory from Finding Nemo had a kid, it'd be him.

And Rion wasn't even the worst part.

There were three more assholes—names I don't even fully remember, so for the sake of the plot, they're now Anthony, Xavier, and Jason.

Anthony: Built like a box, body shaped like Licky Licky, always had something in his mouth. If I had food, he was suddenly my biggest fan. Xavier: Quiet. By quiet, I mean useless. Just stood there like Monkey from Karate Panda, watching shit happen n.Jason: The second-in-command, more athletic, the only one who could fight. I fought them a few times at the Academy. Minor challenges at best. But Jason? He was different.

All of this replayed in my head as we drove.

They were major annoyances back then, but now?

None of them mattered.

"Probably long exposition incoming because I suck at explaining things—go!"

Genesis Academy. Sounds fancy, right? Yeah, no. It's not a school. Not really. It's a glorified training ground, a factory where they crank out the next generation of Wave Riders—the people who fight the shit no one else wants to.

And since you're still here, I guess you need a crash course on what the hell that even means.

Wave Riders—or W.R.s—are the poor bastards sent into Rifts, interdimensional hellholes where monsters spawn endlessly. These creatures? Phantasms. No one knows exactly where they come from, but they're believed to be born from the Genesis Sea itself—the same thing that supposedly birthed all life in the universe.

And no, before you ask, no one's been to the Genesis Sea. It's mythical bullshit as far as most people are concerned, but that hasn't stopped humans from doing what we do best—building entire systems around things we don't understand.

That's where Syndicates come in.

They're military, corporate, and criminal all at once. The biggest players in the world, controlling Rift operations, Phantasm hunts, and more money than some planets are worth. They fight Phantasms. They fight each other. They fight anyone who messes with their profit. They do whatever the hell they want—so long as they get results.

And here's the fun part—Phantasms aren't even the biggest problem.

See, Rifts? They don't just spit out monsters. They change everything around them.

Too much Aether condensing in one place? Boom—entire landscapes mutate. A Rift lingers too long? Congratulations, your old childhood park is now a dense, untamed jungle. The animals? Twisted. The people? Sometimes worse.

That's how Gifts became a thing.

The theory is that humans—exposed to extreme Aether concentrations—evolved, gaining unique abilities from birth. Some people get to be walking ice sculptures. Some shoot laser beams from their eyes. Some are just really, really good at bullshitting their way out of bad situations.

Not that I'd know anything about that.

And that's just on the surface.

The deeper you go, the worse it gets.

Because Rifts? They aren't just some random cosmic disaster. They're ranked from Tier 6 to Tier 0.

And if you ever find yourself staring into a Tier 0 Rift?

Just know you're already dead.

"The last Tier 0 Rift we had? That was 80 years ago.

They called it the 'Center of the Sea.'

Why? Because when it showed up, it did two things.

It manifested over the goddamn ocea n. Everything that came out of it erased entire countries in a matter of hours.

I'm not talking about "Oh no, the kingdom fell!"—I mean erased. As in gone. Wiped from existence like they were never even there.

And it took everything we had to stop it.

The Eight Kings—people who clawed their way to the apex of their power.The Four Great Spirits—primordial forces older than recorded history.The Dragon Queen and the entire High Elven Kingdom's army—because apparently, it takes the combined might of some of the strongest beings alive just to close a single Rift.

That was the last Tier 0 Rift.

We haven't had another one since.

…Thankfully."

"Now, I know how it sounds, right?

First, I can't even control my ability, let alone know what the hell it is.

Second, I want to be a Wave Rider—which means voluntarily jumping into Rifts like that to study monsters and magic, which sounds completely fucking stupid.

I just need you all to know something…

Shut up, punk.

If you're scared, just say that and stay your ass at home. I don't want dead weight on my strike team."

"But anyway, back to the story."

I hated moving.

We'd been crammed in this hot, musty car for so long it felt like we were melting into the seats. It was always too cramped, always uncomfortable. Sometimes we brought the dog, which was nice—when she wasn't trying to piss everywhere or slobber all over me and the seats.

Ziva. That was her name. A German Shepherd, I think. Annoying as hell. But a good dog.

Then my uncle said the words that changed everything.

"We're moving to Vesperia."

Vesperia. The capital of the world.

I barely believed it. The city of giants, where towers reached into the clouds, where ancient stone streets hummed with cutting-edge tech. A place where countless cultures clashed and coexisted, where the Central Plaza stood like a throne over the metropolis, and the Luminary Gardens shone like a dream that never faded.

A city where the past met the future and dreams and reality blurred together.

For the first time in a long time, I wasn't mad about leaving. Maybe… maybe this was the start of something.

But before I could even finish entertaining the fantasy, I saw where we were going.

"Genesis Horizons Gifted Arts Program."

The birthplace of the first of my many problems.

Jason and the others trained here after school.

"Uncle… why are we going here and not back to the house?" I asked, already not liking the answer.

"Don't worry about it. We're just filling out the paperwork to withdraw you," he said, smiling—but his eyes didn't match.

I didn't say much after that. But I already knew.

This wasn't going to be a good last day.

Genesis Academy.

Or G.A., as everyone called it.

It wasn't a normal school. It was a place designed to break you.

Every single day was meant to test, train, and mold us into Wave Riders.

Morning Assembly at 8:00 AM. Core Studies at 8:30. Magic Training by 9:30.

By mid-day, we were either sparring, analyzing Phantasms, or running until we puked.

If you survived until 5:00 PM, congrats—you got to do it again tomorrow.

Rion and I? Same schedule. Same fights. Same bullshit.

He couldn't mess with me in the regular classes—too many instructors watching.

But Combat Training? That was his playground.

I couldn't control my Arts well.

Which meant I tried not to use them at all.

Rion, though? He had zero hesitation.

He was already a D-Rank Mage before even graduating.

And I had work to do.

That's the problem in this world—everything comes down to Aether.

🔹 Aether 101:

Aether is life energy. It flows through everything—the air, the ground, even the stars. It decides everything.

But having Aether isn't enough.

You have to wield it.

That's where Cores & Circuits come in.

🔹 Aether Core Formation (Mages):

The Core is formed in the brain, acting as a reservoir of power r. It lets you cast Arts—controlling elements, space, or even reality. Stronger Core? More Aether. Bigger attacks.

🔹 Aether Circuits (Martial Artists):

Circuits run through the body, refining energy through combat and breathing techniques. Instead of casting Arts, Circuit users channel Aether into Techniques—enhancing speed, reflexes, and raw power.

Most choose one path.

Some believe it's possible to master both, but only the gods know how…

"Hey Lucian, what's up! I heard you're moving. Is that true?"

I turned my head lightly, side-eyeing him.

Rion.

If anyone counted as my actual bully, it was him.

I sighed. "What do you want? Why are you talking to me like we're cool?"

"Can't a guy just say hi to his friend?" He smirked. Too smug for his own good.

"Friend?" I scoffed. "I don't remember filling out an application for that."

Rion grinned wider, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Still mad about school combat practice the other day?"

I smirked back. "On the contrary. Didn't I make up for it today?"

His grin twitched. A little crack in his confidence.

Yeah. I landed some hits this time.

But I wasn't satisfied yet.

The air between us thickened, the weight of unspoken challenges pressing in.

Rion leaned in, a smirk curling at the corner of his lips.

"You think you're all that just because you won one fight?"

I met his gaze without flinching. "It wasn't just one fight, Rion. I've beaten you before, and you know it."

His smirk faltered for half a second before his expression twisted into amusement. "Oh really? You must have a selective memory, Lucian. Because I remember you on the ground, gasping for breath."

I shrugged, unfazed. "Selective memory or not, the fact remains." My eyes narrowed slightly. "You've never really beaten me when it counts."

A small ripple ran through the room.

The energy shifted.

Eyes flickered toward us—some curious, others wary. The tension was too loud to ignore.

Footsteps.

Jason sauntered over, Anthony and Xavier flanking him like loyal shadows.

"What's going on here?" Jason asked, his voice casual but laced with authority.

Rion tilted his head, still not breaking eye contact. "Just the usual, Jason. Lucian here thinks he's better than us."

Jason chuckled, deep and mocking, his arms folding across his chest. "Is that so?"

He studied me for a second. Sizing me up. Calculating.

Then, a grin.

"How about we settle this once and for all?"

His voice carried weight.

"One last rematch before you leave, Lucian. You versus Rion."

I raised an eyebrow, meeting Jason's gaze without a shred of hesitation.

"You think he can beat me, Jason? After all this time, you still need your minions to feel powerful, Rion?"

The smirk on Rion's face twitched—a crack in the facade. His eyes darkened, amusement flashing into irritation.

"You've got a big mouth for someone who's about to get his ass handed to him." He stepped closer, his voice dropping an octave. "Or are you just too scared to face us?"

I laughed. Actually laughed. A short, sharp ha! Like he just told me the dumbest joke in the universe.

"Scared? Of you three stooges? Please." I tilted my head, letting the words hang. "If anything, I should be worried about making you cry in front of everyone."

The moment stretched.

A beat of silence.

Then, Anthony let out a low whistle. "Damn."

Xavier chuckled under his breath, shaking his head. "He's got you there, Rion."

Rion ignored them, his fists clenching at his sides. That was the thing about him—he could dish it out all day, but the moment you hit back with words sharper than his, he started cracking at the edges.

Jason, though? He was different.

He watched calmly, like he was playing chess and had already predicted my next five moves.

His smirk widened. "Fine then. One last match." He flicked his wrist toward the door. "Let's take this outside."

Jason's tone was casual, but the weight in the room shifted instantly. The challenge wasn't just for Rion anymore—it was a spectacle.

Eyes darted to each other.

Whispers spread.

A ripple of excitement ran through the crowd like a fire catching wind.

"You think Lucian will win?"

"I dunno. Rion's been training extra hard."

"Shit, this is gonna be good."

Someone bolted out the door first, eager to claim a front-row seat.

Within seconds, a stampede of students rushed after, their footsteps thundering down the hall, shoving past each other just to get a glimpse.

By the time I stepped outside, the open yard had transformed into an arena.

A loose circle had already formed around us, students pushing to the front, standing on benches, some even climbing onto the fence just to get a better view. The murmur of voices buzzed in the air, a rising storm of excitement and anticipation.

Rion rolled his shoulders, cracking his neck as he stepped forward. He was already in fight mode—his stance lower, his breathing measured.

I took my place across from him, rolling my wrists.

The air felt… different.

Not just because of the crowd.

Not just because this was our last fight here.

But because, for the first time, I wasn't nervous.

Not even a little.

I lifted my chin, smirking. "Try not to embarrass yourself too much."

Rion's eyes flashed, his Aether flickering to life at his fingertips.

"You're gonna regret this, Lucian."

The air in the yard thickened, the sun beating down as the crowd's murmurs buzzed like static around us. All eyes were locked onto me and Rion, the center of their universe for this moment.

Jason raised his hand.

"Begin."

Rion didn't hesitate.

Lightning snapped around his fists, crackling like caged serpents as he launched himself forward, his speed boosted by his Aether flow. His fist rocketed toward my jaw—fast, precise, trained.

But not fast enough.

I shifted my weight at the last second, tilting my head just barely, letting his knuckles graze past my cheek. His momentum carried him forward, but my foot was already in motion.

A brutal kick to his ribs.

The impact was like a gunshot. Rion staggered sideways, gasping as he barely caught his footing.

The crowd roared.

He recovered quickly—his instincts sharp, his footwork even sharper. He didn't waste time being mad, launching into a barrage of punches and kicks, each movement fueled by his Aether.

I met him head-on.

No Aether. No Arts. Just hands.

Our bodies collided in a relentless exchange. Fists clashed against forearms, feet scraped against dirt as we pivoted and countered each other's strikes in rapid succession.

A right hook—parried.

A low kick—dodged.

A knee strike—blocked and reversed.

But I was physically faster. Stronger.

I could already see it in his stance—his body reacting slower than mine, his muscles straining harder to keep up.

Rion feinted left—I didn't fall for it.

He swung a low kick—I stepped inside his guard and slammed an elbow into his ribs.

He gasped.

Before he could recover, I sent a vicious right hook crashing into his jaw.

His head snapped sideways.

His feet lifted slightly off the ground.

He landed hard, tumbling across the dirt like a discarded ragdoll.

The crowd exploded.

But I wasn't done.

I dashed forward, my high knee strike already in motion before he could react. My knee met his chest with full force, the impact booming like a cannon shot.

Rion crashed into the ground, coughing, struggling to breathe.

I squatted down next to him, resting my elbow on my knee.

"Now, Rion, all that talk before—what happened?" I tilted my head, grinning. "Your lightning felt soothing. Maybe next time, turn up the voltage?"

The crowd screamed in chaos, half in awe, half in pure disbelief.

Then, I felt it.

A shift in the air.

Jason.

Anthony.

Xavier.

Their energy rose simultaneously.

I barely had time to register it before Xavier rushed forward from the side, aiming a kick straight for my ribs.

I twisted at the last second, his foot grazing my side instead of breaking it.

Anthony was next—his bulk moving quicker than expected, his fist swinging straight for my face.

I ducked.

But I wasn't fast enough to avoid Jason, the real threat.

His attack came like a whisper of death.

A sharp strike to my temple—quick, precise, barely avoidable.****"He's fast—too fast."

My vision blurred for a second as I took a step back, regaining my balance.

The three of them now stood between me and Rion, ready.

Jason cracked his knuckles, calm, methodical. "Did you think this was a fair fight, Lucian?"

Rion coughed behind him, pushing himself up onto shaky arms. His eyes burned with fury—but not just at me.

At himself.

Because he knew.

One-on-one, he lost.

But four-on-one?

That was a different story.

I exhaled slowly.

"Alright," I muttered, rolling my shoulders. "Guess we're doing this the fun way."

The crowd screamed even louder, the tension reaching its peak.

Jason grinned.

"Let's break him."

And then—they all attacked at once.

The moment Jason spoke, the fight shifted.

Before I could even process my next move, Xavier struck first.

His footwork was flawless, moving in a flowing, unpredictable rhythm, his entire body weaving like liquid. He wasn't charging in like Rion—no wasted movements. He blurred to my right, twisting into a low sweeping kick, his Aether enhancing the motion.

"Flow Fighters—adaptive bastards."

I barely managed to leap over the sweep, but Anthony was already above me, his fists radiating a sharp blue aura.

Aether-infused punches.

I twisted midair, bringing my arms up to block.

BOOM!

The moment his fists crashed against my guard, my bones screamed in protest. The impact sent me flying back, my heels digging trenches into the dirt as I barely stayed upright.

"They're going for crippling hits."

Jason grinned, his stance grounded, unshaken. "Keep up the pressure. He's all muscle—break his mobility first."

Rion snarled, rushing in. His movements were more desperate now, fueled by rage and humiliation. His right leg snapped forward, aiming for my liver—a spot I knew would mess up my entire body if it landed.

I clenched my teeth. "No chance, idiot."

I took a step forward instead of dodging—meeting his leg with a downward elbow smash.

CRACK!

Rion screamed as his knee bent at an unnatural angle, and I almost grinned.

But I wasn't given a second to enjoy it—because Jason moved.

His speed was terrifying.

One moment, he was across the yard. The next—

A blur. A fist. A flash of light.

I barely twisted, but his Aether-coated fist still grazed my ribs.

Pain exploded through my side.

My vision warped for a moment, the world tilting. Blood filled my mouth.

I hadn't even recovered before Anthony and Xavier came in together—one high, one low.

Shit.

I threw up my arms to block Anthony's next punch, but Xavier's kick buried itself into my ribs.

The impact sent me rolling.

The crowd was losing its mind.

Jason exhaled, rolling his shoulders. "There, see? He's strong, but he doesn't know how to use it. Take him apart piece by piece."

They were trying to break me.

And honestly?

They were close.

My arms felt like lead. My vision swam.

And then—

I heard it.

A rush of waves.

Drip.

The world slowed.

A thin film of sensation expanded around me—like the air itself had softened, sharpened, and shifted all at once.

The next attack—I should've been too slow to dodge it.

But I wasn't.

I stepped back.

Just in time.

Jason's fist barely missed my throat.

For the first time—his smirk twitched.

"…The hell?"

Something in me stirred.

Something massive.

The exhaustion was still there—but it didn't matter anymore. My arms weren't weak. My body wasn't aching.

I could feel energy surging through me—not from me.

From them.

I could feel the energy flowing into me. My muscles tightened, strengthened. The world around me felt different, clearer.

I cracked my neck.

And I grinned.

"Oh, this feels awesome. Is this what you guys feel all the time? No wonder. "

Jason's stance shifted. He sensed it too.

I took a step forward—water pooled at my feet.

Anthony blinked. "Wait—when did—"

I didn't let him finish.

I moved.

Faster. Stronger. Sharper.

I was in front of him before he could react.

One clean, devastating uppercut to his jaw.

CRACK.

Anthony's body lifted off the ground.

Then I caught him by the arm— and slammed him down so hard the dirt caved.

Jason's eyes narrowed.

"Xavier—"

Too late.

I was already moving.

Xavier twisted into a defensive stance, but I could see it now. The way his energy flowed, the way his stance shifted before attacking.

My body just… knew.

His fist came—I was already dodging before he moved.

His kick lashed out—I was already past it.

I grabbed him by the collar.

"Hey," I said, grinning. "How's it feel fighting someone strong like you?"

BOOM.

I threw him straight into Anthony.

Jason exhaled. "Enough."

He didn't yell.

He didn't panic.

But his Aether surged—and suddenly, everything felt heavier.

This was the real fight.

But I wasn't backing down.

Because whatever was inside me?

It wasn't done waking up.

The battlefield was silent.

The golems lay in ruins, the Storm Wraith had dispersed, and the last echoes of crackling lightning faded into the wind.

Xavier was on his knees, his breathing ragged, sweat dripping from his brow. Anthony clutched his fractured arm, his eyes flickering between pain and terror.

Jason didn't move immediately.

He just watched.

Studying.

Calculating.

Then—for the briefest moment—his expression faltered.

His smirk flickered.

His breath hitched.

A single thought slipped through the cracks of his mind:

What the hell…?

This isn't the same Lucian.

And then—he moved.

Jason shot forward, his Aether igniting, body flickering like a red blur as his foot dug into the ground, launching him toward me with breakneck speed.

I barely had time to react before his fist slammed into my jaw.

The impact sent me skidding back, feet digging into the dirt.

Jason didn't let up. He followed, weaving through the dust cloud, throwing a relentless barrage of strikes and kicks.

Fast. Precise. Calculated.

I dodged one.

Blocked another.

Countered with a kick—he barely evaded.

I fainted left. He bit. I slammed my knee into his ribs, driving the air from his lungs.

His eyes widened—but he reacted instantly, twisting with the momentum to avoid a follow-up blow.

We separated, standing across from each other.

Jason exhaled sharply, rolling his shoulders.

"That strength…" His eyes narrowed. "You weren't this strong before."

I ran a thumb across my jaw where he landed his first hit.

"And you weren't this desperate before."

Jason's lips curled into something between a smirk and a grimace.

"Guess we both had some surprises in us."

I barely had time to respond—

Because behind Jason—

Anthony and Xavier weren't done yet.

Anthony slammed his fists into the dirt, and the ground shook violently beneath us. A deep, guttural rumble echoed through the yard as massive jagged stone formations shot up from below.

The cracks widened.

And then—they climbed out.

Two hulking golems of raw earth—at least twice my size. Their bodies were formed from the compressed, reinforced stone, pulsing with golden veins of Aether.

Sentient. Strong. Durable as hell.

Xavier raised both arms, his body crackling with energy as deep purple bolts of lightning surged into the air.

"Arise."

The sky above us dimmed, as a swirling thundercloud condensed into a humanoid form—a towering entity of pure electric fury. Arcs of violet lightning pulsed through its skeletal frame, flickering in and out of visibility. Its eyes glowed a searing white.

A Storm Wraith.

"We end this now." Xavier's voice was raw from exhaustion, but his will didn't break.

Jason crossed his arms, watching. Testing.

I should've thought this through.

I should've made a plan.

I should've reconsidered my next move.

I didn't.

Because whatever was inside me?

It wanted more.

MORE.

I grinned—and charged straight in.

Jason didn't move immediately. He just watched. Studying. Calculating.

But Anthony and Xavier?

They weren't done yet.

Anthony slammed his fists into the dirt, and the ground shook violently beneath us. A deep, guttural rumble echoed through the yard as massive jagged stone formations shot up from below.

The cracks widened.

And then—they climbed out.

Two hulking golems of raw earth—at least twice my size. Their bodies were formed from the compressed, reinforced stone, pulsing with golden veins of Aether.

Sentient. Strong. Durable as hell.

Xavier raised both arms, his body crackling with energy as deep purple bolts of lightning surged into the air.

"Arise."

The sky above us dimmed, as a swirling thundercloud condensed into a humanoid form—a towering entity of pure electric fury. Arcs of violet lightning pulsed through its skeletal frame, flickering in and out of visibility. Its eyes glowed a searing white.

A Storm Wraith.

"We end this now." Xavier's voice was raw from exhaustion, but his will didn't break.

Jason crossed his arms, watching. Testing.

I should've thought this through.

I should've made a plan.

I should've reconsidered my next move.

I didn't.

Because whatever was inside me?

It wanted more.

MORE.

I grinned—and charged straight in.

The first Earth Golem swung.

Its fist was the size of a damn boulder, crashing down with the weight of a landslide. I barely twisted my body out of the way, the wind pressure alone grazing my skin raw.

But I didn't slow down.

I vaulted up its arm, my fingers digging into the cracks of its stone plating. The second golem tried to swat me off, but I launched off the first, flipping midair—

And drove my heel straight into its head.

CRACK.

A fracture splintered across its skull, but the damn thing didn't fall.

Instead, it roared.

The impact sent a shockwave through its body, making it stumble, but before I could capitalize on the opening—

A crackling hum filled the air.

I barely had time to react—

A bolt of lightning tore through the sky.

Straight into my chest.

BOOM!

Agony.

My body locked up.

The world turned white.

I couldn't breathe.

I couldn't move.

My muscles seized. Every nerve in my body screamed. My heart stuttered against my ribs, its rhythm thrown into chaos by the sheer voltage flooding my veins.

So this… I realized, somewhere in the haze of pain.

This is what real power feels like.

My arms refused to obey. My legs buckled.

The ground rushed up to meet me—

No.

No, no, NO.

A drop.

Somewhere deep inside me, something dripped.

The sensation spread, slithering through my flesh like an unseen tide. A pulse—a familiar yet alien force—rippled outward from my core.

Then—everything flipped.

The pain faded.

The shock in my limbs? Gone.

My breath returned.

My heartbeat steadied.

The moment the wraith tried to surge forward again—

The instant my body obeyed, I closed the gap between me and the Storm Wraith.

Instinct took over—not rational thought, not training, just raw, primal reaction.

The ground beneath me cracked as I launched forward.

The Wraith reared back, its flickering form twisting, preparing to strike again.

Not this time.

I drove my fist straight into its core.

CRACK!

The impact sent a shockwave through the courtyard. The Wraith screeched, its form distorting from the sheer force of my blow. It's lightning flickered—unraveling.

I didn't stop.

I couldn't.

Something was pushing me forward.

The feeling inside me—the rush, the high, the hunger.

I twisted, pivoting mid-motion, and slammed my elbow into the Wraith's head, sending it hurtling backward.

I hit the ground hard, my entire body seizing up from the electricity burning through my veins.

It hurt.

It hurt so much.

I could feel my muscles locking up, my nerves screaming.

And yet—

I laughed.

I fucking laughed.

I gritted my teeth through the pain, rising slowly as smoke curled from my skin.

I felt the adrenaline flooding my body.

The wounds? The burns? The blood dripping down my lip?

I didn't care.

In fact—

I wanted more.

"Is that all you got?!" My voice was hoarse, but the hunger in it was real.

I cracked my neck, rolling my shoulders as my vision narrowed in. My body felt lighter. My pain was blurring into something else.

Something better.

"Again."

Xavier's eyes widened—but Anthony was already moving.

The golems surged forward, tearing through the ground with massive, shuddering steps. I could feel their Aether, the sheer density of their energy pressing down on me.

I wasn't dodging this time.

I welcomed it.

The first golem swung—I caught its massive fist with both hands, my muscles screaming in protest—but I didn't let go.

The force drove me back, my heels carving deep trenches into the earth.

And then—

I shifted.

Using its momentum against it, I twisted, forcing the behemoth off-balance—and drove my knee straight into its core.

The impact rippled through its body.

Cracks webbed across its torso, the golden Aether flickering violently.

But before I could finish it—

BOOM!

The Storm Wraith attacked again.

Electricity ripped through me. Again.

My body arched from the sheer voltage.

I felt my skin breaking apart, my mind shuddering under the pain.

But through it all—

Through the agony, the raw sensation, the overwhelming current tearing through me—

I was smiling.

Because something inside me was laughing.

Something deep. Something hungry.

Something ancient.

"More."

The water around me surged.

No—wait.

I wasn't controlling it.

Something was responding.

My body felt different. Lighter. More fluid. Stronger.

And then—

A voice.

No, not a voice.

A presence.

A tide rolling in, endless, consuming—pressing against the edges of my mind.

"You are not ready."

My veins burned. My vision blurred.

The pain should've been unbearable.

But instead—

I grinned.

The words echoed like a whisper from the deep. Not spoken, not heard—but felt.

The ground trembled. The water surged toward me, answering a call I hadn't made.

"Take."

A shiver ran through my spine as power flooded my body. My veins burned, but not with pain—with something deeper, something primal.

"Adapt."

I exhaled, steam rising from my skin.

The lightning inside me—it wasn't fading.

I was absorbing it.

"Evolve."

I moved—and the world slowed.

Jason's stance shifted. Fear flashed in his eyes.

Anthony'ssummonsn staggered. The Wraith's crackling form flickered.

"Power without will is nothing."

Something inside me grinned.

"Show me what you can do."

A single drop of water hit the ground.

A ripple spread.

Then the storm came.

I moved.

I launched forward, my body snapping through the air like a bullet.

The golems turned—but I was already on them.

I slammed my fist into the fractured one's core, feeling the energy shift.

"Osmosis."

I absorbed its Aether.

I felt the stone crumble beneath my fingers.

And then—

I turned to the Storm Wraith.

It's lightning surged toward me.

But this time—

I didn't dodge.

I raised my hand—

And the Veil expanded.

I saw the attack before it was even launched.

I saw the way the energy rippled.

I reached out—

And I caught it.

Xavier's breath hitched.

Anthony staggered back.

I could feel the electricity crawling up my arm, sinking into my muscles.

And for the first time—

I realized I could take it.

I could make it mine.

I looked at Jason.

I smiled.

And then—

I swung.

The lightning I absorbed flared out, coiling around my arm as I rushed forward.

The golems shattered under my assault.

The Storm Wraith howled as I tore through it.

Anthony and Xavier were already falling back.

I knew I should've stopped.

I knew I'd won.

But I didn't want to.

I wanted to see how far I could push it.

I wanted to see how much more I could take.

Because for the first time in my life—

I felt unstoppable.

And I never wanted it to end.

The battlefield was silent.

The golems lay in ruins, the Storm Wraith had dispersed, and the last echoes of crackling lightning faded into the wind.

Xavier was on his knees, his breathing ragged, sweat dripping from his brow. Anthony clutched his fractured arm, his eyes flickering between pain and terror.

Jason's glare flashed in his eyes.

And Rion?

He was barely conscious.

I exhaled. Slowly. Steadily.

I should've stopped.

I didn't.

Something inside me ached—no, it hummed. A deep, thrumming resonance coursed through my veins, a pulse that wasn't entirely mine.

Something was working.

But not the way I expected.

The air around me swirled, faint ripples of blue-green light flickering at the edges of my vision. It wasn't just lights flickering… it felt alive.

"Is this Aether?"

I was taking in their energy.

Every breath I took, I could feel it filling me, washing over my muscles, my bones, my core—restoring me, reinforcing me.

The aches from before? Gone. The wounds? Already closing.

And it felt good.

So good.

Anthony shifted, trying to crawl backward, but I was on him in a blink.

I grabbed him by the collar, my fingers digging into his flesh, hoisting him up with one hand like he was made of paper. His breath hitched, his eyes wild with fear.

I wasn't even thinking anymore. I just knew—I had more strength to burn. I had more to take.

"Y-You… you're not human," Anthony gasped.

I felt my smile widen.

"Why would I want to be?"

Then, I squeezed.

His Aether poured into me, an invisible tide being ripped from his body, draining him like a sink with the plug pulled out.

He screamed.

"You thought you had me figured out? That's your first mistake."

"You can't predict what you don't understand."

"And right now? Even I don't know what I'll do next."

Xavier lunged at me from behind, but before his fist could even reach me—

I twisted.

I felt the attack before it landed. A Veil like energy pulsed.

And I moved like water.

His strike missed by mere millimeters.

I countered instantly.

I sent an elbow into his ribs, heard the crack as he gasped in agony, stumbling backward, clutching his side.

I turned my gaze to him, tilting my head.

"Not fast enough," I murmured.

Jason was sprinting at me now, his form a blur, his Aether roaring to life. A streak of red energy lit his arms, flowing into his legs, a last-ditch effort to end this before it got worse.

But it was already too late.

I felt every step.

Every shift in the air.

I was already adapting.

The moment he got in range, I sidestepped, gripping his wrist and using his momentum to flip him over me.

He slammed into the ground shoulder-first with a brutal impact.

I didn't let go.

I twisted his arm backward, forcing it into an unnatural angle.

His teeth clenched in a soundless gasp of pain.

I could break it. Right now. I could end this.

I just had to keep going.

Just a little more.

A little more.

"That's enough."

The voice cut through the air like a blade.

Everything froze.

A presence weighed down on me—heavy, authoritative, absolute.

I turned my head slowly.

A man stood at the edge of the battlefield, his gray trench coat fluttering in the faint breeze. His silver hair was slicked back, his sharp violet eyes unreadable behind his glasses.

Headmaster Jean-Paul.

Beside him, standing rigid with an expression of pure anger, was my uncle.

His jaw was tight, his gaze drilling into me like he was seeing a stranger.

I still had Jason's arm in my grasp. I could still end it.

But I didn't.

I slowly let go.

Jason collapsed to the ground, coughing—but he didn't look at me.

None of them did.

The medics arrived within seconds, moving past me without a second glance.

I turned my gaze to Jean-Paul.

He wasn't angry. He wasn't afraid.

He was just… watching.

Studying.

Like he knew something I didn't.

"Lucian," he said evenly. "Come with me."

My heartbeat was still too steady.

My fingers still tingled with power.

And the way Jean-Paul looked at me…

It wasn't fear…I continued to walk to Headmaster Jean's Office.

"So… it finally woke up…They'll begin to move soon," Jean-Paul said looking up to the sky.

I felt the energy inside me start to settle. The surge, the rush—it was still there, but… fading.

This sea of energy had given me a taste.

And now, it was receding.

Leaving me wanting more.

I exhaled, flexing my fingers. My body felt lighter. Stronger. Like I'd shed a layer of myself I never needed.

I stepped forward.

And for the first time in my life—

I wasn't the one being dragged away.

I walked on my own.