The First Step Beyond Limits

The world was a battlefield, even in training.

Caelum had learned that much in the past few weeks. Every spar, every lesson under Varian, every bruise and aching muscle reminded him that he was still far from where he needed to be. But he wasn't blind—he could feel the shift in himself, the subtle changes in his reactions, the way his body was beginning to move before his mind had even processed the danger.

His mentor had broken him down piece by piece, stripping away wasted movements, forcing him to see combat as more than just attacking and defending. War wasn't about strength alone. It was about control, momentum, understanding the battlefield before a blade was ever drawn.

But today, Varian wasn't just testing his instincts.

Today was different.

"Sit."

Caelum obeyed, dropping onto the smooth stone floor of the secluded training hall. Unlike their usual open-field spars, Varian had brought him inside—away from the prying eyes of other students. The chamber was dimly lit, circular in shape, and lined with old tapestries depicting ancient battles. There was a stillness in the air, charged with something unseen.

Varian stood before him, his arms crossed. "You're improving."

It wasn't praise. Just a fact.

Caelum wiped sweat from his forehead and exhaled. "Not fast enough."

"Not yet," Varian corrected. "But you will be."

Caelum's brow furrowed. "Then what's next?"

Varian studied him for a long moment before speaking. "You've been fighting like a mortal. Reacting, adapting—those are all necessary skills. But if you truly want to become powerful, then it's time you learned what separates the weak from the strong."

A pulse of something unseen rippled through the air.

Caelum felt it. A slight pressure pressing against his chest, unfamiliar yet undeniable. It wasn't like the intimidation of an overwhelming opponent—it was something else.

Something deeper.

Varian's expression remained unreadable as he finally said the words that would change everything.

"It's time you learned about the Aetherflow."

Caelum sat still, focused, as Varian began his lesson.

"In this world," Varian said, "power is not distributed equally. Some are born weak, some are born strong, and some—" He paused, his dark eyes meeting Caelum's. "—some are born beyond human limits."

Caelum's breath slowed. He had always known this. The legendary families, the elite warriors, the monsters that stood at the top of the world—they weren't just skilled. They were something more.

Varian continued. "The essence of power—what we call Aetherflow—exists in all things. The air, the earth, even within the lifeblood of the world itself. But mortals? They cannot wield it without training. Without awakening."

Aetherflow. The name resonated within him.

Varian stepped forward. "There are six tiers of power. Each level represents how much of the Aetherflow a person can control."

He lifted a single finger. "The lowest is Mortal-tier. This is where most people stay. They train, they fight, they get stronger, but they remain shackled by human limitations."

Caelum already knew that much. No matter how skilled a Mortal-tier fighter was, they would never stand against someone who had awakened.

"The second tier," Varian continued, "is Initiate-tier. This is the first step beyond mortality. Those at this level can feel Aetherflow, manipulate it lightly, and use it to enhance their bodies. It's basic, but even reaching this point separates you from common warriors."

Caelum clenched his fists. Initiate-tier. Was that where he needed to be?

"The third," Varian said, raising another finger, "is Adept-tier. Aetherflow can now be directed externally, used for techniques that surpass human limits. This is where warriors start forging their own styles, creating abilities unique to them."

Caelum exhaled slowly. Beyond human limits.

But Varian wasn't done. "The fourth is Ascendant-tier. This is where power begins to break reality. Those at this level no longer just use Aetherflow—they bend it. Their techniques become something more than just skill or talent. They become artifacts of destruction."

A shiver ran through Caelum.

He knew of only a handful of warriors in Aetheris who had reached the Ascendant-tier.

"Then," Varian said, his tone quiet, dangerous, "comes the fifth level. The Exalted-tier."

Something in the air shifted.

Caelum felt it—a presence, an undeniable pressure. Varian wasn't flaring his power, but just the mention of Exalted was enough to change the atmosphere in the room.

"These," Varian said, "are the rulers of battlefields. The legends of our time. They do not fight with just skill—they fight with dominion. Aetherflow no longer bends for them. It obeys."

Caelum inhaled, trying to steady himself.

"And above them?" he asked quietly.

Varian met his gaze.

"The Abyssal-tier."

The words hung in the air like a curse.

Caelum didn't speak. He had heard rumors. Whispers of warriors who had stepped beyond all understanding, beings who had defied life and death, who had shaped history itself.

But he had never thought he would hear Varian speak of them.

"They are no longer bound by our reality," Varian said. "Their power… is something that should not exist. And few who attempt to reach this level ever return human."

A long silence stretched between them.

Then, finally, Caelum exhaled.

"I see."

Varian studied him. "Do you?"

Caelum met his mentor's eyes, and for the first time, he wasn't just speaking as a student.

"I'm not just trying to get stronger," he said. "I need to go beyond."

Varian's gaze flickered—something close to amusement.

"You don't even know how to reach Initiate-tier yet," he pointed out.

"Then teach me."

For a moment, Varian was silent. Then, a slow, knowing smirk crossed his face.

"Good," he murmured. "Because that's exactly what we're starting today."

The rest of the session was unlike anything Caelum had ever experienced.

Varian didn't teach him how to fight. He taught him how to feel.

Aetherflow was everywhere, but it was silent. It could not be forced. It could not be taken.

It had to be called.

Caelum sat cross-legged on the cold stone floor, focusing on every inhale, every exhale. His mentor's voice guided him through the process.

"Clear your thoughts," Varian instructed. "You don't need to reach for it. You only need to listen."

Caelum closed his eyes.

For the first time, he listened.

And in the silence—

Something whispered back.

For Caelum, this was the first step.

He didn't know how far he would go, how much he could claim, but he knew one thing for certain.

He wouldn't stop until he crossed the line.

Until he reached beyond what the world believed possible.

Until he took back everything that had been stolen from him.