In Spheraphase, they have a power system. And by power system, it involves the supernatural one. Vastarael felt shocked to learn this when he was training with his mother.
The highest level are the Nexuses. There are about ten to twelve Nexuses in Spheraphase, two of them being Vastarael's parents. These beings are the pinnacle of power, known to be able to destroy continents if they wanted to.
And since Spheraphase is similar to the size of one of the Solar System's gas giants, according to Vastarael's guess, that's a lot of power. Anqerise, being the smallest continent out of the four, has a lot of influence. That's why the meritocracy system works there and not in other continents.
The second most powerful are the Primordial Deities. These are beings like Opera and Caresse. There are a select few beings but not that many either.
The third category are the Deities. They are a few dozens of them, though not enough to reach to three digits. Then, the Divines. These are beings who have active Divinities but not powerful enough to be declared Deities. So not even Vastarael fits in this category.
The fifth category are the Ascenders, then the Essentia. For the Ascenders and the Essentia, they are separated into three; the First, the Second and Third Phase, the First Phase being the weakest. Right now, Vastarael was an Essentia level, Phase One. What made him frown was that Adelasta Viaca herself was an Essentia, Phase Three. She was two steps higher than him.
Then why Vastarael isn't a Divine or a God because he was born from two Nexuses?
The Ascension Curse.
Nexuses and Gods are powerful beings. According to ancient history, a generation of Deities cursed everyone in Spheraphase to make them unable to have children start at Essentia no matter the bloodline. That's why the children of Gods had their Divinities locked up and then had to spend decades to unlock them by realizing their purpose in the universe. Vastarael was a Deity yes, but only in terms of the soul, not the body.
Deities are spiritual beings so their souls are more powerful than their body. So to Vastarael and his siblings, their souls were at the Deity level so they were immune to soul attacks, even more so because of their race as Aeterium.
However, their bodies were as weak as that of an Essentia. For them to use their full power, they have to elevate and improve their body to the Divine level. Only then would they be able to use half their ability as Deities. Thanks to this, they didn't have to improve their soul or undergo soul training like the Mortals and Immortals who were not Gods since it was already at its peak.
Vastarael was receiving all this information from his father, who called him on his study for his mage lessons. His office had a lot of book shelves, a few floating holograms and a few papers around. Otherwise, it was neat and had a lot of space.
"Right now, your power level is that of a First Phase Essentia," Dilasyus explained to his son, who was sitting the soft carpet of the floor as he sat on a chair. "Are you ready?"
"Yes."
To everyone in Spheraphase, they couldn't see their Destiny or Fate. They could only see their Bane and Boon through the World System. Vastarael might be the only Spheraphasian at Essentia status who knows his own destiny and fate. Of course, he didn't tell them either. He didn't want his parents, especially his mother, to be involved in it.
"Do you know the different types of energy?"
Vastarael replied and gave an explanation.
"Yes. Essentia Ranked Being use essence. The Divine and the higher ranks gain a new energy form called Divine Energy. If it's a dark being, they'll get Demonic Energy."
"That's not technically true."
Now it was Vastarael's turn to be amazed.
"Not every being uses Essence. Do you know Dynasty Starisnova?"
He shook his head. He didn't know a lot about the political standing of Spheraphase.
"Well, Dynasty Starisnova protects the continent of Xypelia on the north. Their members have Spatial Energy and they use that instead of Essence since they manipulate space."
"Oh."
"The Elves use Nature Energy. Some races use Elemental energy. Others use Miasma. Essence is for beings who can't use the other forms. They are all energy forms after all."
This information was new to him.
"Now then, on to Essence. Unlike most energy forms, Essence can be used to augment your skills. And there are other energy types. Your mother uses Elemental Energy in her swordplay and she taught you how to use it in martial arts as well."
He was pretty good in hand-to-hand combat and he could use Essence on his entire body thanks to his mother. His Essence was more than usual thanks to his bloodline and soul so in this case, he didn't feel like he was exhausting his reserves.
"Now, you have three Tethers that define you as a mage. Crystal Materialization, Circlecraft and Rune Drawing. As much as I'm interested in your crystal creation, you'll focus on that by yourself."
"Why?"
Dilasyus sighed as he summoned a Mystic Circle on his palm. It was a golden concentric circle with runes and symbols on it.
"This is an Eleventh Star Barrier Circle. It can create a barrier."
"Eleventh?! Aren't there—"
"Ten? Vastarael, I'm the most powerful Nexus mage. Do you seriously believe that I can't reach past the Tenth Star?"
Now, he realized how powerful his father was. He could sense infinite power coming out from that single circle. It was not made out of essence at all. His father was one of the top ten most powerful beings on Spheraphase after all.
"Divine Energy..."
"Yes. So, for the next seven years, I'm going to teach you about Circlecraft and Rune Drawing. Of course you'll still practice your weapon combat. You'll go to Minafallen so it's best to be prepared. Though I doubt you'll be there for long."
Vastarael hesitated before asking.
"Why are you letting me go to the academy so easily? You've kept us in the palace all this timeand trained us under strict supervision. Why now?"
"Because the palace is a sanctuary, but it is not the world. You've spent years honing your skills, mastering your body and mind, but a warrior confined to their fortress will never understand the battlefield."
"..."
"Anqerise is a meritocracy. Those who achieve greatness earn their place because of their actions. As my heir, you have every privilege imaginable but you'll never gain the respect of the people simply by living under this roof. The academy will test you in ways I cannot. It will place you among peers who will challenge your skills, your intelligence and resolve. And it will force you to navigate a world that doesn't cater to you simply because you are a prince."
Vastarael frowned slightly.
"But what if I fail? What if I—"
"You won't fail. You've been trained to withstand the harshest conditions. You've faced challenges that would have broken even seasoned warriors. But more importantly…"
He placed a hand on Vastarael's shoulder, his expression softening.
"Failure is part of growth. If you never face it, you'll never truly understand strength."
Dilasyus straightened, his golden eyes glinting faintly in the room's light.
"And besides, you'll have something many of your peers won't: preparation. Over the next seven years, I'll teach you everything I can about Circlecraft and Rune Drawing. You'll be armed with knowledge and power that will place you among the best. I'm the best mage after all. You will rise, Vastarael. You will show them what it means to be a Richinaria and the son of the strongest mage in Spheraphase."
For the first time, the idea of leaving the palace didn't fill him with fear, but with a sense of purpose.
"I won't let you down, dad."
Dilasyus's smile widened slightly as he stepped back.
"You never have, Vastarael. Now then, your mother taught you about the Xinoraci runes. Do you have your mage quill?"
He summoned his Divine Mage Book and opened it. His quill materialized and he grabbed it.
"Got it."
"Use your essence on the quill and write all the 79 basic Xinoraci runes in midair. By the time you're mature, you'll be able to use your fingers to draw in midair."
Vastarael steadied his breath as he held the quill in his hand. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a thread of sapphire-blue essence from within himself, letting it flow down into the quill like water into a vessel. The quill's tip began to glow softly as if it had been dipped in liquid starlight. His father stood silently nearby. Vastarael raised the quill and began to write in the air. The first rune took shape slowly. He focused on the angles and curves. Each stroke required steady concentration. As he completed the symbol, it shimmered and hovered in midair, glowing with a faint ethereal light.
The second rune followed, then the third. By the time he had written the seventeenth rune, sweat began to bead on his forehead. The task was grueling, demanding not only precision but a steady stream of controlled essence. Still, he pressed on.
Thirty… forty… fifty…
Each rune was absorbing his essence at a rapid rate. When he thought that his reserves were limitless, that was when he realized that they really did have a limit. When he finally etched the seventy-ninth rune into existence, the quill in his hand dimmed, its glow fading as the last drop of his essence left it. Vastarael stepped back as he gazed at his work.
"I... I did it..."
Before him hovered a grand arc of 79 floating runes. For a moment, he marveled at their beauty and complexity. He could feel his body slowly sucking Essence into his body. His Omniphage was active.
"Well done, Vastarael. Now you see why mastering the basics is paramount. These runes are not just the building blocks of Circlecraft but the keys to everything you'll achieve as a mage. Let them guide you."
Vastarael nodded. The exhaustion of the task was undeniable but so too was the sense of accomplishment that coursed through him. He had taken another step forward closer to the mastery his father envisioned for him.
And it was better than losing an arm or a leg in a weapon duel that his mother forced him to do...