In the heart of an ancient, uncharted chamber—seemingly outside the bounds of the physical world—stood a row of crystal tubes. Each one contained a human figure, their bodies suspended in a frozen state, entwined with cables and bound by glowing runic seals. The atmosphere was silent, cold, and oppressive. Some of the individuals inside the tubes appeared to be important figures… and among them was Melia Bentley, Demian's mother.
Every body inside the capsules belonged to a Phase 4 evolutionist from one of the eight major churches—powerful individuals who would normally be almost impossible to defeat. Yet here they were: helpless subjects of a twisted experiment.
From the shadows emerged an elderly man in a pristine white robe, his silver hair flowing like threads of silk. Though his appearance was tidy and scholarly, a sinister and unhinged aura clung to him. He paced slowly past the tubes, studying the extraction data displayed on a massive monitor:
Extraction Progress: 27%
With frustration, he shouted:
"Damn it! Why is this taking so long?!"
Two hooded figures emerged from the misty doorway. The insignias on their chests revealed their affiliations: Church of the War God and Celestial Church. One was a Phase 4, the other a Phase 6, clearly superior in strength compared to the helpless subjects in the capsules.
The professor greeted them:
"Ah, you're here. The extraction is slightly delayed. We need time to make it perfect."
But the man from the War God Church grabbed the professor by the throat and growled, "Don't waste my time again!"
Before things escalated, the figure from the Celestial Church spoke with authority, "Enough!"
He stepped forward toward the capsule containing Melia Bentley, his eyes narrowing.
"Demian… is this woman his mother?"
Richard Bentley, the man from the War God Church, pulled back his hood.
"Yes. He followed her into Pelion Forest… before you blew half of it up."
"Ha! What a small world."
The Cardinal of the Celestial Church, Theodore Lucian Gray, laughed coldly.
"I want to kill your son... it's a divine order from my God."
Richard replied with chilling indifference:
"Do as you please. The boy is a failure."
---
Demian's Room – Morning
Demian sat cross-legged, meditating. His mystic energy resonated softly as his consciousness was pulled into a foggy, mysterious space. He looked around and muttered to himself.
"This place… Can I train my Deep Sea characteristics here? Let's try."
Ancient runes began to drift in the air around him. He channeled the wave control characteristic—a power inherited from Sebastian Thaloré, a disciple of the Church of the Deep Sea. Water swirled and formed small waves in the ethereal field. He shaped them into spears and shields, striking down imagined enemies.
After exhausting his mystical energy, he collapsed to his knees. Suddenly, a voice echoed around him,
"Good… very good. You've progressed."
Demian's eyes widened.
"This place… is it yours?"
The voice replied,
"Yes. I am Michael, the Twelve-Winged Archangel."
The mist parted, revealing a giant angel with twelve wings, seated upon a radiant throne. Though his face was obscured by fog, his aura radiated a power far beyond mortal comprehension.
Demian hesitated, then asked—
"Do you know about the rune seals in my body?"
"Of course. But I'll only answer… once you've unlocked five of your twenty-four seals. Strengthen yourself."
In an instant, Demian's consciousness was flung back. His body collapsed into his bed, and his stomach grumbled from hunger.
---
On his way to the cafeteria, Demian noticed a crowd forming. At the center stood Sebastian Thaloré, engaged in a shouting match with another student from the Department of Mysticism—Edgar Vane, from the Church of the War God. The accusation: Sebastian had stolen Edgar's girlfriend.
With a relaxed grin, Sebastian conjured water and splashed it on Edgar's uniform. Furious, Edgar pointed and shouted,
"Let's settle this with a duel! Two versus two!"
Without hesitation, Sebastian pointed into the crowd.
"Julian Everhart! He's my partner!"
Demian's heart sank.
"This maniac! He's dragging me into another mess!"
Before he could refuse, Sebastian pulled him into the ring!
Aetherthorn Combat Arena—
Cheers erupted from the surrounding three-level arena, packed with students from all departments.
Edmund Smith, Dean of the Rune and Construction Department, stepped forward as overseer:
"The duel will now commence.
Team 1: Sebastian Thaloré – Phase 1, Wave Initiate (Church of the Deep Sea). Julian Everhart – Phase 1, Solar Spark (Church of the Blazing Sun).
Team 2: Edgar Vane – Phase 1, Warrior (Church of the War God). Victor Crane – Phase 1, Solar Spark (Church of the Blazing Sun).
Duel begins… NOW!"
The sky above Aetherthorn's training arena was blurred, tinged with hues of shimmering blue from the slow, pulsing glow of the magical dome overhead. The roaring crowd in the stands was reduced to a distant echo as the four duelists faced each other, their bodies tense, eyes sharpened with calculation.
Then Sebastian stepped forward—and the earth answered his call.
SRAAAKKKK!—
Water exploded from beneath the stone floor of the arena like a tidal wave breaching from a broken ocean. A violent surge burst forth from arcane fissures in the ground, crashing through the opposing formation in a single brutal sweep. Edgar and Victor were thrown back, struggling to maintain balance.
Sebastian raised his hands high—and the waves danced around him, forming whirlpools, rising columns, and coiling whips of water poised to strike at his command.
"Did you think I came here just to train?" he shouted, his voice clear, sharp.
A confident smile spread across his face, and every movement he made flowed with grace—like a conductor guiding a symphony.
"Water is my orchestra."
Demian narrowed his eyes. He didn't rush forward like the others.
Instead, he raised his left hand and conjured Solar Sparks—tiny golden flickers of magic, dazzling and swift. He scattered them toward Victor—not to harm, but to distract.
ZRAAK! ZRAAK!
Victor retaliated, firing bolts of searing flame in response, but Demian swept his right hand across his chest and summoned a thin solar shield, deflecting the fiery arrows into the air in bursts of harmless light.
"Your focus is shattered, Victor," Demian murmured coolly.
Then came Edgar—the fastest striker among them. He stomped the ground and vanished in a blur, launching himself at Sebastian like a human arrow.
But Sebastian didn't flinch. He snapped his fingers.
WUUUUUSH!—
A towering wall of water—two meters high—erupted instantly and slammed into Edgar head-on. His body flew back like a ragdoll, crashing against the floor with a heavy thud.
Victor, still standing, gasped and dropped to one knee, hands over his chest—beginning the slow chant of a ritual spell.
Demian watched him… then moved.
CRACK—CRACK—CRACK!
Solar Sparks detonated in sequence along the floor, flashing like a trail of firecrackers. In that brief cover of blinding light, Demian surged forward, appearing right beside Victor in the blink of an eye.
"Don't expect the universe to give you time," he whispered.
He lashed his hand forward, launching a small blast straight into Victor's chest—not enough to injure, but enough to break his incantation.
Victor coughed, stumbling back.
"You bastards…" he hissed under his breath.
Meanwhile, Sebastian raised both arms—and the water around him began to swirl into a new spiral, faster, louder. The entire arena floor had turned slick and flooded. The power of water was now barely contained.
Demian turned to face him. Their eyes locked.
No words were needed. Both knew—this round of the duel was over.
The duel ended decisively. Team 1 emerged victorious. The crowd roared as Edmund declared:
"Winners: Team 1 – Sebastian Thaloré and Julian Everhart!"
---
After the Duel—
As they made their way to the cafeteria, groups of girls chattered excitedly:
"Sebastian is so handsome!"
"Is he like... a demi-god of water? That aura!"
Demian scowled and walked faster.
"That water croc is insufferable..."
Sebastian chased after him with a smirk:
"Hey! Wait up!"
"Julian, STOP!" shouted Sebastian from behind, his tone not quite angry—but loud enough to make a few passing students turn their heads.
Demian merely chuckled, lifting one hand without looking back, his gesture laced with playful mockery.
"Catch me if you can, Sea Prince!"
They rushed down the spiral staircase toward the lower levels—passing an inner garden filled with softly glowing plants—until they burst out onto the outer terrace that led to the open-air dining hall. Part of the structure jutted out dramatically over the cliff's edge, facing the vast expanse of the Etheris Sea, calm and glimmering beneath the amber glow of sunset.
As they entered, the warm aroma of food, the clatter of utensils, and the whisper of ocean winds wrapped around them like a familiar ritual.
Without a word, Demian grabbed a meal tray and headed straight for the seafood section. He piled on crystal clams, luminescent squid, and abyssal-scented rice—his usual favorites.
Sebastian, as always, made a quieter selection: sea vegetables—silver kelp, violet sea blossoms, and a gentle root broth. He avoided all forms of meat or animal-based proteins. He always had, for as long as Demian had known him.
They walked together to their favorite table at the far edge of the balcony, where the view opened wide to the golden sea. Small waves sparkled like scattered stars, and flocks of windhawks circled high above the horizon.
Demian sat down first, setting his tray down and glancing sideways.
"Hey…" he said casually, spearing a piece of squid with a rune-carved fork.
"What was that earlier…? You were downright vicious in the duel."
Sebastian placed his tray down gently and let out a long sigh.
He turned his gaze away, then muttered with a trace of irritation:
"Because they accused me of stealing Edgar's girlfriend. But the truth is…"
He turned to Demian, his expression sharp, "…she was the one who approached me first. Just wanted to talk. I turned her down—clearly turned her down. But Edgar lost it, like some beast marking his territory."
Demian raised an eyebrow, then let out a quiet laugh.
"So this whole mess... over a love triangle?" he said, half-teasing, half-curious.
Sebastian snorted, took a bite of his silver kelp, and gazed out to sea.
Demian followed his gaze. The wind played with his dark brown hair, and his eyes caught the fading sunlight dancing across the waves. A quiet stillness settled between them. Time, for a moment, seemed to slow with the tide.
Then, from the corner of his eye, Sebastian glanced at Demian.
There was no smile on his friend's face—only that calm, unshakable look of someone who simply listened. And in that silence, Sebastian felt something loosen in his chest. The world didn't seem as heavy.
In the quiet of his heart, a single thought echoed.
"Yeah... I think he's the one."
Sebastian lowered his gaze, scooped the last bite of his meal, and said nothing more.