Books. Books. Books. Books.
Sovereign never imagined forging would start with so much reading. He had expected heat, metal, hammer strikes—lessons passed through sweat and sparks. Instead, he was handed a small mountain of scrolls and heavy tomes.
A Hundred Types of Metals, Forging Basics Even a Young Titan Could Understand, A Master's Journey into the Anvil, Quenching Methods: 100 Ways to Cool a Blade andetc…
It was overwhelming.
Ragnar stood across from him, barely able to contain his laughter. Sovereign's face twisted with disbelief and annoyance, but he accepted the load in silence. It was hard to argue with someone whose stupid grin looked so proud.
"Guess I'm not hammering anything today," Sovereign muttered under his breath.
Not staying long, he left the forge with his arms full. It was far too noisy for focused reading anyway—and he had somewhere else to be.
His house stood on the outer edge of the village. It took him nearly twenty minutes to return. Dropping the books on the table beside his bed, he gave them one last frustrated glance before heading to the back field.
This was his family's private space—a small training yard hidden behind their home. Normally he preferred the village's larger training grounds, where other Titans shared advice and honed techniques together. But today was special. His mother had promised him a private lesson, one that would guide him toward the second stage.
And she was already waiting.
"Hey there, baby. You sure took your time coming back," she teased, smiling gently.
Sovereign smirked despite himself. "I didn't expect to come back carrying a library."
He recounted the whole exchange with Master Oron, and how instead of getting his hands on the forge, he was buried under a stack of manuals. His mother laughed, her voice warm.
After their brief back-and-forth, she settled into a more serious tone.
"Alright, son. Today, I'll explain the second stage—Awakening. What it means, and how to approach it."
She stepped forward, her golden eyes reflecting the sunlight.
"As you know, the first stage is about saturating your heart or your brain with Vol. This becomes your core, the wellspring of your power. But Vol flows sluggishly through the body at this stage. That's where Awakening comes in."
Sovereign nodded attentively.
"The second stage is about building Vol Paths through your body. These paths allow Vol to flow more efficiently, amplifying control, power, and recovery. But Vol Paths are unstable unless anchored. That's what Vol Nodes are for."
She raised a finger.
"These Nodes aren't opened—they're created. They act as anchors to stabilize the flow of Vol. And we create fifteen of them, spread across the body. Let me list them."
She began to gesture:
3 in each leg (thigh, knee, foot)
3 in each arm (shoulder, elbow, wrist)
1 in the abdomen
1 in the chest
1 in the forehead
"You typically begin from the heart or brain. Most go: heart → head → abdomen → arms → legs. Each node you form increases your control, and each path built strengthens your body. The Vol flows faster, hits harder, and wastes less."
"Also," she added, "Nodes begin to store Vol too. Small reserves, but useful. And over time, this saturation makes you more attuned to your elemental affinity."
Sovereign leaned forward, fascinated.
"You, my son, are attuned to both Fire and Light—a rare dual affinity. Luckily for you, those two are compatible."
She looked at him seriously.
"Never forget: three affinities is the limit. Any more and you risk Vol Corruption. Opposing affinities? That can destroy you from the inside. Your fire and light won't clash—but others aren't so lucky."
Sovereign absorbed every word. It was the most he'd learned about Awakening since his training began. And yet, a question still lingered.
"Mom… what about the third stage?"
She paused, then smiled.
"The third stage is… transformation."
She extended her arms. A golden shimmer spread over her body. Before his eyes, she shrank—down to just over three feet tall. Then, just as smoothly, she expanded—growing into a towering fourteen-foot Titan.
Sovereign's jaw dropped.
"At the third stage, you undergo a metamorphosis, fusing your Vol and affinity directly with your body. Each species unlocks a unique ability. For Titans, it's the ability to shift our size."
He was speechless. He'd always known his parents were strong—but this was something else.
His mother shifted back to her normal size and smiled. "One day you'll be able to do the same baby."
She handed him three small vials. "These potions will help. Drink the first tonight. It'll help guide your Vol into your heart. But wait a week before using the second. You need time for your heart to adjust and not overload it with Vol. Overusing them will also dull there effects ."
Sovereign nodded in understanding.
"I'll be careful."
"Good," she said. "Now go wash up. Dinner will be ready soon."
He sat there a while longer, going over the lesson in his head. Vol Paths. Nodes. Affinity Balance. The third stage. He had a long way to go—and this was the beginning.
After washing in the large stone basin behind the house, he returned inside, where his parents were already waiting.
Dinner was warm and quiet. His mother didn't ask about the past. His father didn't push advice. Just the three of them, sitting in the fading light of evening, sharing a moment of peace.
After eating, Sovereign returned to his room. He lit the lamp by his bedside—a flame stone glowing red within a glass and iron frame—and cracked open the first book Ragnar had handed him A Hundred Types of Metals.
Reading calmed the noise in his mind. He didn't even realize when sleep finally took him.