After two hours of focused training, Areon had already made it to the Intermediate stage of Energy Basic. That's pretty amazing, considering he just woke up to this world. Most people learning magic or how to use the elements all over the galaxy are just figuring things out as they go, with each family having its own way of doing things.
But Eclipses, who are super rare, they follow a very special, important path. Their energy, called Heris, is something else entirely. It's strong, tricky to get a hold of, and really ties into the idea of balance. You have to be precise and really mean it when you're trying to control it. Moving forward as an Eclipse isn't just about getting stronger. It's about getting aligned. When Heris lines up with who you are inside, things start changing, both in your body and how you feel.
Areon was done with the Dormant Eclipse stage. That's where your inner power is quiet but still connected to what you're meant to do. Now, he was in the Flickering Eclipse stage. This is where energy starts sparking, and you start to know what you're good at.
He still had a long way to go:
Half-Moon Eclipse: This is when you get Mana, Kryptos, and Ousis working together.
Full Eclipse: All your energies flow as one.
Rift Eclipse: You can mess with time and space.
Astral Eclipse: Your presence can be felt in other dimensions.
Transcendent Eclipse: The top level, where your soul becomes one with everything, which is basically becoming one with destiny itself.
The Flickering Eclipse stage is just the beginning. It's where an Eclipse starts to really connect with the natural energies around them. It's more than just controlling elements. It's about knowing what's going on beneath the surface like sensing a storm before it hits, feeling the pressure in the air, or hearing the world hum. It's like having super senses.
Areon was by himself in a clearing, surrounded by trees and plants. He looked around carefully he didn't feel like the same kid who had just woken up as an orphan. He still looked young, but he was in better shape, and he moved more smoothly. The Heris inside him was flowing smoothly, like a circle of energy. He could even sense traces of Heris and Mana that animals had left behind.
He made a fist, testing his strength and how the power felt in his hand.
Okay... I can finally go hunting, he said, with a small smile that was a mix of excitement and caution.
He thought, and a system window popped up in front of him.
[You're now strong enough to beat a weak animal.]
[You can now use basic combat spells from the spellbook.]
He nodded. That's what he expected. He was excited about how far he'd come, but he knew he was just getting started.
Give me a spell to use.
[System recommend Energy Discharge or Veilstep.]
Right away, he knew what the spells did.
Energy Discharge: You push out a bunch of Heris that explodes when it hits something. It's strong but uses a fair amount of energy.
Veilstep: It's a quick move that covers you in Heris and Mana, making you disappear and reappear a short distance away.
Areon closed his eyes and thought about how the spells worked. They weren't too hard, but they needed good control. You couldn't just use them with force. You needed to be precise, balanced, and know how Heris flows.
For someone just starting out, he whispered, this is more than enough.
The forest around him whispered in the wind. Animals moved in the undergrowth. He could smell dew and pollen in the air. The world was alive.
This was the start of the next part of his training.
---
Time went by.Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months.
During this time, Areon worked hard, hunting, getting hurt, bleeding, and healing. Veilstep became easy for him. His body moved without him thinking, vanishing and coming back, dodging attacks, and moving through trees like the wind. Energy Discharge, which used to be unstable, now shot out of his hands like controlled explosions, ripping up trees and burning rocks.
But it wasn't just his strength that grew.
So did the quiet.
So did the loneliness.
One evening, as the sun was setting, Areon sat on a cliff, looking at the horizon. He looked thoughtful. He also looked a little tired.
He looked a bit lonely.
I've been alone for months, he said quietly. I haven't seen another person.
His voice was rough since he hadn't used it in a while. He smiled, but it wasn't a real smile.
I guess it's time to go somewhere else.
It felt like a big decision, but he knew he had to do it.
After I rest, he said with a tired laugh, lying down on the grass. I'm exhausted.
He lay there, feeling the warm earth beneath him, but he couldn't stop thinking. As the stars came out, Areon opened the system again, looking at the information about the world he had woken up in.
[Alith is a small galaxy with five known planets.]
[Eclipses are born from both Astral and Abyssal heritage, because that is the nature of balance. They are created by the world itself.]
[Heris can change based on your affinity for elements, creating a unique body composition.]
[This body composition is called Alith, after the galaxy itself.]
[An Alith Body helps you understand things better. It gives you mutations, like Alith's Eyes and Bloodline. It also lets you use higher forms of energy.]
[When you master your power, Heris turns into Alith Energy. It can change reality, bend time, fate, and matter itself.]
[Eclipses look like humans but are almost gods.]
[The ancient races, Astrals and Abyssals, are gone from history. Only Eclipses know the truth about them.]
[Astrals and Abyssals are enemies and fighting for control of the Alith galaxy.]
[In Elesyl, there are twelve noble families eight human and four elf. Each one is lead by their own ruler.]
[They're at peace, but they hate each other because of centuries of fighting.]
[The only thing that unites them is the Four Magical Academies:. Camstring, Hellium, Fellion Royal, and Mermanium.]
[These academies are in their own dimensions, floating or buried in places full of ancient magic.]
Camstring Academy: Floating in silence above a void.
Hellium Academy: Built on a mountain of magma, with raw fire everywhere.
Mermanium Academy: Hidden underwater, surrounded by magical pyramids.
Fellion Royal Academy: The main school, created by the other three coming together. It tries to keep the peace and has the final say on things. Every three years, it takes the best students from the other academies.
Areon read all the information without saying anything.
He still didn't know much about the galaxy, but he knew he belonged there. He wasn't just born to live there he was born to change it.
He opened his eyes.
The night sky was shining above him, with stars that looked like pieces of fate. He looked determined. He wasn't tired anymore.
Okay let's go.
He sat up and called the system again.
Map.
[Looking for the nearest place...]
[Nearest place: Vel'drassil Wilds. Warning: Has strong animals.]
[System recommend you learn a defensive technique before going.]
Areon stood up. A breeze blew through the clearing, like fate was talking to him.