Chapter 7 – Aric
The forest grew quiet as Aric moved deeper into the morning mist, his senses heightened. Every leaf, every stone seemed charged with energy. Yet beneath the natural pulse of magic, something else throbbed—a subtle tug at the edges of his awareness. The system. It was always there, always watching, always siphoning.
Aric knelt beside a moss-covered stone, tracing the faint lines of residual magic etched into its surface. His father had warned him about this—the siphoning was invisible, silent, relentless. "It doesn't just take your magic, Aric," Daren had said. "It takes your freedom, piece by piece, even if you don't realize it."
Aric inhaled sharply, focusing. He could feel the flow now—a pale, cold tug drawing his energy outward. It was subtle at first, almost imperceptible, but the more he concentrated, the clearer it became. The system's reach extended like invisible fingers into every corner of the world, binding magic, thoughts, and potential to its network.
He clenched his fists. "So this is what father meant," he murmured. "All this… control. It isn't just about limiting people. It's about maintaining the balance of power… and keeping us all obedient."
He lifted his hands, attempting to resist. A brief surge of mana flared within him, only to be pulled away. His heart sank. The system was stronger than anything he could oppose right now. Even the minor magic he could manipulate was constantly monitored, constantly restricted.
But awareness was the first step. Aric traced the patterns in his mind, imagining the siphoning like a river network. Streams of energy led into a massive core somewhere deep within the world—the Mana Core, as Daren had called it. Every spell cast, every ounce of energy released by mortals and divine alike flowed into this reservoir. It was the source of the world's strength, the reason magic persisted… and the reason no one could ever truly escape.
"The system grows stronger the more magic we use," he whispered. "And yet… if I learn it… maybe I can turn it into an advantage."
As he walked, he began to experiment. Small wisps of his own magic flowed outward, testing the limits of what could be siphoned and what could be retained. He discovered tiny gaps—brief moments where the system hesitated, where his intent could influence the flow before it was taken. It was fleeting, but it sparked a thought: even within constraints, there were cracks. And in those cracks lay opportunity.
Aric's mind raced, considering the implications. If he could understand the siphoning, he could potentially track the system's movements, predict its responses, and even manipulate it to shield his allies. The system's power was immense, but it was not infallible—at least not yet.
Suddenly, a shimmer appeared in the clearing ahead. Another anomaly, but this one was different. The system tried to suppress it, pulling the energy inward violently. Aric watched, calculating. He didn't charge blindly—he analyzed the energy's pattern, timing, and resistance. Then he acted.
A pulse of his own magic met the anomaly, guiding it instead of clashing. The raw energy twisted, coiling around him harmlessly before dissipating. The system hissed, a subtle feedback running along Aric's senses, almost as if it were aware that he had interfered.
Aric stepped back, breathing heavily. This small victory wasn't about defeating the system—it was about learning its rhythm, sensing its patterns. Each encounter was a lesson, each experiment a step toward mastery.
"This is only the beginning," he murmured, eyes narrowed. "I don't care how strong it is… I will understand it. I will bend it. And I will never let anyone control my fate again."
The forest seemed to lean in closer, the wind whispering through the trees like a quiet encouragement. Aric felt something stir deep inside him—a resolve that went beyond fear or ambition. It was the promise of freedom, of agency, of a path forged by his own hand.
For the first time, he understood the true weight of his father's teachings. Magic was not just power; it was choice. And the system, no matter how vast, could not dictate the choices of someone willing to learn, to endure, and to fight for that freedom.
With one last glance at the dissipating anomaly, Aric set his shoulders. The path ahead was uncertain, dangerous, and tightly bound by the system's invisible chains—but he would walk it anyway.