Chapter 9 – Aric
Aric sat on the edge of the hill overlooking the valley, the wind tousling his hair as he watched the distant flickers of magic pulse against the night sky. He had heard the stories, of course. Tales whispered by villagers, travelers, and the occasional wandering scholar about beings who had shattered the rules of the world—mortals who had defied the system, transcended limits, and carved their names into history. They called them Taboo breakers.
The term alone sent a shiver down his spine. To defy the system was to defy the very world itself. And yet, there were legends of mortals who had done so, rising to heights mortals weren't supposed to reach. Their feats were astounding, but Aric noticed something else in every tale: the same undercurrent of tragedy. Every Taboo breaker eventually paid a price, often with their freedom, their lives, or their very existence.
Aric's eyes narrowed. Why did they do it? he wondered. The system had always been a silent, constant presence in his life. Even now, he could feel the faint tug of its influence, monitoring, limiting, and shaping every step. It was invisible, impartial, and yet unyielding. And yet, these Taboo breakers—somehow—they had found a way to slip its grasp.
He pulled out a small notebook, its pages filled with sketches and notes of magical anomalies he had observed during his early training with Daren. He had begun cataloging incidents that didn't align with the system's rules—subtle fluctuations in mana, unexplained surges of power, even faint traces of magic that seemed to resist siphoning.
One legend caught his attention in particular. It spoke of a mortal who had reached the edge of transcendent power in less than a decade—something unheard of in the history books. The account described how he had outwitted the system at every turn, navigating its constraints with a combination of cunning, raw talent, and a complete refusal to yield. He had disappeared at the height of his power, leaving behind only cryptic warnings for those who might follow in his footsteps.
Aric traced the lines of the illustration, a figure cloaked in shadow, standing atop a crumbling temple with streaks of mana cascading around him. He could almost feel the pulse of that power, even across the centuries. Could someone like that exist today?
He remembered Daren's words from earlier lessons: "The system cannot be shaken off, Aric. But it can be outsmarted, understood, and—perhaps—used. The world itself has rules, and the system merely enforces them. A Taboo breaker learns to navigate both."
Aric's jaw tightened. Then I must learn.
He glanced at the fading horizon, where the last lights of the village flickered like dying embers. The idea of reaching such heights was intoxicating, but also terrifying. If the system could sense the slightest deviation, even a whisper of rebellion, it would act. And yet, for the first time, Aric felt a spark of defiance ignite within him.
He rose from his perch, brushing dirt from his pants. The night was alive with subtle currents of mana, invisible to most, but perceptible to someone who had begun to sense the threads connecting all things. Aric extended his senses outward, feeling the flow of energy through the valley, through the forests, and even the distant mountains. It was faint, but he could detect it—the faint heartbeat of magic that even the system had yet to control fully.
Aric's thoughts returned to the Taboo breaker. The stories had one thing in common: they had all been guided by necessity, by a desire to survive or protect something greater than themselves. And Aric realized, with a mixture of awe and fear, that he could not rely on caution alone. To walk a path similar to the Taboo breakers, he would need strategy, courage, and the willingness to risk everything.
He clenched his fists, the determination solidifying in his chest. "I will understand," he whispered. "I will learn what they knew, and I will surpass it. I will not be a pawn. I will carve my own path, even if the world tries to stop me."
As the wind carried his resolve across the valley, Aric felt the subtle pull of the system tighten slightly, as though it had sensed his thoughts. He smiled faintly. It's watching. That's fine. Let it watch. Let it see what I am capable of.
The legends were no longer just stories. They were a warning, a lesson, and now, a challenge. And Aric was ready to meet it head-on.