Arios's breath hitched as the sky above Aetherion cracked with the thunder of war. He stood frozen on his balcony, the city screaming below, the horizon choked with portals vomiting monsters.
And then, she appeared.
A shadow slid silently across his wall, sharper than a blade, colder than night. Tendrils curled and retracted until a figure stood there—serpentine grace wrapped in living void.
Seraphyx.
She bowed her head, her many eyes gleaming faint violet as she spoke in a voice that resonated directly within his soul.
"Young Lord. It is time to awaken."
Before Arios could even reply, his chest seized. His body convulsed as a burning light surged outward from his core—half silver, half violet, intertwining, clashing, merging. He screamed, collapsing to his knees, clutching at his heart as the locked door inside him shattered.
DING—
A voice like the echo of eternity whispered into his mind, not mechanical, not cold, but alive, tailored to him.
[System Integration Complete.]
Welcome, Arios Dreamveil.
Designation: Son of Inevitability.
His vision flooded with translucent glyphs of violet and silver, symbols folding into readable script as a unique interface etched itself into his sight. Unlike his father's absolute, skeletal display of inevitability, Arios's interface felt… organic. Curved lines, pulsing with life, each tab humming faintly like a heartbeat.
Arios Dreamveil — Status
Name: Arios Dreamveil
Race: Neo-Ascendant (Unsealed Potential — Stage 1)
Age: 16
Title: Son of Inevitability
As the heir of the Sole Exception, your existence bends toward inevitability. Your destiny cannot be erased, only delayed. Passive Effect: Grants resistance to fate manipulation and causality interference. Active Effect: Once per battle, inevitability asserts itself — your next strike must land.
HP: 12,000 / 12,000
MP: 20,000 / 20,000
Strength: 350
Agility: 420
Vitality: 310
Intelligence: 460
Willpower: 500
Potential: ∞
Abilities
Veil Breaker (Inherited): Manifest shards of Lucien's void to disrupt enemy defenses. Silver
Thread (Inherited): Draw upon Selene's mirrored essence to bind or restrain foes across dimensions.
Harmony of the Twin Veils (Unique): Temporarily merge silver and void essence for overwhelming hybrid attacks.
Evolving Potential: All abilities will adapt and grow with combat experience.
Interface Functions
Status – View personal attributes and conditions. Titles – Active and passive effects of bestowed names.
Skills – Catalog of combat abilities and potential evolutions. Inventory – Dimensional pocket accessible through thought.
Store – Connected not to currency, but to Will. Exchange accumulated Will for growth and artifacts.
Quests – Not issued arbitrarily, but written dynamically by Arios's own decisions, solidifying his choices as inevitable paths.
Arios gasped, falling forward, gripping the railing of the balcony. His hands glowed faintly with both colors — violet and silver — coiling up his arms like twin serpents.
"What… is this?" His voice shook, but his eyes burned with something new.
Seraphyx lowered herself into a kneel, tendrils draping like banners around him. "This, Young Lord, is your inheritance. The seal your father placed upon you is undone. From this moment, the inevitability that cannot be denied flows in your veins. You will not walk in his shadow… but forge your own path beside it."
Above them, the monsters screeched louder, wings blotting out the stars.
Seraphyx straightened, her aura flaring. "Stand, Young Lord. The system will guide you. And I," her tendrils rippled with killing intent, "will slaughter until the path before you is clear."
Arios clenched his fists, staring up at the nightmare sky. For the first time in his life, he didn't feel powerless. He felt… inevitable.
And somewhere far beyond, in the Citadel of the Sole Exception, Lucien smiled faintly.