Awakening of the War Soul
Greenhold Academy, ringed by the looming grandeur of Skyfire Mountain, stretched across a broad landscape. Even outer academy disciples had the luxury of personal homes, snugly hidden amongst twisting pathways and decorative gardens.
Kai Dawnsworn walked back to the line of houses where the outer disciples resided. Boomer followed quietly behind him, a soothing presence that was so unlike the tension emanating from Kai. He walked inside through the doorway of his simple home and stopped, shoulders weighed down.
"Boomer… I just want to quit," he confessed slowly, his voice laced with unusual weakness.
"Even if the Blade-mage has yet to awaken, you're still exceptionally gifted," Boomer said, his black eyes steady and unwavering as they observed Kai. When Kai had first revealed himself as a Blade-mage, the world had laughed. But Boomer knew better—this was no trivial claim. Kai Dawnsworn was indeed a Blade-mage, and that fact carried weight far beyond the ridicule of peers.
Kai's gold eyes reflected a bitter, almost resigned light. "I know… but I've worked so hard." His lips curved into a faint, dry smile. "Three years. And yet, I'm still behind you. It seems I'll have to push even harder."
"Then let's train," Boomer said, his tone firm yet encouraging.
Kai nodded, turning his gaze to the towering figure behind him. Boomer was a head taller, his frame commanding respect even without a word. Together, they entered the designated development chamber within Kai's residence.
Kai Dawnsworn sat cross-legged, eyes shut. A shining, flowing stream of Mana piled around him, forming a tangible aura. The Spiritual Mana in the room flared wildly, charging towards Kai as if attracted by an unseen magnet. Boomer observed silently from the back, observing the powerful whirlwind of energy that Kai had turned into. Anybody who saw that would have gotten a chill down their spine.
The rushing air coursed through Kai's body, seeking the depths of his mind, the sacred space of his War Soul Palace.
Possessing a War Soul—a living spirit within the palace—was the hallmark of a Blade-mage.
In Kai Dawnsworn's War Soul Palace, a giant ancient tree spread its jade-green canopy. However, the ground all around it was barren, untrodden. When the Mana flowed in, the tree sucked in the Mana greedily, the crisp leaves quivering as if by an invisible breeze.
There appeared an apparition under the tree—an otherworldly image of Kai himself. He glared at the grand tree and muttered, "Three years of soaking up Mana, and you give nothing in return. You take and take… If you keep this up, I'll no longer share any of the Mana I collect with you."
With those words, the apparition vanished. The flow of Mana that had been directed toward the War Soul Palace shifted, spreading through Kai's body instead. A tremendous surge of energy washed over him, signaling readiness for the Growth Plane.
But just as he reached for that breakthrough, a violent force erupted, pulling all the Mana back into the War Soul Palace.
The sudden reversal made Kai's body shudder with frustration. Three years of diligent cultivation, every ounce of Mana sacrificed to his War Soul, only to see it rejected, hoarded by the very entity he sought to empower. Rage flared in his chest.
Yet the War Soul ignored his fury. It continued its relentless absorption, devouring every bit of energy in Kai's body. Within moments, his complexion paled, the strain evident in the tightening of his jaw.
Damn it! Kai Dawnsworn cursed under his breath.
A violent tremor rattled through his skull. His consciousness struggled, desperate to assert control, but the wild surge of Mana overpowered him.
"Ah…!" A deep growl tore from his throat. Boomer reacted instantly, rising to his feet. He witnessed the transformation unfolding in Kai's body: Mana from the surrounding chamber surged into him, while the very flora nearby—the flowers, the grass, the trees—wilted under the overwhelming force.
Boomer's black eyes sharpened with realization. He stepped forward, taking a position directly behind Kai. Placing both hands on Kai's back, he felt the sheer magnitude of the force—his own Mana being drawn away into Kai's body.
Could it finally be awakening?
A silent, electric anticipation hung in the air, as if the War Soul itself had sensed the moment it had long awaited.