Seated in Yareth's royal chamber at the academy, Kenzo waited patiently. He sat there, slightly nervous, when at last the door opened. Yareth entered with a confident stride, head held high. His face, which only hours earlier had still shown confusion at the revelation of the Phoenix's identity, gradually softened when he saw Kenzo. His features relaxed, almost relieved.
– « So she's the reason we almost died? » Kenzo asked, a trace of bitterness in his voice.
– « Yes. But I doubt she was attacked. From what I understand, she appeared directly at the altar of the Empire of Florenthel. And during her interrogation… she declared without hesitation that she was the Phoenix, » Yareth replied calmly.
– « Actually, I'm almost certain she comes from the outer walls. Just like me, » Kenzo added, carefully emphasizing that detail, aware of its significance.
– « Mmh… alright. Good to know, » Yareth admitted, nodding slightly.
A brief silence drifted through the room, broken only by the soft rustle of Yareth rummaging through a bag beside him.
– « Oh, by the way, I have something for you, » he finally said, pulling out a thick book with a worn yet sturdy cover.
He handed it to Kenzo. The weight of the volume alone hinted at the density of its contents.
– « This book compiles the basic knowledge every Awakened should know. You'll find the origin of powers, why the eight great families are special, and essential information about Void Creatures and their classifications. Most importantly, it contains crucial details about the tests. We have forty-eight hours before classes begin, so you have time to read it carefully. »
Kenzo nodded. He was well aware of the gaps in his knowledge. His education lacked solid foundations, and until now, he knew almost nothing about the world of the Awakened.
– « Since we'll face the second test together, it's better that you learn as much as possible, » Yareth added, his tone serious.
Those words reminded Kenzo of something Lady Clara had mentioned during the opening ceremony the necessity of having companions to face the test. This book might finally give him the answers he had been searching for.
Yareth continued, his gaze steady.
– « After that, you'll be able to enroll in whatever classes you want. Except for one paid course that you unfortunately won't be able to afford. I recommend choosing subjects that help you survive. To be honest, I'm not really counting on you in combat. What I need is someone who won't betray me. »
The word betray echoed in Kenzo's mind like a warning. The firmness in Yareth's voice left no doubt: trust was fragile, and Kenzo would have to ensure he never broke it.
– « Alright. I'll start reading right away, » he replied with determination.
– « Good. I'll leave you to it. I'm going to register for my classes. I'll tell you how it went when I get back. »
With that, Yareth left the room. Kenzo opened the heavy book and immediately immersed himself in its pages.
The next morning, his eyes ringed with fatigue yet shining with curiosity, Kenzo slowly closed the book. He let out a sigh, both fascinated and overwhelmed.
– « I can't believe everything I just read… What kind of magical world are we living in? » he murmured to himself.
Just as Yareth had said, the book was divided into three major sections. The first concerned powers.
The text described the foundations of this world in detail.
Two Sources of Power.
The first: Divine Heritage – Royal Families.Originating from the blood of the Eight Great Gods, this was an absolute biological inheritance, stable and inevitable at the age of sixteen. Every descendant awakened their power at that exact age, regardless of strength, personality, or will. Even a weak or lazy heir would receive this gift. These powers were powerful, thematic, and closely tied to the family lineage.
The book emphasized one point: mastery was greatly facilitated through early training. However, while the nature of the power remained the same within a lineage for example, light, its expression varied from person to person. One heir might concentrate that light into destructive projectiles, while another could use it to attain extraordinary speed, blending into flashes of brilliance. The essence remained shared, but the manifestation was unique to each individual.
The second source: Remnant Powers – The People.These came from minor gods, spirits, or mythical creatures. There were two primary ways to obtain them.
The first: Spontaneous Resonance – Revelation at Sixteen.This depended on individual sensitivity and the place of birth. Powers gained through resonance could be weak, strange, sometimes even useless. But their variety was infinite. Few reached great heights through this path, though some still managed to do so.
The second: Hereditary Transmission – People's Lineages.In certain families, a remnant power stabilized across generations, forming a secondary lineage. But this transmission was conditional. It depended on the spiritual strength of the parent. If the parent weakened or failed to strengthen the power, the child could be born Mute without a gift or awaken an entirely different power. In such cases, the lineage could simply disappear.
Although weaker than royal lineages, these families of the people could still pass down reliable abilities, especially if one ancestor had reached a high level. Awakening also occurred at sixteen, but the probability of activation was only eighty percent—compared to one hundred percent among the royal families. These lineages formed a kind of lesser nobility, sometimes respected, sometimes feared.
Kenzo paused in thought.
– « There's also… the vital energy of the Awakened, » he murmured.
The book then introduced Prana, described as the life energy of the Awakened. Invisible to ordinary people, it flowed through prana wells, deep within a person's being. These wells acted as reservoirs of power, nourished by willpower, concentration, and combat.
The expansion of a prana well occurred by absorbing prana fragments from defeated enemies. Every battle, every victory, every conquest of energy increased an Awakened's capacity to contain greater power.
The book also explained the process of refinement. This required meditation, which was essential for purifying energy. Impure prana remained unstable and dangerous—it could even lead to destruction. Only purified energy allowed an Awakened to reach the highest levels of mastery.
Finally, the book revealed a chilling truth: the reason every Awakened must undergo the second test within four years of awakening.
When awakening first occurs, the body remains mostly human. Yet the prana accumulating within it will eventually reach the limits of the physical vessel.
The consequences were terrifying.
– « Decay of the vessel… or implosion of the energy body, » Kenzo read aloud, his throat dry.
He slowly closed the book, his mind flooded with images he would rather have avoided. The world of the Awakened, which he had until now viewed with naïve curiosity, revealed itself to be relentlessly cruel.