What a specific system to measure one's proficiency in magic, I contemplated. Although I had found a book related to magic written in English one month ago that talked about the different aspects involving a mage's level, it had been almost useless. Seeing it on my status window brought me a far deeper insight than any magical labored prose I had read in this book. This three-part structure worked in a way that made total, newfound sense to me now.
The 'Stage' part was the most obscure one, as it couldn't always be upgraded to a higher tier. It kind of served as a limiter to your progress, weirdly. Still, it would eventually be obligatory to work on it to break through the limits of your core and reach a superior level in both your energy core's ranks and tiers.
'Ranks', on the other hand, would determine your skill, strength, versatility, and experience as a mage. It was the most important factor to grasp the strength and magical capabilities of someone.
'Tiers' were a sub-category that listed the proficiency, powers, and mana quantity of a mage within one rank.
For example, a low-tier bronze-rank mage could have five hundred energy stored inside his core and be able to shoot two tiny fireballs at a slow speed before losing all his reserves.
That said, a high-tier bronze-rank mage, being two minor tiers above low tier since mid-tier was also in between, could potentially have ten thousand energy stored in his core and be able to cast dozens of much bigger fireballs at a slightly faster pace before running out of juice.
This was the difference between mages of the same rank but of different tiers.
Now again, fantasizing about all these things wouldn't do anything though.
'I'll try to meditate,' I shyly whispered in my head.
I left my status window open and sat again. Perhaps I would be capable of gathering and storing energy inside my core without drifting through space and altering reality this time.
Switching my breathing rhythm and force automatically, my legs and fingers muscles responded in kind, adjusting themselves to the flow of the breathing method.
During this process, I had left my eyes wide open. I didn't know if they were meant to be closed as I'd done before, but now that I could see mana—energy particles everywhere around me, I didn't think it would have been a good idea to shut them off.
Reaching for the nearest ones, as if my mere gaze could attract them, I imagined myself pushing the bits of purple orbs toward me. It took a bit of time for my concentration to only focus on them, but all in all, it seemed to work wonders.
A dim dozen violet, ethereal motes began flying in my direction and then disappeared within my belly, just slightly above my lower abdominals.
Just like that, I could hear a faint notification sound as my status window's information had been updated. Although this option was always deactivated the rest of the time due to it being unpracticable as it would ruin my life, I believed that now was a good time to have it on.
[Energy-Core]: ['Stage' - Awakened; 'Rank' - Bronze; 'Tier' - Low]
[Energy Stored]: [ 28 | 1000 ]
[Battle Score: 244] - 'Sealed'
''Close status window.''
It seemed like one orb equaled roughly one unit once stored in my energy reserves. Noted. I then went on and repeated this cultivation process multiple times over to increase my energy—fuck it, mana reserves—and to check how fast I could fill them.
After my initial attempt, which had taken around four minutes, I had now spent a bitter three hours without rest, as if time worked differently while meditating. Bitter because of how much harder it got as hours ticked by.
Nonetheless, my tests and efforts proved worthwhile since I concluded that I was more or less able to gain a hundred mana orbs worth of energy units every hour. Even so, this number would most likely increase as I spent more time meditating. As proof, I had barely gained seventy-four energy units in the first hour.
Now, despite the growing pain in my mind and the slight discomfort, I did what any sane, logical man would do. I kept going for hours and hours.
***
''Arghh..!'' I grunted, a sharp and ruthless headache waking me from my obsessive training.
''Fuck, this hurts.''
It felt like hundreds of knife-armed ants were crawling inside my brain and neuronal systems, digging into each piece of my skin and organs, aspiring all the liquid and blood simultaneously.
'At least I'm confident I made some good progress... Let's check.'
''Open status window.''
[Status window]: 'Aiden Glain, 17Y, Male'
[Energy-Core]: ['Stage' - Awakened; 'Rank' - Bronze; 'Tier' - Low]
[Energy Stored]: [ 876 | 1000 ]
[Battle Score: 245] - 'Sealed'
As I expected, my core was nearly full. Yet, I had no idea if reaching a thousand units would actually make me go from low-tier to mid-tier bronze rank.
It most likely would; I tried to convince myself.
But it wouldn't be for today.
I was in too much pain and far too deep into unknown territories to be impatient. Risks were fraught with dangers and possible rewards, so being cautious wouldn't harm.
Standing up, my new objective was to visit Clark and check on the monsters's current activity. One day ago, barely 17 hours after the ceremony, monsters were reported to be stationed within the Ashgray forest, three kilometers away from the 'Dimension Portal' which had allowed us all to cross over to the true area of the Well of Ascension. Earlier that day, a patrol of sentries along with hundreds of my non-ascended faction's members were headed there.
Our 'sentries' were a specific, newly created martial artist's job where you would operate as an observer at the front of the squad to scout and spot potential traps or enemies. They would only fight as a last resort due to their lower combat capabilities, which were meant to be around mid to high-tier soldier level. Obviously, there were still no soldiers in my faction since there hadn't been enough time to host ten training sessions yet, and only a few dozen people had ascended in my faction anyway.
Most likely all too focused on their magical training, just as I was.
Walking along the polished stone pavement toward Clark's office with slow steps quickly made me realize just how grand my fortress had become. The formerly mid-sized ancient castle of modern style and class had already been quite grand, and after multiple transformations, its current scope was close to five times as large. So calling it a fortress was truly appropriate, for even the walls' bottom parts were adorned with dark, stone spikes, pointy and sharp, aligned in seemingly ordered range like an army of trained soldiers, while the ramparts were larger and fortified.
When I reached the regent's hall—a newly constructed building for administrative purposes, positioned just four hundred meters north of the main hall—a quick glance toward the third main gate led my eyes to the dozens of new barracks stationed just outside the castle's inner section. I almost shuddered in awe and surprise. My citadel's structure had turned into an ever bigger mystery after its last metamorphosis.
The castle's current structure relied on a layered, three-wall defense system: the inner ward, the middle ward, and the outer ward.
Firstly, the inner ward lay at the heart of the citadel, housing the two main training grounds—large enough to accommodate thousands of practitioners at once. Bordering those combat fields were many luxurious residences along important buildings such as the great hall, the three main gates leading to the middle ward, the secondary hall, my personal training ground, the new regent's hall, and a few other essential places. The entire area was encircled by chunky imposing walls and ramparts.
Beyond the inner ward, the middle ward sprawled in a protective ring around the fortress core. It was composed of hundreds of small-sized training yards and dozens of mid-sized martial arts practice fields. Rows of modest barracks housed the soldiers who had yet to possess their own residences, while thousands of simple dwellings filled the spaces between. Various lobbies and lesser halls dotted this ward, along with the bureaus of some high-ranking members. Unfortunately, Clark resided there instead of the inner ward. Still, his office was just beside the portcullis area of the second main gate, which meant he was actually not so far anyway from me.
Finally, the outer ward was vast in circumference yet devoid of the same thick, black walls and towers. It extended for kilometers, forming a broad perimeter with a ten-meter-wide water moat at the edge of it all, protecting the first main outer gate and the area ahead. To compensate for its lack of fortifications, wooden racks and rows of trenchant, edged stakes embedded in the ground were spread everywhere around the river-like moat. The sight was horrific and would give our visitors a foretaste of our faction's might.
This was the dramatized depiction I had made for myself after spending three hours of my precious time re-visiting it once I had been back from the Ascension ceremony. And yet, it was clear as jade that I was still clueless about many, many more zones and buildings making up the hierarchy, livelihood, and functions of my citadel.
It had taken so long to picture the entire anatomy of the bastion that, when I came back to my senses, I was already standing in front of Clark's office door.
'Tok-tok-tok.' My knocking was steady and confident as I began to organize my thoughts about the questions I needed to ask in priority.
''Who is it?'' Clark's dim voice rang out gently. I responded vigorously, ''It's Aiden."
"Oh—god, wait a second, just a small second. I'm coming.'' I could hear the loud ruckus happening inside the room as Clark seemed to have crashed into many pieces of furniture.
'Just how messy is it in there?' I wondered for a small second and received my answer shortly after the wide doorframe left the interior exposed.
I waved away my bafflement and confusion as I took in the scene: diverse piles—towers of documents—and the chaotic floor, woven together into nothing short of a battlefield.
Then, my eyes settled on Clark. His once sharp and enthusiastic features had softened into a sensible, more level-headed countenance that seemed to peer into my very soul. My gaze then drifted to his hair: he had abandoned his former ponytail for a shorter, modern wolf cut, which perfectly complemented its charcoal tint and grayish locks.
His composure was just as steady as it had ever been, radiating confidence and perhaps even a hint of nobility, I observed. Barely shorter than me, he stood at a proud 173 centimeters. With his athletic build, honed in the Well of Ascension, he was undoubtedly a contender for the most charming gentleman among my faction's members.
"So, you're finally willing to show yourself?'' He asked, a hint of sarcasm laced into his words.
A smile crept to the corner of my lips before I could respond, but Clark's laughter cut me off.
''What's gotten into you? I thought you were worried about me! I was so touched that a genuine smile had even formed on my lips—the first in many, many years!''
We exchanged a glance and burst into laughter at my joke.
''Sorry, it was just the way you looked. You've changed, Aiden.'' Clark explained, his eyes locked with mine, hoping I understood his intent.
I caught his meaning right away and reassured him. ''Perhaps for the better, Clark. However, such a word might not be fully appropriate. I'd say I've returned to my former self—more sensible—emotional—more human.''
Clark nodded in respectful acknowledgment of my enlightenment. I'd always known him to be perceptive, but it seemed I had still underestimated him. He knew of my struggles with mental sanity; I was sure of it. "I'm happy to hear that, Aiden... and I'm glad you're back," he declared, a smile etched at the corner of his lips as he gestured for me to enter. His honesty and concern soothed my exhausted mind even further.
Turning around, I promptly scanned the room, searching for a clean place in the mighty sea of rubble that was Clark's office. I soon admitted defeat once I realized there was none.
''You're very welcome. Now, let's sit down—if seating is even possible in this room. Seriously, look at this wreckage of boring political documents. Why aren't other executive members in charge of handling those chores? And why is this room so goddamn narrow? You're the heavenly pandemonium faction's third in command! How could they treat you so—''
"Poorly?'' He interrupted me leisurely, noticing I was rambling. ''Well, this was my choice actually.''
''Straight to the point,'' I noted, getting a chortle out of Clark. ''I had figured out your antipathy toward comfort, high-end furniture, and spacious dwellings long ago.''
He rolled his eyes in amusement, and then we wondered where to have a proper discussion because we were not going to talk about monsters and magic inside this room coming straight from a horror movie.
Eventually, we decided we would talk outside, walking down the alley of the inner ward bastion.
"So, any new reports concerning the group of thirty Urilion crabs west of the dimensional portal?" I demanded, then added, "And what about the Eden's Wood Guardians? I remember authorizing Michael to investigate the southern Ashgray Forest with his men near the Atlast River since there had been reports of gigantic, moving trees in the area." I finished, appreciating the scenery of the colorful fountains and most recently built luxurious houses.
Clark's fingers flipped rapidly through pages of documents before suddenly stopping on a report notice from four hours ago. ''I have recent news for the Eden's Wood Guardian. It seems our witness testimony was true. There are at least a few dozen of them, from Charlie's words. As for the gravity-altering crabs, no more pieces of information have been provided yet.'' He responded seriously, staring at another document after having finished reading this one. ''I see, quite convenient that the last team we sent still hasn't returned. Well, that's that. Now, do you know anything about those monsters's capabilities?'' He lifted his head and began answering my question. And to all my other, many questions after this one.
Thirty minutes flew by, and we had even managed to make a full circle around the main training ground and numerous bustling streets. Although I hadn't gotten much information, our discussion still proved useful.
Eden's Wood Guardians, despite being far heavier than our martial artists, seemed to be able to travel at forty kilometers per hour, if not more, according to a sentry's report. This completely redefined our perception of their strength since being able to navigate at such a speed during combat, along with their hardness, their dozens of sharp creepers, and devastating strength compared to the normal adult, would make even a single one of them a walking catastrophe capable of destroying a non-ascended village.
Worse yet, the report mentioned that they always stayed in groups of eight or more. But, at least they showed no signs of wanting to leave the forest as compared to the Urilion crabs, who had to be dealt with urgently to prevent a frontal assault. We barely had any capable martial artists at our disposal, and it would take one week or two for every member of my faction to go through their ascension. We simply had too few ascended to have the privilege of being careless.
Another important thing that Clark revealed was the presence of a lingering, shadowy fog that appeared to shroud the east side of the Ash-gray forest. It was Xavier himself who had gone there to investigate the most mysterious part of the timber. He was forced to go back after nearly choking to death just from inhaling the ominous mist. Despite his strength having risen to 183 after ascending, he had not even made it past the entry point. Those were the main, most important pieces of information.
There were plenty of ways I could help out, and I ultimately chose not only to fend off the group of Eden's wood guardians—eliminating their potential threat while using them as training targets—but also to assist in dealing with the 'gravity-altering crabs,' as Clark had so well named them. Despite the greater danger they posed, I would head south first to handle the Eden's wood guardians.
"I'll form a battle group, then. How many combatants do I need for my squad to be permitted into battle?" Clark stared at me in confusion before answering, "Well, it usually requires at least eight people. However, since you are our magnificent faction's leader—king, I mean—you have the right to go alone or with any number of people you wish." He let out a faint chuckle, clearly teasing me for my senseless question.
Understanding why my question had left him puzzled, I hid my slight embarrassment and retorted firmly, "I only asked such an obvious question for the sake of fairness! Aren't you glad that your leader seeks to be equal to his servants?"
"As if any of those servants had the luxury of spending their days locked up in a private training—"
"Alright, my question was naive. I admit it," I interrupted, surprised by his repartee.
"—ground," he finished, making me sigh, tiredly smiling.
Clark noticed my troubled and weakened state of mind and asked if I was alright. The truth was that I feared he might catch on to my unusual attitude. Meditating for nearly ten hours had exhausted me mentally far more than I realized. But, despite my concerning mental state, I waved away Clark's inquietude by simply expressing my need to rest before calling out for adventure tomorrow morning. Lies, always lies.
I accompanied Clark back to his dumping ground of an office, carelessly chattering about less serious topics along the way. His doubts and concerns regarding me had completely disappeared.
Then, as his office doors closed, I realized in shock that it was already close to nighttime.
I thus headed back to my small, humble abode.
Sure, there was the king's hall—a titanic, modern-style stronghold designed specifically to be my dwelling. It had been added magically, just like many other buildings during the last transformation of our faction's fortress. But I still preferred the quiet, peaceful feeling of my small, cozy house.
Now that I think about it, I'd never been present within the faction when any of these transformations occurred. Not that it would have made a difference if I had been there. Everyone who witnessed these events told the same story: an eerie, buzzing sound would resonate in the air, then blackout. Once they woke up, everything had already changed.
How ominous, I thought, changing into my night clothes.
Lying in my bed, I sank into frenetic thoughts as questions and doubts threatened to drown me in their abyssal tremor. I felt gravity pressing against me, my eyes closing on their own—and then nothing. I stared blankly at the ceiling, unable to pull myself free from this void I found myself floating in. It was... peaceful. This place might have been dark and gloomy, yet I felt no fear, nor hatred toward it. I'd been here so many times before, and each descent felt the same. Quiet. Abandoned. Isolated. Alienated.
I felt so alone down here. In this nothingness, I was the vessel of emptiness, exiled for eternity to the purgatory of the void. But I relished in this solitude.
Then, darkness took hold of me, pulling me into sleep.