Dianna paused for a moment, her brow furrowing slightly. "To be honest, I don't know much myself. I guess only a handful of people even know what an 'Awakener' is."
She let out a small sigh. "The only reason I know is because of my uncle. He was a historian, obsessed with lost knowledge. He once found an ancient parchment that mentioned Awakeners."
She tilted her head, thinking back. "It took him a while to decipher the writing, and when he did, he was so excited—he couldn't stop talking about it. At the time, I thought it was just another one of his wild theories." She glanced at Zephyr, a faint smile crossing her lips. "But now I know he was telling the truth."
Zephyr leaned in, curiosity lighting up his face. "What did the parchment say about Awakeners?"
Dianna met his eyes. "It said that Some individuals are born with a dormant link to a mystery source of power which awakens during moments of extreme emotion, danger, or clarity—such as surviving a near-death experience or achieving profound self-awareness.
Zephyr blinked, puzzled. "The Source?" he asked. "What's that?"
Dianna answered, "normal people was born mundane without supernatural power, the only way to have it is connecting to a source of superpower and draw power from it. There are many sources of power like Gods, relic."
She glanced at Zephyr before adding, "'My uncle said that the source of Awakener is a special one since it is limited only by the user's imagination and Willpower. Even though all supernatural powers are function by the core concept of Turn imagination into reality using Willpower to draw energy from the source. As far as I know, other types of willpower user face restrictions on how they can use their Willpower."
Zephyr listened carefully.
Turn imagination into reality, isn't that the power of god?.
Everything she said went against the laws of physics he knew. The law of conservation seemed meaningless here, or maybe, this world had a special kind of energy that could be shaped into matter with sheer will. But only those who had awakened could use it.
The thought fascinated him. If such a force truly existed, it would be a theory worth studying.
"So, how does awakening work?" he asked, barely hiding his excitement.
Dianna shrugged, "It's a mystery. Many people awaken in moments of great danger, just like you, but others have awakened after nothing more than a nap. To be honest, there aren't many Awakeners around—you're the second one I've ever met."
She paused for a moment before adding, "Problem is, many Awakeners don't survive their first use of power."
Zephyr curiously asked: "what wrong with it, I feel perfectly fine now"
Dianna studied Zephyr with a searching gaze.
"I don't know the exact reasons," Dianna said, her voice thoughtful. "But I guess one of them might be that most new Awakeners don't know how to control their Willpower. They don't understand their limits."
"And some… push too far." She paused before continuing. "Especially, those who awaken in moments of danger. Driven by fear or desperation, they attempt something far beyond their ability, draining every last drop of their Willpower. And when that happens… the consequences are far worse than simple exhaustion."
Zephyr's mind flashed back to that moment, to the emptiness he felt after escaping the gallows. A cold chill crept up his spine. He extended his hands toward the fire, hoping its warmth would chase away the unease before asking, "What happens when someone runs out of Willpower?"
Dianna's face turned serious, her eyes narrowing. "Listen," she said, her voice sharp "You need to remember this, your willpower can recover over time, but never let it run out completely. Even when it's low, you're already playing with fire."
She held his gaze, the weight of her words pressing down on him. "Willpower is what protects your humanity. Those who lose all of it… act only on instinct and will slowly turn into terrifying monsters"
Zephyr's breath hitched "Was I that close to losing who I am?" He had felt that hollowness, that terrifying void. If his willpower had drained just a little more, would he still be… himself?
He sat in thoughtful silence, then glanced down at his legs. "So that's why you tied me up?"
Dianna chuckled. "Exactly. After seeing what you did the moment you awakened, I had little hope you were still fully human. But I suppose you have a vast amount of Willpower."
Zephyr thought back to his past—the constant, unbearable headaches he had endured since childhood. Could years of suffering have strengthened his Willpower?
Pushing the thought aside, he asked, "How do people measure their willpower?"
Dianna crossed her arms. "For Awakeners, it's simple. You can estimate it by lifting things with Willpower. The heavier the object you can move, the stronger your Willpower. But for other types of Beyonders, it's more complicated. Not everyone has the ability to manipulate physical objects."
Zephyr frowned. So in this world, willpower wasn't just an abstract concept. It was something tangible, something measurable. It could shape reality, and more wildly, without it, people lost their sanity.
"How do people increase their Willpower?" Zephyr asked, his eyes drifting over the endless ocean.
Dianna ran a hand through her hair, then held her fingers close to the fire, letting the warmth sink in. Her voice was steady. "The most common method is meditation. Pushing through the boredom and keeping your mind steady can slowly strengthen your Willpower over time."
She paused, then glanced at him knowingly. "But the fastest way?" A small smirk tugged at her lips. "Throw yourself into the fire. Face something brutal, and if you survive, your Willpower shoots up. Some people even hunt for danger, risking their necks just to get stronger."
Zephyr raised a brow. "That sounds crazy."
Dianna shrugged. "It is. Many who seek strength that way don't live long enough to enjoy it. That's why I wouldn't recommend it. Instead, focus on improving efficiency—using your Willpower wisely. The stronger your control, the less energy you waste."
Zephyr liked that idea. Control was his style. Then, his eyes fell on a small stone nearby. Taking a slow breath, he focused his mind and gave a silent command: Levitate
A strange sensation filled him, like invisible, clumsy hands reaching out.
The stone twitched, then floated up, wobbly at first. A jolt of excitement hit him. He moved it—left, right, up, down. It was clunky, but each try got smoother. He grinned, feeling like a kid flying a kite for the first time.
For a moment, he forgot Dianna was even there.
Dianna, however, watched closely. The stone's movements were slow and awkward at first, but then it stabilized, gliding through the air with growing speed and precision.
She nodded. He is learning really quick.
A thought crossed her mind—perhaps he could help me.
But another voice inside her whispered caution. No, he's still too immature. If I ask for his help now, I'll only get him killed.
Zephyr continued practicing until a dull fatigue settled over him. His thoughts growing hazy as his Willpower drained. He also noticed a clear limit—his Willpower could only extend about five meters from his body. The moment the stone moved beyond that range, he lost control of it completely.
He turned to Dianna. "This is incredible," he admitted, catching his breath. "How do I get better at it? Just through practice?"
Dianna smiled. "There are two ways," she explained. "First is repetition, training until your mind memorizes the process. The second is knowledge. The more you know about something, the less willpower it takes to make it happen."
Zephyr's eyes lit up. Jackpot, this is exactly what I excel at.
Back on Earth, he had spent years mastering the principles of matter, energy, and transformation. If the physics and chemistry of this world weren't too different then he could use that here.
Excitement surged through him. He closed his eyes and focused, picturing a flame, not just any flame, but one built upon everything he knew. He imagined the heat, the way air and fuel fed the fire, how molecules vibrated with energy. He envisioned the glow, the flickering light, the dance of embers in the wind.
Then
A tiny flame popped up over his hand. It flickered, then grew—red to orange to yellow. Zephyr stared, amazed. He could feel his willpower draining, but it was worth it.
Dianna stood frozen, her mouth slightly open.
She remembered her own struggle. It had taken her days just to create a real flame. At first, all she could manage was something that only looked like fire, without any heat at all. And this guy had nailed it on his first try. She could feel the warmth radiating from Zephyr's flame.
For the first time in her life, Dianna felt envy.
But the feeling passed as quickly as it came, replaced by something else.
Hope.
She hadn't left Gotham for her own safety. She carried a mission—one that could determine the fate of every remaining resident of Gotham Village. Failure was not an option.
With Zephyr by her side, his raw talent and boundless potential could boost their chances of success significantly.
Zephyr noticed her expression, the way her blue eyes shimmered in the firelight. His heart pounded unexpectedly. "Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked.
Dianna blinked, then smiled. "Nothing," she said lightly, shaking her head. "You're just… full of surprises."
Zephyr exhaled, still buzzing with excitement. "So, awakening is one way to be a Beyonder. What is the second way?"
Dianna responsed. "The second way is by performing a ritual to a god. That lets you tap into the god's power."
Zephyr raised an eyebrow. "A ritual? Like what Orianna was doing?"
Dianna's face darkened, "Yes, she seemed to be preparing a ritual for an evil god. Different gods require different sacrificial offerings. Evil gods often demand sinister tributes, like blood and flesh."
Zephyr shuddered. If he hadn't escaped the gallows, his body would have already been offered to some dark deity. "So… anyone who knows the ritual can gain a god's power?"
Dianna gave a faint smile.: "Technically, yes. But it's not that simple. The rituals and the required offerings are controlled by the churches. Only those who prove their devotion and earn the church's favor are granted access."
She leaned in slightly then added, "Unlike Awakeners, Beyonders who gain power this way can only use the abilities granted by their god. That means if you know which god someone worships, you can usually predict what kind of magic they can use."
Zephyr nodded slowly, piecing it together. That must be the limitation she'd mentioned before for non-awakener beyonders. "So, you're one of them?"
Dianna's expression remained calm. "Yes. I've completed the first ritual. There are six in total, with each higher sequence granting greater divine power. Those who complete all six are known as Demigods."
"Demigod?" Zephyr asked, his curiosity piqued. "How powerful are they?"
Dianna's voice deepened, carrying a hint of reverence. "After the gods vanished, Demigods became the strongest beings in existence. They're so rare, I've never seen one myself, so I can't say for sure how powerful they are. But from what I've heard, they can easily wipe out an entire village."
Zephyr fell silent, rubbing his chin as he processed that. That's insane—way stronger than many superheroes in movies back home. But even with that kind of power, he doubted a demigod could send him back to Earth.
Shaking off the thought, he tilted his head. "Any other ways?"
Dianna's hand clenched into a fist, her voice dropping to a whisper laced with fear and hatred. "There's… one more way I know of." She took a slow, heavy breath, as if the words themselves were a burden.
"Through the Forbidden Crystals."