A three-year-old boy sat cross-legged on the smooth marble floor, his small frame enveloped in an eerie stillness. His eyes remained shut, crimson lashes resting against his fair skin, while his fiery red hair lay softly across his back, a stark contrast to the white training gi he wore. The uniform was simple yet elegant, reminiscent of the legendary martial outfits of old, except for the intricate crimson Phoenix insignia emblazoned across the back—a symbol of his bloodline.
In his outstretched hands, he held an ancient scroll, its surface shimmering faintly with ethereal light. It pulsed softly, alive—almost as if it was responding to his very thoughts.
Inside his mind, Ryker repeated the sacred mnemonic, his voice steady but filled with rising intensity. "Thought is form. Form is reality. Reality is illusion. Illusion is power. The mind is boundless, the void unchained. Perceive the unseen, command the unknown. With a whisper, control. With a thought, destroy."
As the words echoed in his consciousness, a sudden, violent tremor erupted within his mental realm, like a lightning strike splitting the very fabric of his soul. His small body tensed, his face scrunching in discomfort.
Sitting a few paces away, Lila Phoenix observed her son with unwavering focus, a leather-bound book resting in her lap. Her usually elegant and composed features hardened with quiet determination.
This was a defining moment.
She had prepared for this. Guided him through every painstaking step. Yet, even she could not suppress the awe coursing through her as she witnessed the impossible unfold before her eyes. She knew her son was a monstrous genius, but this...
What he was achieving on his very first attempt defied logic. It was something that had taken her—monstrous genius that she was—six grueling months to accomplish. The sheer magnitude of it was mind-boggling, leaving her both humbled and exhilarated in equal measure.
Inside Ryker's consciousness, golden, rune-like letters flowed through the air, moving in perfect synchrony with his recitation. They were not merely symbols—they were alive, radiating an indescribable power. Like waves crashing against a dam, they repeatedly collided against the invisible walls that defined the limits of his mental realm.
Each impact sent a sharp stab of pain through his mind, like molten needles piercing into his skull. His small body trembled, his breath turning ragged.
Lila's voice, firm yet encouraging, broke through his suffering. "This is just the beginning, Ryker. Endure the pain—progress demands it. Strength is forged in the fires of suffering. Bear with it. Embrace the pain. Let the scripture permeate every facet of your mind."
The golden letters continued their relentless assault, smashing against the barriers of his consciousness. His nerves screamed in agony. Thin streams of blood began trickling from his nose, his ears, and the corners of his mouth. The strain was becoming unbearable.
Yet, he refused to falter.
His mother's words echoed in his mind, anchoring him amidst the storm. "You are not just a Phoenix. You are a Psyren as well."
Her voice was both a command and a promise. "Within you lies our heritage, an unparalleled affinity for the mind. Tap into it, my boy. You can do this."
Summoning every ounce of willpower, Ryker gritted his teeth and pushed forward, enduring the searing torment within his mental realm. He focused on the scripture—on the meaning behind each word.
Then, a single, resounding crack shattered the silence.
The golden runes froze mid-assault, sensing the shift.
Then the cracks spread—like spiderweb fractures on fragile glass.
A deafening boom resonated in his mind, and the world shattered.
Ryker found himself floating in endless darkness, the remnants of his old mental space dissolving into nothingness. For a brief moment, he was alone—adrift in a void so absolute that it threatened to consume him.
But then—light.
From the abyss, the golden runes reassembled in front of him, forming a massive ethereal sword that pulsed with pure, radiant energy. Its glow spread through the void like a second sunrise, bathing the realm in golden brilliance.
The formless darkness gave way to something new, something far greater than before.
Ryker watched in awe as his mental space reconstructed itself, becoming something tangible—a realm of ethereal beauty, flowing with golden rivers of thought and towering mountains of knowledge. The once intangible mindscape had evolved into something real.
And at its center, the sword, silently watching over his domain.
A deep, primal understanding filled Ryker's soul.
This… this was power.
While Ryker was engrossed in the transformation of his mental space, the outside world had begun to respond.
A brilliant, milky-white light erupted from his glabella—the very seat of his consciousness. It shone with an intensity that threatened to pierce through the heavens, sending waves of psychic pressure cascading across the training chamber.
The sheer force of it sent ripples through the mansion's protective formations, causing nearby attendants and guards to stumble, gasping in shock.
It was an awakening phenomenon—one that would announce the rise of a mental prodigy.
Lila's eyes widened as she felt the raw potential radiating from her son. Her heart pounded in exhilaration… yet she could not allow this revelation to be exposed. Not yet.
Without hesitation, she raised a delicate hand, clenching her fingers in a precise pattern.
The light instantly collapsed, folding inward as if swallowed by an invisible force.
The entire phenomenon vanished in an instant, leaving only the dim glow of residual energy flickering around Ryker's body.
Lila exhaled softly, watching as Ryker's breath evened out. "It's not time yet," she murmured to herself. "The world doesn't need to know. Not yet. My son deserves to have a few trump cards up his sleeve."
With a small, satisfied smile, she set aside the now-empty vial that had helped him endure the breakthrough and watched over her son as he continued his meditation.
A storm was brewing in the future.
But for now, she would ensure that when Ryker finally revealed his true power to the world, he would stand above all others—untouchable and absolute.