The Quantum Academy's training yard baked under the midday sun, its stone tiles cracked from stray power. Albert Jr. Faustin stood at its edge, sweat rolling down his neck. The air buzzed sharp, thick with quantum energy that pricked his skin like sparks. His holo-watch glowed faint—still 3 points after two days of grinding. He clutched the dented cube from Rhyd's class, rolling it in his hand. Around him, students sparred, their shouts clashing with snaps of power—rocks zipping, bodies blurring, light flashing. He wasn't here to watch. He was here to grow, and he took that cold and serious.
Toren Vale sprawled on a bench nearby, patched jacket tossed aside. "You gonna stand there all day?" he called, grinning. "Or move that cube past five feet? My Flux Bloodline's at Resonance—Phase 2. Makes this easy." He flicked his wrist, and his coin vanished, popping up ten feet away, then zipped back—quantum shift, smooth and quick.
Albert's gray eyes narrowed, his voice flat. "Work on your own stuff," he said. He didn't mind Toren, but the guy's Phase 2 skill stung when his own Coherence Bloodline sat stuck at Awakening.
He turned back to the cube, the hum in his chest stirring, raw and restless. He pictured it moving—ten feet, clean this time. His pulse climbed, the air flickered, and the cube lifted—slow, shaky but rising. He gritted his teeth, pushing harder. Then a yell cut through. "Watch out!"
The cube crashed as Albert spun, his calm snapping to ice. Sera Kade stumbled back, amber eyes wide. A boy across the yard smirked, hand out, a big rock speeding at her—a burst of force from his Pulse Bloodline, Phase 2 – Resonance, Albert guessed. Sera ducked, but it grazed her shoulder, knocking her down. The crowd gasped, then laughed, quick and harsh.
Albert's fists balled, his voice a low hiss. "Idiots." He'd been close—closer than yesterday—and this mess broke his focus. Sera scrambled up, brushing black hair from her face, glaring at the boy.
The boy—tall, broad, smug—sauntered over. "Oops," he said, smirking. "Guess your Surge isn't fast enough, Kade. Phase 2's not much."
Sera's eyes burned. "Shut up," she snapped, stepping forward. "My Pulse Bloodline's plenty—caught me off guard, that's it."
The boy laughed, flicking his wrist. Another rock shot up, this time at Albert, slicing the air fast. Albert's patience shattered—enough distractions. He seized the hum in his blood—Quantum Binding flaring. The air shimmered, and the rock froze mid-flight, trembling, locked to him. His head throbbed, sweat stung his eyes, but he held it, his stare cold as steel. The crowd hushed, eyes heavy. The boy's smirk faded.
"Keep your junk away," Albert said, voice like a knife. He dropped the rock, letting it thud, and turned back to his spot, brushing his hands. He wasn't helping—just clearing his space.
Sera tilted her head, smirking. "Not bad, rich boy," she said. "Didn't think your Coherence Bloodline had that at Awakening."
"Wasn't for you," Albert said, sharp and cold. "I was busy."
Toren jogged over, clapping slow. "Still looked good," he said, grinning. "My Flux can't stop stuff—Phase 2's more about moving."
"Wasn't trying to show off," Albert muttered, but a faint smirk slipped despite his chill. Before he could reset, a deep rumble shook the yard. The ground quaked, tiles splitting wide. Students froze, gasps cutting through. A shadow dropped—an EvoTech drone, black and sleek, its engines roaring loud. It hovered low, red lights flashing, then slammed a crate into the dirt, dust bursting around it.
Albert's gut twisted. EvoTech didn't send drones here—not like this. The crate's side glowed with his father's sigil, locked tight with quantum runes. Whispers buzzed, eyes on him. Toren nudged him. "Your dad Fluxing us something?"
"Maybe," Albert said, stepping closer. His holo-watch beeped loudly. "Albert Jr. Faustin," it said, "delivery authorized. Claim crate."
He stopped, staring at it. The crate hummed, low and strange, pulling at the Coherence Bloodline in his chest. Students crowded in, but Albert's voice cut cold. "Back off. It's mine."
Sera raised an eyebrow. "What's in it, rich boy? Another toy?"
"None of your business," Albert said, sharp. He grabbed the crate's handle, its weight solid under his grip, and turned away. No way he'd open it here—not with every eye burning into him. His father sent this, sure, but Albert didn't trust surprises. He'd figure it out alone.
Rhyd's voice boomed across the yard. "Faustin!" The professor stormed over, gray hair wild, glare piercing. "What's that?"
Albert met his stare, cold and steady. "From my father. Just dropped. Taking it now."
Rhyd eyed the crate, then nodded. "Quantum runes. Old tech. Don't mess with it 'til I see it. Bring it tomorrow."
Albert gave a tight nod, hauling the crate toward the dorms. Toren trailed him, curious. "Lucky drop, huh? Bet it's something big."
"Luck?" Albert said, voice rough. "Feels like a hassle."
Later, in his small dorm room, Albert locked the door. The crate sat on the floor, its hum louder now, vibrating through the stone. He knelt, brushing the sigil. It flared under his touch, and the lock clicked open. The lid slid back, revealing a sword—long, dark, its blade shimmering like starlight trapped in glass. Runes pulsed along its edge, faint but alive. Aetherion. He didn't know its name yet, but the Coherence Bloodline roared, yanking him to it like a chain.
He touched the hilt, and a jolt hit—hot, electric, racing up his arm. A voice boomed in his head, deep and strange: "Wielder of the Coherence, your time begins." His breath caught, the world spinning. The sword fit his grip—too perfect, like it was his.
He gripped tighter, lifting it. The blade sang, a sharp hum cutting the air, and its weight shifted—light, alive, moving with him. He swung it once, slow, and the air rippled, a shimmer trailing behind. His heart pounded, a cold thrill breaking his usual frost. He swung again, faster, and the desk's edge split—sliced clean, wood falling with a soft thud.
Albert's eyes narrowed. This wasn't just a sword. It was power, raw and deep, tied to his blood. His father hadn't talked to him in weeks—guilt kept Albert Sr. buried in EvoTech. Why this? Why now? That voice lingered, heavy like a warning—or a hook.
Elara's voice echoed from earlier, bright in memory. "My Echo Bloodline's just at Cohesion—Phase 1. Can't match that." Mira's too, soft and cautious. "My Veil Bloodline's at Resonance—Phase 2. I feel it is hiding something." They'd seen the crate, guessed at it. They didn't know half of it.
He held Aetherion tighter, its hum steadying him. He'd stopped that rock—barely—but this? This was massive, a drone dropping it out of nowhere. Luck, sure—but luck with teeth. The room's air buzzed, sharper now, matching New Haven's distant flicker—glitches growing, tech failing.
Albert looked at the blade, its shimmer catching the dim light. Hassle or not, he'd take it. He'd bend it to his will.
PowerDistribution
Planetary Stage
Awakening :
- Beginner: (current shaky control, e.g., glass slide).
- Mid: (Aetherion boosts precision, e.g., multi-object binding).
- Late: (stronger raw power, e.g., stopping a barrage).
- Peak: (near-Cohesion control, e.g., binding energy briefly).
- Benefit: Enhanced reflexes (Mid), durability (Late), perception (Peak).
Cohesion :
- Beginner:(basic multi-target binding).
- Mid: (syncing object movements).
- Late: (larger scale, e.g., a wall).
- Peak: (stable control under stress).
- Benefit: Speed boost (Mid), quantum sense (Late), force amplification (Peak).
Resonance:
- Beginner: (energy redirection).
- Mid: (mid-combat precision).
- Late: (medium-scale feats, e.g., collapsing structure).
- Peak: (matching peers like Toren).
- Benefit: Reflex sharpening (Mid), energy absorption (Late), range increase (Peak).
Convergence:
- Beginner: (multi-target mastery).
- Mid: (large-scale binding, e.g., stopping a ship).
- Late: (strong control vs. Quantum Shroud).
- Peak: (near-planetary feats).
- Benefit: Strength surge (Mid), durability spike (Late), precision peak (Peak).
Apex :
- Beginner: (small reality bends, e.g., time stutter).
- Mid: (planetary energy manipulation).
- Late: (major reality shift, e.g., city-wide freeze).
- Peak: (full planetary mastery, leaves Terra Nova).
- Benefit: Perception boost (Mid), energy mastery (Late), reality nudge (Peak).
Stellar Stage
Galactic Stage
Universal Stage
Omniscient Stage