Ascendants

Chronos Elior

This is what I've been eager for. Now that he's agreed, I can finally peek into his Aether Realm by projecting my astral body into his core. This method, though unconventional, offers a direct glimpse of his potential. Far more accurate than the academy's unreliable number scales for newly awakened.

He'll experience it himself once he makes it into an academy, so I won't bother with useless details for now.

Even still, seeing his fight was certainly a sight. Amateurish, that's a no-brainer. However, that change in his energy I sensed couldn't be ignored.

Don't get me started on his raw talent while fighting. I'll look into this more later, but for now, I need to see what type of core this kid has.

I let Rai know what I'm doing. "I'm going to take a peek into your Aether Realm."

He turned to me, giving a slight wince of pain. "But I don't have an Aether Realm yet."

"Of course you do, it's just not developed yet. Think of it like an empty bowl. You haven't put any cereal or milk in it yet. The cereal is your soul, the milk is your aura. The perfect dynamic duo.

Even undeveloped, your Aether Realm holds clues to your potential and the aura you've been unconsciously building over the years. Just in case you weren't aware, even though you haven't awakened, you're giving off an ambient aura as we speak. It's very faint, but it's enough to tell me, an Ascendant, that you aren't awakened and have no control.

After you awaken, you don't instantly gain control either, so it casually hangs around and you could break things easily just from newfound strength alone. Hence why you're given a bind until you meet the standard to not need one."

I know I talk a lot, but he seems interested in everything I say.

"Okay, how does this lead to me awakening?"

Oh yeah, I forgot that part.

"After I get a good look at what I'm working with, we can begin basic foundations with aura control. Half physical training, half meditation to get a feel for your aura. Some people awaken easier than others, honestly, it depends on the person.

I didn't awaken until I turned 16, after trying everything I could think of."

He nodded. "Where does a revelation come into play?"

"A revelation isn't something I could just tell you to find, it's something you feel on your own. Once you find a revelation, that's the trigger to your awakening after you understand how to feel your own aura. Even if you had a revelation, it's pointless without knowing your own aura.

Think of it like getting a set to build a chair. The parts are the revelation, the instructions are your aura control practices. Trust me, you will know when you're going to awaken."

"What was your revelation?"

I paused. I hadn't thought about it in a long time. Such a nostalgic feeling.

"My revelation was, 'The flame of my life shall not be extinguished.' Of course, my current revelation is different. I'll explain another time what I mean by that."

He pondered my words, then spoke. "Okay, what do you need me to do?"

"Just turn your back to me and I'll walk you through what I'm doing." He did as I said and turned his back to me on the edge of the bed.

"While I'm doing this, I'm going to explain what exactly aura is. I know you've been taught the basics and heard it plenty. You haven't heard it from someone with years of experience and greater understanding than a Green-ranked teacher. This way of explaining will help you visualize what you should be trying to feel for and give you a small idea of what's happening."

He nodded. "Okay."

"I'm going to place my hands on your back and imbue you with my aura. No, it won't kill you like it would if I was trying to boost your healing factor. Instead, I'm allowing it to flow naturally, like a gentle gust of wind."

He nodded as I placed my hands on his bare back. The kid has no muscle definition, that's for sure. He isn't scrawny per se, he has some meat on him, but that's it. The rest is either fat or undeveloped muscle.

With those thoughts gone, I begin to slowly imbue my hands with my aura ever so gently. I'm pretty strong, you know, one wrong move and I'll split him in half.

I began speaking to him. "Aura is the energy within all living things. It's an invisible, ethereal energy that permeates every aspect of living creatures, from the smallest microbe to the most powerful dragon. It is the essence of life itself, and those who learn to harness its power can unlock incredible abilities and achieve great feats."

I allow my aura to flow into him and search for his aether core. I wait for the boy to digest what I'm saying, giving him time to visualize. My aura imbues his entire body with no problems. This is good, no issues so far.

The next part needs more care considering it's the core we're talking about. Tampering with an undeveloped core is extremely dangerous, and the slightest mistake could cause irreparable damage.

"The power of aura is said to be limitless, allowing those who harness it to achieve extraordinary feats of strength, speed, agility, endurance, and even prolonging your lifespan. It also grants abilities that assist with things not revolving around combat. It can help you become hyper-focused, give a surgeon steadier hands and perception, allow doctors to give better diagnoses through aura techniques, make physical labor a breeze with greater endurance and strength... the list goes on."

My aura casually searches, surfing around his body. Interestingly enough, my aura reacts relatively well to his. It flows almost instinctively with him. Has he had training before? No, he couldn't have. If anything, it seems his body is attuned to aura.

My curiosity got the better of me as I slightly increased the amount I was outputting. To my surprise, he didn't react. The amount I was outputting should have been enough to at least make him uncomfortable and move around, but nothing. I shouldn't push anymore. Maybe another time I can test him properly.

For now, back to the task at hand. I continued to feel around where one's core usually resides, and I found it. Now this genuinely confused me.

When you look at one's core after awakening, you'd see a geometric shape within the third dimension. The vast majority have a sphere representing a core. A few others, such as myself, have other shapes, cubes or other prisms. Not to mention the myriad of colors they could be.

When you look at someone who isn't awakened yet, it's without form or color, like floating fluid. The Aether Realm is still accessible in this state, but it's very fragile. All of this is normal.

However, what I'm witnessing isn't. His aether core is fluid, yes, but it's constantly moving. It continuously changes shape, as if it can't figure out how to mold itself.

I'd like to analyze this more, but unfortunately, this isn't the time or place. And this isn't my area of expertise, perhaps I should visit Selena.

She'd be frothing at the mouth the moment she saw something like this.

I speak once more. "I found your core. Here's what I'm about to do. I'm going to project my astral body into you. You'll feel a little chill, but don't worry, it's harmless. I'll then create a link to your core, allowing me to reach it easier than trying to find it by floating around.

When I create that link, you'll pull me toward it. Once I reach your core, I'll ask to be permitted to enter. I'll walk you through how to do so."

He nodded again. I closed my eyes and began the process of projecting my astral body to traverse the Veiled Between. My astral body is essentially a projection of the soul, so I'm able to go beyond this physical plane.

This will allow me to enter his realm without harming either him or myself.

Within my core, a familiar thrumming began. Deliberate and steady. I focused on the sigils, etching them onto the walls of my core. A gentle tug, a sensation of weightlessness, and my consciousness separated from my physical body.

My astral form materialized in my realm.

I focused inward, dissolving the boundaries of my realm. Energy crackled, and I glimpsed the other core—a distant ember in the void. I drew upon my aura and wove a luminous thread outward. It stretched across the void, solidifying as I anchored it to my will.

Leaving my hand on Rai allows this process to be smooth and simple.

Silence fell. I concentrated, searching for any response. The quiet stretched, each heartbeat loud in my ears.

A flicker. Warmth. A tentative response. The link activated—a bridge between our cores. I opened my eyes within my core, feeling the connection solidify through the Veiled Between.

The process was complete.

"Alright, Rai, here's what I need you to do. This warm feeling you have. You're going to treat this feeling like it's clay. You'll use this to mold what I describe as you see fit. Now, imagine yourself in a room with a single door in front of you. Tell me what you see and hear."

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I patiently wait for a response.

"I see it," he spoke softly. "I see a very large door in front of me."

A large door? Quite the imaginative one.

I request to access his core.

He spoke again. "I hear someone knocking."

Yes, that's it.

"Walk forward and open it," I said.

Anticipation settled over my core. The link pulsed and strengthened, forming a path before me. Silver light cast shadows around me.

I stepped forward into the Veiled Between.

Beyond my core's boundaries, I found myself in an endless expanse of stardust. Tiny embers drifted at the edges of my vision, glowing softly.

The link hummed against my chest, a tether in the vast space.

The embers pulsed in rhythm with my core. I reached out and brushed my fingertips against the cool mist of the path. The embers brightened in response.

I stepped forward along the silver path, following the link's pull. I'll probably tell the kid about this one day, but Selena would rather have the honor.

The string of light blazed brighter as I followed it. Eventually, it reached an end, slamming into a massive wall. Colors swirled across its surface, pulsing with energy that buzzed against my core.

I reached out toward the pulsing energy. The warmth felt sharp and charged.

Hesitation hit me. Me, hesitating? Something about this entrance felt wrong. Even though I'm invited, the realm is trying to intimidate me. The embers around me began to stir, their glow intensifying with what looked like hunger.

I couldn't turn back. They wouldn't let me.

This is the point of no return, huh?

Strange, I've never experienced this kind of entrance before. Even though I'm invited, it's still trying to intimidate me. This boy... he defies every expectation. What lies within him is raw and powerful, like something massive being held back.

There's a tension to him, as if something is waiting to break free.

I focused on the link, on the reassuring tug guiding me forward. Then, with a resolute clench of my being, I stepped toward the wall. The moment I touched it, a jolt of energy lanced through me, searing and invigorating at the same time. The colors swirled faster, brighter, momentarily blinding me.

When my vision cleared, the wall was gone, replaced by a blinding vortex of light.

When my perception solidified, my eyes widened. Spread before me lay an endless expanse that rivaled the Salar de Uyuni flats of Bolivia. The pristine white surface shimmered with an inner glow. Hexagonal tiles, each alive with swirling energy, stretched to the horizon.

The air, thin and charged, hummed with potential.

Unlike the Bolivian flats, this landscape lacked definition. The horizon shimmered in constant flux, refusing to solidify into mountains or clouds. The ground, though seemingly solid underfoot, held a tremulous quality, as if the world itself were still deciding its form.

Scattered across the flats, tendrils of energy arced and danced.

I was exploring a primordial landscape, setting foot on a world just beginning to form. An undeveloped aether core, but something far more raw and active. A consciousness stirred within the swirling mists, observing me.

I felt intrigued. In this unformed realm, I wasn't an intruder, but a participant in the act of creation itself.

The journey had led me to discovery, and I felt the thrill of the unknown.

The world shifted under my foot, flowing like liquid silk. Where a moment ago lay a stark white expanse, a low hill formed, sculpted from swirling violet energy. Curiosity had me, so I walked toward it.

As I approached, its surface rippled, reflecting my outstretched hand back at me with uncanny distortion. My fingers seemed longer, more graceful, tipped with wisps of the same violet energy. Intrigued, I traced the contours of the hill, and as my hand moved, so did the landscape. Where I touched, ripples of color spread, transforming the stark white into vibrant fields of swirling blues and greens.

With each step, the world continued to adapt. The very essence of this place felt fluid and ever-changing, mirroring the potential within this kid.

This kid, just who is he? How has he not awakened yet? What is holding him back?

What I'm witnessing is something countless individuals would kill each other over to have under their wing. This Aether Realm is pure potential, something I can't even comprehend. If he awakens, there's no telling what he could become.

From my experience, aether cores aren't supposed to be like this.

When looking through someone's core this way when they've yet to awaken, you'd see something based on their personality. A calm and serene individual might have a core resembling a tranquil garden, a starlit night sky, or a calming waterfall. Dynamic or adventurous individuals might have pulsating energy fields, volcanic landscapes, or ever-changing storms.

I could go on about other examples, but this should give someone a good idea of what to expect from the average person.

When it comes to finding someone's potential, it's how large the place is from the start. Your Aether Realm grows as you grow, of course, but for it to be this large is uncommon. Even my Aether Realm wasn't this large at first.

Then again, some have a realm the size of a New York apartment, and after advancing several ranks, they're as large as cities. If my eyes aren't deceiving me, Rai here has an aura pool larger than most Violet ranks. If he had the same level of control as those in Violet rank, he'd be considered a genius, one that surpasses even most of the other many realms combined.

I have no idea how to process this. I'm trembling with excitement. So much so that I pace back and forth as the floor below my feet creates a path for me to walk on.

After some time, I came to a decision. With a final glance at the changing landscape, I pulled my consciousness back through the link, retracting my astral form. The tug intensified, pulling me away from the energy of the unformed realm.

The white expanse blurred past, colors bleeding into each other. As I re-entered my core, the sensation was like diving into cool water. The buzzing energy of the other realm faded, replaced by the quiet hum of my essence.

The echoes of the landscape lingered, faint impressions at the edges of my perception. My astral form dissolved, merging back into my core.

Opening my eyes, I found myself back in the room, seeing Rai sitting in front of me with his back facing me. While it felt like I was in there for a little over half an hour, to Rai only a few seconds had passed.

Time dilation is probably one of the biggest hazards and advantages to an Aether Realm. I can fill him in on more when he's ready to test it himself.

I take a deep breath of fresh air and begin speaking. "Alright, I got a good look. You can turn around now."

Rai slowly turns to me. "So, how was it?"

"You—are you human?"

He looked at me confused. "What?"

Waving my hand, I say, "Nevermind, you don't have any defining features of the other races."

He just raised an eyebrow. "What are you trying to say?"

"Nothing, nothing. Anyway, onto what I saw," I said, changing the topic.

"Okay?" He gave me an unsure look but listened intently.

"It was... different," I said, choosing my words carefully. "I have seen many undeveloped realms in my lifetime, but never before had I seen something as abstract as yours. Your realm... it's unlike anything I've ever encountered.

It adapts, transforms... almost breathes with your very essence."

Rai's eyes lit up momentarily, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Really?"

"Raw, unformed," I continued. "It reflects your potential, yes, but it's still finding its shape. Like a river carving its own path."

He frowned, the smile fading. "Is that bad?"

"Ha, not at all," I reassured him. "It means there's so much room to grow, so much you can do with it. You need to understand the current, learn to navigate it, before you can truly harness this untapped potential."

His brow furrowed in deep thought. "How do I do that?"

Giving a slight chuckle, nearly unable to contain myself, I answered him. "That part is very simple, actually."

"Really, how?" The boy's eyes beamed with light and excitement.

I stand up and walk to the door to my right. "Just one moment while I go and grab what I need."

The boy was shaking with anticipation, almost forgetting his injuries as he watched me walk into the closet, closing the door behind me. Bursting through the door, the boy flinches as a figure, bathed in the golden glow of the setting sun, strode dramatically into the room.

It was me, of course, my overcoat billowing behind me like a cloak. I may or may not have used a light crystal to make the room seem like the gateway to heaven for some extra effect.

"Rai, my boy," I boomed, my aura enhancing my voice causing it to echo off the walls, "prepare yourself! For I, the illustrious Chronos Elior, have arrived! And I bring tidings of destiny!"

Rai blinked, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Destiny?"

"Indeed!" I declared, throwing my arms wide. "Destiny, in the form of my tutelage! Witness, Rai, for the stars have aligned, the ancient scrolls have spoken, and they all point toward one undeniable truth: you, Rai, are in desperate need of a mentor!"

Rai's confusion deepened. "I am?"

"Desperate doesn't even begin to cover it!" I exclaimed, wagging a finger dramatically. "Your raw talent, your untamed potential. It cries out for guidance, for the wisdom of a master like myself!"

Rai looked at me and gave a slight chuckle. "And you, I suppose, are this self-proclaimed master?"

"The one and only!" I announced, striking a certain pose that I cannot disclose due to copyright infringement. My lawyers would eat me alive if they caught me doing another JoJo... anyway.

"I have traversed the cosmos, battled mythical beasts, and even danced with an Ancient Guardian (who, let me tell you, really can't dance for shit, but you didn't hear it from me)."

Rai snorted but was still confused. "So, you're basically... a legend I've never heard of?"

"Ah, a legend? No no no, the one who stands before you has surpassed even the title of legend. I would tell you my identity, but alas, I must withhold this information so as not to tempt you with my incredible exploits." I conceded with a wink.

"But more importantly, I am the key to unlocking your true potential! Imagine it, Rai, you, honed and refined, wielding your power with the grace of a Celestial and the ferocity of a corrupted Ethereal Being."

Rai shook his head and blinked a few times. "Wait, wait, wait. Are you being serious? Are you actually asking me to become your disciple?"

"Yes, of course I am. Why else would I make such a grandiose approach of giving you this once-in-a-lifetime offer?" I groaned in frustration. "Alright, enough with the theatrics. What do you say? Will you become my disciple?"

I've trained four students before. All dead now. Each one had real potential, but I couldn't get them strong enough in time.

Rai reminds me of them. The way he moved during that fight, adapting his technique mid-combat. I've seen natural talent like this before. It usually gets people killed if they're not ready for what's coming.

But his aura realm is different. Larger than most Violet ranks, constantly shifting. I've never seen anything like it in an unawakened core.

Maybe this time will be different. Maybe I can actually prepare someone properly. Get them strong enough to survive what killed the others.

I have to try.

Maybe this time will be different. Someone who can carry on what my previous students couldn't. Someone to honor a legacy I thought forever lost.