The Original Realm

Aldric perched atop a rock, his fur unusually ruffled, and stared at Luke with an uncharacteristic seriousness. "Alright, boy. You cheated, but you won. A deal's a deal. I'll teach you. But first," he said, his tone suddenly grandiose, "you must understand the basics of existence itself."

Luke raised an eyebrow, skepticism painted across his face. "The basics of existence? Sounds... vague."

Aldric ignored the comment and gestured dramatically to the air around them. "Advent. It's the essence of all energy. It exists in every being—plants, animals, even fools like you. Most tap into it without even realizing. It's what lets us survive impossible odds, push past our limits, or, in some cases, unlock abilities beyond imagination."

Luke crossed his arms, leaning against a tree. "So, it's like adrenaline? Or that 'flow state' athletes talk about? Where they're so in the zone, they're practically superhuman?"

Aldric gave a dismissive snort. "Adrenaline? Flow state? Hah! Primitive comparisons, but I'll allow it. Advent is far greater. It doesn't just push you to your peak; it redefines the peak entirely. And more importantly, it has two critical aspects: quantity and quality."

Luke tilted his head, intrigued. "What's the difference?"

"Quantity," Aldric began, pacing with tiny but purposeful steps, "is simple. More Advent means more raw power—faster, stronger, tougher. But quality? Quality determines how efficient that energy is. Someone with high-quality Advent can achieve more with less. It's why some warriors can break mountains, and others can barely crack a rock, even with the same amount of energy."

Luke frowned, digesting the information. "So it's not just about how much you have but how well you use it?"

"Precisely, you surprisingly perceptive fool." Aldric stopped and fixed Luke with a piercing gaze. "And Advent doesn't just enhance the body. It unlocks what we call an individual's essence—their unique power. No two essences are the same. They're as varied as the stars, ranging from controlling the elements to... well, my unparalleled ability to see and know things."

Luke smirked. "Unparalleled, huh? You sure about that?"

Aldric shot him a glare. "Don't start with me, boy. You've seen nothing of this world. Let me tell you this: essence is the very core of what makes someone special. And whether it's unlocking your speed, wielding fire, or..." He puffed out his chest. "...being able to see everything worth seeing, essence defines a person's potential."

"Alright, I get it," Luke said, scratching his head. "But if it's so important, why don't I have one yet?"

"Because you're as unrefined as they come," Aldric retorted, rolling his eyes. "You barely understand Advent, let alone essence. You're like a lump of coal dreaming of being a diamond. You need refinement, training, discipline!"

Luke muttered under his breath, "Sounds fun..."

Ignoring him, Aldric continued, "Relics also play a part, but we'll get to those later. For now, we have a destination—the elf kingdom. Lovely people, if you can ignore their insufferable grace and endless poetry."

Luke looked around at the dense forest. "So, which way is the elf kingdom?"

Aldric hesitated, his beady eyes scanning the surroundings.

Luke smirked. "Wait. Don't tell me the all-seeing Visionweaver doesn't know where he's going?"

A tense silence followed, Aldric glaring daggers at Luke. Without a word, the little creature turned toward a colossal tree—at least 10 meters wide and towering 80 meters high—and narrowed his eyes.

"Fine," Aldric said, his voice low and cold. "You want direction? Here's direction."

With a single swipe of his paw, a surge of power rippled through the air. The massive tree groaned before splitting at its base, torn free with a thunderous crack. The ground quaked as the tree began to fall, but before it hit, Aldric flexed his tiny body, spun, and hurled the entire tree into the air with effortless might.

Luke's jaw dropped as the towering behemoth of wood soared across the forest, its shadow blocking out the sun. Before he could process the impossible display, Aldric grabbed him by the collar, leapt high into the air, and landed deftly atop the massive trunk.

"We shall ride the tree," Aldric said flatly, his tone devoid of humor.

Luke stood on the massive trunk, unsteady from the sudden motion. His gaze dropped to the forest floor, where the roots of the fallen tree had torn through the earth, leaving a scar in the terrain.

He blinked, shaking his head, then looked down again. The destruction spread far and wide—plants crushed, creatures scattering in terror, the ecosystem irrevocably disrupted.

That's when it hit him.

Aldric wasn't just a sassy, eccentric ball of fluff. Beneath that exterior was a cruel, unflinching pragmatist who thought nothing of uprooting a 10-meter-wide tree and throwing it halfway across the forest for convenience.

Luke swallowed hard, his stomach twisting. Maybe, just maybe, the insults and sass weren't the most dangerous part of Aldric Visionweaver.