The Veil of Creation

Sir Arras stood at the front of the training hall, his commanding presence drawing the attention of every trainee. His voice resonated through the room as he spoke, his tone both instructional and unyielding.

"As I've mentioned earlier, the second way to measure the strength of a Willholder is determined by what tier of Rodrak they can defeat. Unlike the Rodraks, Willholders are categorized into seven distinct tiers. Let me explain them to you."

He raised a hand, and sigils on the wall behind him flared to life, illustrating each tier as he spoke:

The Novice

Novices have limited mental capacity and lack clarity, which restricts their ability to handle more than ten basic sigils in total. However, they can only use one sigil at a time.Novices can only fight Seedlings effectively in groups of five or more, gaining real battle experience in the process.

The Adept

Adepts have a higher mental capacity, enabling them to control up to twenty basic sigils and three normal-tier sigils in total. They can use two to three basic sigils simultaneously, though doing so drains their Willpower significantly.Adepts can fight Seedlings alone and confront Young Ones in groups.

The Knight

Knights possess incredible mental clarity and capacity. They can manage up to fifty basic sigils and twenty normal or middle-tier sigils.Their abilities include boosting physical capacities, crafting basic magical constructs, and controlling elemental forces. They can use up to ten sigils simultaneously, regardless of the sigil tier.Knights can easily defeat Young Ones and hold their ground against Shifters when giving their all.

The Sentinel

Sentinels, like the Church Sentinels you've often heard of, have exceptionally high mental capacity and fortitude. They excel in magical constructs and elemental control.They can sustain an infinite number of basic, normal, and middle-tier sigils in total and wield up to twenty sigils simultaneously. They can also manage up to one hundred high-tier sigils.Sentinels can defeat Flamebearers and Whisperers, either alone or in groups, depending on their individual strength.

The Centurion

Centurions, like myself, can sustain an infinite number of sigils except for legendary-tier ones. We can wield up to one hundred sigils simultaneously.However, optimizing one's sigils is critical. Using sigils with opposing Wills simultaneously can cause conflict, reducing effectiveness.Centurions can defeat Stormbearers and Voidbringers in combat, though doing so often requires strategic precision.

The Paragon

Paragons are significantly stronger than Centurions. Their abilities far surpass ordinary Willholders.Paragons can defeat Kings if they give their all and are capable of stalling Sovereigns at their pinnacle strength. They are few in number and serve as the backbone of Orion's defense against higher-tier Rodraks.

The Harbinger (Demigods)

The Harbingers, also known as Demigods, are the pinnacle of Willholder mastery. Their mental capacity is so vast they can imprint sigils directly within their minds, bypassing the need for books or tangible surfaces.Their abilities include manipulating gravity, controlling space and time within specific areas, and creating nearly infinite possibilities with their sigils.Harbingers are the only ones capable of defeating Sovereigns outright. On all of Orion, only three Harbingers exist."

Sir Arras paused, letting the weight of his words settle over the trainees. The glowing sigils dimmed as he turned back to face them.

"This is the scale of mastery. Your strength, your clarity, and your resolve will determine where you stand. But remember: your Will must grow alongside your capacity."

He then continued, "Once a sigil is drawn, your Will is imprinted upon it," he continued. "Your intent binds to the sigil, shaping its purpose. However, you are not without options when reaching your limits. To surpass the constraints of your mental capacity, you must either refine your Will and intent, ascending to a higher tier, or reclaim the Will invested in existing sigils."

He began to pace, his voice steady but firm. "Reclaiming your Will is not inherently difficult, but it requires focus and precision. It is the reverse of imprinting your intent. Instead of projecting your Will outward, you must guide it inward—retracing the energy flow from the sigil back into your core. A steady hand and a clear mind are vital to avoid destabilizing your thoughts or clarity."

The trainees nodded thoughtfully, their brows furrowed in concentration. Under Sir Arras's guidance, they began reclaiming the Will they had invested in their protection sigils from the previous day.

Under Sir Arras's guidance, they learned the process, gradually unraveling their intent from the sigils and drawing their Will back into themselves. It was an exercise in control and focus, a foundational step for any Willholder.

Afterward, Sir Arras introduced the concept of the mental place. "To strengthen your Willpower, you must master the art of Visualization," he said. "By directing your Willpower into your mind, you can enter a state of wakeful dreaming. This space, often called the mental place, is where you can shape reality using your intent. The more vivid your creations, the stronger your Willpower becomes."

He paused, letting the weight of his words settle over the trainees. "It is said that the dream space of a Harbinger is indistinguishable from reality itself. This is what enables them to engrave sigils directly into their minds. Yet, the Harbingers have never confirmed this, guarding it as a sacred secret. Many have criticized their silence, especially given humanity's relentless struggles against the Rodraks. Still, whatever the truth may be, this ability remains cloaked in mystery."

He scanned the room, his gaze sharp and steady. "What is certain is that every individual's mental place is unique. It is said to reflect their potential as a Willholder. The larger and more intricate your mental place, the greater your potential. But remember: size alone does not determine strength, for each mental place possesses unique characteristics. You must explore and understand your own."

Following Sir Arras's instructions, Tyrese closed his eyes and focused, channeling his Willpower into his mind. Slowly, he felt the waking world fade away, replaced by something new.

When his senses adjusted, he gasped, his heart racing with shock and fear. His mental place was unlike anything he had expected—it was a lesser version of the Lost Sanctuary, the ancient, crumbling palace hidden deep within the Ancient Forest.

The sanctuary in Tyrese's mind was incomplete, as if still under construction. Its towering pillars and intricate carvings hinted at its future grandeur, but it was far from finished. Even so, its resemblance to the real Lost Sanctuary was unmistakable, and the sight of it sent a chill down Tyrese's spine.

His concentration wavered, and he was pulled back into the waking world. Gasping for breath, he clutched his knees, sweat beading on his forehead. It took him several minutes to calm himself enough to re-enter his mental place.

As he dived back in, Sir Arras watched him from afar, his eyes flickering with a hint of apprehension. Yet, it was clear his thoughts were elsewhere. His gaze seemed unfocused, as if preoccupied with something beyond the training hall.