Chronos Elior
This is what I've been so eager for. Now that he’s agreed, I can finally take a peek into his Aether Realm by projecting my astral body into his core. This method, though unconventional, offers a direct glimpse of his potential, a far more accurate gauge than the academy's unreliable number scales for newly awakened. He’s going to experience it for himself once he makes it into an academy so I won't bother telling him the useless details for now.
Even still, seeing his fight was certainly a sight to behold. It was very amateurish, that’s a no-brainer. However, that change up in his energy I sensed, could not be ignored. Don’t even get me started with his raw talent while in a fight. I’ll look into more myself later, but for now, I need to see what type of core this kid has.
I go ahead and let Rai know what I'm doing, "I am 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 have yet to awaken you are 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 over your aura. After you awaken you don't instantly gain control either so it just casually hangs around and you could break things very easily just from your new found strength alone. Hence why you are then given a bind until you meet the standard to not need one." I know I yap a lot, but he seems to not mind it one bit. If anything he seems to be interested in everything I have to say.
"Okay, how does this lead to me awakening?"
Oh yeah, I forgot that part.
"So after I get a good look at what I’m working with we can begin some basic foundations with aura control. Which is half physical training and half you meditating to get a feel for your aura. I’m sure you know that some people are able to awaken easier than others and to be completely honest, it just depends on the person. I myself didn’t awaken until I turned 16. That was after trying everything I could think of."
He nodded, "Where does a revelation come into play?"
"A revelation is not something that I could just tell you to find, it’s something you feel on your own. Once you find a revelation that is the trigger to your awakening after you understand how to feel your own aura. So even if you had a revelation it’s pointless without knowing your own aura. Think of it like you getting a set on how to build a chair. The parts for the chair are the revelation and the instructions are your aura control practices. Trust me when I say, you will know when you are going to awaken."
"What was your revelation?"
I paused. I hadn’t thought about it in a long time. Such a nostalgic feeling just thinking about it. "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 for a bit 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 have heard it plenty all over. You haven't heard it from someone who has had years of experience with a greater understanding than a Green ranked teacher. This way of explaining it will help you visualize what you should be trying to feel for and give you a small idea of what is 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 as if it's 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 then begin to slowly imbue my hands with my aura ever so gently. I'm pretty strong you know, one wrong move 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 what I'm saying. My aura imbues his entire body with no problems. This is good, so far no issues. The next part is what will need a little more care considering it's the core we are 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 you abilities that can assist with other things not revolving around combat. It can help you become hyper focused, give a surgeon steadier hands and perception, allow doctors to give better diagnosis through aura techniques, physical labor becoming a breeze with greater endurance and strength, the list goes on."
My aura casually searches as if 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 did not 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 had me genuinely confused.
When you look at one's core after awakening you would see a geometric shape within the 3rd dimension. The vast majority have a sphere that represents a core. A few others such as myself have other types of shapes, such as 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 is without form or color. Kind of like a floating fluid. The Aether Realm is still accessible in this state, however, it's very fragile. All of this is normal, however, what I'm witnessing isn't. His aether core is fluid, yes, but it is constantly moving. It continuously changes shape, as if it can't figure out how to mold itself.
I would like to analyze this more but unfortunately, this isn't the time or place. And of course, this isn't my area of expertise, perhaps I should visit Selena. She would be frothing out her mouth the moment she saw something like this.
I speak once more, "I found your core. Here is what I'm about to do. I'm going to project my astral body into you. You will feel a little chill but don't worry it's harmless. I'll then create a link to your core, this will allow me to make my way to your core easier than trying to find it myself by floating around. When I create that link you will pull me towards it. Once I reach your core I will ask to be permitted to enter. I will walk you through how to do so."
He once again nodded. I closed my eyes and then 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. Doing this will allow me to enter his realm without harming either him or myself.
Within my core, a familiar thrumming began. Not frantic, but deliberate, like the tuning of a cosmic lyre. With each resonant vibration, I envisioned the sigils, ancient and potent, etching themselves onto the walls of my being. A gentle tug, a sensation of weightlessness, and my consciousness unfurled, leaving the familiar confines of my core behind. My astral form pulsed into existence amidst the swirling nebulae of my realm, a symphony of colors singing to my senses. Inward, I focused, willing the boundaries of my world to dissolve, like sandcastles melting into the tide. A crackle of energy, a glimpse of the other core, a distant ember throbbing in the vastness. Reaching deep, I drew upon the wellspring of my aura, weaving a luminous thread outwards. It stretched tendrils across the void, solidifying with each pulse of my intent, anchoring it to my will. Leaving my hand on Rai allows this process to be smooth and simple.
Silence descended, thick and charged. Every fiber of my being hummed with the effort, searching for the faintest tremor, the echo of a responding connection. The quiet stretched, each breath a held note, each heartbeat a drumbeat of uncertainty. But within the stillness, a flicker, a warmth, a tentative response. The link thrummed to life, a bridge built of will and spirit. As if emerging from a deep meditation, I opened my eyes within my core, the connection established, a path forged through the Veiled Between. The meticulous process, a symphony conducted entirely within, was complete.
"Alright Rai, here is what I need you to do. This warm feeling you have, you are going to treat this feeling like it's clay. You will 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." 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.
A hush fell over my core, anticipation settling like dust motes in the still air. The link, initially a wisp of potential, pulsed and strengthened, weaving a luminous path before me. It wasn't the vibrant gold of sunlight, but a cool, ethereal silver, casting long, enigmatic shadows. Curiosity, tinged with a hint of trepidation, urged me forward into the Veiled Between.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Stepping beyond the familiar boundaries of my core, I found myself adrift in an endless sea of stardust. Not a void of suffocating darkness, but a canvas brushed with whispers of light, each twinkling speck a silent question mark. Tiny embers, like sparks from ancient bonfires, drifted at the periphery of my vision, their gentle glow both mesmerizing and enigmatic. The link hummed against my chest, a comforting tether in the vast unknown. Yet, a quiet hum within me resonated with the embers' pulse. Their light, soft, and mesmerizing, whispered secrets held beyond the path's silver gleam. I reached out, fingertips brushing the cool mist of the path. The embers flickered brighter, their whispers morphing into a soothing melody, a silent guide song. Peace, not fear, filled me as I stepped forward, the silver path unfolding beneath my feet. I’ll probably tell the kid about this one day, but Selena would rather have the honor.
After some time the string of light from my chest begins to glow brighter and brighter. The string of light, now blazing like a miniature sun, reached an abrupt end. It slammed into a colossal wall. This wasn't the smooth obsidian of the abyss but a swirling tapestry of colors, vibrant yet somehow menacing. It pulsed with an otherworldly life, its very essence buzzing against my core. My hand instinctively reached out, drawn to the pulsing energy. But the warmth wasn't inviting, it felt sharp, charged.
Hesitation clawed at me. Me, hesitating? Panic tugged at the edges of my consciousness, whispering about being trapped, lost in this swirling tapestry. But the embers, once passive spectators, began to stir. Their feeble glow intensified, hungry, malevolent. I couldn't turn back. They wouldn't let me.
This is the point of no return huh?
It’s 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 isn't just potential; it’s raw and boundless, like a raging torrent held behind a fragile dam. There’s a tension to him, as if something immense is waiting, aching, 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 towards the wall. The moment I touched it, a jolt of energy lanced through me, searing and invigorating at the same time. The tapestry shimmered, its colors swirling 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 of light that rivaled that of the Salar de Uyuni flats of Bolivia. The pristine white salt flats shimmered not under sunlight, but with an ethereal, inner glow. Hexagonal tiles, each seemingly alive with swirling nebulas, stretched to the horizon. The air, thin and charged, hummed with the echoes of creation, a symphony of possibility and potential. But unlike the Bolivian marvel, 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, wispy tendrils of energy arced and danced, whispering secrets on the wind of nascent existence.
I was an explorer in a primordial landscape, a pioneer setting foot on a world just beginning to dream itself into being. This wasn't the unneutered aether core I expected, but something far more raw, far more… alive. A nascent consciousness stirred within the swirling mists, a presence both ancient and newborn, observing me with a curiosity that mirrored my own. Intrigue crackled through me, as exhilarating as the thin air. This wasn't the destination I planned for, but perhaps something far more extraordinary. In this unformed realm, a canvas of potential, I wasn't just an intruder, but a participant in the act of creation itself. The meticulous journey had led me not to a fixed point, but to the very brink of discovery, and the thrill of the unknown thrummed in my veins.
The world shifted under my foot, not with the tremor of an earthquake, but with the subtle flow of liquid silk. Where a moment ago lay a stark white expanse, a low hill bloomed, sculpted from swirling violet nebulae. Curiosity has me, so I walk towards it. As I approached, its luminous surface rippled, reflecting my outstretched hand back at me with an 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 before my eyes is something that countless individuals would kill each other over to have under their wing. This Aether Realm is not just a place of pure potential, it is something that not even I can comprehend. If he awakens, there is no telling what he could become. From my experience, aether cores are not supposed to be like this, not in the slightest. When looking through someone’s core this way when they’ve yet to awaken you would see something that is 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, their cores might be 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 maybe 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 not a common occurrence. 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 are as large as cities. If my eyes are just deceiving me, then 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 would be considered a genius. One that surpasses even most of the other many realms combined.
I just have no idea how to digest this. If anything, I’m trembling in excitement. So much so that I pace back and forth as the silk-like floor below my feet creates a dedicated path for me to pace around. After some time I came to a decision. With a final, lingering glance at the ever-morphing landscape, I wove my consciousness back through the link, retracting my astral form like a kite pulled homeward by an unseen string. The familiar tug intensified, pulling me away from the swirling nebulas of the unformed realm. The white expanse blurred past, colors bleeding into each other like strokes on a canvas being folded away. As I re-entered my core, the sensation was akin to diving into a cool, deep lake. The buzzing energy of the other realm subsided, replaced by the quiet hum of my essence. The echoes of the evolving landscape lingered, faint whispers dancing at the edges of my perception. My astral form dissolved, merging seamlessly back into my core.
Opening my eyes, I found myself back within the familiar confines of this world 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, anyways onto what I saw," I said changing the topic.
"Okay?" He gave me an unsure look but listened intently.
"It was… different." 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?"
"But also 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," you reassured him. "It just means there's so much room to grow, so much you can do with it. But 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 towards 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!” you announced, striking a certain pose that I cannot disclose due to copyright infringement and my lawyers would eat me alive if they caught me doing another JoJo- …anyways. “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 to not 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?”
Four faces stare back at me, each a flicker of a flame extinguished too soon. Each one handpicked was a burden of potential I carried with every sunrise and sunset. This kid, Rai, though... he's different. It's not just the raw talent, though that dances in his eyes like a familiar echo. It's the way he moved, the flickers of instinct that remind me of sunlit mornings spent sparring, laughter echoing through the training hall. This potential, untamed and fierce, claws at me, whispers of a promise long thought lost. I can't turn away.
This isn't just about honing skills; it's about rekindling a flame I thought forever dimmed. The way he adapts in battle, the uncanny way he seems to anticipate every blow... it's a mirror to a past I hold close, a reflection of a spirit I can almost touch. It's madness, but seeing that aura swirling around his realm, a vibrant tapestry, unlike anything I've witnessed fuels a hope I thought buried. Maybe, just maybe, I could finally have someone to carry the torch. Someone to understand the whispers of the aura, the secrets it holds. Someone to honor a legacy I thought forever lost.