I wake up in a familiar bed, I don't remember it, but it feels like I have been here before. Looking around, I notice a sleeping Jathorn on a chair beside me.

"Jathorn?"

Jathorn raises his head sharply as he awakens.

"Huh?"

He looks at me as a smile creeps onto his face.

"Ah, Xavier, good morning. I have been waiting for you to wake up for quite a while now. Frankly, I was worried you would bite the dust, my friend. You were in this state for seven days, and we had to use emergency techniques to keep you from passing on. You're lucky to have that hand."

I look back at my mechanical hand, which had the upside parm opened and tubes connecting to it with fluid that traveled in and out of my hand. The only thing I can understand from this device is that it likely introduced the required substances to keep me alive.

I look around the room again as I remember how I fell into this state, and Harko is nowhere in sight.

"Jathorn, where is Harko?"

Jathorn closes his eyes as he sighs. He then looks at the ground. I can decipher from his expression that no good news are coming my way.

"I don't know, Xavier. When I came back to help you two arrive at the beacon, the only one I found was you, unconscious on the ground surrounded by countless void creatures, both burned and mutilated, but Harko was nowhere to be found. I fear that Harko will be gone for a while. Tell me, Xavier, what can you remember from that day?"

I can remember that thing, that void creature that allured me into a state of hypnosis.

"I can, Jathorn. I remember for once something."

Jathorn looks at me with a serious expression.

"Good. We need to know what happened to get a semblance of where Harko can be."

I then begin to explain what I remember to Jathorn. I tell him of the creature, the vanta spots, the sudden attraction I felt towards the void, the fight and how i fell unconcious.

Jathorn started to look concerned, looking me straight in the eyes.

He leans over in my direction as his tone deepens.

"Xavier, if your words are truth, I fear Harko is in trouble. That creature you saw that attempted to drag you in its clutches is what the light beacon protects us of. People call that creature The Herald. When its appearance is sighted, people begin to prepare for the worst. as far as I'm aware, it must be planning to attack the light beacon knowing its defenses have been made frail."

Jathorn raises from the chair he sits beside and looks at the door.

"I'll be back in a flash. I must warn the light beacon before the herald begins their attack."

He quickly rushes out, yelling someone's name

"Laven!"

The name echoes around both the building and my mind. This name is familiar, I feel like I've spelled this name countless times.

My neck itches again, just like the last time but the sensation is unbearable, without even thinking about scratching, my hand moves on instinct, scratching at my neck. As my hand scrapes the skin, waves of pleasure pulsate with an intensity that makes me dig my nails into my skin. Expecting pain from my nails piercing my skin, I find myself only in more sensations of satisfaction, the blood dripping from my neck glistens with purple accents, spreading down and climbing back up to what I believe may be the wounds my nails created. soon, the itching stops leaving me in a withdrawal from the satisfaction. without much time passing, Jathorn arrives back.

"Xavier, we have decided to train you, we will require your help if we are to be prepared against the Herald's raid"

Jathorn sits back from where he left, I want to explain the scratching, but my mind blocks me from doing so as if I were about to stick my hand in a fire, reacting on instinct to draw away, plus how can he not tell of this? is the wound not visible? i then look at my hand then back at him.

"Why is my right hand different from others? from what I've seen I'm the only one with such a difference in anatomy."

Jathorn gazes away for a second before looking my way again

"Unfortunately, Xavier, I am unable to tell you as to why your right hand appears to be different from those possessing normal limbs, but fortunately, you will acknowledge its meaning soon enough."

Shame, but at least the thought of being told the meaning brings me some relief.

"Another thing Jathorn, what is the void hive?"

"Well, the void hive is a collective nest of void beings which have a leader capable of hive-mind feats, harnessing control over countless void creatures. The herald ties to the void hive are unknown, but people theorize that it is tied to them, for after its appearance the void follows shortly after."

I wonder, are these void creatures all controlled, or are some of them capable to hold their own? if void creatures are acting on their own will, could there be reasonable ones?

"I see, if what you're saying is true, could there be void creatures with free will?"

Jathorn puts his hand on his chin, thinking about my question

"I am not sure Xavier, as far as we know the void has always been hostile to us and our history records tell of the void invading our world, doubtfull is a friendly void creature."

he has a fair point...

"I suppose you're right"

"Well, Xavier, is there anything else you want to know?"

anything else... I mean this whole world is unknown to me and the questions are only mounting more

"There are many, but one that piques my interest is: What is the Light Beacon?"

"Ah, the light beacon, well for starters, the Light Beacon is a home for those unable to defend themselves and a chance to counter the powers of the void, a sacred temple holding the light of a star that can be harnessed through your unconscious, generally called as dreams, on this topic, Harko is a person who has withnessed first hand the wonders of the star, they are the only one who tells of the star being alive."

a star to hold life, my fragmented mind knows of only a few things, but stars, for some reason stars seem to be a topic I remember a lot about, the fragments of what is left tell me stars are lifeless bodies of reactions causing massive heat and... something called gravity, what was gravity again?

"Jathorn, something clicked in my mind when you mentioned stars"

Jathorn's expression shows interest

"Oh? Have you found something the void did not touch?"

I nod my head

"I have, indeed, I seem to be able to remember information about stars, how they are able to produce heat, the reaction their existence produces which is something I've forgotten the meaning of-"

Jathorn interrupts me

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"Are you meaning gravity when referring to a forgotten reaction?"

I nod again, interesting to see him know of this.

he then explains to me the concept of gravity and how the cycles of the seasons are and why they are like that

I think a bit about what he said to make sure I got a basic summary of it then ask him

"Jathorn, I'm curious, how does this work?"

I point at the tube within my robotic hand

"Ah, The way that works is basically a way to give you everything to survive, this normally wouldn't be possible to normal people that don't host such a hand, we haven't found a way yet but maybe one day, anyways Xavier, how do you feel?"

Now that he mentions, taking a bit of time to focus on my body, I feel rested, and energetic.

"I feel energetic, I'm not noticing any discomfort or pain."

Jathorn breaks a soft smile

"Perfect, say, Xavier, since you are energetic, how do you feel about joining me and Laven for some training?"

The request brings some excitement

"Sure, it sounds like fun, and I'm getting excited from the request so it wouldn't hurt to train and learn about my potential"

Jathorn stretches a bit then points at my hand

"Let's remove the transfusion tube and we shall be on our way"

I lend him my hand, and he gently pulls the cable out, once it's out a bright cyan smoke spills from within, it seems to go down instead of floating up.

"huh?"

I thought I said it in my mind but Jathorn seems to notice my remark

"Interesting, isn't it? how magic can hold one alive?"

This smoke is indeed interesting, it matches my arm's bright cyan joints, I suppose this must have some connection to my hand's ability.

"Agreed, this makes me question how many more uses magic can have."

Jathorn stands up holding his hand toward me

"allow me to help you get up, your legs will be numb for a while from the time spent asleep"

I grab his hand and he slowly pulls me out of bed, I stumble as I begin standing up using him as a pole for balance.

"take it easy until your legs begin working normally, here, use this for balance"

Jathorn hands me a wooden staff that was resting on a nearby bed, I use it to slowly move my numb legs, letting the blood rush through them, soon the feeling of numbness begins to be replaced by a feeling I can describe as needles piercing my legs, It's unbearable to move them, so I keep my balance while standing in place, Jathorn stands idly by to make sure I won't fall.

shortly after I begin to slowly move my legs as the pain subsides, Jathorn then tells me to follow him, exiting what I think to be the infirmary I notice the sheer size of this building, in front of the infirmary, expands a long corridor, wide and the ceiling high, looking left and right expands 2 other corridors, there are some people walking around and some who stand guard, Jathorn walks along the corridor in front of us, I follow from behind.

Jathorn walks past the guards, near the end of the corridor it expands into a sphere that acts as an observatory, glass allows you to look through to the outside, and a bright light emanates from above, its warm and soothing, looking at the light source my sight is obscured, the amount of light it radiates makes me unable to watch it from the discomfort.

"quite the light, that which lights our beacon is none other than a star"

Confused by that concept, I ask

"A star to be used as a light source this close to us? how is it possible for it to not damage us?"

Jathorn holds his hand up as if holding the star from a distance

"There is much you have yet to learn Xavier, all in due time"

annoyed by the denial I sigh, moving away from the glass and following him further.

At the end of the corridor expends a staircase that leads outside, the staircase is long, pointing downwards in the shape of a spiral, Jathorn throws me something

"Catch!"

I catch what seems to be a crystal with my right hand

"what is this for?"

He chuckles

"Something fun, now follow me and do as I do"

Jathorn moves to the side of the staircase on the right to its border where a strange device appears to be mounted

"All you will have to do is strap yourself on the machinery like this"

He takes a spine-like strap attached to the machine and a pair of boots and then he hooks them on the border, he then connects the spine device to the border too

"Now once these are connected, you can ride the border all the way down, the spine will hold you in place so you don't fall and the boots will allow you to smoothly go down the border, but first give me your staff"

I give him the staff to which he opens a hole in the wall twice the size of the staff, he puts the staff in and closes the opening

"that will make the staff go down as we do, no need to keep on to it while we ride"

how interesting, the beacon has all sorts of intriguing stuff, I then follow his words as he shows me how to connect them properly, and he also gives me some optional hand attachments for the machine that allows me to speed up or slow down without as much effort. after I strapped myself in he does the same and begins a countdown

"I will be going behind you, all you have to do is let yourself slide down the border and control the speed with the controls I've given you, don't worry about falling as the spine was specifically made to keep you balanced, on the count of 3 let yourself slide."

"1...."

"2..."

"3..."

"Go!"

With his word, I let myself slide down the border, the speed accumulating from the downward slide gives me a feeling of excitement, I speed up a bit, the spine holds me tightly in place without trouble and the boots make a grinding noise.

looking behind me I notice Jathorn giving me a thumbs-up as he smiles, as I notice the end soon to come I begin slowing down, and at the end, I slow down to a halt without much trouble using the buttons on the attachments. That indeed was quite fun to do, I wonder if you can climb them with this too.

"How was that, Xavier?"

I give him a thumbs up

"it was interesting, it's a fun way to make an otherwise bland activity feel engaging, the sliding is smooth and the controls are responsive, I liked it."

He chuckles

"Yet another to agree that my invention was worth all that work haha!"

surprised by his words I ask:

"Oh? Did you make these devices? huh, I didn't expect you to be the creator of such apparatus."

He shrugs and then says:

"I may not look like it, but I tell you this, I've got the inventor's hands and mind, many argue I stole the idea due to my looks, but nobody expects a fighter to be also good at inventing things, but I suppose they forget the possibilities of the human mind."

He has a fair point, I agree. And so with that, he shows me how to put the device back for others to use and then continue on towards the training grounds, outside the beacon expands a field, similar to that of the abyss manor's flowers.

The field is white blooming not with crimson but a golden glow, Trees on the left with vermillion leaves and golden fruits, and even farming fields on the right hosting plants of different colors on a dark gray soil

Jathorn draws my attention, pointing next to the vermilion trees, a building resides with what appears to be people training, i wonder what will we be training.