The night sky hung heavy over the forest, its dense canopy occasionally parting to reveal slivers of pale moonlight. Inside a small, secluded cave, Lucius sat cross-legged before a makeshift stove he had fashioned from rocks and sticks. The warm glow of normal fire—fire he had painstakingly lit without using his own flames—danced across the uneven walls of his shelter.
The cracked shell of the massive egg lay discarded near the entrance, its shimmering green fragments faintly glowing in the dark. On the flat stone of his stove, the egg’s contents sizzled, filling the cave with a rich, savory aroma.
Lucius leaned back against the rough cave wall, his arms crossed as he stared at the cooking meal. A faint smirk crossed his lips; it wasn’t much, but he was proud of the setup. His fire crackled quietly, and for once, it was under control.
He glanced at the stove, thinking about his abilities. When he used his own flames, it didn’t matter how small he tried to start—his fire always spiraled out of control, scorching everything in its path. Even solid rock couldn't withstand its heat. Using it to cook or make a proper fire for warmth was impossible, in fact, it would be plain stupid.
"Pathetic," the voice sneered, cutting into his thoughts. Its tone was mocking, dripping with contempt. "A week in this dogshit forest, and what do you have to show for it? A stolen egg? Hiding in caves like a rat? You’re wasting the power you have!?"
Lucius exhaled sharply through his nose, his jaw tightening. "I’m still alive, aren’t I?"
"Alive. Hah! You should be out there killing, boy! Every life you snuff out, every creature reduced to ash, will make you stronger. Their end is your beginning. You are not living unless you're killing!"
Lucius didn’t disagree entirely; he had seen the truth in the voice’s words when he razed his village. He could feel his strength grow as he burned everything, the power coursing through him like molten iron. But...
"I can’t fight them," Lucius said bluntly, interrupting the voice’s tirade. "These beasts aren’t weak villagers or scared peasants. They’d tear me apart before I could even think about using my flames. Or did you forget that I almost got killed three times last week? I know there should be weaker ones I can handle but I haven't seen any to actually fight."
The voice didn’t respond immediately, its silence was an unfamiliar sensation. Lucius smirked bitterly. "That’s what I thought."
Suddenly, the voice returned, its tone different, thoughtful. "Hmm... I seem to have forgotten something."
Lucius raised an eyebrow, his arms still crossed. "Forgotten what?"
"Close your eyes," the voice said, its tone taking on an unsettling command. "Focus inside yourself, boy. You’ll see."
Lucius hesitated. The voice wasn’t exactly trustworthy, and every time he listened to it, trouble followed. But curiosity gnawed at him. Why would it just tell him to begin focusing out of the blue? Was it for him to lower his guard for a powerful beast to emerge or was it something serious?
Finally, he sighed and did as it asked.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, centering his thoughts. At first, there was nothing but the crackling of the fire and the sound of his own breathing. Then, slowly, he felt it—a pull, a strange sensation deep within him.
When he opened his eyes, he was no longer in the cave.
The darkness of the forest had been replaced by an endless, shadowy expanse. Beneath his feet, black grass stretched out in every direction, and the air around him was heavy with silence. Above, the crimson star burned brightly in the sky, far closer than the last time he had been in this strange place. Its light bathed the landscape in a sinister red glow.
I remember this place. I was hear right around the time I got my power!
"Now do you understand?" the voice echoed, its words reverberating through the dark plane.
Lucius stared up at the red star, its crimson glow and furious heat spreading in the dark plane, realization dawning on him. "You’re... the star?"
The star chuckled, its visage pulsating with flames and power. "Indeed. I am the fire you called upon. I am your rage made manifest, the flame that will consume all who stand in your way. Now, it is time for you to wield me properly."
Lucius frowned, suspicion lacing his voice. "What do you mean by that?"
"Look within, boy," the star commanded. "Focus on the feeling you get when you call upon my flames. You’ll find the key there. Check your Runic Codex."
"My Runic Codex?" Lucius muttered, confused.
"Focus on this plane you are in, think of it as one single object. Even a book would work." it insisted.
Lucius did as he was told, centering himself on the familiar, fiery sensation he felt whenever he used his power. Slowly, a weight materialized in his hands—a strange book, born from the star's inspiration, bound in deep crimson leather that seemed to pulse faintly with its own light.
His name was etched into the cover in elegant, fiery script. He opened it hesitantly, the pages glowing faintly as he flipped through them. His eyes widened in surprise, taking in the strange contents.
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"What is this?" he whispered, his voice filled with awe and curiosity.
The star laughed darkly, its ancient tone heavy with satisfaction. "The beginning of your power, boy. Now read."
The words Lucius saw in the book were strange, almost alive. They weren’t written in ink but seemed etched in fire and shadow, flickering with every movement of his eyes. The content displayed was unmistakably not from his world.
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Owner: Lucius
EtherTags: [Loved Son] [Cool-Headed]
Etherion Class: —
Etherion Rank: Pawn
Nexus Soul: Fury Flare
Nexus Soul Chains: 3 (2 Remaining)
Voidlite Cores: 1
Soultears: 1/3
Summary:
"A feeble ember in a world of roaring infernos. Weak, spineless, and utterly pathetic—a coward trembling at the edge of annihilation. Were it not for the mighty flame that he is blessed with, this sniveling child would amount to less than ash. Pathetic."
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Lucius's brows furrowed as his eyes lingered on the summary. “What in the hell is this?” he muttered, feeling a flash of irritation. “A summary designed just to insult me? Really?”
The ancient voice in his mind chuckled darkly. "Do you take issue with the truth, boy? Or would you prefer a flowery lie to soothe your ego?"
“Shut up, I know you definitely wrote this!” Lucius snapped, slamming his hand on the ground beside him. He stared at the text again, feeling both affronted and strangely compelled to continue reading.
Still glaring at the words, he decided to try something. “Alright, what do these mean?” he muttered to himself.
"Just put your focus on what you want to understand. A description will appear for you." the star instructed.
Deciding to listen to it, he began focusing on the section labeled Owner.
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Owner: The master of this specific Runic Codex. His information is displayed to his understanding.
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Lucius tilted his head. “Well, that’s... obvious.”
The voice purred. "A simple start for a simple mind."
He ignored the jab and shifted his focus to EtherTags.
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EtherTags: Qualities or special attributes possessed by the Runic Codex Owner.
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“‘Qualities,’ huh?” Lucius said, narrowing his eyes at the two listed attributes. “[Loved Son] and [Cool-Headed]? I guess the first one makes sense, but cool-headed? After what just happened? Seems... generous.”
The voice chuckled. "Even the flames have moments of calm before they devour."
Moving on, he focused on Etherion Class.
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Etherion Class: The special path an Empowered has chosen in an attempt to reach the peak or depths of true power.
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“Special path? So I’m supposed to pick a ‘path,’ but it’s blank,” Lucius murmured. “How convenient.” He could feel the voice smirking in his mind, though it offered no further comment.
Next, his attention shifted to Etherion Rank.
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Etherion Rank: The strength of the owner's overall Ether and power. This is the general grade of power the user has reached under the rules of the realm.
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“Well, I’m a Pawn. That doesn’t sound powerful at all,” Lucius muttered, frowning. “Great. Just great.”
When he tried to focus on other sections, like Nexus Soul Chains or Soultears, he was met only with question marks. Lucius clicked his tongue in frustration. “And what about these? Why won’t they tell me anything?”
The voice chuckled again, its tone condescending. "The knowledge you want cannot be achieved without external influence. Grow stronger or seek outside help"
Lucius scowled at the book, flipping it shut in irritation. Still, despite his annoyance, he couldn’t deny that the strange Codex fascinated him. It was a window into something far greater than he understood. For now, he could only take small steps forward.
Lucius hesitated for a moment before turning his attention back to the Codex. He focused on the section labeled EtherTags, specifically on the tag labeled [Loved Son]. The fiery script began to shimmer, and the description emerged:
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[Loved Son]: The Owner was truly cherished deeply by their parent. The love shared was so profound and unwavering that it etched itself onto the Owner’s soul, leaving a mark of protection. This serves as a fragment of their parent’s care, shielding the Owner’s mind against the cruelest of the world’s torments.
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Lucius’s eyes lingered on the glowing words. He felt an almost physical weight settle on his chest as he read. His mother’s face surfaced in his mind, her gentle smile, her soft touch as she ruffled his hair. The way she always made him feel safe, even when the world outside was nothing but cold stares and whispered accusations.
“I wish I could have protected you,” Lucius muttered under his breath, his hands curling into fists.
The star broke the silence. "How touching. Perhaps you can write a letter of apology to her in the ashes of your enemies."
Lucius ignored it entirely. His heart was too heavy, and his thoughts too tangled to spar with the voice’s taunts. Instead, he whispered, “I’ll kill him. I’ll find that silver-gauntlet-wearing bastard and make him suffer.”
The words came out cold, resolute.
"Good" the star replied.
Clearing his mind, Lucius decided to focus on the other tag, [Cool-Headed]. Once again, the fiery letters reshaped into a description:
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[Cool-Headed]: The Owner’s upbringing has cultivated a remarkable tolerance for frustration and hardship. As a result, the Owner maintains a steady, light demeanor and a low propensity for anger. It is significantly difficult for the Owner to be upset or drawn into a foul mood, even under extreme circumstances.
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Lucius blinked at the description. “So... that’s why,” he muttered.
He leaned back against the cave wall, his thoughts racing. Over the past week, he had puzzled over the fact that he wasn’t seething with rage every waking moment. Considering what had happened—his mother’s murder, his own execution, the burning of the village—shouldn’t he have been consumed by fury? Yet he wasn’t. The anger was there, yes, but it burned like a steady coal, not the all-consuming inferno he’d expected.
Now it made sense.
“Guess I’m not destined to be the eternally angry, edge-of-the-world destroyer,” he said to himself, a bitter chuckle escaping his lips.
"Oh, don’t worry," the voice interjected smoothly. "Traits like this can be removed if the right extremes are meant. It’s all about balance, boy. Very soon you will be torching orphanages and roasting your enemies over a pyre."
Lucius sighed at the pyromaniac star. He would have given it a piece of his mind but couldn't be bothered. He wasn’t sure whether to be thankful for his level head or resent it. Either way, he had to keep moving forward.
Something stirred in him, a desire for answers. He focused next on the Nexus Soul section, specifically on the Fury Flame. He was sure that this was directly related to the Crimson Star in the sky and his powers.
As before, the Codex responded, words forming and twisting into view.
Lucius’s eyebrows shot up as he read the description. His heart skipped a beat as he absorbed the details, his expression a mixture of confusion and intrigue.
The firelight flickered in the cave, casting shifting shadows on his face as he muttered, “What... in the fuck is this supposed to mean?”