As the morning sun ascended, its golden rays painted the world in a vibrant glow, dispelling the remnants of yesterday's darkness. A symphony of chirping birds soared overhead, their melodious songs filling the air.

In a bustling small town, Lioran Stormrider sat alone at a worn wooden table, a small bowl of steaming porridge emitting a comforting aroma. With a heavy heart, he kept his gaze lowered, lost in his thoughts.

His pale, alabaster skin seemed to shimmer under the sunlight, accentuating his silver-grey hair that cascaded around his shoulders. His piercing blue eyes, encircled by a ring of silver, conveyed a youthful brightness, contrasting with the harsh reality of his existence.

Tragedy had plagued him from birth - his mother's untimely demise and his father's inexplicable abandonment. Left to fend for himself, he had roamed the unforgiving streets of nearby Kera for the past sixteen years, an orphan in search of solace.

Life had been far from kind. The town's children, fuelled by cruelty, had always been quick to deliver their blows, while the adults were swift to expel him from their stores whenever he attempted to snatch morsels of food. Surviving on meagre scraps and occasional acts of kindness, he had barely scraped by. But just a year ago, fate had taken an unexpected turn.

On a fateful night, he stumbled upon an unconscious girl draped in a flowing robe of black and red. Clutching a glistening, icy sword, she lay motionless in his path. Frantically attempting to rouse her, he was met with a bone-chilling revelation as he brushed his hand against her frigid skin. Perplexed by the indifference of those around him, he found himself at a loss. In a desperate act of compassion, he gathered her fragile form in his arms and sought refuge in the nearest hotel, pouring every coin he possessed into securing a room.

The accommodations were humble, but the bed offered respite, adorned with warm, inviting sheets. Tenderly placing her upon it, he watched as her body gradually regained its warmth, her eyelids fluttering open to reveal her consciousness restored.

"Wh-where am I?" she had asked, her voice trembling with confusion and a hint of fear. The surrounding room was dimly lit, casting eerie shadows on the walls. She anxiously looked around, searching for any familiar objects. "Where's my sword?" she continued, her voice growing more desperate.

"I have it right here," Lioran reassured her, his voice calm as he held up the weapon for her to see. The sword gleamed in the faint light, its blade reflecting a soft glow. The icy touch of the hilt reassured her, grounding her in the unfamiliar surroundings.

"Are you alright?" Lioran had asked, concern clear in his voice. But before he could react, something strange happened. The girl suddenly vanished before his eyes, leaving him bewildered. The sword that had once been in his hands disappeared, causing him to gasp in disbelief. And just like that, the ground beneath him transformed, covered in a thin layer of ice. The chill in the air sent shivers down his spine.

Shocked by what he had witnessed, Lioran quickly made his way out of the room, closing the door behind him. He leaned against the cool stone wall, his heart racing as he tried to make sense of what had just occurred. His eyes fell to the ground, where the ice had melted away, leaving behind damp patches on the floor.

"I'd recommend coming back in," the girl's voice echoed from the other side of the door, breaking the silence. Her words were gentle, calming his racing thoughts. "I will not hurt you."

Hesitant but intrigued, Lioran cautiously turned the handle and stepped back into the room. To his surprise, he found the girl sitting on the edge of the bed, her feet dangling above the floor. A warm smile adorned her face as she rubbed her hands against the hilt of her sword. The room seemed to be a lot colder because of her presence.

"Who are you?" Lioran asked, his eyes locked on her radiant face, drawn to her ethereal beauty.

"You may call me Aleria. Aleria Shuiji is my full name," the girl responded, her voice carrying a melodic tone. There was a sense of familiarity in her presence as if they had crossed paths before.

“And what is yours?" Aleria asked.

"Lioran Stormrider," he answered, feeling a wave of comfort wash over him. The tension in the room dissipated, replaced by a newfound ease.

"Nice to meet you, Lioran," Aleria replied, her voice cold as ice, but still pleasant to listen to.

"Now, I'm quite surprised that you can interact with me. This can only mean one thing, you have a Spiritual Soul."

Confusion clouded Lioran's mind as he tried to comprehend her words. It seemed like she was speaking of a world beyond his understanding, yet there was a truth in her eyes that he couldn't ignore.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked, his curiosity piqued. He raised his hand, gesturing towards himself. "What does Spiritual Souls even mean?"

Aleria assumed the role of a patient teacher, her voice filled with knowledge. "It means that you are a spiritualist. Someone with a Spiritual Soul," she explained. The room seemed to grow colder as she spoke as if her words changed the temperature as she spoke.

"Spiritualists can connect with the inner soul of oneself. With a connection to the spirit realm, they can summon, bond, and command their Soul Spirits, gaining special abilities."

Lioran's mind buzzed with questions, yet he couldn't help but be captivated by Aleria's words.

"A Soul Spirit?" he echoed, his voice filled with wonder. "What's that?"

"A Soul Spirit is your soul, but formed into a physical object," Aleria elaborated, her gaze drifting towards her sword. "Like my sword, for example. It's my Soul Spirit, and with it, I can manipulate the surrounding temperature, changing it at will."

The room seemed to grow colder as Aleria showed her power. A subtle chill in the air. Lioran was left in awe, his mind opening up to the possibilities that lay before him.

"That's amazing," Lioran murmured. "But why are you here? I've never seen someone like you."

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"Well, the short answer is that I was attacked and nearly lost my life," Aleria said, shrugging her shoulders. "But the long answer is a lot more complicated." She paused and her expression changed, a mixture of sadness and anger.

Lioran didn't know what to say to comfort her, as he didn't even know if she was human.

"Anyway," she said, shaking herself out of her reverie. "Thank you for helping me. I can grant you a wish with the best of my abilities."

"You don't have to," Lioran said, shaking his head. He's been alone all his life and all he asked for is happiness and a place to stay.

"No, no, no. I insist. If it wasn't for you, I would still be unconscious on the street. I can help you unlock your Soul Spirit, but how far you go depends on your abilities."

"Alright," Lioran said hesitantly, nodding his head. "What should I do first?"

"You should meditate and open your inner mind. Then, when you have found your centre, look deep inside yourself. There, you will find your Soul Spirit."

Lioran was initially skeptical, but he could sense the truth in her words. As he took a deep breath, he closed his eyes and cleared his mind. Aleria's gentle touch on his back reassured him as her voice whispered in his ears.

"Relax and let me guide your powers, making it easier for you." Lioran released a profound sigh, allowing his body to unwind. He could feel a peculiar energy flowing through him, but he disregarded it.

With unwavering focus, he emptied his mind, expanding his senses. Aleria's power enveloped him, bringing a soothing calmness. He concentrated on his inner self, delving deep into his consciousness. And there, nestled in the recesses of his mind, he discovered a faint blue glow, barely perceptible. Yet, he knew it existed.

Merging his consciousness with the ethereal light, his mental landscape transformed. The blue radiance intensified, erasing the walls that surrounded him. Above, the sky transformed into a vibrant blue, bathed in the brilliant sunlight. The world around him teemed with life – verdant landscapes, towering trees, dense foliage, and flowing rivers. But then the scene shifted once more. The trees grew taller, the sky darkened, and a tempest brewed in the clouds. Lightning crackled, and a burst of electric blue light burst forth, illuminating the entire realm. And just as swiftly, the storm subsided, the clouds dispersed, and the world was bathed in a gentle luminosity. The air carried a warm, fragrant scent of blooming flowers and fresh grass, invigorating his senses.

The world pulsated with vitality. After a while, the vision faded, and reality returned. Lioran found himself alone on the city streets, the sun descending on the horizon. Aleria was nowhere in sight. He stood, surveying his surroundings. The buildings stood in silence, devoid of any signs of life. He treaded cautiously, unsure of his next move, until a voice called out from behind him.

"Is it real? Or is it just a shimmering mirage on the horizon of our perception, like a fleeting oasis in the desert of uncertainty, where truth and illusion dance together like the flickering flames of a distant bonfire, tantalisingly close yet always just out of reach?"

Startled, Lioran quickly shifted his gaze towards the origin of the voice. It was him, but there was something different about him. Lioran had an uncanny feeling that it was him, but the man standing before him had a completely different appearance and exuded the fragrance of roses. His skin was as smooth as silk, flawless and without a single blemish.

"Who are you?" Lioran asked.

"I'm you. I'm the potential you, but is that truly you, or is it akin to chasing one's reflection in a hall of mirrors, where the image shifts and distorts, leaving you questioning the authenticity of your existence?"

Lioran's annoyance grew as he listened to him speak. He was surrounded by a plethora of riddles and metaphors, none of which made any sense to him.

"Stop talking in riddles and tell me who you are!"

"I am Lioran, like you, but our essence diverges. I am boundless, ever-shifting, shaping my existence. I become anything I aspire to be. The constraints of identity are mere illusions." Saying that he changed his white hair to black with a pair of brown glasses over his eyes.

"See? I am whatever I want to be. My existence is defined by the limits of my imagination." He changed his appearance again, this time turning into a little girl with a pair of glasses and a school uniform.

"Do you understand now? I am whoever I wish to be. There is no limit to who I can become. And this is just a tiny glimpse of what I can do."

"But if you're me, then how can you be someone else? I can't become a woman, can I?"

"Of course not. You cannot be anything that you are not. You cannot be anything but what you are. However, you can choose to define yourself differently. You can choose to define yourself as whatever you want, but that still wouldn't be true."

"You're just making it harder." Lioran shook his head, his annoyance growing. "Who are you, and why are you talking like this?"

"For me to answer your question, you must see the truth yourself, but I won't tell you."

Lioran winced as a sudden, stabbing pain shot through his chest. The man/girl plunged the knife into him, and crimson blood oozed from the wound.

"See? You are the one that did this, not me." Saying this, Lioran's vision changed and found that he had the blade in his hands, it was like he stabbed himself while the other person changed back to the version of him with the boy with glasses, but he was very far away from him.

"How could I stab you from such a far range? Or am I close?" He asked, smiling. The blade vanished from Lioran's hands, leaving him momentarily empty-handed before it magically returned to the man's grip.

"This is impossible," Lioran murmured, clutching his bleeding chest. He couldn't believe what had happened; the reality of it was overwhelming. Despite the searing pain from the self-inflicted stab wound, he refused to flinch or move his arms.

"No, not impossible, merely improbable." The man said, and the wound on Lioran's chest vanished and he no longer felt pain.

Lioran's eyes widened in shock, his breath catching in his throat as he struggled to make sense of what had just occurred.

"Why did you do this?" Lioran asked. "We're supposed to be the same, right?"

"We are, but I don't know what you meant by 'Why did you do this?' As nothing has happened." The man said. "If you are looking for an answer, perhaps the question should be, 'What is true?'"

"What is true?" Lioran asked. The man just shrugged his shoulders, and Lioran frowned.

"So you will not tell me anything?" Lioran asked. As the man nodded his head, a faint whisper of wind carried him away, leaving behind an eerie silence.

"Wait!" Lioran's desperate cry filled the silence, but the man remained unseen.

Lioran closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He needed to calm down and think about the situation. He had no clue what was going on, but he had a feeling that it had something to do with the man he just met, which should be his Soul Spirit.

"I see that you're awake." A voice said from behind, and Lioran opened his eyes to find Aleria standing in front of him.

"Did you awaken your Soul Spirit?" She asked.

Lioran didn't know how to respond to this question.

"Well, I fought with my Soul Spirit, but it disappeared after talking a shit ton of nonsense and somehow made me stab myself... Wait, or did I?" Lioran was getting more and more confused as the minutes went by.

"Don't worry about it. I've seen many people fail, and I have yet to see anyone succeed on the first try. In fact, you're very talented if you got to talk with your spirit." Aleria said.

"Talented?" Lioran said, frowning. "I just got stabbed, and talked nonsense."

"Yes, but that's the whole point. Understand the meaning of his existence and what he is." Aleria explained.

"But why does he have to be so annoying?" Lioran muttered.

"Annoying?" Aleria raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, he spoke like a scholar or some philosopher."

"Oh, well, most people don't talk like him. Your Soul Spirit is a manifestation of your deepest inner self, and most people tend to not speak like philosophers. However, it's not uncommon to see a Soul Spirit talk like that, as it's usually the manifestation of someone who has spent a lot of time thinking and analysing their thoughts. So, your Soul Spirit is probably quite smart."

"So I'm not weird," Lioran said, relieved.

"No, you're not. Just keep practising, and you'll unlock it soon."

"Alright." Lioran nodded. He felt mentally drained and will go back to it when he's fully awake.