Five years had passed since that fateful day. Five years since Elyra had left behind the ruins of their world, her heart heavy with the weight of loss, yet filled with a mother's unwavering resolve. The random universe she had chosen had become their refuge, a place where Nyvian could grow, far from the eyes of those who would seek to destroy him. The strange rules of this universe, reminiscent of an ancient RPG video game, had initially perplexed Elyra, but over time, she had learned to navigate its quirks.

This world was a place of power and hierarchy, where every being was measured by their "status." On the day of their Awakening, a child would be given their status card, which revealed their potential, their strengths, and their limits. For most, it was a day of celebration or disappointment, depending on the grades they received in various attributes-Strength, Agility, Intelligence, and so forth, ranked from F to SSS. It was a system that dictated one's future, determining their place in society, their worth in the eyes of others.

Nyvian had always been different. From the moment he was born, Elyra knew he was special, but in this world, that difference would be defined in a way that left her both proud and fearful. As the day of his Awakening approached, she couldn't help but remember Varyon's words, the last promise he had made to her before their parting. He had seen the potential in their son, and so had she, but she also understood the dangers it posed.

The Awakening ceremony was held in the center of the village they had made their home. It was a small community, isolated from the larger cities and far from the central hubs of power where status was everything. Here, Nyvian had lived a relatively peaceful life, surrounded by others his age who had yet to realize the significance of what this day meant.

The village square was packed with onlookers-families, friends, and the elders who oversaw the ceremony. The air was thick with anticipation, a buzz of excitement running through the crowd as each child stepped forward to receive their status card. One by one, the children held their breath as the card appeared before them, displaying their attributes in glowing letters.

Elyra stood on the edge of the crowd, her heart pounding in her chest. She watched as Nyvian approached the platform, his face a mix of curiosity and determination. He was only five years old, but there was a maturity in his eyes that belied his age, a depth of understanding that sometimes frightened her.

As he stepped into the center of the platform, the elder raised her hands, chanting the ancient words that would summon the status card. The air around Nyvian shimmered, and then, with a flash of light, the card appeared before him, hovering in the air.

The crowd fell silent, leaning in to see the results. Elyra held her breath, her eyes fixed on the card as the attributes began to reveal themselves.

Strength: EX

Agility: EX

Intelligence: EX

Endurance: EX

Magic: EX

One by one, the attributes appeared, each marked with the same rank: EX. It was a rank that defied the normal system, beyond even the highest possible SSS. A rank that denoted limitless potential.

The silence in the square was deafening, followed by a wave of astonished whispers. Then, as the realization of what they were witnessing set in, the crowd erupted into cheers. The villagers were ecstatic, their excitement palpable as they began to understand the significance of Nyvian's status.

"He's a prodigy!" someone shouted.

"A future legend!" cried another.

Elyra's heart swelled with pride, but also with a growing sense of dread. She had hoped for something extraordinary, but this... this was beyond anything she had imagined. As she watched Nyvian step down from the platform, surrounded by well-wishers and recruiters from the nearby schools, her mind raced with the implications.

The top schools from across the universe would come for him now. They would see in him what she and Varyon had seen, and they would want to mold him, to shape his future in ways that might draw attention. Attention that could lead to discovery.

Nyvian politely thanked those who approached him, but he did not choose a school there, as was customary. Instead, he made his way through the crowd, returning to his mother's side. Elyra smiled down at him, trying to hide the worry in her eyes.

"Did I do well, Mother?" Nyvian asked, his voice innocent yet tinged with a wisdom that always caught her off guard.

"You did wonderfully," she replied, her voice soft as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "I am so proud of you."

He smiled, a small, shy smile that warmed her heart. "I didn't choose a school," he said after a moment, looking up at her. "I wanted to talk to you first."

Elyra nodded, grateful for his consideration. "Let's go home, Nyvian. We'll talk about it there."

As they walked back to their small home at the edge of the village, Elyra's thoughts were troubled. She knew that Nyvian's Awakening would bring change, and now, more than ever, she needed to be careful. The decision they made now could alter the course of their lives.

Inside their home, a modest dwelling filled with warmth and the comforts of a quiet life, they sat together at the kitchen table. Nyvian looked at her expectantly, his eyes full of curiosity and trust.

"Mother, what do you think I should do?" he asked. "Everyone wants me to join their school, but I don't know which one is right."

Elyra took a deep breath, considering her words carefully. "Nyvian, you have been given a gift-a gift that very few will ever understand. The schools will teach you how to use that gift, how to control it, but you must be careful. Power like yours will draw attention, and not all attention is good."

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He nodded, absorbing her words with a seriousness that always surprised her. "I want to learn, to become stronger," he said quietly. "I want to protect you, like Father did."

Her heart ached at the mention of Varyon, but she pushed the pain aside. "Your father was the strongest man I've ever known," she said, her voice steady. "He would be so proud of you, Nyvian. And he would want you to be safe, to grow strong in a place where you can learn without fear."

Nyvian looked down at his hands, small yet filled with potential that even he did not fully grasp. "There's a school... in the center of the universe," he said after a long pause. "They only accept five hundred students a year, from all over. It's the best school, but also the hardest to get into. They already sent a recruiter to speak to me."

Elyra's breath caught in her throat. The school he spoke of was legendary, a place where the most powerful beings in the universe were trained. It was a place of immense prestige, but also of great danger. If he went there, he would be among the most powerful children in existence-children who would one day become the leaders, warriors, and protectors of their worlds.

But it was also a place where he could learn to harness his power, to understand the true extent of his abilities. It would give him the training he needed, but it would also expose him to those who might recognize what he was-a child of both Matter and Energy.

As she struggled with the decision, she felt a sudden shift in the energy around them. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but she knew it instantly. A familiar energy had landed on their planet. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly composed herself.

"Nyvian," she said, her voice calm but urgent. "I need to run to the store for something. I'll be right back, okay? Stay inside and keep the doors locked."

He looked up at her, concern flickering in his eyes. "Is everything alright, Mother?"

"Everything is fine," she assured him with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Just something I forgot to pick up earlier. I won't be long."

She left the house, her senses on high alert as she moved quickly through the village. The familiar energy signature grew stronger as she approached the outskirts, near the edge of the forest that bordered their home. Her heart pounded with both fear and anger. After five years of peace, had they finally been found?

As she entered the forest, the trees closing in around her, she caught sight of the intruders-three figures clad in the armor of her people, their forms flickering with the energy that defined her race. They were scouts, sent to search for her and Nyvian. The sight of them filled her with a cold dread, but also with a fierce determination. They had to be eliminated before they could report back.

Without hesitation, Elyra stepped forward, her own energy flaring to life as she prepared for battle. The scouts noticed her immediately, their hands going to their weapons as they recognized who she was.

"Princess Elyra," one of them said, his voice filled with both respect and accusation. "You've been found. Surrender, and we will take you back to your people."

Elyra's eyes narrowed, her energy crackling around her like lightning. "I will never surrender," she hissed, her voice filled with the fury of a mother protecting her child. "You will not leave this place alive."

The battle was fierce and swift. Elyra moved with the grace and precision of a warrior trained from birth.Elyra's energy crackled around her like a living storm, the air thick with the scent of ozone as she launched herself at the first of the scouts. The forest around them seemed to darken, the very atmosphere responding to the intensity of the power she wielded. Her movements were a blur, her form almost impossible to track as she closed the distance between her and her enemies.

The first scout barely had time to react before Elyra was upon him. Her hand shot forward, a spear of pure energy forming in her palm. With a swift, precise motion, she drove it into his chest, the force of the impact sending him crashing into the trees behind him. His armor, designed to withstand the most brutal of attacks, crumpled under the force of her strike, and his body slumped lifelessly to the ground.

The second scout, seeing his comrade fall, raised his hand, summoning a shield of shimmering energy to protect himself. But Elyra was already in motion, her speed and agility far beyond what he could hope to match. She feinted to the left, drawing his shield in that direction, before twisting her body and striking from the right. Her energy blade sliced through his shield as if it were made of paper, cleaving his arm from his body in a spray of bright, glowing blood. The scout screamed in agony, his voice cut short as Elyra delivered a final, lethal blow.

The last scout, realizing the futility of direct combat, tried to retreat, his body flickering as he attempted to phase through the dense forest to escape. But Elyra was faster. She thrust her hand forward, and the energy surrounding her surged outward, forming a barrier that trapped him in place. His form wavered as he struggled against the invisible force, but it was no use. Elyra stepped forward, her eyes cold and merciless.

"You were fools to come here," she said, her voice low and dangerous. "Fools to think you could find us."

The scout's eyes widened in terror as Elyra's energy constricted around him, tightening like a vice. His body trembled under the pressure, and with a final, desperate gasp, he was crushed, his body collapsing into a heap at her feet.

Elyra stood there for a moment, breathing heavily as the adrenaline from the fight slowly drained from her system. The forest around her was silent once more, the only sound the faint rustling of leaves in the wind. She had won, but there was no victory in this-only the grim realization that their time of peace had come to an end.

She knew she couldn't stay here. If this scouting party had found them, others would too, eventually. Her son's safety depended on her ability to stay ahead of those who hunted them, and she could no longer rely on isolation to keep them hidden.

Wiping the blood from her hands, Elyra approached the scouts' ship, a sleek, black vessel hidden among the trees. She searched their bodies for the access codes and entered the ship, her eyes scanning the interior for anything that might give her more information. The ship was small but well-equipped, clearly designed for long-range scouting missions. It didn't take her long to find what she was looking for.

In the ship's control room, a monitor displayed a series of energy signatures, all of them faint and scattered across various points in the universe. But one signature stood out, glowing brighter than the rest, pulsing with a rhythm that was unmistakably familiar. It was Nyvian's energy, and it was growing stronger.

Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at the monitor. The implications were clear: Nyvian was leaking energy, and it was this energy that had led the scouts to them. As he grew older, his power was becoming harder to contain, harder to hide. It was only a matter of time before others found them as well, and when they did, they would not send scouts-they would send armies.

Elyra's mind raced as she considered her options. They couldn't stay here, that much was certain. But where could they go? The answer came to her almost immediately, a plan forming in her mind as she recalled the conversation she'd had with Nyvian earlier.

The school at the center of the universe.

It was the most prestigious academy in existence, a place where the strongest and most powerful beings were trained. If Nyvian could get in, he would be surrounded by those who could help him learn to control his power. More importantly, the school was far from their current location, deep in the heart of the universe where it would be harder for their enemies to reach them. The sheer distance, combined with the presence of other powerful beings, might be enough to shield Nyvian from detection.

It was a risk, but it was also the best chance they had.

With a deep breath, Elyra made her decision. She quickly gathered what she could from the ship-anything that might be useful in the days to come-and then destroyed the vessel, ensuring that there would be no trace of it left for others to find. The explosion rocked the forest, sending a column of smoke and fire into the sky, but Elyra didn't look back.

She returned home to find Nyvian waiting for her, his eyes wide with concern. "Mother, are you okay? What happened?"

She knelt down before him, placing her hands on his shoulders and looking into his eyes. "Nyvian, we need to talk. I've made a decision about the school."

His expression turned serious, the worry lines on his young face deepening. "What is it?"

"We're going to try for the school at the center of the universe," she said, her voice calm and steady. "I believe it's the best place for you. You'll be able to learn and grow, and it will give us more time to stay hidden."

"But what if they find us there?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly. "What if they come after me?"

Elyra's heart ached at the fear in his voice, but she forced herself to stay strong. "The school is far from here, Nyvian. It's surrounded by others like you, with powers that are just as strong, if not stronger. It will be harder for anyone to find you there, and you'll be safe."

He nodded slowly, understanding dawning in his eyes. "I trust you, Mother."

She smiled, pulling him into a tight embrace. "And I trust you, Nyvian. You're going to do great things, but first, we need to keep you safe."

As she held him, Elyra felt the weight of the decision she had made, but she also felt a glimmer of hope. They would leave this place behind, travel to the center of the universe, and start anew. It would be a new chapter in their lives, one filled with challenges and dangers, but also with possibilities.

And as they prepared to leave, Elyra silently vowed that she would do

whatever it took to protect her son, no matter the cost. The battle was far from over, but she was ready to face whatever came next.