On several occasions, inheritors and transmigrants have confessed to hearing the voices of their patrons. Contrary to popular belief, this is not a symptom of nascent insanity or any kind of hallucination, as, after a series of experiments, we have confirmed their words to be true. We know that every legacy contains the will of its creator, but recent discoveries have led us to believe that it may also contain a fragment of their consciousness.
Interdicted research on the study of transmigrants and inheritors.
Doctor Jemila Helsarin.
Sector 6, Ragnarok.
----------------------------------------
Aodhán woke up to a slew of system messages all blinking erratically in a corner of his vision, and with a thought, he began to review them.
SYSTEM ALERT: EXTERNAL CONSCIOUSNESS DETECTED!
….
ANALYZING…#@$&¥…
ANALYZING…..0%.....
EXTERNAL CONSCIOUSNESS IS NO LONGER FOUND.
UNABLE TO ANALYZE EXTERNAL CONSCIOUSNESS.
SECURING IMMEDIATE MENTAL FORTIFICATION PROCEDURES…0%
…..
….
MENTAL FORTIFICATION UNAVAILABLE!
CAUTION ADVISED!
…
Congratulations! You have created an opening in your spirit. Glimpse---->Grasp---->Opening.
Opening: increases elemental control by 2.5%
Congratulations! Title upgraded. Stormborn----> Storm spirit.
Congratulations! You have successfully bonded with a familiar. Origin-marked title gained!
….
[STATUS]
Name: Aodhán Ashoka-Brystion.
Title: Neophyte, Storm Spirit, Bronze, Origin Marked.
Class: Evolved storm awakened: 99.9% (PENDING)
Tier: 18-26%
Skills {Innate}: [Storm creation and manipulation] [Lightning creation and manipulation]
{Other}: [Lightning surge] [Lightning beam] [Lightning descent] [Create constructs] [Absorb lightning] [Spear rain—Lightning] [Spear rain—Storm]
Bloodline: Nil
Glimpse---> Grasp-----> Opening: Increases elemental affinity and abilities by 2.5%
Techniques: perfect will imbuement (5).
Familiar: Dragonkin—Storm Fury.
Perks: psychic bond.
More perks may be gained as familiar grows and progresses.
….
Storm spirit: a title awarded to an awakened who has absorbed the essence of storm into their spirit. It is now much easier to enter the origin plane of storm.
Origin marked: A title awarded to an awakened who has successfully bonded a familiar. You have gained minor resistance to the chaos of the origin plane and will now be able to last longer within it.
….
“Wow.” Aodhán muttered as he read through the list of messages. There were so many changes and gains that it took him a while to get through them all. The most alarming issue was the external consciousness that had breached his mind, or, as he suspected, the mind fragment dwelling within his core.
He’d always known it was there; even the system had analyzed it to grant him the Lutian language, but it had never spoken to him before, and Aodhán had never expected it to.
The fact that the consciousness of Az, the psychopathic slaughterer and catastrophe, was embedded in his core hadn’t really been a source of concern for him before, but if it began speaking to him, then he was in big trouble.
He wanted to stay as far away from Az’marthon’s legacy as possible. The path of the crazed slaughterer did not much appeal to him, and he would rather die than walk down the same path Az’marthon had trod.
Aodhán dismissed the messages on securing mental fortifications but was a little worried when the system said he had none. Was his mind simply open for anything to walk in? If that was the case, then he was like a system simply waiting for a viral attack.
He concluded to read more about mental fortifications; surely there was a magical device or artifact that could veil or protect his mind. He scrolled through the other messages. Most of them were self-explanatory, and he was happy to see that his control had increased from 1% to 2.5%.
Considering his already astounding amount of control, that was a huge boon for him. He was a little surprised that he’d gained two whole tiers, but when he remembered how his spirit had been torn open and how the—no, the memory was too painful, so he discarded it and moved on to the next line of text.
He still felt injured, as if his spirit were bleeding, which wouldn’t surprise him. The origin plane was a place full of pain and madness, and he wouldn’t have survived trying to bond with a familiar without his necklace. Curious, Aodhán clasped the necklace to stare at it, and he gasped to see it glowing softly.
The necklace hadn’t changed physically, and even the space within it was unchanged, but the amount of storm essence swirling inside it was so thick and dense that Aodhán wondered what effect it would have on the cores within it.
Aodhán now knew the full function of the necklace, and he realized he’d been a fool to show it to the appraiser in sector 8. It was a miracle that the man hadn’t tried to steal it from them, but Aodhán suspected that the man hadn’t known the true value of the necklace either.
The origins of the necklace were still a mystery, but if there was someone out there with the ability to create such an item, then he needed to find them. He returned his attention to the status screen and grinned when he realized that the perfect imbuement technique had increased to 5. With his increased control, he was just a disaster waiting to happen.
He read through the titles, but they were all about him entering the origin plane, so he dismissed them and focused his gaze on the last line, his familiar. Aodhán smiled as a feeling of curiosity flowed into his mind, and Aodhán projected a feeling of happiness and contentment back.
Varéc was the best thing he'd gained from his journey into the origin plane. They shared a mental link, and even now, pulses of emotion flowed between them like a secret language. Even when he’d fallen unconscious, Varéc had protected him and his greatest secret by covering up the world tattoo on his back.
Aodhán sighed. He’d been careless in his need to claim victory, and if he hadn’t had Varéc, he would have fallen unconscious with the tattoo exposed for the world to see.
He dismissed the messages and stood up from the bed. A feeling of wooziness suddenly came over him, but just as he stumbled, hands reached out to steady him and lay him back down.
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.
“He’s awake!” Andrew exclaimed, and Aodhán scowled at him. “Of course I am. How long have I been asleep?”
“About ten hours, give or take.” Daruk replied as he raised his head and placed another pillow beneath it.
“Thank you for staying with me.” Aodhán replied with a sigh as he closed his eyes and waited for the feeling to pass. ”
“Technically, we were ordered to stay with you.” Andrew grinned. “Dude, you flipped the entire arena!”
Aodhán chuckled slightly as he imagined the arena’s reaction to Varéc. He hadn’t read much on familiars, but he knew they were extremely rare, so much so that they were considered impossible to gain below the mythic class.
His necklace had defied the order of things and had granted him, an evolved class, the ability to bond with a familiar. He really needed to find the origins of the necklace.
“How are you feeling?” Daruk quietly asked, and Aodhán opened his eyes to smile at him.
“I’m fine, just a little weak and disoriented.”
“Good.” Daruk responded as he tried to keep his curiosity in check, but Andrew didn’t share his hesitance. “What happened to you in the tower? One minute everything was normal, and the next, boom! You appeared in the sky seated on a flying dragon!”
A feeling of amusement flowed into his mind, and he chuckled. “He’s not a dragon; he’s a fury, and his name is Varéc.” In a lower tone, he added. “As for what happened, I’m not so sure myself, and I can’t really explain it.”
Daruk nodded as he accepted his words. “For some reason, I can no longer view your status screen; you’ll have to share it again.”
“Yeah, I want to share too; let’s all share.” Andrew suggested eagerly, but Aodhán shook his head and sat up.
“No offense, Andrew, but I’m only sharing my screen with my brother.”
Andrew’s expression scrunched up in disappointment, but he signed. “I understand; it’s not advisable anyway; I just want you to be strong like you, and I would really appreciate it if you taught me.”
“We’ll learn together.” Aodhán replied as he slowly got to his feet, this time maintaining balance, and smiled at them. “I’ll teach the both of you all that I know; now, though, I need a shower.”
He walked into the bathroom and turned to view the large tattoo that covered his back and arms. It was truly beautiful, and the fact that it covered the other tattoo was a bonus he really appreciated.
After a few more minutes of staring, he turned on the shower, and a few minutes later he stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, but came to a halt immediately when he found Rahim and Principal Malakov standing in his bedroom.
Immediately, a storm construct materialized around him in the form of his uniform, and the principal smiled widely.
“It seems your control has only increased after your ordeal.” The principal said to him as she glanced at the tattoo still peeking out from beneath his sleeve. After a moment, though, she continued. “Unfortunately, I was unable to congratulate you after your victory yesterday, but I want you to know that I am proud to have you as a student of this academy.”
“Thank you, sir.” Aodhán replied politely, and the woman sighed, staring at him for a moment before she sat down on one end of his couch and gestured for him to take a seat on the other end.
“My plan was to butter you up with gifts, but I think you’ll much prefer to know the truth of the matter.” She said with a sigh and continued before he could ask any questions. “News of your achievement yesterday have spread around the kingdom, and it is only a matter of time before the 1st and 2nd academy pay you a visit.”
“To lure me away.” Aodhán stated. He hadn’t really had the chance to think about it, but it seemed like a logical conclusion. Why else would they pay him a visit?
Principal Zatya was surprised to see him put the pieces together, but she nodded. “You’re right. The question now is what it will take to keep you with us.”
He didn’t need to think too hard about it, as there was only one thing he really wanted, aside from the bloodline, which he had yet to receive after winning the tournament. “I want to relocate my parents to the 5th sector, here in the capital. Do this for me, and I’ll stay.”
Principal Zatya observed him in silence for almost a minute before she suddenly smiled. “You will make a fine champion, Aodhán.”
Aodhán nodded soberly. From the principal, that was high praise, but champions were warriors, the strongest of soldiers, and Aodhán wasn’t sure that was a path he wanted to follow, although it didn’t look like he would have much choice.
Principal Zatya stood up, and a small wooden box covered in glowing runes appeared in her palms. With a smile, she handed the box to him. “This is the reward for your victory in the tournament. Congratulations, Mr. Brystion.”
“Thank you, sir.” Aodhán replied as he clasped the wooden box, which emitted a faint stream of energy.
“I’ll leave you to discuss with your coordinator.” Principal Zatya said with a look in Rahim’s direction. “There are a few things I must see.”
She disappeared an instant later, and Aodhán turned to Rahim, who was leaning against the wall.
“I sent your brother and friend to their respective houses; they needed to rest.”
“Thank you.” Aodhán replied and asked. “Any advice on how to deal with my newfound fame?”
Rahim chuckled. “Immediately you walk out that door, the nobles will come flocking, wanting to be around you. They’ll invite you into their circles, they’ll compliment you, and some may even go as far as giving you gifts. Do not reject them, but don’t let down your guard either.”
Aodhán cocked his head and asked. “I wasn’t expecting you to say that; after all, you’re a noble too.”
“Some of us aren’t as self-absorbed as the others, but this is your life now. Anyone who befriends you either wants something from you or wants to use you.”
“What about you, then? What do you want?”
Rahim shook his head slowly and smiled. “I might have been the best graduating student in my year, but I only rose to that position by the power of my mind.” He chuckled. “You see, I’m not much of a warrior; I have much grander aspirations, and mentoring a talent like yours will add greatly to my prestige and reputation.”
“Is that all? Prestige and reputation? That’s all you want?” Aodhán asked in confusion, and Rahim laughed.
"Oh, I would love to know how you bonded with a familiar at the evolved stage, but I doubt even you know how.” Rahim sighed and walked to stand before him. “There is much for you to learn about Aodhán, but one thing you must know is that in this world, a reputation of power is almost as effective as power itself.”
He smiled and continued. “When you step out of that door today, everyone will be watching, both students and teachers, measuring and gauging your abilities, searching for weaknesses to prey upon, but you can’t let them find any, because the moment they do, they’ll descend upon you like a pack of starving Rithclaws.”
Aodhán swallowed nervously and muttered. “Okay, so my first day of school is going to be brutal.”
“Very, and it’s only going to get worse when you absorb that.” Rahim gestured towards the box, and Aodhán twirled the box gently in his palms. He couldn’t sense anything from the glowing runes like he’d recently been able to, but he could tell that there was something different about them.
He observed the box for a few more seconds before opening it to reveal a translucent sphere double the size of his thumb nails. It shone and crackled with a reddish green haze that pulsed and undulated as if it had a life of it's own.
“I can’t believe I’m about to absorb an Epic-grade bloodline.” Aodhán whispered as he stared at the small orb in awe, but Rahim snorted. “That isn’t an epic-grade bloodline; it’s a unique one.”
“What?” Aodhán asked in confusion. “I thought we were supposed to receive Epic-grade bloodlines.”
“True, but you surpassed our expectations, and although the principal planned to award you a blessed bloodline, she couldn’t find any that suited you, so I recommended this one.”
Aodhán had stopped listening when he'd heard the blessed bloodline. He couldn’t believe he’d almost been awarded the bloodline of royals, all in a bid to butter him up and keep him in the school. Aodhán reevaluated his relevance to the school; apparently, he was much more important than he’d thought.
Rahim didn’t notice his lack of attention and simply continued. “This soul seed is called an origin bloodline because it’s essentially a blank slate. It’ll take on the affinity of your spirit, and for someone like you who has created an opening into their spirit, this—I don’t even know what to expect really, but I’m sure it’ll be great.”
Aodhán shook his head. “This is—why is it so important that I remain in the academy?” He was shocked at the lengths to which the principal was willing to go just to keep him in the academy, but Rahim chuckled.
“Like I said earlier, in this world, all that matters is power and reputation. You don’t seem to understand how rare it is to find a talent like yours—a person able to fight up not one, but five tiers above them. With your familiar, six or seven isn’t impossible, and you’ve only begun to tap into your potential. The principal will do almost anything to keep your name attached to the 5th Academy. I myself cannot pass up the opportunity because of the glory, prestige, and honor that will come from being your teacher. Do you realize now how important you are?”
Aodhán stuttered and shook his head. “That’s a lot of pressure; what if I don’t live up to your expectations?”
“Then you’ll become a very powerful elite, and I’ll still gain much from training you.” Rahim replied simply, observing him in silence as he gave him time to collect his thoughts. Aodhán’s mind spun as he processed Rahim’s words.
There was a long beat of silence as he simply stared at the soul seed in the box. Absorbing it would grant him power. He wanted that; that was the main reason he’d fought so furiously during the tournament. Did it matter that he now has people stumbling over their feet to please him?
Aodhán wasn’t a proud person; his beginnings were too humble for that, but as he stared at the soul seed in his hands, he felt proud of himself. He dispelled the emotion of unworthiness before it could take root and asked.
“How do I absorb it?”
Rahim smiled slightly, pleased that the boy was taking things so calmly. “Just like energy cores, you just have to will the soul flame into your body; it’ll do the rest.”
Aodhán nodded, focusing on the core instead of the river of thoughts and emotions swirling within him. He would sort them out eventually.
He clasped the seed in his palms, and his cells awoke. Like a school of ravenous fish, they screeched for the energy, urging him to absorb the seed into his soul and be remade.
Aodhán hesitated for a moment. “Will it hurt?”
“Not as much as it should, as your spirit is still too weak from your ordeal to put up much resistance.”
Aodhán nodded once again. He was doing that a lot these days, but the action seemed to suffice for most interactions. He observed the seed for a moment longer, hesitating, as a part of him still didn’t believe that he deserved such a gift.
“Go on, you deserve it.” Rahim urged, closing his fingers around the seed. Aodhán let out a deep breath and, without further hesitation, willed the soul flame into himself.
The energy eagerly rushed into him. It moved, not through his pathways nor his veins, but through an ethereal route that led to his spirit, and a strong feeling of disorientation hit him the next moment. Rahim was there to hold him steady, but Aodhán barely noticed as an intense heat bubbled from within him.
Varéc roared in his mind, and Aodhán braced himself for pain as the flame neared his spirit. Fortunately, Rahim was right, and the flame simply passed through his spirit without resistance. It grew, filling his spirit as it absorbed the origin storm that now filled his spirit.
The soul flame turned dark as it changed, and a moment later, pain lanced through his mind like a knife, and Aodhán instantly fell unconscious.
….