Atenyos stood still, the air around him still moving. His back faced his comrades as Iruim called his name. He turned to face Iruim and walked toward him, but suddenly, his knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground.

Thud.

"ATENYOS?!" Iruim shouted as he watched the boy fall.

Ipsum, one of his soon to be comrades, rushed over to check on him. He knelt beside Atenyos and confirmed that he had passed out.

"He's out. I'm taking him to the Guild's healers," Ipsum said, not asking for permission but stating what he was going to do.

Iruim nodded as Ipsum lifted the unconscious Atenyos and hurried him to the guild's healing room. There, one of the healers examined him and confirmed that he was merely exhausted, his body unable to handle his power output for some reason.

Atenyos was taken to his room to rest while the rest of the guild prepared for the welcoming dinner in his honor. It was tradition, even though there was usually more than one new recruit at a time.

"Sir, did you see that?" Kantara asked Iruim, his voice laced with concern. "How can he be that strong with that output? yet unable to handle his own power? What’s going on? A ring-bearer is always given a body capable of managing their output from the start."

"I don’t know, Kantara. This boy... he’s different. There’s something strange going on with him, and we need to figure out what. Did you notice his stance? It seemed... familiar somehow, but I can’t quite place it," Iruim responded thoughtfully, his tone calm, as though he was already piecing together a plan.

"For now, let’s wait until he wakes up. The healers said he should be up before the welcoming dinner tonight. Make sure someone is there to wake him and get him ready," Iruim added, his voice more professional now.

Kantara understood. This was Iruim’s way of telling him to leave, to let him think things through in peace.

Some time passes as everyone prepares to welcome the new ring bearers. This year, however, there is only one newcomer. Yet, that one person has stirred more interest and excitement within the guild than any other class of ring bearers since the legendary Kantara’s Wave.

Atenyos wakes up, hesitant and in agony from all the power he just exerted. The exhaustion he feels is like that of a man who’s fought a long battle or run several marathons, only he’s gained it all in mere seconds. His muscles and body are overworked, and healers stand by, working to ease his intense fatigue. Ipsum is also there, overseeing the process.

“Ugh, not this bullshit again. Fucking hell,” Atenyos mumbles, irritated to find himself waking up once more after passing out due to his rings and powers.

“Atenyos. I’m Ipsum, one of your comrades here in the guild. Nice to meet you,” Ipsum says with a warm smile to ease Atenyos’s stress. “You just passed out after that extraordinary feat you pulled off in the arena.”

“Now, you need to get ready for your welcoming party—or dinner, to be more specific. Everyone is waiting on you, newcomer! Hop, hop! Be quick. You’ll find clothes in your wardrobe; just wear whatever suits you,” Ipsum adds with an excited, joking tone.

“Welcoming dinner? Really? What are they even welcoming?” Atenyos grumbles, frustration clear in his voice. “It’s not like I want to be here. Damn it… Alright, I’ll get ready now. Please, just let me be and take the healers with you,” he says, adjusting himself on the bed with a resigned expression.

Ipsum nods, taking the healers with him, and assures Atenyos he’ll return in twenty minutes to escort him to the hall.

“I really need to figure this out. How can my output be so low, yet I have so much power?” Atenyos murmurs to himself in confusion as he stares at his rings and scarred hands.

“What are you? White and black rings, like opposing forces… Doesn’t the light only grant white rings? How did I end up with both? Why do I always have to be so damn different? I hate this.” He speaks to his rings, as if hoping they might answer him, but his plea is met with silence.

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Atenyos rises and changes into a black attire similar to the one he wore before, only less worn and torn. He waits for Ipsum to return.

Knock, knock.

Ipsum opens the door and leads Atenyos to the hall. As Atenyos opens the doors, he is met with something entirely unexpected.

Atenyos was welcomed by the claps and cheers of his newfound comrades. Smiles and excitement filled the faces of everyone in the hall, honoring him for the remarkable feat he had accomplished, especially in light of the recent controversies. However, a few smiles among the crowd seemed forced, hiding ulterior motives behind their facades.

Atenyos returned the welcome with a faint smile, still fatigued, his body aching. He took a seat as Kantara greeted him, “Quite the welcome, eh!” he said with a broad, genuine grin, clearly pleased that Atenyos had brought life and motivation back to the guild.

“Yeah, definitely unexpected,” Atenyos replied, rubbing his hair and smiling uncontrollably. For the first time in his life, he felt a sense of belonging.

Just then, Iruim arrived, joining them at the table. He welcomed Atenyos and congratulated him on the impressive power he had displayed.

“You managed to impress even the unimpressed, Atenyos! Well done,” Iruim said.

“Your stance back there seemed rather unique and somewhat… familiar. Strange. Where did you learn to fight?”

“My father,” Atenyos replied. “After he died, my mother gave me his journals. They contained training manuals and defensive techniques. I studied them as a kid—they were the only connection I had to him.” Atenyos’s smile carried a hint of sadness as old memories resurfaced.

“I see. It sounds like your father was an extraordinary man, Atenyos. You should be proud,” Iruim said, trying to lighten the mood.

“Now, let’s enjoy the dinner! No time for pouting,” Ipsum interjected, noticing Atenyos's unease and wanting to change the subject.

The guild celebrated, eating to their hearts’ content. Afterward, Atenyos walked around to greet his fellow guild members out of respect. He wanted no further troubles, as he was focused on understanding his power and avoiding unnecessary hassles.

When Atenyos greeted Mendr, one of the female ring bearers in the guild, his hands began to ache slightly. The rings on his fingers seemed to tighten, as if cautioning him about her.

“My name is Mendr. Nice to meet you, Atenyos. I hope we can become the best of comrades. You’re quite the showman—I’m sure we could learn a lot from each other,” Mendr said in a cute, innocent tone, smiling excitedly.

Atenyos, who was inexperienced with women, momentarily forgot the pain in his hands. He smiled back and replied, “Of course. It would be an honor,” trying to appear nonchalant.

As the hours passed and the evening wound down, Iruim made an announcement. “Atenyos, you demonstrated great strength and skill this morning. Impressive and intriguing, to say the least. For now, I’ll assign you to the guild’s subsection, Higard, under the direct supervision of Kantara. I hope you’ll find valuable lessons under his guidance and with the incredible comrades you’ll work alongside.”

Atenyos looked over at Kantara and gave him a respectful nod.

The day came to an end, and everyone returned to their rooms, some drunk, others exhausted. Ipsum guided Atenyos back to his quarters, as he was still unfamiliar with the layout of the guild’s headquarters.

“We’ll start training at sunrise tomorrow, Atenyos, so make sure to get some rest. It was nice to meet you, my friend,” Ipsum said warmly, with a light smile at the doorway to Atenyos’s room.

Atenyos nodded his thanks, offering a faint smile. The word "friend" was rare for him to hear directed his way, and although he still felt cautious about forming connections, he let it be—for now.

He went into the room, took off his shirt, and sat down on the hard wooden floor. As he settled, the floor creaked beneath him. He crossed his legs and sat quietly.

"Time to figure out all this ring bullshit," Atenyos muttered, trying to clear his mind and focus. He closed his eyes, letting his mind drift as he honed in on the physical sensations of his body and his surroundings. Every breath he took, he could feel and hear; the faint creak of the floor as he adjusted himself, the steady beat of his heart, even the flow of blood through his veins. The room smelled freshly cleaned, with the scent of crisp air flowing in through the window, mingling with the earthy aroma of the gardens and forests that surrounded the headquarters.

Slowly, he began to activate his powers, attempting to channel the ring’s energy to reinforce his body in hopes of unlocking some new mastery or strength. The air around him stirred, the pressure in the room thickening as though he were underwater. His hand ached as the lightning marks etched on his skin grew darker and more pronounced. Dark energy, almost black lightning, seemed to radiate from his body. When he opened his eyes, they glowed a bright white, devoid of pupils or any trace of color.

The power felt luxurious, exhilarating, like his body was being immersed in the pure, cool waters that flowed from the rivers and waterfalls atop Mount Seran. The excitement was overwhelming, and in his thrill, his power surged out of control. The air around him whirled like a hurricane; the pressure intensified as if he were in the depths of the ocean. Pain shot through his body. Unbeknownst to him, his power was so intense that Kantara awoke, sensing the disturbance, and rushed to Iruim, who was already alert for the same reason. They quickly attempted to trace the source of the energy, while Atenyos, in agony, struggled to regain control. With a deep breath, he focused, calming the room as he collapsed onto his back, drenched in sweat, breathing heavily as though he'd just run a marathon. The energy vanished abruptly, leaving Iruim and Kantara stunned.

“What was that?” Kantara shouted, as if Iruim had the answer. “Was it him? Was it Atenyos? I’ve never sensed such a presence.” Kantara’s voice held a rare hint of fear.

“I don’t know. The only other time I’ve felt energy like that was from a gate—a powerful one, at that. Don’t wake anyone, but search the premises. Also, check on Atenyos and report back to me. I’ll be in my chambers.” Iruim tried to sound professional, though he was as shaken as Kantara.

Kantara searched every corner of the headquarters and the surrounding area, finding nothing out of place. When he reached Atenyos’s quarters, he found him lying on his bed, shirtless and apparently asleep. Satisfied, he returned to Iruim to report his findings.

“Did they sense it?” Atenyos whispered to himself after Kantara had left his room. “I’ll have to be more careful from now on. It seems I’m stronger than I realized. If I don’t want to stir up trouble or attract attention, I’ll need to keep a low profile. They only let me go last time because they thought the black ring was just for show—that my power output was minimal.”

He drifted off to sleep, still processing what had happened and what it might mean. Meanwhile, Kantara returned to Iruim to report.

“So, you found nothing, and Atenyos was asleep?” Iruim said, perplexed. “Keep an eye on him, Kantara. If my suspicions are correct, we’re in a very precarious situation. We still can’t fully trust him,” he added, his tone laced with worry, underscoring the gravity of the order.

Kantara nodded and took his leave, preparing himself for tomorrow, when he would once again train this peculiar boy.