The void shifted beneath Aestra's feet—or perhaps it was not beneath them at all, but around him. He had no ground, no walls, no horizon, yet the space felt heavier, more tangible than before. The pull had been sudden, violent, twisting, and then releasing him into the blank expanse.
He crouched instinctively, hood low, letting his eyes adjust to the emptiness. His pulse raced, adrenaline tingling through every limb. The black void stretched endlessly, pale and almost alive, waiting.
SYSTEM MESSAGE: "Trial Space 1 – LINK INITIATED. AESTRA, YOU ARE ALIVE."
The words hovered in front of him, glowing faintly, almost breathing. For the first time, the system acknowledged him, not as a player, not as an anomaly—but as something else entirely.
Astra flexed his fingers, and the mana surged through him. He could feel it like blood, coursing, alive, obedient. Shadow bent around his fingers like liquid smoke, curling and twisting, obeying every thought. Lightning arced in faint, jagged lines along his arms, illuminating the void with sparks that danced but never touched him. Ice formed in midair at his concentration, delicate crystals hanging for a moment before melting into nothingness. And space… the strangest of all, tugged at him subtly, stretching, compressing, folding, as if waiting for him to shape it.
This… this is incredible, he thought. It's… me.
He let the energy flow, testing it. Shadow coiled along his limbs, protective and sharp. A spark of lightning jumped between his hands, following his intentions. Ice crystallized on his palm, shattering with a thought. And the void itself seemed to ripple slightly as he moved, responding to his will.
SYSTEM MESSAGE: "BLOODLINE: WEAVER – LINK COMPLETE. MANIPULATION OF MANA NATURAL. IMMUNITY TO POISON AND MENTAL INTRUSIONS. AURA AND KILL INTENT DETECTION: RANK UNKNOWN. ELEMENTAL MASTERY: Shadow (R6), Lightning (R6), Ice (R6), Space (RANK UNKNOWN). SKILLS UNLOCKED: VOID STAR SWORDSMANSHIP – PHASE 1 (3 ATTACKS). PHASES 2 AND 3 LOCKED."
Astra's chest tightened as the words settled in his mind. Swordsmanship. Elements. Aura. Kill intent. Rank unknown. Phase 1 of a technique whose future phases promised untold power. The energy thrummed in his veins, coiling around every fiber of his being.
He tried a simple movement, imagining a sword in his hand. His hands moved through the void, and instinctively, the Void Star Swordsmanship responded. The first attack—swift, precise, flowing—manifested as a sharp slash of shadow-mana, cutting through the emptiness with perfect form. Even without a physical blade, he could feel the weight, the balance, the flow of the technique.
I'm not weak. I never will be, he thought.
The void pulsed faintly, almost approvingly, acknowledging his resolve. A few steps forward, and subtle lines of energy traced his movements. The emptiness seemed to awaken wherever he went.
Then, the first targets appeared: faint, translucent shapes, hovering midair. Abstract, almost dreamlike, but responding to his presence. The trial had begun.
He raised both hands, letting Shadow swirl around one arm, lightning crackle along the other, and ice form briefly at his palms. A deep breath, and he tested Space manipulation. The emptiness shifted slightly, compressing one area, stretching another. The sensation was dizzying but exhilarating—he could feel the void bend in response to him, a reflection of his own will.
Astra attacked the first floating shape with Void Star Swordsmanship Phase 1, the slash of shadow-mana cutting cleanly through it. It shattered, leaving a ripple in the void that quickly faded. He moved fluidly to the next target, launching lightning strikes that danced and arced with lethal precision. The third he froze midair with ice, testing control, before letting it vanish in a shower of shards.
The thrill was intoxicating. He had always been a silent observer, hidden behind his hood, unnoticed. Now, for the first time, he felt power at his fingertips, flowing naturally, instinctively.
SYSTEM MESSAGE: "Trial Start: TEST YOUR POWER. ADAPT. SURVIVE. THE WAR HAS BEGUN."
Astra crouched slightly, surveying the space. Even in its emptiness, the void seemed alive, waiting for him to act. He noticed something new—a subtle distortion at the far edge of the space, like a shadow not quite aligned with the rest of reality. His kill intent detection flared faintly, a prickling sense of danger. The void shifted again, almost teasing him, shaping a path for the first true test.
He moved forward cautiously, Shadow coiling protectively around his arms, lightning sparking faintly. He tested Space manipulation again, stretching the distance between him and the distortion, creating a subtle gap. His instincts screamed: the void would respond, always, but he had to control it carefully.
Astra smiled under his hood, black eyes sharp. I'm human, unchosen… but I am no ordinary human. I can do this.
He sprinted forward, the void bending subtly beneath his feet, three attacks of Phase 1 flowing seamlessly from him. Shadow, lightning, and ice combined in a single fluid motion, cutting, striking, freezing—an elegant dance of mana and instinct. The distortion flickered, moving faster, testing his awareness, and Aestra responded immediately, weaving Space manipulation into his strikes, anticipating movement before it happened.
The trial space pulsed faintly, acknowledging the challenge. It was no longer empty—it was alive, a canvas, a partner, and a test all in one. And Aestra felt something unfamiliar yet invigorating: excitement. Not fear. Not doubt. Pure anticipation.
This is only the beginning, he thought. The system, the bloodline, the swordsmanship… I've only just awakened. And yet, I can feel it—the power waiting for me. Waiting to become more.
Energy coiled around him, responding to his thoughts, obeying instinctively. Shadow, lightning, ice, space—all bending, flowing, alive. His hands moved like they had always been weapons, his body attuned to mana as naturally as breathing. The Void Star Swordsmanship was a rhythm, a dance, a promise of even greater strength.
The trial had begun, and for the first time, Aestra stepped into it not as the unchosen human, not as an observer—but as a Weaver, a being awakened, a force to be reckoned with.
The void waited, and so did he.