By the time I dragged my showered self into Reversa University's Grand Hall for "Flux History", a compulsory unit, I'm convinced my legs are no longer normal. Still, the place is massive. It's an ocean of first-years. At least a thousand of us are here.
I sat onto one of the seats, still panting from my earlier "arrow dance with death." Honestly, I should be dead. If I hadn't caught that first arrow, I would be dead.
A single figure strolled out onto the stage. He's tall, thin, dressed in robes so old-fashioned they look like they belong in a museum. Professor Daelrix is supposedly one of the strongest Flux historians alive. His face has that permanent expression of "I know more than you'll ever know, so don't even bother trying." He doesn't bother introducing himself. Everyone who played MoDS knows him as the lore historian. He just flicked his hand and the entire wall behind him erupted into holograms.
"Flux is not merely energy or potential. It is the mirror of identity itself. To understand Flux is to understand what you are, and what you might yet become."
The room turns silent instantly. Even the girl next to me who had been chewing gum for minutes stopped.
"There are seven stages of Awakening. Each stage represents not just strength, but alignment and how deeply your soul has reconciled with the nature of your Flux. The First Awakening is when you awaken your Flux and for the first time touch upon your power."
Holograms revealed young Fluxers clumsily firing off sparks, tearing chunks out of the ground, or fainting mid-ability. We laughed, myself included.
"The Second Awakening is when you are able to use Xana, the energy associated with Flux."
Images shift to young fighters forming cleaner fireballs, holding illusions steady, or reinforcing their bodies without collapsing.
"From the Third to the Sixth, it mostly increases one's own Flux and capability. And the Seventh? No one knows. It's a myth. Some say it is where mortals transcend, others say it is where they break. It's the line between god and human but blurred."
That gets everyone buzzing again.
"Flux divides into five categories."
Five enormous symbols flash behind him.
"Alteration Flux. These Fluxers are the shapers of reality. To touch Alteration is to edit the script of the world, even if only for a fleeting moment."
"Psyche Flux. These Fluxers are the masters of the mind. Memory, perception, dream, and thought, these are their weapons."
"Combat Flux focuses on the body as battlefield. Strength, speed, reflex, weapons and so on. If Alteration rewrites the world, Combat rewrites the laws of flesh."
"Elemental Flux involves Fire, water, ice, lightning, earth and nature's raw forces wielded by will. Sometimes they are gifted by lineage, sometimes born of trauma."
"And finally, Concept Flux, the rarest of the five. They manipulate not matter, not mind, not body but the abstract. They are rule breakers and walking contradictions. Be wary of them. Always."
Even I found myself holding my breath. Concept Fluxers are hidden from the world because if one is found, they would be researched upon. That's why no one knows that the Argemenes have the Concept Flux except the Twelve Houses.
"And remember this. Greek numerals measures a Fluxer's output. Ena, Dio, Tria, Tessera, Pente, Exi, Epta, Októ, Ennéa, Déka. A Déka Fluxer is unstoppable. Wars have been decided by a single Déka. This is the foundation of Flux. Forget it, and you will perish. Understand it, and perhaps you will live long enough to choose how you die."
And with that, he dismissed us.
The entire hall erupted into chatter as people whisper about "Déka Fluxers" like they'll ever meet one in real life. My legs are still jelly from training earlier so I did not even move. I just sat there in stunned silence, trying to figure out how I'm supposed to digest all that information before next week.
That's when a shadow falls across me. I look up.
Oh great. Verdamona Regenis is here.
She was standing there, her arms crossed and golden hair tied back in that slightly messy ponytail that somehow still looks intentional. She tilted her head at me as her crystal blue eyes narrowied slightly.
"You sure you're okay to be here? You were in the hospital not that long ago."
Of all the things she could've opened with, she starts with that?
"I'm fine. Hospital's boring anyway. Thought I'd risk my life dodging arrows instead."
Her lips twitched like she's trying not to laugh.
"Do you have time right now?"
That got my guard up. People don't just casually ask for time at this place unless it involves homework or soul-crushing responsibilities.
"Why?"
"I've got a combat lecture. Assignment says I need to pick someone in the university to fight with."
"A fight? Like… an actual fight? With fists and Flux flying around?"
"Exactly that. So, I picked you."
For a solid three seconds, I just stared at her. Then I managed to speak.
"Why me? What about Thales Erdict? He's practically glowing with 'pick me' energy."
Verdamona sighed like I've just said the dumbest thing in history.
"I met Thales yesterday."
"And you met me like, two days ago during the Chancellor's speech."
Her eyes narrowed into sharp slits. "Are you in, or not?"
"Alright, alright! I'm in. But just so you know, I'm not holding back."
"Good. Because neither am I."
I noticed everyone else in the hall had stopped moving. Dozens, maybe hundreds of students who were on their way out are just staring. Some of them are wide-eyed while others are whispering furiously to each other. Their expressions are somewhere between shock and confusion, like they can't quite believe what they just heard because Phaser, the "weird kid from the Abysmal House," just got picked by Verdamona Regenis herself for a spar. And instead of fawning or begging or acting lovesick, I'm just talking to her like she's a person.
I cqn already hear it in the whispers.
"Wait, he didn't even mention Lady Xaessiarerich—"
"Isn't he supposed to be obsessed with his sister?"
"Abyssal Houses aren't supposed to mix with normal people—"
That last one makes my stomach knot. I hate the name Xaessiarerich. Just how much of a brother complex did he have for hundreds of people in the university to know about this? And in three days no less?
I grit my teeth and forced myself to sigh instead of snapping at them.
"So, when does this death match of ours start?"
Verdamona glanced at her watch. "An hour."
"An hour, huh? Then let's get food first. I skipped breakfast."
"Food? Now?"
"Yeah. Pretty sure sparring on an empty stomach is how you die faster."
"Fine. But you're paying."
"Wait, what? No way, you're paying."
"You're from a rich House."
"Yeah. The bad kind, remember? Abyssal House. Means I'm morally bankrupt and financially stingy. You cover lunch."
She stared at me for a while before actually laughing .
"You really don't make this easy, do you?"
"Wouldn't be me if I did."
"Fine. I'll cover it this once. But next time, it's on you."
"Deal. We're friends, right?"
"Yeah. Friends."
And just like that, we walked out of the hall together.