Xeris studied the paper in his hand – his class schedule. He had already memorized it, yet his eyes lingered, as if the ink itself might reveal more than it did. He looked up, staring outside his window. The morning was soft and bright. The sun had started its ascent.
"Well the time has finally come. These last two days have gone by unbearably slowly." Xeris said to himself.
With classes starting, I will finally have access to all the resources available or at least the ones they are okay with us having access to. The library's delay was deliberate. Knowledge is power, and power is never shared freely.
Getting up, he dressed himself in the basic white robe that had been given to all of the students. Against his dark hair and eyes, the color was stark. His features were calm, his gaze deeper still.
Slipping his class schedule into his pocket, he left, closing the door behind him. He walked toward the main part of the institution. He soon arrived at the dining hall on the second floor, selected his food, and sat down.
He watched as more and more students entered the hall. Some of them were wearing tired gazes while others talked, seeming excited. All of them wore the same plain white robes as Xeris. Xeris did not talk to anyone, choosing to eat alone.
On the second day, some had tried to speak with him; he'd left without a word. By the third, no one tried again.
He had also noticed fewer students each day. Naturally. Those who refuse the order of power have no value. Better to cut them out quickly, like rotted stalks, so the rest of the field can grow strong. Such is the logic of control.
Xeris glanced at the time, leaving the dining hall shortly after.
My first class is called World Introduction and is on the third floor of the night side of the institution.
After a short walk, he stopped, reading the number on the door in front of him: Room 310.
Only three others had arrived, one of them the girl from before – the one who, like him, hadn't moved during the group selection. He took a seat at the back.
So it's that girl.
Fifteen minutes passed, and more and more students arrived. The instructor also arrived during this time, walking in and setting down his things by his desk.
"Welcome to World Introduction. I am Instructor Dorian," he said, setting down his things. His tone was calm but carried weight. "Because you are not of this world, much will seem strange. But by the end of this class, you should understand more than you do now."
With a flick of his wrist, an image appeared beside him: a vast basin, floating in darkness.
"This is an Aris," Dorian said. A basin of light hovered beside him, suspended in darkness. "Not in body, nor in mind – but soul. When the soul binds with one of the two great currents, Day or Night, the Aris forms."
The basin split, one half radiant, the other dark. "Day births Solyn, bright and vigorous. Night births Nyxa, cold and deep. Neither is stronger, only different."
Murmurs stirred, but Dorian's tone silenced them. "Once awakened, your Aris becomes your world. It gathers energy. It gives power. And through it, you will command Myr."
Once your Aris is awakened you will get new robes, black if your Aris aligned with the night or unique white robes if your Aris aligned with the day."
A few students started talking. Some wanted black; others disagreed, wanting white. A quiet debate rippled through the room.
An illusion of choice… These robes are meaningless. Xeris thought.
Finally, one student raised her hand. It was the girl that caught Xeris's eye earlier.
Instructor Dorian motioned toward her, saying. "Please state your name and then your question."
She stood, "Hello, I am Saela Veyne… I understand everything you have explained to us so far; however, I am still struggling to understand the connection between Aris and Myr. Would you mind talking more about that?"
Instructor Dorian smiled saying, "Yes, your question is at the perfect time. I was just about to get to that."
"Myr are born from the two great currents," Dorian said. "Some are wild, others refined. Each carries its own will. Myr possesses the unique ability to cross from the physical world into our Aris."
"Rather than explaining, I will demonstrate."
After saying this, Instructor Dorian picked up the bag that he had brought in. From within it, he pulled a box and opened it; a little black star rose softly out of it.
Instructor Dorian moved his hand under it and it fell into his palm. It was shaking softly.
"This is a Rank 1 Myr, it's called Little Void Star. This is the same first Myr that some of you will get once you awaken your Aris." He glanced down at the Myr in his hand, "As you all can see, this Myr is shaking, that is its fear."
He pointed towards a student, "You there, come up here."
The student was surprised to be called on, but quickly got to his feet and came up to the front of the classroom.
"I want you to take this Myr and hold it in your hand."
The student looked shocked and was clearly nervous.
When Instructor Dorian put the Myr in the student's hand, its demeanor changed completely. It no longer shook but floated confidently in the air, staring at the student.
The student's palms trembled.
Dorian laughed, low and amused. "Don't panic. It reacts this way because it senses weakness. You lack an Aris and are not its match." Dorian took the Myr back into his hand, and it started softly shaking again.
"To subjugate a Myr is to pit will against will. The strength of the soul decides the victor. If you succeed, it becomes your tool. If you fail, you lose time, energy… sometimes the Myr itself."
Dorian closed his eyes. The star vanished. Minutes passed. When he opened his eyes again, he snapped his fingers – the Little Void Star reappeared above his hand, now calm and obedient.
"It is done," he said. "Now it lives inside my Aris." With a flick of his wrist, the star shot across the room like a blade, slicing his bag clean in two.
Gasps filled the classroom. Some students laughed in awe. Others paled.
Xeris's gaze didn't waver.
Rank 1 – and already capable of destruction. Strength multiplies by order, not by degree. Each rank above this must widen the gap a hundredfold.
The weak chase miracles; the wise measure the cost of power and learn how to seize it.
Dorian's voice cut through the murmurs. "Without Nyxa or Solyn, you cannot control Myr. Think of it as fuel. No fuel, no power."
He scanned the class. "Any questions?"
The girl raised her hand again.
"How do we awaken our Aris? Are we all expected to?"
Dorian chuckled. "Not all of you will awaken. Some will; some will not. In three months' time, those who remain unawakened will be transferred to another institution." His tone was light, but...
Xeris narrowed his eyes.
Transferred? More like discarded. This is nothing more than a culling. A crude but efficient method. They will strip away the weak, wasting no resources. Only those with value remain.
"As for how to awaken…" Dorian gave a sly smile. "There are methods, but in the end, alignment will happen naturally to anyone who is fated to become a cultivator." He laughed, dismissing them with a wave.
Xeris stayed seated a moment longer, his expression hard.
Three months to awaken. Failure means nothingness; success, another step on a longer chain.