Ryke finished another set of burpees, his lungs were now burning, as a sweat stroked down his temples, he let the thin and cool mountain air inside his lungs. He then straightened, while keeping hands on his knees, as his gaze swept at the horizon.
The sun— as crimson as blood, was climbing over the thorny spine of the mountain range. Its light clung to the peaks like a blanket in winter, and below, the shadow of the mountain was slowly fading from the city spread across the valley floor.
He exhaled, his breath turning faintly misty in the cold need of the dawn.
Three days.
It had been three days since he woke up as Ryke Hōrsasvat, three days since his Threads had aligned with those of previous Ryke's.
And three days since the pain.
Though he had learned the reason for that agony. As it was the result of the Threads alignments. In TAQ, everything— every soul, every blade of grass, every idea, was woven from Threads, the metaphysical cornerstone of one's existence. And in TAQ they could be cultivated, strengthened, or... corrupted.
Most humans had loose, untamed Threads, but some, called as Weavers, learned to control them, shaping these directly and using various abilities that could only be called supernatural.
And among them, a few rare ones possessed something far greater: a Nexus.
A Nexus was the centre where all Threads converged— a dreamlike crystal amalgamation of being. Normally, it was something that one would earn, not given or transferred. Yet he had found a Nexus within him, not of innate, but attached, becoming another variable of the increased agony on that day.
As the two networks of existence, this Nexus's and the old Ryke's— had been aligning with his Threads until his was changed fundamentally from existence. If not for him being in the memory world, the pain not merely the physical but from the existence, should have sent him to the sea of samsara again.
He also learned about the reason for previous Ryke's death. Old Ryke and the unstable Nexus of his had annihilated each other, in the clash of threads as they were not properly aligned. At that moment his soul had simply arrived, threading itself into the space left behind.
The aftermath, though, was oddly beneficial, as the threads aligned themselves properly. His body now carried strength and endurance beyond human limits. Even without being a proper Weavers, he could run for hours without exhaustion, leap many times higher, and his rate of regeneration was skyrocketed.
But that's not all, there was something more.
The Nexus granted him an ability of some sort— a second vision that unveiled the hidden lights around people. At first, he thought it was an aura like in other games. But the colours weren't tied to power, vitality, or anything. Instead, they show him the emotions— specifically thrill and passion.
He'd noticed it when at the breakfast shop, the waiter served him breakfast yesterday: a warm orange shimmer as she poured his tea, fading as the time passed. Or the pale grey haze around a merchant, who was bargaining half-heartedly in the market.
Then there were others— people with so much passion that they hurt to look at. Those were the ones doing something that they wanted from all their being: guards chasing thieves, young hunters heading for the Aeonic Discords, and a child simply running downhill, laughing.
It was exhilarating and terrifying both, because he knew that same thrill was what drove him too— well..in his previous life. Except now, in this life it had increased frighteningly more. The reason!? He theorizes this Nexus sharpened it, amplifying it so much that he now hungered for it more.
Ryke shook his head, exhaling. "Thrill junkie in two worlds, what a fate.." he muttered with a dismissing smile, before resuming the stretching of his. The mountain wind carried the scent of iron— reminding the ones who visited about the old Aeonic residue that never fully left this land till 80 years.
The place he stood on wasn't a just mere peak; it was known as the Watcher's Rise, one of the natural ridges bordering the city of Varinholt. Once, the city had been just another mining city. Now, after the Aeonic Seep, it had transformed into a relic of hybrid civilization.
As Ryke jogged down the rocky path with small flora grown all around, he could see the steel pylons in the distance, lined as descending trail, humming faintly as the Aeonic tech siphoned residual energy from the air through it.
Down below, the city gleamed under the receding shadow of the range— its towers were etched with some kind glowing circuit-veins, and while Aeonic spires were made at some point to power it.
Hoverbuses were skimming between the tiers of the city, their undercarriages gleaming with soft brownish light. On the streets, some people in layered exo-weaves were being hurried about, while holo-signs floated mid-air, powered by the same energy of Aeon that once brought destruction upon the world.
This contrast struck him— the old apocalypse had burned everything, yet humanity remained, adapted and had built these cathedrals from the ashes.
He stopped halfway down the slope and turned to look up again. The sun was fully risen now, its crimson lights now clinging to the perimeter of the city.
A faint distortion shimmered above the city—a translucent reddish like barrier rippling covering all the city inside it, separating the true sun from the one seen by the people below. These scenes looked almost like a mirage, but Ryke— he knew better.
He'd seen it in the game countless times.
That was a Dawnshroud Ward, one of the defensive constructs deployed across the surface after the Seep, developed through the Aenoic technology. It was not only to shield the populace from the mutated radiance of the now broken sun, but also from the Creatures of the AD(Aeonic Discord)— the monsters that still lurked in the outside of the city, hungered for the threads of the people inside.
He stared at the barrier's faint golden threads, and the way they intertwined and pulsed in the sky mimicking the Pre-Sun radiations.
In the game, such barriers marked the boundaries of human civilization—the last safe havens of humankind. Beyond them lay the Wild Veins and Aeonic Discords, the territories plagued by the monsters and horrors of different kinds, where even the strongest were said to lose their life even due to a moment of mishaps.
Ryke wiped his sweat-filled face, letting the crimson light wash over him. "Just like the prologue" he murmured. "Except this time, I'm not the one with the controller."
His lips curled into a half-smile, the kind that hid many meanings behind it. He then continued down toward the city below, as the hum of Aeonic pylons gradually faded behind.
After a while he reached the building of his, passing through all the gleaming spires and the hover cars.
The building where his apartment was located was slightly distanced from the main hub, and it had less crowd than the main city. Though the building was shining brilliantly, the windows outside reflected the filtered sunlight. It was a fifteen story building, with some shops at the side.
As he was about to enter he saw an old person waving at him with a kind smile. Ryke also responded to it with a wave before approaching the man.
It was the owner of the breakfast shop, where the previous Ryke regularly ate. Also the waiter on whom he used the vision previously, also worked here.
The old man always treated previous Ryke with kindness, even going as far as treating him without cost. It was a rare sight that intrigued him deeply, showing him that even in despair , kindness did not fade completely.
The Old man's name was Crane, though he told everyone to just call him Old Crane.
"Good morning, Old Crane." Ryke greeted as he approached the shop.
"Morning, morning. Gone for a quick jog are ya?" Old Crane asked with a smile.
Ryke nodded as he answered, "Just a quick round to the Warrior's Peak."
"Good, good. Youngsters should remain fit... Back in my time.."
As Old Crane was about to say something, Ryke interjected quickly, "Old Man, I am very much drenched in sweat. I will come after being fresh." After saying this, Ryke rushed to the gate of the building.
"Come quickly boy, I will prepa' a healthy meal for ya." Old man Crane shouted from the behind.
Ryke just waved his hand as he entered the building, for he knew as good of a person Crane was, he also had a flaw— he talked too much for his age.
After taking the lift and pushing the button for the seventh floor, he arrived at the door of his apartment. Then without any thought, he brought the key to open, before going inside.
While the world of The Aeonic Quest—his new world— began to prepare the stage for him.