Arthur ate like someone who had discovered food for the first time.
Nobody judged him.
Because everyone else was doing the same.
The table was quieter today.
People were tired.
Training fatigue.
Aether fatigue.
Mental fatigue.
Even Rivien was eating normally.
Which concerned everyone.
Arthur finally slowed down after his second bowl.
Then leaned back.
"…Okay."
He looked at Alex.
"…Explain something."
Alex looked over.
Arthur pointed.
"…Aether."
The table became quieter.
Arthur frowned.
"…I get using it."
He looked at his hand.
"…But I don't actually understand what it is."
Lucas looked interested.
Kierran nodded.
Layla looked over.
Even Sunny looked up.
Alex stared for a second.
Then looked at Tom.
Tom shrugged.
"…Go ahead."
Alex folded his arms.
Then began.
"…People misunderstand aether."
The room quieted.
Alex pointed upward.
"Aether exists naturally."
He gestured around.
"…Outside."
"…In the air."
"…Inside matter."
"…Everywhere."
Arthur blinked.
Alex continued.
"But outside aether…"
He paused.
"…Is incomplete."
Everyone looked over.
Alex continued.
"It exists naturally."
"…But it isn't refined."
Arthur frowned.
"…Meaning?"
Tom answered.
"…Raw."
Everyone looked at him.
Tom folded his arms.
"Natural aether is raw energy."
He looked around.
"It can strengthen."
"…Boost."
"…Amplify."
"But by itself…"
He looked at Arthur.
"…It doesn't belong to you."
Arthur stayed quiet.
Alex nodded.
Then pointed at Arthur's chest.
"Inside every awakened…"
His finger tapped once.
"…There's personal aether."
Arthur blinked.
Alex continued.
"…Purified aether."
Silence.
Lucas frowned.
"…Purified?"
Alex nodded.
"…When someone awakens."
He pointed again.
"Their body begins refining natural aether."
"…Compressing it."
"…Purifying it."
"…Making it compatible with themselves."
Layla looked thoughtful.
Alex continued.
"That purified aether…"
He looked around.
"…Is what allows abilities."
Arthur looked at his hand.
Fire appeared briefly.
Alex nodded.
"…That fire?"
"…Your personal aether."
Arthur blinked.
Alex continued.
"If your purified aether runs dry…"
Arthur answered slowly—
"…Abilities stop."
Alex nodded.
"Exactly."
Arthur looked down.
Then frowned.
"…Then what's the point of absorbing outside aether?"
Alex smiled slightly.
Then pointed at Arthur.
"Because outside aether acts as fuel."
Everyone looked over.
Alex continued.
"You absorb raw aether."
"…Your body filters part of it."
"…Stores part of it."
"…Uses part of it."
He looked at Arthur.
"And the rest?"
He made a small motion.
"…Boost."
Arthur blinked.
Alex nodded.
"Outside aether makes attacks stronger."
"…Makes reinforcement stronger."
"…Makes abilities larger."
"But—"
He raised a finger.
"It cannot replace your purified aether."
Silence.
Tom continued quietly—
"That's why beginners exhaust themselves."
Everyone looked.
Tom continued.
"They spam abilities."
"…Drain purified reserves."
"…Then absorb outside aether and think they recovered."
He shook his head.
"…But they didn't."
Arthur blinked.
"…So that's why food helps."
Tom nodded.
"Recovery."
"Sleep."
"Nutrition."
"Stability."
"All support recovery of personal aether."
Layla looked thoughtful.
Sunny quietly added—
"…That's why control matters more than output."
Everyone looked.
Sunny looked at Arthur.
"If your personal aether usage becomes efficient…"
He paused.
"…You can fight longer."
Arthur stared.
Then his eyes widened.
He looked at Alex.
"…Wait."
Alex looked at him.
Arthur sat up.
"…That's why you wanted me absorbing while moving."
Alex nodded.
Arthur blinked.
"…Because I reduce personal consumption."
Alex nodded once.
"…And increase external intake."
Arthur stared.
Then slowly looked at his hand.
Fire appeared.
Then disappeared.
His expression changed.
Understanding.
Alex looked at him.
Then calmly said—
"That one minute."
Arthur looked over.
Alex continued.
"…You weren't just moving."
Pause.
"…You finally started using both."
Silence.
Arthur looked down.
His purified aether.
The outside world's aether.
Not enemies.
Not separate.
A system.
His eyes narrowed.
Then quietly—
he smiled.
"…Okay."
Alex raised an eyebrow.
Arthur looked up.
"…Now I really want that finishing move."
Lunch had slowed down.
People were still eating, but not with the desperation from earlier.
Training always made conversations quieter.
Arthur sat back in his chair after eating and looked at his hand.
Small strands of fire appeared.
Then disappeared.
He thought about earlier.
Flow.
Absorption.
Movement.
The outside aether.
His own aether.
Then something clicked.
He looked at Alex.
"…Wait."
Alex looked over.
Arthur frowned.
"If absorbing outside aether boosts everything…"
He looked down.
"…Why doesn't everyone just absorb more?"
Silence.
The room became quieter.
Alex stopped eating.
Tom looked at Arthur.
Sunny looked up.
Arthur blinked.
"…What?"
Alex put his cup down.
Then calmly asked—
"…Do you think nobody tried?"
Arthur frowned.
Alex looked at him.
Then spoke.
"…There's a reason strong awakened don't endlessly absorb outside aether."
Arthur stayed quiet.
Alex folded his arms.
Then said—
"…Void resonance."
The room became noticeably quieter.
Arthur blinked.
"…That name again."
Tom leaned back.
Alex continued.
"…Void resonance is corruption."
Silence.
Arthur's expression shifted.
Alex looked at him.
"…And it starts the same way every time."
Arthur listened.
Alex pointed outside.
"The aether outside…"
He paused.
"…Is natural."
"…But it isn't yours."
Arthur stayed quiet.
Alex pointed at Arthur's chest.
"Your internal aether…"
Pause.
"…Your purified aether…"
He tapped the table once.
"…That is you."
Arthur blinked.
Alex continued.
"Your emotions."
"…Your instincts."
"…Your identity."
"…Your will."
Tom quietly added—
"It's the reason your abilities respond to you and not someone else."
Arthur looked down.
Then frowned.
"…Okay."
Alex nodded.
"Outside aether is different."
He looked outside.
"It has no identity."
"…No self."
"…No direction."
He looked back.
"That's why your body purifies it."
Arthur blinked.
Then frowned.
"…Then what causes corruption?"
Alex was quiet for a second.
Then answered—
"…Dominance."
The room stayed silent.
Alex continued.
"When someone absorbs too much outside aether…"
He looked at Arthur.
"…Their purified aether starts losing control."
Arthur frowned.
Alex continued.
"Outside aether starts overwhelming internal aether."
His voice stayed calm.
"And when that happens…"
Pause.
"…Emotion becomes dangerous."
Arthur blinked.
Alex looked directly at him.
"Void resonance doesn't begin with power."
Silence.
"It begins with hatred."
Nobody spoke.
Alex continued—
"Anger."
"…Resentment."
"…Obsession."
"…Fear."
He looked away.
"Strong emotions become anchors."
Arthur stared.
Alex looked at him.
"And outside aether loves empty spaces."
Silence.
Arthur frowned.
"…Meaning?"
Tom answered quietly—
"If your emotions consume you…"
He looked at Arthur.
"…Outside aether stops listening."
Pause.
"…And starts feeding."
Nobody moved.
Alex continued.
"The more outside aether dominates…"
"…The more emotional instability increases."
"…People become more violent."
"…More reactive."
"…More irrational."
Arthur stayed quiet.
Alex looked directly at him.
"…And they mistake it for strength."
Silence.
Arthur slowly blinked.
Then asked—
"…What happens after that?"
Nobody answered immediately.
Alex finally spoke.
"…Stages vary."
He looked down.
"Early signs…"
"…Short temper."
"…Difficulty calming down."
"…More aggression."
"…Wanting more power."
Arthur frowned.
Alex continued.
"…Later…"
He paused.
"…Your identity weakens."
Arthur blinked.
Tom quietly finished—
"…Until the person starts becoming something else."
Silence.
Arthur looked at his hands.
Then looked up.
"…Can you recover?"
Alex nodded.
"…Early?"
He looked at Arthur.
"Yes."
Pause.
"Late?"
Silence.
Alex didn't answer.
Arthur understood.
He looked down.
Then slowly realized something.
His eyes widened.
"…That's why you kept talking about control."
Alex nodded.
Arthur looked at his hand.
"…And why absorbing while moving is dangerous."
Alex nodded again.
Then looked directly at him.
"…You don't absorb to replace yourself."
Pause.
"You absorb to support yourself."
Arthur stayed quiet.
Alex leaned forward slightly.
Then said—
"Never forget this."
Arthur looked up.
Alex's eyes stayed calm.
"No matter how much outside aether you absorb…"
He pointed at Arthur's chest.
"…Your internal aether must remain louder."
Silence.
Arthur looked down.
Then quietly nodded.
His mother looked over from the kitchen.
Watching.
Then smiled softly.
Because she didn't understand all of it—
but she understood one thing.
Arthur wasn't training to become stronger anymore.
He was learning how not to lose himself becoming strong.The table stayed quiet after that.
Nobody rushed to speak.
The idea sat strangely in everyone's mind.
Your internal aether.
Your identity.
Outside aether.
Power.
Corruption.
Arthur looked down at his hand.
Then frowned.
"…Wait."
Alex looked over.
Arthur crossed his arms.
"…Give me an example."
Alex blinked.
Arthur looked serious.
"…Something real."
Silence.
Alex looked at Tom.
Tom looked away immediately.
Suspicious.
Alex sighed.
Then looked at Arthur.
"…Fine."
He leaned back.
Then calmly said—
"…The Devourer."
The room became noticeably quieter.
Arthur's expression changed.
Layla looked down.
Kierran stopped moving.
Lucas looked over.
Even Sunny listened.
Arthur stayed silent.
Alex continued.
"…The one you fought."
Arthur nodded slowly.
Alex folded his arms.
"…That wasn't fully corrupted."
Arthur froze.
"…What?"
Alex nodded.
"…Half corrupted."
Silence.
Arthur stared.
"…That thing?"
Alex nodded.
Tom quietly added—
"…Still in the stages of corruption."
Arthur looked genuinely confused.
"…No."
He shook his head.
"That thing was insane."
Alex looked at him.
"…Exactly."
Silence.
Alex continued.
"When corruption starts…"
He looked outside.
"…People don't suddenly become monsters."
Arthur listened.
Alex continued.
"They become stronger."
Pause.
"Faster."
Pause.
"They absorb more outside aether."
Arthur frowned.
Alex nodded.
"And they think it's working."
Nobody spoke.
Alex continued.
"The Devourer wasn't born like that."
Arthur blinked.
Alex looked at him.
"…At some point."
"…It was an awakened."
Silence.
Arthur froze.
Layla's eyes widened.
Kierran stared.
Arthur blinked.
"…Human?"
Alex nodded.
"…Originally."
Nobody spoke.
Alex continued.
"It wanted strength."
"…More power."
"…More growth."
He looked at Arthur.
"So it absorbed."
Pause.
"Again."
Pause.
"Again."
Pause.
"Again."
He tapped the table.
"…Too much."
Arthur stayed quiet.
Alex continued.
"At first…"
"…Nothing happened."
"…More power."
"…Less exhaustion."
"…More output."
He looked at Arthur.
"Then emotions changed."
Arthur frowned.
Alex continued.
"…Anger came easier."
"…Frustration stayed longer."
"…Violence felt natural."
Tom quietly added—
"It stopped resting."
Silence.
Alex nodded.
"It became obsessed."
Arthur stayed quiet.
Alex looked directly at him.
"…Eventually outside aether stopped supporting."
Pause.
"…And started dominating."
Silence.
Arthur frowned.
Alex continued.
"By the time corruption reached halfway…"
He looked at Arthur.
"…The Devourer still remembered itself."
Arthur blinked.
Alex nodded.
"It still had thoughts."
"…Goals."
"…Memory."
"But…"
He paused.
"…Hatred became louder."
Nobody moved.
Alex looked at Arthur.
"That's why it felt intelligent."
Arthur froze.
His eyes widened.
Alex continued.
"It wasn't mindless."
"…It was drowning."
Silence.
Arthur remembered.
The eyes.
The rage.
The way it moved.
The obsession.
The overwhelming hatred.
Arthur looked down.
Alex looked at him.
Then calmly said—
"…You killed a half-corrupted Devourer."
Arthur stayed quiet.
Alex continued.
Then looked directly at him.
"…Which means if you ever lose control…"
Silence.
"…You could become worse."
Nobody laughed.
Nobody spoke.
Arthur stared.
Alex leaned back.
Then quietly added—
"…Power without identity becomes hunger."
The room stayed silent.
Arthur slowly looked at his hand.
Fire appeared.
Then disappeared.
And for the first time—
he wondered—
if strength and danger had always been this close.The conversation stayed with everyone.
Food had mostly been forgotten.
The room wasn't tense—
just thoughtful.
Arthur sat quietly.
Looking at his hand.
Thinking about what Alex said.
Internal aether.
Outside aether.
Identity.
Corruption.
Then—
he looked up.
"…Wait."
Alex looked over.
Arthur frowned.
"…You said corruption starts when outside aether dominates."
Alex nodded.
Arthur crossed his arms.
"…Then what happens after?"
Silence.
Alex looked at him.
Arthur continued—
"…Not the beginning."
Pause.
"…What happens if someone keeps going?"
The room became quiet again.
Tom looked at Alex.
Alex was silent for a few seconds.
Then leaned back.
And spoke.
"…There are two pathways."
Everyone looked over.
Alex folded his arms.
"…Not two ways to become strong."
Pause.
"…Two outcomes."
Arthur listened.
Alex continued.
"…One is called the Path of Eternity."
Pause.
"…The other…"
His expression became calmer.
"…Is the Descent into Ruin."
Silence.
Arthur frowned.
Alex looked at him.
Then continued.
"…Every awakened begins on the same road."
He pointed at Arthur.
"Training."
"…Growth."
"…Refinement."
"…Purification."
He tapped the table.
"Your internal aether grows."
"…Your identity deepens."
"…Your abilities evolve."
Tom quietly added—
"You become more yourself."
Alex nodded.
"That path…"
Pause.
"…Is Eternity."
Arthur blinked.
Alex continued.
"It belongs to people who continue refining themselves without surrendering who they are."
He pointed at Arthur's chest.
"Internal aether remains dominant."
"…Outside aether supports."
"…Growth stays stable."
Arthur listened.
Alex continued.
"You become stronger."
"…More complete."
"…More in control."
He shrugged.
"Nobody knows where that path ends."
Silence.
Then—
Alex became quieter.
"…But Ruin…"
Nobody moved.
Alex looked outside.
Then continued.
"…Ruin isn't another training method."
Arthur frowned.
Alex looked at him.
"…Ruin only exists after corruption."
Silence.
Arthur blinked.
Alex nodded.
"Void resonance happens first."
He looked at Arthur.
"Outside aether dominates."
"…Internal identity weakens."
"…Emotion becomes unstable."
Pause.
"…Corruption begins."
Nobody spoke.
Alex continued.
"…Most corrupted beings die."
Arthur frowned.
Alex nodded.
"The body rejects itself."
"…Identity collapses."
"…They become monsters."
He looked away.
"…But some survive."
Silence.
Alex looked back.
"…Those who survive corruption…"
Pause.
"…Begin the Descent into Ruin."
The room became colder somehow.
Arthur stared.
Alex continued.
"It's not growth."
"…It's adaptation."
He folded his arms.
"The corrupted body changes."
"…Learns."
"…Mutates."
"…Accepts outside aether."
Tom quietly added—
"Identity doesn't disappear."
Everyone looked.
Tom looked calm.
"…It becomes distorted."
Silence.
Alex nodded.
"That's what makes Ruin terrifying."
He looked at Arthur.
"…They still want things."
"…Still think."
"…Still dream."
Pause.
"…But everything becomes filtered through corruption."
Arthur looked down.
Alex continued.
"Hatred becomes easier."
"…Violence becomes natural."
"…Power becomes addictive."
He looked outside.
"…And because outside aether isn't limited like internal reserves…"
He paused.
"…Their growth accelerates."
Arthur froze.
Alex nodded.
"People on Ruin become stronger quickly."
Silence.
Alex looked at him.
"But they stopped becoming human a long time ago."
Nobody spoke.
Arthur slowly asked—
"…The Devourer?"
Alex nodded.
"…Half corrupted."
Pause.
"…Not Ruin yet."
Arthur blinked.
Alex looked at him.
"…It still struggled."
"…Still resisted."
"…Still remembered itself."
He looked down.
"If it fully accepted corruption…"
Silence.
Alex looked directly at Arthur.
"…That would've been the beginning."
Arthur stayed quiet.
Alex continued—
"The Path of Eternity says—"
He pointed at Arthur's chest.
"…Become stronger while remaining yourself."
Then looked outside.
"The Descent into Ruin says—"
Pause.
"…If becoming stronger costs yourself…"
"…Pay anyway."
Silence.
Nobody moved.
Arthur looked at his hands.
Then quietly asked—
"…Why tell me this?"
Alex looked at him.
Then calmly answered—
"Because."
Pause.
"…You're talented."
Arthur blinked.
Alex continued.
"And talented people are usually the ones who believe they can control everything."
Silence.
Arthur looked down.
Thinking.
Then quietly smiled.
"…Good thing I'm hungry then."
Alex blinked.
Arthur picked up his bowl.
"…Hard to forget who I am if I'm thinking about food."
Silence.
Then Tom quietly laughed.
And even Alex smiled a little.