After some time, Zephyr's bloodied face was fully healed.
He rose slowly to his feet, his movements steady but heavy with restrained fury. His mind was in turmoil fractured thoughts circling endlessly around a single desire: to slaughter those three. Yet, he knew such vengeance was beyond his reach… for now....
The girl was gone.
After healing him, she had simply walked away without a word.
Why would someone like her bother with a nobody like him? Perhaps it was nothing more than a fleeting act of goodwill. To her, Zephyr was insignificant unworthy of further attention.
He brushed the dust from his worn and bloodstained clothes before turning away. His appetite had long vanished, replaced by a hollow resolve. There was only one thing he wished to accomplish now officially registering himself as a Wisper.
He returned to the counter.
Noticing the stains of dried blood on his clothing, Lily chose to remain silent.
Instead, she scribbled something onto a parchment and gestured for him to follow.
They entered a plain, enclosed chamber. At its center hovered a massive orb, encircled by several rotating rings that emitted a faint, ethereal hum.
"The process is simple," Lily paused
"Touch the orb. It will identify the nature of your Wisp… and its rarity." Then
she continued
"Now, place your hand upon it."
Zephyr complied without hesitation.
The moment his fingers made contact—...
Hummm… Hummm… Hummm…
The orb began to levitate, its rings spinning violently as though stirred by an unseen force. Its color shifted rapidly white, yellow, green, blue, red, violet… and then black.
Lily's eyes widened in disbelief...
"Huh!? What is happening?! The highest recorded color is only red!"
Before she could process further, the orb underwent another transformation.
It became a radiant spectrum—countless colors intertwining into a mesmerizing, almost divine display. Yet, the beauty it exuded was overshadowed by an overwhelming presence.
It was suffocating.
An invisible pressure descended upon Lily, forcing her instincts into submission.
The urge to kneel… to bow before something incomprehensible.
A god.
That was the only word her trembling mind could grasp.
Meanwhile, Zephyr remained oblivious, his eyes closed as he maintained contact with the orb.
Then—Everything ceased.
The colors vanished. The rings slowed. The oppressive aura dissipated as though it had never existed.
Silence reclaimed the room.
Lily stood frozen, her heart pounding violently against her chest. She could not comprehend what had just transpired, but relief washed over her when nothing further occurred.
Perhaps… it was merely a malfunction.
Zephyr withdrew his hand.
The result appeared.
---
Name: Zephyr
Age: 17
Race: Human
Affiliation: None
Rank: Awakened
Wisp Bonded
Name: Maw
Stage: Flicker Phase (Stage 1)
Trial: 1st Trial
Rarity: Rare (???)
Element Affinity: Fire (???), (???), (???)
*****
The information was visible only to Zephyr. Whether to disclose it or conceal it was entirely his decision.
He frowned slightly.
The unknown variables—the question marks attached to both rarity and elemental affinity—disturbed him. Though curiosity gnawed at his thoughts, he suppressed the urge to question it.
It was not advantageous.
If anything, it could invite unnecessary danger.
He formed several speculations, but those could wait. For now, survival demanded caution.
He decided to reveal only partial information.
Rare.... Fire....
Nothing more...
"Oh! You're quite fortunate, boy!" Lily exclaimed, her earlier unease replaced by excitement. "A Rare Wisp is a blessing."
It was common knowledge,those who possessed superior Wisps held greater potential for power.
Her reaction, though exaggerated, was not unfounded.
The rarest ever recorded within the Human Domain was the Legendary Wisp. Such entities were monopolized by the Great Clans and the ruling council.
For instance, the Wingveil Clan possessed the Wisp known as Griffin beings revered as sovereigns of the skies.
Great Clans rose to prominence because of such power.
The authority to overthrow, dominate, and reign rested firmly in their grasp.
Seeing no reaction from Zephyr, Lily cleared her throat and continued.
"Now that you are officially an Awakened Wisper, you will be admitted into the training camp. Think of it as a preliminary evaluation before entering the academy."
She paused briefly before elaborating.
"The purpose of the training camp is to rank the 'seeds' individuals like you who may become the foundation of the Human Domain. Your performance there will determine your future standing."
Zephyr nodded silently, indicating his understanding.
"In two hours, someone will escort you," she added. "For now, you may return to your room. Use this time to familiarize yourself with your abilities."
With the briefing concluded, Zephyr returned to his room.
*****
"Fwoosh…"
A small flame ignited in his palm.
Yet, it was no ordinary fire.
It burned black violent, consuming, as though it sought to devour everything in existence.
'So… this is power,' he mused.
With a flick of his wrist, he hurled the flame, no larger than a table tennis ball.
Boom!
The explosion reverberated throughout the room, its force far exceeding its size.
"Addicting, isn't it?" Maw's voice echoed, laced with amusement.
"This is merely a fragment of what you possess, Zep. True power… is far beyond your imagination."
At the Flicker Phase, a wielder could only access a minuscule portion of their Wisp's power. It was the genesis of their journey.
Advancement required entering the Wisp Astral Realm and overcoming its trials. The stronger the Wisp, the more perilous the trial.
There were currently five known phases:
Flicker Phase
Spark Phase
Kindling Phase
Ember Phase
Flame Phase
The commander's Wisp had reached the Kindling Phase hence its ability to communicate.
Though, Maw was… an anomaly.
Beyond these phases lay uncharted territory. Even the strongest human had only reached the Transcendent Rank.
Such limitations spoke volumes.
The trials were brutal.
The probability of death was alarmingly high.
Even the most ambitious refrained from reckless attempts, for survival was never guaranteed.
After further experimentation, Zephyr reached a sobering conclusion.
Though his power was formidable, his inexperience rendered it inefficient.
In its current state, it was meaningless.
Thus, his plan for the training camp was clear:
Minimal interaction.
Maximum training.
He refused to remain powerless.He had endured enough suffering.
Now It was time for retribution...