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The first week came to an end with their first real training session.Without giving them a moment to rest, Raythem immediately continued.
— Very well. Now that you have learned to understand and calm your emotions, it is time to move forward. For the next training, you will learn to master and tame your power, each of you. This will take place in three stages: theory, practice… and fighting style. Is that clear? Any questions?
The moment the word theory was spoken, Evelynn and Ryota lost all motivation.
— Do we really have to go through theory? Evelynn asked, already discouraged.— Back to high school… Ryota muttered.
A faint chuckle escaped Raythem, which he quickly suppressed.
— Do you truly understand your powers? What they imply? What they demand? … But we can skip the theory, of course. Some prefer to learn in the face of their own death.
Silence fell instantly. Evelynn and Ryota had nothing to say under the serious gaze of Yuta and Scarlet.
Raythem then took out a page from an ancient manuscript. The parchment was burned at the edges, dusty, marked by time and war.A page tracing all the branches of powers in the universe.
— This page comes from an old book that disappeared long ago. Thanks to it, I will be able to explain each class in detail… and their origin.
The four students leaned closer to the manuscript. Their gazes mixed confusion and apprehension. Evelynn looked completely lost.
— …Who is it from? Scarlet asked, intrigued by the symbol at the center.— Unfortunately, I cannot tell you. As you can see, the name has been cut off.
Raythem remained silent for a moment, staring at the parchment, thinking about where to begin.
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— Come closer.
They obeyed.
— What you see before you is not a simple classification of powers. It is an attempt to understand the universe.
He placed his finger at the center of the drawing, on the black seal drawn in ink.
— This mark… the Void. A state without matter, where time itself does not exist. I cannot tell you where it comes from. And I will do everything to ensure you never have to face it.
A subtle shiver ran through the room.
Raythem turned to Yuta.
— Tell me, Yuta. How would you describe the Vires Elementales?
Yuta hesitated, searching for his words without much confidence.
— …Forces of nature? I guess.
— Forces of nature? That is acceptable. Ignis, Aqua, Ventus, Fulmen, Terra. These are the foundations. They obey stable laws: balance, energy, the will of the wielder. But remember this: an element is neither good nor evil. It is neutral. It has no morality.
He then turned to Evelynn.
— And you, what can you tell me about the Vires Hereditariae?
Evelynn blinked.
— If I promise to never complain again… the universe will punish me?
A faint smile crossed Raythem's face.
— If the universe punished every complaint, we would already be at peace. More seriously, the Vires Hereditariae descend from the Elementales. Metallum comes from Terra: it allows the body to harden. Glacies, derived from Aqua, cools the environment and the blood. They manifest over time… but often impose biological constraints. These are not gifts one chooses.
He turned to Ryota.
— The Vires Divinae. Your thoughts?
— Well… like the name says. Divine powers?!
— Very perceptive, Ryota.
His tone was dry, almost amused.
— They do not control matter, but concepts. They come from creation—the power of the Y'onns—and destruction—that of the Titans. They are gifts… and sometimes curses. They allow their bearers to watch over the world. Most are carried by you, the Eygis… as well as the Maidens. But remember this: a gift can become a curse. And the opposite is just as true.
His gaze finally settled on Scarlet.
— The Vires Creatae?
Scarlet thought for a moment.
— …Powers created to surpass the others?
— That is a good answer. Iustitia, Sigillum, Praemonitio. Powers designed from nothing. They interpret the invisible laws of the world through human understanding. They calculate, seal, anticipate. They are mainly wielded by members of the Government of Atlas.
At the mention of Atlas, Scarlet lowered her eyes slightly.
— Understand this: human madness can distort the world. But human intelligence can also restore its balance.
A heavier silence settled as Raythem placed his finger on the final branch.
— Vires Ignotae… Powers classified not out of ignorance, but because of instability.
His voice echoed through the room.
— Some have tried to study them. None have kept their minds intact.
All eyes instinctively turned toward Scarlet. She remained impassive, though a faint disturbance crossed her gaze. She did not insist. She knew she would learn in time.
Raythem stepped back and took a slow breath.
— Finally, the two marks. Signum Mortis. Signum Vitae.
He paused.
— Mortis is carried by a person named A… and Vitae by their sister, B… Mortis is not destruction, but the end. Vitae is not creation, but the beginning. If one disappears… all branches will lose their balance.
He looked at the four students.
— You are not here to learn how to wield all Vires. You are here to understand their implications. The one who ignores their power becomes its slave. History has already proven this.
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He carefully put the manuscript page away.
— Power is not what will save you. Understanding might…If you fail to grasp that, you may not survive your first confrontation.
The silence that followed was heavier than all his explanations.
Mentally exhausted, Evelynn and Ryota went to bed, their heads ready to explode.Yuta returned to meditate in the training room.
Scarlet, however, remained still for a few seconds. Then, before heading to her room, she turned toward Raythem.
— …Why talk about something we can't even understand? Like the Void… or my power?
She did not give him time to answer and walked away.
Raythem watched her leave from the corner of his eye.
— I hope I was right to stay silent… That none of you will fall to the other side.
He raised his eyes toward the sky visible through the window.
— Should I tell her? Stella… Gloria…