A winged creature soared high in the sky above them. Alex immediately knew this wasn't an ordinary bird. Its sheer size, as big as a grown human, was enough to make that clear. But what stood out more were its wings, which were covered in scales instead of feathers. Its long, pointed beak was sharp, almost like a pine needle.
At first, it seemed like the creature was going to fly past them. Alex, still catching his breath, thought nothing of it. But then, the bird's gaze locked onto him and Stan. In the blink of an eye, the creature dived downward, fast and sharp like a spear.
Panic surged through Alex as he watched the bird zoom toward them. His first instinct was to run, but something strange was happening.
"My legs... I can't move them," Alex thought, his panic growing. His muscles refused to respond, leaving him rooted in place.
Meanwhile, the bird was much faster than Alex had anticipated. Before he knew it, the creature was right in front of him, stretching out its sharp talons, aiming to grab him.
Just when it seemed like the bird would catch him, a blur of movement rushed past. Stan, moving quicker than the bird, grabbed Alex by the hand and yanked him aside. They both tumbled to the side as the bird's talons missed them by inches.
The bird landed hard, its taloned feet digging deep into the ground, missing its prey. Alex scrambled behind Stan, his heart racing, eyes wide with fear.
"What was that?" Alex gasped, still catching his breath, his voice shaky.
"That," Stan said, keeping his eyes on the creature, "is a premature harpy. A mutated bird. They're a pain to deal with."
The harpy, now realizing it hadn't caught its target, lifted itself from the ground. Its predatory eyes scanned the area, and soon it spotted them standing near the edge of the cliff. It let out a sharp cry, flapping its scaled wings as it prepared to strike again.
Without hesitation, the harpy shot toward them, its long beak leading the charge, aiming directly at Alex and Stan.
Stan, however, was ready this time. He took a step back, his body tense and prepared. As the harpy lunged forward with its sharp beak, Stan clenched his fist, timing the moment perfectly.
Just as the harpy's beak was about to make contact, Stan's hand shot forward, gripping the bird's beak tightly. With one swift movement, Stan swung the massive creature, its body still wriggling in his grip, and slammed it into the ground with a powerful thud. The bird's beak drove deep into the soil as Stan pinned it down, holding it firmly in place.
The harpy struggled desperately, flapping its wings in a futile attempt to escape. Stan, however, had a firm grip on both wings and began to pull with all his might. With a series of sickening pops, the wings were torn from the harpy's body, causing dark green blood to splatter across the ground.
Yet, the harpy was not defeated. Fueled by rage and pain, it managed to wrench its beak free from the earth and unleashed a piercing cry into the sky.
"Shit... It can still do that," Stan muttered, realizing the danger. Without hesitation, he stomped on the harpy's head, crushing it instantly and ending its life. Blood and brain matter oozed onto the floor. With determination, Stan extracted a glowing green crystal from the harpy's corpse.
"What is that?" Alex asked, his voice filled with awe.
"This is a beast crystal, a precious resource for Paragons," Stan explained.
Alex had more questions, but suddenly, he felt a wave of weakness wash over him, and he collapsed to the ground. Stan rushed to his side, concern etched on his face.
"What's happening to me? It feels like my energy is being drained away," Alex gasped.
"I know, it's because of where we are," Stan replied cryptically. Before Alex could press for more information, a loud screech echoed from the distant mountains. In moments, tiny specks appeared on the horizon, growing larger as they approached.
"Alright, Alex, we need to leave," Stan urged, placing a reassuring hand on Alex's shoulder.
The approaching specks revealed themselves to be more harpies, numbering over ten. But as Stan's hand touched Alex, everything around them vanished. The harpies were gone.
Confused, Alex glanced around. "Did they just disappear?" he asked, noticing that his strength had returned and the draining sensation was gone.
"You wondered how Paragons have stayed hidden all this time. We were just in the Paragon Realm," Stan clarified.
"This world mirrors Earth, a realm created for Paragons. Only those with the ability to evolve can truly access it," Stan explained.
"But... I don't understand," Alex replied, bewildered.
"You don't need to fully understand it, just know it's where Paragons go to harness their powers. Non-Paragons can enter, but their energy is drained rapidly," Stan said, his tone serious.
"So, how does one enter this space?" Alex asked.
"First, you need one of two energies: mana or qi. Without one of these, you can't enter. If you somehow manage to get in without them, you already know the consequences," Stan explained.
"Why are you showing me this?" Alex inquired.
Stan paused before answering, "A law has been passed among the nine realms. They want every Paragons to access this other world. If you want to become a Paragon, you must learn to enter this world."
"So those harpies are in the other world?" Alex asked, and Stan nodded in agreement.
A silence fell between them until Stan broke it. "Alright, let's get into today's agenda," he said.
Alex quickly sat on the ground, crossing his legs. He had noticed that once they left the Paragon Realm, even the dead harpy's body had vanished.
Sitting cross-legged, Alex waited for Stan to begin his lecture. Stan started by explaining again what qi and mana were and the benefits of using them.
"I have a question. According to my system, it says I have an energy called peace energy. Can you tell me what that is?" Alex asked.
Stan hesitated, unsure. He didn't know much about peace energy but knew someone who might. "Well, I'll be honest. That energy is unique and rare, so I have no answer for you. If you're really interested, maybe check the faction's library. You might find something there," Stan suggested.
Alex nodded, a bit disappointed, but continued listening to Stan's explanation about his qi and mana core.
"So you're saying it would be more beneficial for me to learn qi and become a warrior than to gather mana for my mana core and become a mage?" Alex asked.
"Yes, and I'm not saying this out of personal opinion. It's based on your body's condition. You're suited for qi," Stan replied.
"Alright then, I'm willing to learn qi if that's best for me," Alex agreed.
With that, Alex was instructed to close his eyes. Stan stood behind him, placing his hand on Alex's back, reminding Alex of when Elder Rooney had entered his sea of consciousness.
"Alright, Alex, this might hurt a little, but I need you to remember this feeling," Stan said. At that moment, Alex felt a mix of heat and cold on his back.
[Your qi core has been opened]