To hear about the supernatural was one thing. To be a part of it, another.
I've worn that accursed bracelet for over three years now. I've witnessed some of Mother's power first-hand during our travels. Nightmares, visions, and that hooded prick have been haunting me for almost as long as I can remember.
But this?
This was raw and untamed. It made my skin prickle, my heart beat like a drum, my blood rush until my ears were buzzing. I felt alive like never before.
Coloured lights appeared amid the paper storm — blue, red, silver, gold — until there were 14 in total. They shot outward, growing larger.
Then, as if someone hit the pause button, it all stopped, everything freezing in this chaotic moment. The floating pages all fell to the ground, and the lights dimmed.
Slowly, I lowered my arms to look around.
The vast nothingness gave way to a huge circular room. There was no ceiling above, only the night sky filled with countless stars. The floor turned grey and marble-like with a smoky pattern that kept shifting, as if it were alive.
14 giant gates lined the walls. Like the lights before, their colours and designs were all different.
"The Hall of Doors. Realm of Gates... Something else that I don't remember..." I muttered under my breath in realisation.
To become a Scion, one has to choose the Path they would walk and step through one of the Gates, then they would be "reborn" — a fancy way of saying they get cool powers.
"Hello? Can you hear me? Not passed out yet, I hope?"
A man's voice echoes around the hall. My head snapped towards the source. It was the book. Still hanging in the air.
"If you hear this, that means you reached the Hall of Doors. Good job!"
Stepping next to the floating tome, I noticed the pages had turned transparent.
"…Father?" The words left my mouth tentatively.
For me, my father was more of a tale than an actual person. The closest I came to knowing him was just a few minutes ago, when I read his message.
Did I hate him? I don't know. Perhaps. I sure did curse him sometimes, but I learned that from Mother.
"I'm glad to have been of help in the birth of a new Scion." The voice continued, ignoring my question entirely. "May you have fortune on your journey."
Guess one personal message is all I get...
Was this like a guide?
"While I do hope anyone who uses my codex has at least some idea of what they are doing, I don't have much faith in it. So I left this...introduction to help a bit. You know, Solomon's version doesn't have anything like this. Or if it does by the time you are hearing this, know that the old bastard took the idea from me."
Hearing that made me chuckle.
Guess I now know where my pettiness comes from.
"Don't expect me to hold your hand, though. Nor to give too much information. Knowledge is a double-edged sword. Without it, you walk blindly into the abyss, but knowing too much will lead you astray. The Gates and the Shattered Worlds beyond are alive. And they hunger."
"They will twist and change based on each Scion — either to hinder or reward them. What works for one person could mean the end for another. Efforts, ingenuity, and perceptiveness. Use them. They are your best tools."
"Now then... Let us get started."
I stood straighter, focusing with every fibre of my being on what was coming.
"As you know, each Gate represents a certain concept. The choice you make will define your path going forward. Your abilities and the type of challenges you are to face. You won't be able to take a step back once you enter a Gate, so be sure to think it through."
This part I was familiar with; it was mostly common knowledge. Step through the Gate, get abilities, face challenges, repeat. Though there was one factor that made it harder.
They were broken.
"You must know, the Gates are gateways to different worlds. Some say they are trials created by mana itself. A way to teach about how it can be used. Some say it's fragments of different worlds, like ours. What I know for sure is that they are broken. Shattered into pieces. Whatever they once were, twisted and jammed back together."
"The worlds beyond the Doors were damaged. The more a Scion progresses, the more apparent these damages become. At some point, one can't simply move forward. First, they must find the missing pieces. Shards."
That word I was familiar with.
Disasters caused by Shards. Famous Shardhunters and their tales. Stories written involving them. Notorious, named Shardbeasts. Legendary weapons made with them.
They were everywhere, but what they really were or how they worked was vague.
"These Shards..." The voice paused, sighing. "I don't exactly know, and that vexes me. They have a will, or something like that, but... it doesn't work right... They crash into each other, causing disasters, merge together at random, and give birth to beasts. And to make it even better, these Shards are bleeding into OUR world."
"They are like children, with power beyond mortal understanding. They made our world their playground. Hide all you want, but in the end, you either play the game or pray you don't get caught up in it."
The hall turned silent for a bit. Probably to give the listener some time to digest what they've heard so far.
"Anyways..." The voice began to speak again. "You won't have to worry too much just yet. The first trial is mostly intact. The second does have some missing pieces, but it's possible to work around them. After that... Good luck."
I didn't know exactly how many trials there were. Scions were usually ranked by something called Orders. A 1st Order Scion was progressing through the 1st trial. 2nd Order, second trial and so forth.
The highest known Order — as far as I know — was 12th. That being Solomon.
"That's about... most of the basic info you need. For more — if you have no better option — read your Journal."
My what?
"May your new life be filled with fortune and discovery."
And just like that, without more explanation, the book closed; it was about to fall to the ground, but I caught it.
"That's it, I guess..." I looked around, waiting for anything to happen. After a few seconds, I sighed, "Well then, time to choose."
I paced around the hall. Looking at the giant Gates, their features, and what they looked to be made of. Any clues to help in choosing were helpful.
But even after walking around for a while, the closest I got was choosing one based on which colour I liked most or which design was the most eye-catching.
Eventually, as I stood in front of one of the Doors, I noticed pages from the book lined up under my feet. Each had but one letter on it. And when I read them together…
"Balance…" I mumbled, looking back to the gate.
This Gate looked mostly transparent, with black-and-white fog swirling in it on either side, perfectly mirrored. Besides that, its design was simple. Runes and symbols were carved into its glass-like surface. In the middle — where the two leaves met — was a scale.
"Hm... Yeah, no. I don't think this one suits me."
Walking around the hall once more, I read the words corresponding to each Door. In order, they were:
Balance, Control, Creation, Knowledge, Peace, Life, Corruption, Nothingness, Fate, Destruction, Fantasy, Conflict, Death and Purity.
"So...These are the Paths..."
The first one that caught my attention was Corruption.
Its Gate was red like blood. Its surface covered by weird faces, limbs, and wings. They were twisted in painful ways, coiling together, intersecting, cutting into each other. The faces were the most creepy. Some seemed to cry out in pain, others in pleasure. A strong coppery smell lingered around it.
Blood seeped out from under it.
"This is the one Mother chose..."
I leaned closer, noticing some cracks running through it.
"Wonder what these are made of…" I knocked on the Gate with a finger. "…feels solid."
I could see my reflection staring back at me. The red surface tinged it with the same colour, but even then, my unnatural eyes were unchanged. The silver flowers shone brightly as ever.
"Curios..." I muttered while taking a step back.
This one wasn't for me. Even if Mother could perhaps help, the idea of walking in her stead didn't appeal to me. Besides, the concept of Corruption didn't fit me.
Next, I found myself looking at a Gate that had books, pages, scrolls, and the like pinned to it.
No, not just pinned to it. It was made of them, along with deep purple-coloured runes and intricate magic circles of the same colour.
"Knowledge..."
Knowledge was something I desperately needed. About myself, about my father, about... anything that was interesting to me. Curiosity was always one of my weaknesses...Or strong points. Both really.
I held up Father's tome, stroking its surface.
"Not this one either. I don't want to live in your shadow any more than I already am, Father. Besides, Max chose this one. It would be a cheap choice."
Choosing proved harder than I thought. I kept pacing around from one to another. Some options were intriguing.
The Gate of Fantasy, with its chaotic, ever-changing design and the pink light that struggled to hold it together.
The Golden Gate of Fate with mirrors, stars, hooded figures and — to a frown from me — cards.
"Maybe I would finally win that stupid game if I chose Fate," I said bitterly.
But there was one Gate — one Path — I kept going back to.
Its silver surface was clean, the runes more subtle, and the whole design looked orderly. That was at first glance. The closer I looked, the more imperfections I found. Asymmetry, older fading runes under the new ones lazily covered up, motives that changed when you blinked. Pieces of poetry written on its surface.
"Control, huh...?"
If there was one thing in my life I felt I lacked, it was control. For as long as I could remember, I rarely had it.
Coming to Veritas and wearing the Centipede were necessary. The nightmares and the hooded spectre were both things I couldn't control.
Hesitantly, I laid the book down and then put my hands on either leaf of the Door. The surface was cool to the touch.
"If choosing is about which one resonates with me the most —what I want the most —then this is the path I want to walk. To be able to do what I want, to be free. To be more than a slave to the whim of others or fate. To be my own master."
As I started to push, the Door stood still.
"I will not let anyone or anything else make choices for me."
The leaves started to move a little, groaning loudly. My strength was draining fast, like it was an entire mountain I was trying to push out of the way.
"So…" I muttered through gritted teeth in a strained tone. "Don't…"
My arms were going numb, my legs tingling.
"Stand..."
The groaning grew louder, the entire hall rumbling and shaking.
"In..."
Sweat poured down my face.
I could see the book on the ground, blinking rabidly with silver light.
"My..."
My vision was turning blurry, and my head felt light.
But I refused to give up now. Not now. Not ever.
"WAY!"
The Door blew open violently. Light washed through me from the other side. It felt cool and gentle, the sensation spreading to every part of my body.
I closed my eyes and fell forward into what lay on the other side, smiling as I felt my mind fade.
"…I did it."
---
I don't know how much time has passed. It felt like I was between falling asleep and waking up.
Click. Click. Click.
This sound, slow and steady, echoed around. It was getting closer and louder.
Click. Click. Click.
Eventually, it stopped.
I tried to look up. I failed at first, my head feeling heavy. Eventually, I managed to raise it up enough to look at what was in front of me.
"I must admit, I was a bit nervous." The familiar voice spoke, and I felt my heart drop. "Given the freedom of choice, many squander it."
I saw the dark robe and the black shadows swimming in his hood. He was smiling.
"But you have proven my fears pointless. You made the right choice, the best choice. Oh, I'm so happy!"
I felt my heart beat louder. My mouth ran dry. I tried to say something, but words got caught in my throat.
"Let me be the first to congratulate you. Today, you became a Scion of the Shattered Worlds, a Son of Silver. May your new life be filled with fortune and discovery, Alexander Cyrus Weissmann."