Chapter 28 – Daren
The night was quiet, save for the occasional chirping of insects hidden in the forest canopy. A fire crackled in their small camp, its flames dancing against the darkness. Aric sat across from his father, still pale from the earlier drain, his eyes burning with the stubborn light of someone who refused to bow.
Daren studied him carefully. The boy was recovering quickly—quicker than most. That alone was dangerous. The system noticed anomalies. And Aric was one.
"You need to understand," Daren began, his voice carrying the weight of years. "Power isn't free. Every mortal is born tied to the system. It measures us, limits us, even rewards us when it suits its purpose. But no matter how high one climbs, the ceiling remains."
Aric's brow furrowed. "The levels you mentioned before… they're real? Not just myths?"
"They're real," Daren said firmly. He tossed a stick into the fire. "The system quantifies growth into stages, simple numbers to keep mortals complacent. Level one, level ten, level one hundred—each gives a false sense of achievement. But the truth is this: all mortals are capped."
Aric leaned forward. "At what point?"
"Somewhere different for everyone," Daren answered. "For most, it's low. For the exceptionally gifted, perhaps level one hundred or two. But no mortal surpasses the limit without… intervention."
"Intervention?"
Daren's expression darkened. "Either divine patronage, binding yourself to a god… or breaking the system itself."
The words hung heavy in the air. Aric's heart raced. Break the system? It sounded impossible, yet the way his father spoke made it clear: it wasn't just possible. It was necessary.
"The system siphons as you grow," Daren continued, his tone sharpening. "The stronger you become, the more it takes from you. Not just mana—life itself. That's why most mortals die before reaching true strength. The ceiling isn't only a number. It's a leash. One that strangles you the moment you strain against it."
Aric remembered the sensation at the stream—the invisible claws tearing at his chest, pulling his essence away. He shivered, clenching his jaw.
"So the gods…" he began slowly, "…they broke it? They escaped?"
Daren gave a humorless smile. "No. They didn't break it. They bargained with it. They bent knee to the one who controls the system—the Entity. Aion. In exchange for servitude, they were elevated. Divine powers, eternal life, control over mortals. But make no mistake, Aric. Even gods wear chains. They're gilded, yes. But chains nonetheless."
Aric's eyes narrowed. "And what about you?"
For the first time, Daren hesitated. His gaze flicked to the fire, where embers crackled like faint stars. "I chose another path. I studied the forbidden, searched for remnants of those who resisted. The Taboos. Mortals who rejected the system's shackles."
"Like me."
"Yes." Daren's voice hardened. "You've already been marked. Today's drain wasn't punishment. It was a warning. The system knows you're different. If you continue, it will escalate. First, it weakens. Then, it sends enforcers. Eventually… it sends gods."
Aric's stomach knotted, but he didn't flinch. "And if I stop?"
"Then you'll live a quiet, safe life."
They both knew that was a lie. The system wouldn't ignore him forever. Not after today.
Aric leaned closer, his voice low but steady. "Tell me how to break it."
Daren studied his son, his jaw tightening. For years, he had hidden this knowledge, hoping to buy Aric more time. But the system had acted sooner than expected. Silence would only doom the boy faster.
"There are three keys," Daren said finally. His tone was deliberate, as though each word was etched in iron. "Knowledge. Willpower. And sacrifice. You must understand the truth of the system, refuse its temptations, and… pay the price required to sever it."
Aric frowned. "What kind of sacrifice?"
Daren's eyes hardened, shadowed by something he would not say aloud. "The kind that leaves scars on the soul. That is why so few succeed. And why so many of the Taboos are broken, hollow shells of what they once were."
The fire snapped, and for a moment Aric thought he saw something in his father's eyes—fear. Not for himself. For him.
Aric sat back, his fists tightening on his knees. The path was clearer now, though no less daunting. To reach beyond the gods, beyond the Entity itself, he would have to gamble everything. His life. His soul. His humanity.
And yet, deep within, he felt no hesitation.
"I'll pay it," Aric said quietly. "Whatever it takes."
Daren said nothing, but in the flicker of firelight, his expression betrayed both pride and dread.