The day passed faster than Ael expected. The air of anticipation that had followed him through the academy lingered as the evening descended upon Sahara City. The last rays of sun bathed the skyline in gold, reflecting off the pale stone towers and glass spires that stretched toward the horizon. It was hard to believe that this city — born from the events of Solara — now stood as a symbol of renewal, strength, and purpose.
Ael walked home beside Isla, who was animatedly recounting something about a sparring match that morning. Kara, who worked as a Clerk at the academy, trailed a few steps behind, arms crossed but smiling faintly at their banter. The streets were alive with the buzz of students and civilians, laughter echoing through the narrow alleys, the scent of food vendors drifting on the breeze. Despite everything the world had gone through, moments like this made it feel whole again.
"Can you believe it's finally tomorrow?" Isla said, brushing a strand of her black hair behind her ear. The soft glow of the street lamps reflected in her bright blue eyes. "You've been dreaming about awakening since we were five."
"I can believe it," Ael said, grinning. "The real question is — can you believe that when I awaken, I'll outshine every awakener out there?"
Kara groaned, rolling her eyes. "Here we go again…"
Isla laughed, a light and genuine sound that always seemed to disarm him. "If you awaken, Ael, maybe I'll finally admit your ego has some backing."
"If?" Ael feigned offense. "I'll have you know that destiny itself is on my side."
"Destiny?" Kara snorted, moving strands of her blonde hair from her face. "More like delusion."
They reached the Valen household — a modest two-story home nestled near the academy's outer district. It wasn't grand, but it was warm, filled with memories and the soft hum of life. As soon as they stepped inside, the scent of roasted meat and herbs filled the air.
"Welcome home, you three," Lira's voice called from the kitchen, warm and melodic. She appeared with a smile, apron tied neatly, her dark blonde hair gathered into a bun. "Dinner's ready."
"I'm so hungry!" Isla said brightly, slipping off her shoes and joining them at the table.
They ate together, laughter bouncing off the walls. Kara teased Ael about his obsession with awakeners, Isla tried to defend him but failed between giggles, and Lira watched them all with that quiet, maternal contentment that made even this chaotic world feel like home.
When dinner ended and the dishes were cleared, Ael leaned back in his chair, full and sleepy. "I think I'll turn in early," he said, suppressing a yawn. "Big day tomorrow."
Lira smiled gently. "Sleep well, sweetheart. Tomorrow will be a new beginning."
"Night, Ael!" Isla said, waving playfully as he ascended the stairs. "Don't oversleep and miss your awakening ceremony."
"Not a chance," Ael said with a smirk, closing the door behind him.
That night, the world changed.
Ael drifted into sleep easily, his mind hazy with dreams of glory and power — but the dreams soon shifted. The warmth faded, replaced by the smell of smoke and ash. His surroundings blurred, shapes twisting until he realized he wasn't himself anymore.
He was seeing through someone else's eyes.
The world before him was burning — a great city collapsing in flame and ruin. Screams echoed in the distance, and the sky itself cracked with crimson light. He could feel fear — no, despair — tightening in his chest. In his arms, he held a small infant wrapped in silver light, its faint cries drowned out by the chaos around them.
"You must live…" a woman's voice trembled, raw with love and pain. "Even if I cannot."
Ael felt her — her — grief as though it were his own. Her heartbeat thundered in his ears, her tears burned down her cheeks. She whispered a name into the child's ear, her voice breaking.
"Elyrion…"
The name rang in Ael's mind like a bell, vibrating through his being. The woman's face turned upward toward a blinding light — the same white radiance he had seen once before…
The vision shattered.
Ael awoke with a scream.
Pain tore through his chest, white-hot and unbearable. He clutched at his heart, gasping, his entire body convulsing as if something was clawing its way out of him. His breath came in ragged bursts.
A blinding white light flooded the room, spilling from beneath his skin. He could feel something inside him, expanding, reshaping. The pain was primal — not of flesh, but of existence itself.
And then, as suddenly as it began, the pain stopped.
The world fell silent. The only sound was his heartbeat — deep, resonant, unfamiliar.
Sweat pouring down his face.
Ael opened his eyes, and before him floated a translucent screen of light.
─────────────────
STATUS SCREEN
─────────────────
Name: Elyrion Vaelora
Race: ???
Ether Core Level: 1 (0/100)
Title: The Vessel
Class: Ether Paragon (Unique)
Class Skill: Ether Manipulation
─────────────────
Stats:
Strength : 20
Agility : 20
Vitality : 20 [HP: 200 / 200]
Stamina : 20
Intelligence : 20 [Ether: 200 / 200]
─────────────────
Skills:
(None)
─────────────────
He froze. His breath caught in his throat.
"Elyrion… Vaelora?" he whispered. The name burned behind his eyes, digging into the edges of his memory. He had never heard it before — yet it felt… familiar. Heavy. Right.
"What the heck is this screen? I've never head of anyone having one of these before… My name is incorrect, so what the heck is going on?" He murmured, trying to make sense of what he was seeing.
The numbers didn't make sense either. Twenty across the board? Every academy lesson, every recorded awakening said the same — newly awakened individuals started with tens. No exceptions.
His pulse quickened. Was this a mistake? A hallucination?
The screen flickered — and new messages appeared.
"You are The Vessel.
Ether resides within you — the primordial energy of creation. The source from which all mana is born.
When the First Vessel fell, Ether was sealed, now that you have awakened, the seal is undone.
You, Elyrion Vaelora, are the second Vessel — the only being capable of housing Ether without destruction."
Ael's eyes widened. The words burned into his mind, and then the messages came — not spoken aloud, but in front of him. Plan, without emotion.
"Ether existed before the worlds took shape. Before life learned to dream. It is the pulse of the cosmos itself."
"Mortals and even gods who attempted to wield it were consumed — for Ether does not bend. It creates or… destroys."
"But you… you are The Vessel."
"Through you, Ether will once again move through the realms."
The screen shifted again. Flashing in front of him, alerting him of specific messages unread.
System Messages:
1-"You have gained the title "The Vessel", granting you an additional 100% experience gain."
2-"Ether replaces Mana as your life force."
3-"You cannot absorb Mana Stones."
4-"Slain foes will release Ether Essence, drawn to your core which will grant experience for growth."
5-"Each level grants +2 to all attributes, and +3 to Intelligence."
6-"You are not bound by the laws of Mana."
Ael sat frozen, his mind racing. "Ether? Essence? The First Vessel? Not bound by the laws of mana?"
He clenched his fists, feeling the faint hum of energy under his skin — not mana, not warmth, but something deeper, more infinite. The room's air felt denser, alive.
He remembered the dream — the woman, the baby, the burning light. Her voice whispering his name. Elyrion.
It was too vivid to be imagination. Too real to dismiss.
But what did it mean?
Am I really this Elyrion? What happened to me? Did I reincarnate and loose my memories?
Ael had his mind in over drive trying to think of how and why this was happening.
He pressed a trembling hand against his chest. The faint pulse of energy thrummed beneath — steady, constant. Unlike mana, which was often described as flowing through the body like a river, this was… vast. Oceanic. Infinite.
He didn't understand it — but it was his.
A soft knock broke the silence.
"Ael? Are you okay?" Isla's voice came muffled through the door.
He glanced at the fading light of the screen. The moment he looked away, it dimmed — as if waiting for his command.
"Yeah," he said after a pause, forcing his voice steady. "Just a weird dream. Sorry if I woke you."
"You were yelling," Isla said softly. "Sounded bad."
He hesitated, then smiled faintly. "Just nerves. Big day tomorrow."
"Then get some sleep, future awakener." Her voice warmed, sleepy but sincere. "You'll need your energy."
He listened to her retreating footsteps before letting out a long breath. The room fell quiet again.
Slowly, he sat by the window. The moon hung over Sahara City, silver light glinting off the distant towers. His reflection stared back at him — white-haired, violet-eyed, and now, undeniably different.
He whispered the name once more.
"Elyrion Vaelora…"
It didn't feel foreign anymore. It felt like the truth.
A faint hum filled the air, and somewhere deep inside, the system whispered again — quiet, reverent.
"Awakening complete."
"Congratulations on awakening, Elyrion"
The night grew still.
And as Ael — or better said, Elyrion — drifted into uneasy sleep, the faint glow of Ether shimmered across his chest, pulsing in rhythm with the beating of the stars.