A tired-looking young man with white hair and yellow eyes stared out at the horizon after a long day of training. The land stretched endlessly in vast greenery, and the sky above was a clear blue with not a single cloud in sight. At this moment, all Tamer could do was gaze at the peaceful sky—his body too drained to move.
He grinned slightly, hiding the excitement rising within him.
"I finally did it. I can finally circulate aura throughout my whole body."
After the ritual, the High Priest had warned him—such a large capacity of aura in his inner core could be both a blessing and a curse.
"Ah, man," he groaned. "That was tough."
Tamer stood up, shaky but determined, and picked up his sword.
"Let's try this one more time… Intermediate Swordsmanship: Aura Burst X."
He exhaled slowly. "I can perform intermediate swordsmanship fairly well now. I think it's time to head back—it's getting late."
"Tsk. Still a long way to go."
After walking for nearly an hour—through what seemed like a wasted, yet fulfilling day—Tamer finally arrived home, collapsing to the ground in exhaustion.
"Brasshollow…"
His village. Known for its worn tools and strong hands. Everyone knew everyone—it was a small, tight-knit place. Only one tavern, houses packed closely together, and street vendors at nearly every corner. There was nothing flashy about Brasshollow. But it was home.
Upon entering the tavern, loud cheers erupted—villagers drinking, laughing, and preparing for the Golden Sheaf and Luminare festivals, both celebrated on the same day. The Golden Sheaf honored the hard work and legacy of their ancestors, while the Luminare was a light-filled celebration meant to cast off darkness and summon dreams.
Tamer grinned slightly.
But for those around his age, the real preparation was for the Astral Prism—a dungeon that twisted reality itself, allowing each person to face and unseal their inner world.
"Hey! Tamer, you're back again!"
With a darkening expression, Tamer turned toward the voice.
His father.
"Haha… hey, Dad. You're drunk again."
Mr. Fanric—though only his adoptive father—treated him like his own blood. He wasn't married, despite being kind-hearted and, admittedly, quite handsome. Mr. Fanric had once been part of a knight order, but after his inner world was damaged, he stepped away from that life. He didn't speak of it much. Still, he was the reason Tamer could use aura effectively.
"So... you're heading out tomorrow, right?"
"Uhh... yeah."
Fanric sighed, clearly holding back emotion.
"Just be safe, alright?"
"Alright, Dad... but why are you like this? Are you that drunk?"
"Can't a father worry about his son?" he replied.
"No matter how easy or dangerous the dungeon seems... I still worry."
"I'll try my best tomorrow, Dad. Don't make that face—it's not like you."
The Astral Prism shifts its reality based on the person who enters. No two experiences are ever the same. If one manages to conquer it, that specific reality becomes their inner world. It's a battle—not just of strength, but of emotion, desire, and identity. The Astral Prism connects the outer self with the inner self.
"So... can everyone enter the Astral Prism?"
"No. They can't."
"But if the ritual is successful... wouldn't more people be able to open their own world?"
"Listen, Tamer... not everyone is capable of wielding aura—even if they have access to it. Without an inner world, you'll hit a wall. You won't grow stronger. That's why many don't even try."
"I see... I understand a little more clearly now."
Fanric smiled.
"Get some sleep. You have a big day tomorrow."
"Hehe, so do you."
Tamer made his way to his room and fell asleep the moment he lay down.
"Ugh... what's that sound?"
Tamer looked outside. The villagers were already preparing for the festivals.
Still sleep-deprived, Tamer got ready to leave. Many wished him safe travels and prayed for his return from the Astral Prism. Their words filled him with hope.
As it came time to depart, two more candidates entered the scene to board the horse-drawn carriage: Kaelith Orven and Nyra Vellin.
Kaelith Orven was calm, analytical, and cautious. Known for always having a plan before acting. He was skilled in ranged aura manipulation and used twin daggers coated in flowing aura. Everyone close to him simply called him Kael.
Nyra Vellin was bold, curious, and fiercely determined. She was always the first to speak her mind and wasn't afraid of the unknown. Ny could manifest fragments of dreams, emotions, and memories into semi-real illusions during battle or exploration. These illusions were powered by her aura and used to confuse or overwhelm enemies. Everyone called her Ny for short.
Kael and Ny were both capable in their own right.
I've known them for as long as I can remember, and I consider us close.
"You're coming along too, huh, Tamer?" Kael asked.
"Well yeah," Tamer said with a smile. "I may not be as talented as you guys yet, but I think I'm capable of entering the Astral Prism."
"The Astral Prism isn't easy," Ny said with a serious expression. "There've been stories of people coming out broken… and some don't come out at all. Be careful, alright?"
"You know, I sometimes forget we're the same age," Tamer replied, "because you worry about everything—which should be Kael's job, really."
"Tamer has a point, Ny. You can be the worrier sometimes—that's my role," Kael added, smirking.
"Shit, the carriage's about to leave!" Tamer panicked.
Tamer, Kael, and Ny boarded the horse-drawn carriage and set off for Moonveil—a dense forest hiding the Astral Prism at its heart.
Moonveil was unlike other forests. While most were infested with monsters, this one was kept under constant watch by the Valamir Knights of the Kingdom of Crownmere. The Astral Prism emitted such overwhelming aura that monsters couldn't survive within its range.
The carriage rolled safely through the dense trees. Then, finally—they arrived.
Two massive statues stood facing opposite directions, framing an enormous stone door at the center.
The moment had come. The test was to begin immediately.
A Valamir knight shouted:
"THOSE WHO ARE HERE TO TAKE THE TRIAL, STEP FORWARD! ENTER—AND SAFE TRAVELS."
(Opening... Welcome to the Astral Prism)