Stoneport District hummed with life, a mixture of languages, scents, and energies colliding in the air. Jiro Tensai walked through the streets, the weight of his pack slightly lessened now that the day had cooled. Rein followed silently, his mechanical arm glinting under the sunlight that bounced off the ether-infused stone.
"You'll rest here for the day," Rein said, stopping near a small courtyard surrounded by low-rise buildings. "Tomorrow, we leave for Ironveil District. That's where your cores will begin to manifest abilities. It's a controlled environment — you'll have a chance to test them without endangering anyone."
Jiro adjusted the strap of his pack, feeling the faint pulse of the egg at his waist. "Ironveil… is that where I'll know what I can actually do?"
Rein nodded. "Yes. Until now, you've been preparing your body, meditating, and letting the cores acclimate. The training, the hunts, the meditations — all of it was to saturate your meridians, your veins, and your nerves with aligned energy. You're ready… almost."
He paused, studying Jiro closely. "Almost means you still have to understand what it means to hold three cores at once. Most awakeners never reach this stage. They awaken one, sometimes two. The third… is rare. And dangerous if mishandled."
Jiro glanced at his hands, flexing them. He could feel the three distinct energies thrumming through him: the warmth of Essentia in his heart, the electrical charge of Aetherion in his brain, and the deep, slow pulse of Vitanova at his core. "I can feel them… separately. And together. But controlling them… it's different."
Rein's lips curled faintly. "Tomorrow, you'll start to test that difference. You'll sense which abilities each core manifests, and you'll learn their limits. Essentia grants life-based powers — healing, vital energy manipulation, influence over living systems. Aetherion controls energy and matter — telekinesis, elemental control, force manipulation. Vitanova… is evolution incarnate. Adaptation, regeneration, and subtle alterations of your own body's potential."
Jiro nodded, absorbing every word. "So… tomorrow, I might… actually fight with them?"
"In a controlled manner," Rein corrected. "Ironveil District has open zones, arenas, and containment areas specifically for this purpose. You'll test your reflexes, your control, and how well your cores can integrate into real actions. It's not a fight against enemies — yet. This is for you."
Jiro took a deep breath, feeling the lingering fatigue from their previous hunts. "And the mark on my stomach?" he asked. "Will it… help me?"
Rein's eyes softened slightly. "It will continue to support your Essentia, absorbing excess life energy from your environment and your own overflows. But it will not manifest abilities itself. That is yours to discover."
The city around them carried on obliviously. Merchants called out, children darted between carts, and travelers carried goods from other districts. The variety of energies flowing through Stoneport made it perfect for Jiro to feel the subtle differences in his cores.
"Good," Rein said, breaking the quiet. "Rest today, eat, meditate, and let your bodies settle. Ironveil will require everything you've learned so far."
Jiro nodded, already feeling the excitement building in his chest. He found a quiet rooftop overlooking the district, the hum of Essentia, Aetherion, and Vitanova resonating faintly under his skin. The egg pulsed in time with his heartbeat, a gentle reminder of the latent power he carried.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the city's lights flickered on, casting long shadows. Jiro sat cross-legged, meditating. He traced the flow of energy through his meridians and veins, imagining them reaching the heart, brain, and core. The three cores vibrated in harmony, and for the first time, he sensed the faint brush of potential — the edges of abilities waiting to emerge.
Above him, the night sky of Fluxion stretched endlessly. Somewhere beyond the planet, the aliens watched, noting the presence of the Marked. The Obsidian Order maintained control of Stoneport, but tomorrow, Jiro's true test would begin.
The quiet hum of his egg, the flow of his cores, and the distant lights of the city reminded him of one truth: he was no longer just surviving. He was about to step into his own power — and the world, and perhaps even Earth, would begin to feel the ripples of his awakening.
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