Rhys ran on the fumes of desperation. It was a common fuel in the Forgotten Sector, the massive ruins of the old world that lay shattered outside the safety of Aethel Prime. The air here wasn't normal; it was thick with the chilling, unstable energy called Mists-Arcana, the lingering poison from the Great Fracture that had ended civilization centuries ago.
Rhys was a Scavenger, a weak link in the world's hierarchy. His only protection was his own minuscule power, his Arcana Core, which was currently ranked at the bottom tier: Ember (E-).
[NOTE: THE ARCANA CORE AND RANKING] The Arcana Core is the source of all power. It sits in the chest, and its size and stability define a person's Rank. The Ember Rank (E-) is the weakest, giving Rhys just enough power to keep warm or perhaps briefly coat a tool in a useless, flickering light. If the Core is drained, the person suffers extreme fatigue and could die.
"Almost there, you overgrown rat!" Rhys gasped, swinging a rusty, heavy piece of pipe.
His current problem was a Glimmerbeast , a four-legged predator with claws sharpened by the Mists-Arcana. It was fast, hungry, and focused entirely on the small, black, six-sided stone Rhys clutched in his left hand.
The Obsidian Compass.
Rhys had only just found the artifact half-buried in the rubble of an ancient, crumbled archive. The moment he touched the cold, dark stone, a feeling of icy shock hit him, and a strange, translucent blue interface—a System—snapped into existence only he could see.
[WELCOME. ARCANUM INITIATION DETECTED.] [CORE STATUS: CRITICAL. ARCANA CORE (E-RANK) 10/100.]
The Glimmerbeast lunged, its shadow-claws aimed right for Rhys's throat. Rhys threw himself sideways, but the sharp claws still raked his thigh.
A wave of searing pain. The wound wasn't just a scratch; the Mists-Arcana coating the claws instantly began to burn his skin.
[WARNING: FATAL INJURY IMMINENT. ACTIVATE CORE DRAIN.]
The Obsidian Compass pulsed a deep, terrifying crimson. Rhys didn't make the choice—the artifact did. Every last drop of his weak Ember Rank energy, every calorie of power left in his body, was violently sucked out through his arm and into the black stone. Rhys collapsed, completely drained and shaking.
But the Compass fired that stolen energy back out as a single, crimson-black sphere of pure, compressed destruction. It hit the Glimmerbeast instantly, vaporizing the creature and leaving behind a smoking hole and the coppery smell of burnt Arcana.
Rhys was alive, but now he was utterly powerless.
The System, however, was already issuing its command. The compass pulsed, pointing to a massive, circular vault door deep in the broken archives.
[QUEST: FIRST AWAKENING] [OBJECTIVE: ENTER THE ANCIENT VAULT BELOW THE ARCHIVES (0/1)] [REWARD: ARCANUM INITIATION SCROLL (LEVEL 1), 50 ARCANA POINTS]
Rhys didn't need to be told how much trouble he was in. The explosive, unique crimson burst of Arcana energy he had just created was a massive beacon. Powerful Hunters who specialized in tracking rare artifacts would already be rushing to his location. He had to run, or he had to become strong enough to fight.
I have no energy to run. I have to go through the door, Rhys decided, pushing himself up, leaning on the wall for support.
Section 2: The Path to the Sovereign RanksRhys limped toward the vault door. It was made of thick, dark metal, sealed by five centuries of rust and ancient, impossible locks. He pressed the Obsidian Compass against the metal.
"Compass," he gasped, "If you want the Quest, open this door!"
The Compass greedily began to absorb the ambient Mists-Arcana from the air, channeling the chaotic energy and using it to perfectly mimic the door's ancient key code. There was a hideous, grinding CRACK, and the seals snapped.
Rhys pushed the heavy door open just enough to slip inside the vault. He instantly slammed it shut as he heard a massive, ground-shaking THUMP... THUMP... approaching outside. The Hunter was here.
[QUEST OBJECTIVE COMPLETE: ENTER THE ANCIENT VAULT (1/1)] [REWARD RECEIVED: ARCANUM INITIATION SCROLL (LEVEL 1), 50 ARCANA POINTS]
He snatched the scroll from the pedestal. It dissolved into a blinding silver light and shot into his chest. The pain of the transformation was intense, but it quickly faded into a clean, smooth warmth.
[ARCANA CORE RECALIBRATION INITIATED!] [RANK UPGRADE: EMBER (E-) -> ARCANA CANDLE (D+)] [STATUS: INITIATION COMPLETE. NEW CULTIVATION PATH UNLOCKED: THE AETHEL SCROLLS] [ARCANA CORE: 100/100 (FULL)]
Rhys had skipped the entire Ember Rank and was now a fully powered Arcana Candle (D+)—a huge jump!
The Hunter outside began to test the vault door, making the heavy metal scream under immense pressure. Rhys didn't panic; he focused on the System.
"System, explain the Ranks and the Aethel Scrolls!"
System Interface: Cultivation Ranks[NOTE: THE FIVE PILLAR RANKS] These ranks are the known limits of the current civilization. They are called the Ascendant Ranks.
Rank NameTier GradeArcana Core AppearanceTypical RoleEmberE- to E+Dim, shaky, like a dying coal.Scavengers.Arcana CandleD- to D+Steady, small, clear flame.Guards, low-tier Hunters. (Rhys's Current Rank)LanternC- to C+Bright, warm, can sustain others.Elite Guards, Patrol Leaders.FurnaceB- to B+Intense, hot, capable of true power.Field Commanders, powerful Hunters.Sun CoreA- to A+Blinding, massive power; rare and legendary.City Leaders, Masters.[NOTE: BEYOND THE PILLARS - THE SOVEREIGN RANKS] This path is the secret destiny of the Aethel Scrolls. These ranks require accessing the original, untainted Arcanum energy.
Rank NameTier GradeArcana Core AppearanceStatusStarlightS- to S+A thousand shifting stars within the Core.Requires breakthrough in the Aethel Scrolls path.Void WeaverSSThe Core becomes a true, self-sustaining dimension.Legendary.Apex GodhoodSSSComplete mastery over the Arcana.Unconfirmed. Theoretical peak.Rhys felt a profound understanding of his path. The Aethel Scrolls weren't just a minor cultivation method; they were a secret map to reaching the Sovereign Ranks.
The Obsidian Compass then flashed crimson again, pointing to a small crack in the stone floor where a dark, wispy smoke—Corrupted Arcanum—was leaking out.
[NEW QUEST TRIGGERED: THE VAULT'S HEART] [OBJECTIVE: PURIFY THE CORRUPTED ARCANUM BELOW (0/1)] [WARNING: HIGH RISK OF FAILURE. DEATH IMMINENT.]
Rhys knew the Hunter, the Flame Sentinel (likely a Furnace Rank B+), would be through the door in seconds. He had to prepare for a fight he couldn't win with just a shield.
"System, I need to fight. Show me the Shop!"
Rhys had 50 AP. He saw exactly what he needed for his swordsman instincts.
Item/SkillAP CostDescriptionBasic Arcana Shield50 APCreates a simple, stable layer of D-Rank Arcana energy for protection.Shadow-Edge Blade (Evolving Artifact)50 APA perfectly balanced, jet-black sword. Its material can absorb small amounts of corrupted Arcana to temporarily boost cutting power.Steel Heart Martial Art (Level 1)50 APThe essential foundation for close-quarters Arcana combat. Teaches balance, core-strengthening stances, and rapid energy focus.He made his first purchases.
"System, buy Basic Arcana Shield! And buy both Shadow-Edge Blade and Steel Heart Martial Art right after I finish the next quest!"
[PURCHASE COMPLETE: BASIC ARCANA SHIELD. 50 AP DEDUCTED.] [ARCANA POINTS: 0]
He activated his shield—a thin, white glow—just as the Hunter started tearing the vault door apart with raw force.
Rhys kicked the floor crack open and dove into the dark, smoky hole, landing in a massive cavern where the black smoke originated from a cracked Ancient Energy Conduit.
Rhys immediately jammed the Obsidian Compass into the Conduit, channeling his clean D-Rank Arcana for purification. He felt his Core drain to the last drop, but the corruption was finally cleared.
[PURIFICATION COMPLETE.] [REWARD RECEIVED: RANK UPGRADE: ARCANA CANDLE (D+) -> ARCANA LANTERN (C-)] [REWARD RECEIVED: 150 ARCANA POINTS]
Rhys was slammed with power. He was now a true Arcana Lantern (C-)! But he had no time to celebrate. The Hunter was here.
Section 3: The Ascent and the Hunter's FuryThe last piece of the vault door crashed above, and a huge, dark shadow fell over the hole. A massive figure, encased in smoking obsidian armor and glowing with orange light, looked down. This was Karrus, the Flame Sentinel.
"Little thief. You have the scent of ancient power. I will take it now," Karrus bellowed, his voice distorted and harsh.
Rhys had 150 AP and no time to think. He needed his weapon and skill now.
"System, buy Shadow-Edge Blade and Steel Heart Martial Art!"
[PURCHASE COMPLETE. 100 AP DEDUCTED.] [ARCANA POINTS: 50]
The knowledge of the Steel Heart Martial Art flooded his brain, teaching him to climb the conduit's broken cables with silent, explosive grace. The Shadow-Edge Blade materialized instantly in his hand, a perfect, impossibly light weapon.
Rhys quickly climbed up the Conduit and darted into an ancient, collapsed maintenance tunnel, escaping the immediate sight of Karrus. The tunnels led him higher and higher until he burst out onto the fifth floor of a ruined skyscraper.
He took a breath, thinking he was safe.
[WARNING: HIGH-POWER ARCANA SIGNATURE (FURNACE RANK) DETECTED. LOCATION: ABOVE YOU. 10 METERS.]
Karrus, the B+ Furnace Rank Hunter, had bypassed the climb entirely, using raw power to leap straight up the outside of the building. Karrus dropped onto the floor, his heavy armor shattering the concrete plates around him.
"Clever rat. You gained a Lantern Rank, but you are still C-. I am B+. Give me the artifact," Karrus demanded, raising a plasma-charged gauntlet.
Rhys executed the Steel Heart: Woven Serpent Step, a move of pure speed designed for flight. He shot sideways, but Karrus was faster.
FLAME SENTRY: INCINERATION BLAST!
A wave of liquid fire erupted. Rhys avoided the core of the attack, but the edge clipped his left shoulder. His Basic Arcana Shield instantly vaporized, and a searing heat burned his skin.
[BASIC ARCANA SHIELD: DESTROYED. ARCANA CORE DRAIN: 50/200]
Rhys stumbled, realizing the difference in power was an abyss. Karrus was too strong.
Karrus walked towards him with terrifying confidence, drawing a massive, flaming Arcana Flamberge from his back. "You will pay for that scratch. I will burn this district down."
Rhys knew he was dead if he tried to fight head-on. He had to use the unique power of the Compass.
As Karrus swung the massive, flaming sword toward him, Rhys dropped low, dodging the blow, and slammed the Obsidian Compass into the ground.
"System! Activate the Arcanum absorption!"
The Compass violently sucked up all the chaotic Mists-Arcana energy from the surrounding ruins. It instantly purified the poison and sent a massive surge of clean, ancient power directly into Rhys's body.
[TEMPORARY ARCANA BOOST: ARCANA LANTERN (C-) -> ARCANA FURNACE (B+)] [DURATION: 5 SECONDS]
Rhys became an instant equal. He felt the sheer, raw strength—his own strength. He moved faster than Karrus could register, using the Steel Heart: Heart-Shattering Ascent piercing strike.
He aimed the Shadow-Edge Blade at the tiny, exposed joint between Karrus's helmet and his body armor.
CLANG! SSSK!
The blade pierced the joint, slicing deep into the armor's controls. Karrus froze, his orange visor flickering and dying. The Hunter was paralyzed by the damage.
[ENEMY CRITICAL HIT! ARMOR POWER FAILURE. +50 ARCANA POINTS]
Rhys ripped the blade free and leaped backward just as the temporary power vanished. He was exhausted but victorious.
"You cannot escape, thief!" Karrus managed to hiss, slowly trying to repair his armor.
Rhys didn't need to be told twice. He sprinted toward the towering, fortified Outer Wall—the boundary between the dangerous ruins and the safe city of Aethel Prime. He used his new Steel Heart agility to cross a crumbling sky bridge and land safely behind the massive steel barrier.
He was safe, for now. He was a Lantern Rank (C-) swordsman with the deadly Shadow-Edge Blade, and he was the most wanted man in the city.
[ARCANA POINTS: 100] (Carried over 50 AP + 50 AP from the critical hit.) [NEW QUEST TRIGGERED: THE ANCIENT TRAP] (Still active, but now optional.)