Hello everyone, and welcome back! If you've stumbled upon this story by a stroke of luck, I hope you enjoy my novel, L.U.C.I.D. (Light Universe Collapses Into Darkness). As the title suggests, this is a story about a world on the brink of absolute entropy.
I am writing this special entry to break down the power system of this world, which I call "The Observatives."
Fair Warning: This reference guide may contain minor spoilers regarding the lore and mechanics of the world. However, the magic system relies on complex quantum physics. If you ever find yourself confused while reading the main chapters, please come back to this section as a reference.
I will be uploading chapters gradually. I hope you enjoy the journey!
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I. The Law of Certainty (The First Collapse)
"To observe is to arrest. That which is seen cannot change."
The Rule: You cannot manipulate an object while observing it perfectly. Observation locks reality in place (Stasis). To change something (move it, heat it, destroy it), you must blink or look away for a fraction of a second to allow the atoms to become fluid again. Combat Application: You must look at your enemy to freeze them, but you must blink to fire your weapon. The rhythm of combat is Stare-Blink-Stare-Blink.
II. The Law of Uncertainty (The Flow State)
"To ignore is to liberate. That which is unseen becomes infinite."
The Rule: An object (or person) unobserved by any conscious mind enters Superposition. It exists in all possible states simultaneously. Combat Application: If you can hide from the enemy's line of sight, you can walk through walls. However, if even a single person sees you (even a camera or a drone), your waveform collapses instantly, and you become solid again.
III. The Law of Decoherence (The Great Filter)
"The mind is the limit. To observe too much is to cease to be."
The Rule: Every time you force reality to change, you burn brain cells. If your "Synaptic Stability" drops below 0%, you suffer Total Decoherence. Your body forgets it is a solid object and scatters into atomic dust. There is no cure.
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Welcome to the physics of Erebos. In this world, reality is not solid. It is a soup of possibilities. Magic is simply the act of forcing that soup into a shape using your mind and your eyes. This power is known as "The Observables."
Here is everything you need to know to survive.
1. The Golden Rule
"To See is to Create. To Ignore is to Destroy."
The Observer Effect: Atoms behave differently depending on whether they are being watched.
The Power: Users (called Axioms) can manipulate reality by controlling their line of sight.
2. The Two Disciplines
Power is divided based on which side of the planet you harness: The Light (Particle) or The Dark (Wave).
A. The Particle Arts (The Way of the Illumed)
Used by those living on the Day Side, facing the Black Hole.
The Trigger: Intense, unblinking focus.
The Concept: You force reality to sit still.
Key Abilities:
Stasis Lock: By staring at an enemy or object, you freeze their atoms. They cannot move as long as you maintain eye contact.
Hard-Light Constructs: You visualize a sword or shield so intensely that the air molecules collapse into a solid, glowing crystal object.
Beam Emission: Channeling the radiation of the Black Hole through your eyes or hands.
Weakness: If you blink, the effect breaks immediately.
B. The Wave Arts (The Way of the Unseen)
Used by those living in the Umbra (Night Side).
The Trigger: Closing your eyes, blindness, or using "Null-Visors."
The Concept: You allow reality to become blurry and uncertain.
Key Abilities:
Phasing: You stop observing your own body, allowing your atoms to drift apart. You can walk through walls, bullets, or swords.
Blink-Step (Teleportation): You exist in two places at once (Superposition). You choose which version of "you" is real, instantly appearing there.
Shadow-Weaving: turning darkness into a semi-solid fog to blind enemies.
Weakness: If someone else sees you clearly, your waveform collapses, and you become solid (and vulnerable) again.
3. The Cost: "Decoherence"
Magic is not free. It burns the brain. The universe hates being manipulated.
Mental Bandwidth: Every user has a limit. Overusing your power causes nosebleeds, migraines, and hallucinations.
Total Decoherence (Death):
Particle Users: If they push too hard, they Calcify. They turn into living statues of crystal, frozen in time forever.
Wave Users: If they push too hard, they Dissolve. They fade into invisible dark matter, becoming ghosts that can never interact with the world again.
4. The Ranking System
Power levels are measured by "Perception Depth" (How much reality you can alter).
Grade 5 (The Glimpse): Can slightly nudge probability. (e.g., Making a coin land on heads, slight night vision).
Grade 4 (The Watcher): The standard soldier. Can create small shields or phase through thin doors.
Grade 3 (The Observer): Elite warriors. Can freeze people in place or phase through entire buildings.
Grade 2 (The Axiom): Masters. Can alter the landscape, turn air into lava, or become invisible to machines.
Grade 1 (The Singularity): Theoretical. A user capable of staring into the Black Hole without going insane. Legend says they can rewrite history itself.
5. Rare Abilities
Entanglement: A rare bond between two people (usually twins or lovers). They share pain and thoughts across any distance. If one dies, the other's mind shatters.
The Blind Spot: A legendary technique where a user erases themselves from everyone's memory, effectively becoming invisible to the entire world.
Author's Note: Remember, our protagonist Austin is blind. In a world where "looking" creates reality, being blind means he lives in a permanent state of infinite possibility.