The early morning sun barely pierced through the smog-veiled clouds above the ruined landscape.
Auther stirred the small fire near their camp. The embers crackled quietly, the only sound besides the faint wind rustling through charred foliage. The mana-rich river nearby gave off a strange mist, a natural anomaly of this world, dense with residual energy.
Elira sat across from him, wrapped in the spare cloak he had tossed her way the night before. Her silver hair, now combed free of knots, shimmered faintly in the light. Her skin was still pale, but color had returned to her cheeks.
Auther watched her eat from a heated ration pack — slow, deliberate bites — her hands trembling slightly from weeks, maybe months, of captivity.
"You said you didn't remember anything," he said after a while.
She nodded. "Not much. Only flashes. Fire. Screams. A temple… or something like it. A sealed door. Then darkness." Her fingers curled around the cloak. "I remember a name though. Elira. And a voice… someone called me that before sealing me."
Auther leaned back against the tree. "The bindings on you weren't made to restrain a prisoner. They were made to suppress power."
She looked at him, startled.
He continued, "I've seen suppression chains before. What you had was a suppression seal. Bloodline suppression. Someone didn't just want to trap you… they wanted you silenced."
Elira was quiet for a moment. "So I was… dangerous."
"Or valuable," Auther corrected.
There was a long pause.
Then she asked, "Why did you free me?"
He shrugged. "Felt like the right thing to do. That's all."
She blinked, as if surprised by the simplicity.
"But if you plan to stay with me, I need to know something."
She looked up.
"Can you fight?"
She hesitated. Then lifted her hands and focused.
Mana sparked between her palms — flickering silver threads — but the moment they formed, they shattered.
She clutched her head with a groan. "It's broken. Like something's missing."
"Seals are stubborn things," Auther muttered. "Whatever bloodline you carry, it's dormant. But I'll help you get strong again. You'll just need to start from the bottom — like I did."
Elira met his gaze and nodded.
He tossed her a worn training dagger. "Then let's begin."
---
The next few days passed in a rhythm of routine: hunting, training, and resting.
Elira's body was frail but flexible. She had a natural grace — her steps light, her posture alert. She learned quickly, adapting to the footwork drills Auther taught her, and mimicking his breathing techniques.
Auther kept his focus split between training her and building up his own power. He was now E5 , close to the next stage. And while his foundational skills held up well, they were no longer sufficient for what lay ahead.
He needed a new technique — one that could scale with his growing strength.
That night, under the dim glow of the mana-filled river, Auther opened the Skill Creation menu and began crafting again.
---
> Name: Dimensional Step
Description: "Temporarily compresses space around the user to allow short-range directional teleportation within sight. Effective range depends on user's perception and mana control. Afterimage effect may occur."
Rank: E3
Projected Cost: 58 SP
---
He whistled softly. That was a high cost — but not unreasonable. He currently had 26 SP, with more hunts planned.
He saved the draft.
For now, his top priority was to upgrade his breathing technique. Starwave Breathing (F3), though useful, was inefficient with his now expanded E-rank core.
He modified the skill, refining the description to reflect a more advanced mana cycle.
---
> Skill Upgrade Proposal: Starwave Breathing → Astral Spiral Breathing
Description: "A mid-tier cultivation technique that aligns the user's mana core with surrounding astral flows. Enables steady absorption of ambient mana and grants minor resistance to mana corruption."
New Rank: E1
Upgrade Cost: 52 SP
---
"Perfect."
He accepted the upgrade.
---
[Skill Upgraded: Astral Spiral Breathing (E1)]
[Remaining SP: 1]
---
The moment the upgrade finalized, Auther felt it.
His breathing slowed, deepened — mana flowed into his lungs like a cool stream, spiraling gently before sinking into his core. It wasn't just absorption. It was harmony. He could feel the energies in the air, the way they curved and flowed like threads in a tapestry.
Nearby, Elira stirred. She watched him silently.
"What did you just do?" she asked, sensing the shift in the air.
"Improved my mana absorption technique," he said. "It's how I recover faster. Train longer. Survive."
She hesitated. "Can I learn it?"
Auther tilted his head. "Not directly. Every person's core is different. But I can teach you a basic version to start."
Elira smiled faintly. "Thank you."
That night, beneath the stars, Auther showed her the fundamentals — posture, breath control, internal focus. She struggled at first, but gradually, the mana began to respond.
Something flickered faintly within her — a deep pulse, like ancient bells echoing through her veins.
Auther noticed. His gaze sharpened.
> "That… wasn't ordinary."
But he said nothing.
For now, Elira was still recovering.
Whatever she carried inside her blood would awaken in time.
---
Two days later, they encountered a merchant caravan under attack.
Bandits — human, rough and disorganized — had ambushed them just outside the south ridge.
Auther and Elira arrived mid-fight.
Without hesitation, Auther intervened.
Reflex Sync. Kinetic Breaker. Mana Edge.
Three bandits fell in seconds, bones shattered under the force of his charged strikes.
The others fled.
The merchant leader, a thin man with expensive robes and a missing ear, bowed deeply. "You saved our lives. Thank you, kind Awakener."
Auther nodded. "We were just passing by."
The man hesitated. "Say… are you looking for work? Escort contracts, perhaps?"
"No."
"Well then, maybe this will interest you." He motioned to a covered wagon.
Inside were supplies… and a single cage.
A girl, bound and gagged. Beastkin — wolf ears, silver-gray tail. Young. Maybe fifteen or sixteen. She looked barely conscious.
"Caught her near the corrupted lake," the merchant explained. "Was selling her to a noble client in Dawnspire City. But after the attack… well, we're abandoning the route."
Auther frowned. "You're selling slaves?"
The merchant raised both hands. "Perfectly legal. Certified. Look—" he pulled out stamped papers. "Owned legally. No tricks. Just an abandoned stray."
Auther stared at the girl.
Something about her energy felt… strange.
Her mana wasn't wild. It was suppressed — forcibly bound, not naturally weak. Like Elira's had been, but rougher. Crude.
"What's her name?"
"Doesn't speak. We call her Pup."
Elira stood beside him, eyes narrowing. "They hurt her."
Auther stepped closer.
Then without a word, he tossed a pouch of coins at the merchant.
"Half the market price. Take it or leave it."
The merchant gaped. "But—"
Auther's hand twitched toward his blade.
"Right, right!" the merchant said quickly. "She's yours."
---
They brought the girl back to camp.
Elira gently unbound her, whispering softly. She cleaned her wounds, fed her, wrapped her in warm furs.
Auther watched quietly.
It took hours, but eventually, the girl opened her eyes.
Golden. Sharp. Not feral — intelligent.
Auther sat down nearby. "You can talk, can't you?"
She flinched, then slowly nodded.
"What's your name?"
A pause. Then she whispered, "…Lyra."
Elira smiled. "Welcome, Lyra. You're safe now."
Lyra stared at them both.
Auther said nothing more.
He didn't believe in blind trust.
But if Elira's reaction was anything to go by… this girl, too, carried something hidden.
Another broken piece of this world.
Another soul drawn into his orbit.
---
As night fell, Auther leaned back and stared at the stars.
The world was massive. Brutal. Unforgiving.
But piece by piece, it was changing.
He had allies now.
Not a party.
Not friends.
Not yet.
But maybe…
Someday.