Chapter 35: Realms of Power

Fenric led the group through a long, echoing hallway until they reached a training chamber carved directly into the mountainside. The walls were covered in glowing magical runes, and the air was charged with all kinds of energy found throughout the world of Eldoria—mana, aura, spirit force—everything was present here. He moved with a calm, confident air, and the others followed close behind. When they arrived, he gestured for everyone to sit. Roman and Myria settled on either side of him, while the rest arranged themselves in a half-circle before him. Once everyone was in place, Fenric stood and faced them, arms crossed over his chest. "Now," he began, his voice steady and commanding, "it’s time for you to understand the true structure of power in our world." Roman gave a small nod, as if this wasn’t his first time hearing it. Myria, meanwhile, remained silent—her sharp gaze fixed entirely on Fenric. Fenric continued. "In our world, being granted a blessing and awakening a class is only the starting point. Just the first step." "After that, you get something deeper—something that lies near your soul. It becomes your personal source of power. For me, it’s a Mana Sea. For others, it can be an Aura Sea, or even a Spirit Sea. What you awaken is tied to your class. It develops in sync with your path." He swept his eyes across the room, seeing the others nod in understanding. "Now, some people will say one type of energy is stronger than another. That mana is superior, or aura is deadlier, or that spirit force is rarer. But that’s just noise." "It all depends on the user." "If your mastery over your class and core ability is refined—if you truly control your own path—you can defeat someone even a full tier above you." "But if you lack mastery, you could lose to someone ranked below you." He took a breath and said, voice steady: "So don’t waste time thinking, ’I wish I had mana instead of aura,’ or ’I wish I was a Spirit user instead of a warrior.’ All three forms of power are equal. In the end, what matters is the one who wields it." They all nodded silently, absorbing every word. He gave a faint nod of approval, then turned back toward the center of the room. "Now, back to the main topic." "When you awaken your class, receive your blessing, and form a bond with your Spirit—or whatever gift fate grants you—that’s only the beginning. You’ve merely stepped through the first door." He pointed toward the staircase carved into the far wall of the room. "To truly rise... to truly ascend... you must understand what lies ahead." He gestured again, this time at the very base of the staircase. "Everything starts with Mastery of Class. Your class is your foundation. But a class without mastery is like a sword without an edge—beautiful, but useless." "You have to train, fight, and push yourself to unlock its potential. You will be tested. You will be challenged. You will be broken and reforged." With a sharp snap of his fingers, glowing symbols began to appear above the stairs, pulsing with light. "When you reach a point where your current tier no longer holds you—when you’ve mastered your class completely—you’ll feel the pull to ascend." "And by ’ascend,’ I mean progressing through the Ten Stages of Power that form the core of Eldoris’s strength system." He turned back to them, voice steady and full of weight. "These are the stages that define every warrior, mage, and spirit wielder in the world—regardless of their path." Then, one by one, he began to list them aloud, each name echoing as a glowing rune etched itself into the chamber wall behind him: 1. Soldier The starting point. You’ve awakened, and just begun walking the path of power. This is the beginning of your journey. 2. Knight Discipline enters. Your energy stabilizes. Techniques become consistent. At this stage, you are considered truly awakened. 3. Low-Level Master This is the turning point where a fighter becomes a force of nature. A warrior at this level can easily face a thousand Knights and still emerge victorious. 4. Intermediate Master Your energy becomes a true extension of your body. This is also the stage where weapon-based aura users begin to master Aura Projection—the ability to do more than just coat weapons, bodies, or attacks in raw power, now you can release it. Even your swings become ranged techniques. 5. High Master You can now freely manipulate your inner energy and project it outward. This level marks complete synchronization between body and energy. 6. Master This is the realm of those remembered in stories. The title ’Master’ isn’t given—it’s earned. At this stage, you’ve crossed the boundary of what’s considered human. 7. Grandmaster Few reach this level. You begin to distort space just by existing. Your presence alone changes the battlefield unless you suppress it intentionally. Your aura has gravity. Fenric let the silence hang for a moment, letting the weight of the hierarchy settle into the minds of his students. "There are stages beyond Grandmaster," he said finally. "But for now, you only need to concern yourselves with these first seven." He looked each of them in the eye, his expression unreadable—but heavy with expectation. "Also," he continued, "each of these stages is divided further into ten sub-levels. Right now, all of us here are just 1st-level Soldiers—the very beginning." "To ascend, you must reach the peak—10th-level Soldier. Only then will you qualify for a Class Trial, a rite overseen not by men, but by the world itself. Pass that, and only then will you advance to the next stage." He let that truth settle like iron on the floor between them. "Memorize these stages. Understand them. This is the path you now walk." "We understand, Your Highness," they all said in unison. Fenric gave a small nod of approval, his eyes steady. "Roman, Myria—I’ll leave them in your care for now. You can also call Elaine to assist you if needed." Both knights nodded without hesitation, immediately stepping into their roles. Fenric, meanwhile, moved to the side of the chamber and sat down cross-legged, slipping into a meditative posture. His breathing slowed, his presence grew still.