SYSTEM ASCENSION

”...”

”Elias.”

”Elias.”

Elias snapped out of it, eyes widening as all his senses rushed back to him at once. He found himself in the cave, hand reached out to his father.

Richard was the one who called him back.

For a moment, he said or did nothing. He just stared at his father.

”Is that a trance?” Richard asked.

His mouth opened.

”No...I just remembered something.”

Elias grabbed his hand and pulled him. He fell into his son’s hand, unresponsive.

”Do you see the whole world at once?” Elias changed the subject perfectly.

”Yes.”

”Will that happen to me too?”

”Yes.”

Elias managed to get him out of the hole, and lead him by the hand all the way to the edge of the cave.

The gryphon was chewing on something it probably shouldn’t have eaten.

Elias helped him on, and got on behind him. The gryphon took flight, and they headed back.

Richard didn’t even move a muscle, and if Elias didn’t know better, he would have thought his father was unconscious.

”Why did you run off anyway? The mark removal should have begun.”

”I didn’t run off.” Richard muttered. ”I walked.”

”Right. What did I expect.”

Silence settled between them, and Elias’s mind went back to the experience a moment ago.

>

’That is not a dream.’ Elias thought. ’The question is, why am I seeing it? And Clave. This is the second time I’m hearing it. It’s way too familiar.’

The gryphon finally got to town. As soon as they were sighted, cheering began.

People were crowded before the palace. They parted ways for the gryphon to land.

Among the crowd were the students, excited to see what was happening.

”It’s Elias!” Mimi gasped.

Bora who was behind shoved herself to the front, while Carlel who was in front ran back immediately.

A certain student noticed her retreat.

”What are you...”

”Urgh!” Kael slapped his hands over his eyes and turned back. ”Damn vital eyes. Had to activate at this moment.”

”Oh boy,” Tyler exclaimed and turned back, dragging Bora by the collar and pulling her back.

”Hey! Let me—”

”Shut up!” he snapped back.

One by one, the student council retreated, leaving the normal student confused.

Elias helped Richard down from the gryphon, and as soon as his bare feet touched the ground, the air changed.

All energy was disrupted for a second, causing several backlash at once.

It was like their individual energy had been filtered out, and replaced with a much violent absurd one.

Their blood vessels erupted from within, all at once.

”What?!”

”Aarggggggghh!”

”My insides...”

The students began to collapse, one after the other, coughing up blood and shivering.

The cheering didn’t even stop. Almost like they were non-existent.

Bora almost wet herself. What she was supposed to be like if Tyler hadn’t pulled her, was playing before her eyes.

Rowen chuckled behind them.

”A walking timebomb.”

”I felt shivers.” Lady Hinger spoke.

”How can someone exclude that much energy? Is he even human?” Lady Anny asked.

”The sealing stone mark is really on his chest.” Lady Hinger confirmed.

”Hey,” Lord Tell was looking in another direction. ”Is it just me, or Joran ran away?”

”He ran away.” Lord Joe confirmed.

”I’m still trying to understand why he even came here.” Lady Hinger narrowed her eyes.

”Elias must have done something to force him here.” Rowen said. ”The question is, what is Elias planning for him? Either way, there is no way out anyway. Its energy is faint, but there is a barrier around the city.”

”That walking disaster must have cast it.” Lady Hinger glanced at Richard who had advanced into the distance.

She glanced at Carlel. ”Didn’t you say passing the mark reduces the person’s innate ability?”

”Yes.” Carlel nodded. ”Passing on the mark is unusual. Most people are born and die with it, because their lives were built around it.”

”So why would he transfer it?”

”Are you blind?” Lord Tell muttered. ”Look at the energy he’s excluding, just by walking. He’s at his physical limit. His body is breaking down.”

”If he doesn’t transfer, he might be a threat to his own people.” Lord Joe added.

They watched the duo exit out of sight.

”I wish to watch it up close, but I’m not a fan of cold.” Lady Anny said.

”It’s not just a normal cold. It’s a death sentence.” Carlel said. ”at least for those without the mark.”

”So you can stand it?” Lady Hinger asked.

”Yes.”

”But,” Tyler spoke. ”Elias doesn’t have a mark. Right?”

”...”

They all exchanged glances, like the answer was buried in their gazes.

”He might leave before it starts?” Carlel shrugged.

”Or did he have a secret mark?” Rolarza asked.

”No, he doesn’t.” She shook her head. ”In this place, there are only three people with a mark. The king, me, and...”

She looked ahead and their eyes followed.

A little boy that was running up the stairs towards the direction no one was taking.

”That’s the chain user.” Rolarza muttered.

”His name is Fin.” Kael finally removed his hand from his eyes.

”I knew there was something off about that child.” Anya narrowed her eyes.

”Hmmm, excuse me!” A professor yelled, drawing all their attention. Apparently, the professor had been yelling for a while now.

”The students have passed out for a while now!” she pointed towards the students.

”...”

Rowen narrowed his eyes like he was trying to remember who those children were.

”Headmaster, what’s up with your expression?”

He dismissed them. ”Toss them somewhere or something.”

”Headmaster!” they all gasped. ”How can you...”

The professor’s voice trailed off slowly. All eyes turned towards the palace.

Everything suddenly went silent.

This was because of the drop in temperature. The sun wasn’t helping the sudden chill that burst into the air. They all shivered and hugged themselves.

Their teeths clattered.

”Thi...s isn’t what...I ...expected...” Kael sneezed.

”What sort of ritual would curse this sudden drop in temperature.” Lady Anny mused.

”Wait,” Rolarza called their attention. ”Did anyone see Elias come out?”