The Path Ahead

Kael stared at the swirling letters in front of him, trying to comprehend what the Tower had displayed about him. It was a simple list, devoid of much detail, but even the sparse information was overwhelming to someone like him. Challenger. No title. No Authority. No Abilities. Progress to Saturation: 1/100. He had no idea what most of it meant. The more he stared at the letters, the more they mocked him with their emptiness.

His fingers flexed at his side, and he sighed deeply, the weight of confusion settling onto his shoulders like a heavy shroud. He dismissed the letters with a wave of his hand, watching them fade away into nothingness.

"Well, I don't know jackshit," he muttered, shaking his head.

"None of that made any sense to me."

He turned to Elowen, who had been watching him with a mixture of amusement and mild pity. She didn't need to say anything for him to know she found his ignorance slightly entertaining.

"Alright, so… that was enlightening, in a strange sort of way" Kael said, his tone edged with sarcasm.

"So if I'm at the bottom of the pile when it comes to this whole 'fatewalker' thing, where do you stand in all this?"

Elowen stretched, her muscular form relaxing as she leaned back against a nearby tree.

"I'm an Acolyte," she stated matter-of-factly.

"Third rank among Fatewalkers."

Kael raised an eyebrow.

"And how do you climb these ranks? Is it some kind of secret club or…?"

Elowen chuckled, shaking her head.

"Not exactly. The ranks are straightforward: Challenger, Prospect, Acolyte, Seeker, Adept, Disciple... Those are the first six. Anything beyond that is pretty much the stuff of legends, things you don't need to worry about right now."

Kael crossed his arms.

"And how do you move up? Because, right now, I'd love some hints about how to not be the weakest person in the room."

Elowen smiled.

"To climb, you need two things: Essence and Circles. Every Fatewalker has a core, which stores essence. You collect essence, and once you've filled your core, it becomes 'saturated.' That's when you're eligible for your next trial."

"Circles?" Kael interrupted, frowning.

"What are those?"

Elowen stood straighter, her gaze sharpening slightly.

"Circles are the other foundation of a Fatewalker's strength. Every time you complete an Open Trial, you gain a circle that wraps around your core and gain a rank. It doesn't just make you stronger or allow you to collect more essence—it does something far more important."

Kael shifted on his feet.

"And that is?"

"Circles grant us increasing access to authorities, at an exponential scale the further up you go" Elowen said, her voice carrying a weight of significance.

Kael blinked.

"Authorities…?"

She nodded, her expression firm.

"Essence is raw power. It can enhance your body, make you faster, stronger, more durable, and some other stuff. But an authority allows you to reshape the world around you. Each authority is tied to a specific domain. There are only 13 authorities, each bestowed by a noble house."

Kael felt his mind reel slightly.

"You're saying there are only 13 of these… authorities?"

"Exactly. Well, sort of." Elowen crossed her arms over her chest.

"When you gain a circle, you can align it to an authority, but only if you've received a sigil from one of the Noble Houses."

"Sigil," Kael echoed.

"I think I didn't see that mentioned in my information. Does that mean I don't have one?"

"Not yet," she replied.

"You're still new. Most Challengers don't earn a sigil until they've proven themselves, or unless they're born into one of the Houses. But that's a conversation for later."

Kael exhaled sharply, trying to wrap his mind around everything.

"And you… you have one of these authorities?"

A proud glint appeared in Elowen's eyes.

"I do. I wield Terra's Grasp, the authority over Earth."

Kael couldn't hide the shock on his face.

"Wait, so you can control the ground?"

Elowen raised an eyebrow.

"Something like that. Why don't I show you?"

Before Kael could even respond, Elowen stepped forward and pressed her hand gently against the earth. The ground rippled beneath her fingers as though it were liquid. Slowly, branches made of soil and stone began to rise up from the ground around Kael, swirling like living tendrils. They encircled him, gentle and firm, moving with a grace that defied their rocky composition.

Kael's breath caught in his throat as the branches grew taller, forming a dome over him, almost like a cage—but they weren't trapping him. They were protecting him.

Elowen's eyes glittered with satisfaction as the branches continued to sway gently.

"Neat, huh?"

Kael blinked, staring at the living earth that had risen at her command.

"R-Right…" he muttered, more in disbelief than anything else. He couldn't quite believe what he was seeing.

The branches receded back into the ground with a slight rumble, leaving the earth as undisturbed as if nothing had ever happened.

"That," Elowen said, brushing dirt off her hands,

"is what an authority looks like. And that's just a fraction of its potential. I'm only an Acolyte after all."

Kael shook his head, trying to make sense of everything.

"So… you can just do that anytime?"

Elowen smiled, though there was a hint of something darker in her eyes.

"It takes practice and discipline. But yes, that's what it means to wield an authority. And there are 12 other Noble Houses, each one controlling their own authority. Fire, Water, Lightning, Time, death… Each House has its power, and rules, and those who align with a House gain access to that authority."

Kael ran a hand through his white hair, feeling overwhelmed by the scale of it all.

"So I could one day do something like that?"

"Maybe," Elowen replied with a shrug.

"If you survive long enough to gain a circle and align yourself with a sigil. And if the House you choose doesn't kill you first."

Kael raised an eyebrow.

"Kill me? Why would they do that?"

Elowen's expression turned serious.

"Because once you accept a sigil, you pledge yourself to that House for life. They will test you, push you to your limits. And if you ever turn on them…" She trailed off, letting the implication hang in the air.

"Great," Kael muttered under his breath.

"No pressure, then."

Elowen chuckled, patting him on the shoulder.

"Welcome to the world of Fatewalkers. You've barely scratched the surface, but you'll figure it out. Eventually."

Kael sighed. He wasn't sure if he'd ever understand all of this, but for now, he had to take it one step at a time. He glanced at the now-still ground beneath him, still in awe of what he had just witnessed. Authorities, circles, sigils… It was a lot to take in, but he knew one thing for sure—his journey was just beginning.

And somehow, despite the weight of everything, he couldn't help but smirk.