Storm

Atlas struggled to accept what Ivan claimed was possible. He had tried using Aether to enhance his senses before and was punished with intense pain. Yet if there was a way to permanently boost his senses, this would be a game-changing advancement.

In that brief moment before his ears were overwhelmed with pain, he had heard an overwhelming flood of information, as if he'd gained a sixth sense. He could perceive his surroundings in a way he never had before.

He needed this knowledge desperately.

Ivan continued, "You'll first need to understand the true potential of Aether. The gods who granted it to us embedded it with limitless possibilities. The things you can do are vast, too vast to describe—you'll have to see for yourself."

Ivan paused, releasing his Aether into the air again. This time, it was finely controlled, like a monster tamed by its master. Even though it was just Aether, Atlas knew how powerful that purple glow could be and did not wish to feel its effects again.

"You must first fuse Aether within yourself," Ivan explained. "The eyes and ears are the most sensitive and have the highest fusion potential in your body."

"If you know anatomy, then you know the ears contain a vital sensory structure called the cochlea."

Atlas recalled books he'd read and remembered the cochlea as a spiral-shaped structure.

"You can use your Aether to fuse with this structure, creating a delicate balance between Aether and nature. This is all by the gods' design."

Ivan molded his Aether into a spiral shape, mimicking what it would do inside the ear. "Think of it as a perpetual spin. Just like your Aether core now spins without constant thought, your ears can do the same on a smaller scale."

Atlas's eyes widened. Instead of merely using Aether as a layer over his skin or a quick boost within his muscles, he could harness it as a constant generator to enhance his hearing or vision.

This concept was so foreign and incredible that he wondered how anyone had ever discovered it. This made him start to think about the world's history.

How long had these Doors even existed?

Before his entry into this trial, it had only been about eighty years since the first Trials erupted across the world. A mere blip in human history, yet the technological leaps since Aether's arrival had been monumental.

He thought of his grandparents, who'd lived through those early trials, although they were already in their twenties by then. His grandparents on his mother's side had survived the first Door trial, and that was the only family history he could uncover. As for his father's side, he knew little, but he believed his dad had never been chosen.

As he tried to focus back on Ivan's teachings, his mind returned to his own Aether Core and the current barrier he faced in its development. He had reached the Aether Core's "room," but the next breakthrough seemed impossible to achieve, as the spinning within it was too rapid for him to control.

Ivan continued, "This perpetual spin I mentioned can only be applied to your eyes and ears due to Aether's nature. Attempts on other parts, like the nose, have failed. This is all according to the gods' design."

He pointed at Atlas. "Now, you must try it. Create the spin within your ear—start weak, and gradually increase the speed."

Atlas nodded, attempting to replicate what he'd seen. He moved his Aether from his core, through his body, and into his ear. Once there, he delicately maneuvered the Aether until it reached the cochlea. It was strange, controlling Aether with such precision, but as it settled, his hearing sharpened, like a switch had flipped.

He could suddenly hear his heartbeat, every subtle movement Ivan made, and even the air as Ivan inhaled. It was overwhelming—like nothing he'd ever experienced.

But the rush was too much; he lost control over the delicate Aether, and pain exploded in his ear, sharp and searing, like a hot iron knife.

He fell to his knees, clutching his head in agony.

In his dazed state, he could barely make out Ivan's voice through the pain, mumbling something about gods and pity. Though he understood only fragments, he knew the madman wasn't helping him.

After he recovered, he tried again. Ivan hadn't yet taught him how to apply this technique to his vision, as it required mastering his hearing first. Failure with the eyes too many times could permanently damage one's sight, even causing blindness.

Atlas continued trying, failing repeatedly throughout the day. At last, evening fell, marking the beginning of his second week of training. Six days remained for him to learn the basics before their journey to the temple, where one of the keys supposedly awaited them.

He was eager to see what a temple dedicated to a god lost to history would look like.

The next morning, Ivan moved Atlas from the training room back outside. Once there, Atlas took in the sight of the jungle—silent and motionless as before, though he sensed this stillness was only an illusion.

Ivan led him through a circle of towering trees until they reached a translucent barrier with a faint purple tint. With a snap of his fingers, Ivan created an opening in the barrier, allowing them to step into the outside world.

Suddenly, the jungle came alive with the sounds and cries of unseen creatures, far more frantic and overwhelming than Atlas had imagined. The serene, almost dreamlike setting transformed into a harsh, unrelenting wilderness.

Ivan guided him deeper into the jungle until they arrived at the edge of a towering cliff. Here, Atlas could finally see the vast scope of the land around him. The view was both breathtaking and terrifying. Stretching below was a jungle with trees impossibly tall, yet they were still far beneath his current height. The cliff loomed high, casting an intimidating sense of scale over everything.

In the distance, a massive, spiraling vortex of water seemed to pierce the sky itself, as if the ocean was pouring into this world from above. Even from this distance, it was enormous, filling Atlas with a deep sense of megalophobia—if it appeared this vast from so far away, seeing it up close would be unimaginable.

The treetops covered most of the ground below, yet the sky was far from empty. Atlas spotted a large winged creature gliding through the air. As it drew closer, he noticed it had four wings instead of two, a beak reminiscent of a dinosaur's head, and talons that resembled blades rather than claws.

This creature's size was staggering, prompting Atlas to wonder just how powerful it must be.

Ivan finally spoke on the reason that they moved out here

" This land is something we must conquer, for the deities have given us a chance to do so. Soak it all in my vessel and in due time we shall set off."

Atlas watched as the creature flew in the direction of what looked like a temple. It sat in a chasm off to the left with white stone being used as the material, it rose so high it eclipsed even the tallest trees. It gleamed a pure white, stark against the Jungle landscape.

As Atlas stared at the distant temple, a sense of foreboding settled over him. The journey ahead would be anything but easy; the past week of relative peace had almost made him forget how unforgiving this world truly was.

Looking further into the horizon, he noticed dark clouds gathering near the waterfall, sparking with flashes of lightning, and the restless rustling of leaves nearby hinted at hidden dangers even in the branches above.

After taking in the overwhelming scene, Atlas turned to follow Ivan back to the training area, mentally preparing himself for the journey to come.