Chapter 12: Unraveling Mysteries

"It has forever been my mission here...and your purpose as well..." All six students averted their eyes, except for Aryanna, who directed her attention towards the rest of the group.

"Earthlings..." Without hesitation, Aryanna aimed her saber at the Angel of Time. Although she acted confidently, inwardly she felt a mix of astonishment and anxiety. These emotions were clearly reflected on the faces of the Earthlings.

"How…?"

—••••••••••—

BEYOND THE

VEIL: THE GREAT

SHIFT

CHAPTER 12:

UNRAVELING

MYSTERIES

—••••••••••—

Selena's voice was filled with defensiveness and apprehension as she questioned, but the Angel of Time simply chuckled in response. "All flow of time is under 'my' command, from the past, present, and future. 'I' know certain things that others might not know," Selena frowned, disappointed that he didn't give a straightforward answer.

"Don't worry, I will never reveal any secrets," Arthur solemnly swore, raising his hand. Aryanna squinted her eyes slightly and asked, "You swear on everything...?" Arthur chuckled lightly and replied, "I am everything. But I understand your concern. I swear on myself, our Lords, and every child to be born." As he made his oath, golden chains appeared around his wrist and waist.

The chains seemed to heat up, causing his skin to sizzle, but Arthur didn't even flinch in pain. The golden chains disappeared as he coughed. "Is an Oath Vow enough to earn your trust?" Aryanna was surprised and pleased, nodding in response.

Elijah took the opportunity to confront Arthur directly, locking eyes with him. "You seem to have a grasp on what's happening. Can you explain anything to us?" Arthur chuckled once again, as if it was the thousandth time. "Mmh... 'I' can and 'I'll' will, Elijah Black." All six of them focused their attention on Elijah, feeling as if Arthur's gaze was penetrating their souls.

"How- how do you know my name?" Arthur flashed his charismatic smile once more. "'He' knows all of you. Aryanna Eggers, Daemon Eggers, Elijah Black, Augustus Black, Matthew Mitchell, and Selena Delacroix. Four ordinary humans, a Sequence Order 9 from House Veil, and a Sequence Order 5 from House Verisius."

"Ordinary...? Are you saying there are- no, I guess they are supernatural powers in this world?" Augustus Black exclaimed, to which Arthur nodded. "That's correct, Augustus Black. Powers that may seem supernatural to all of you are called 'veils,' and the individuals who possess these powers are known as 'Envoys.' Do you all understand so far?" The half-siblings nodded, with Augustus Black already grasping the concept. The married Eggers couple already knew this as they nodded.

"Do you wish to have a more complex version of my explanation…?" Aryanna and Daemon hesitated, but this time it was Matthew Mitchell who took the lead and responded to Arthur with a resounding yes.

Arthur smiled knowingly, "There may be certain information that 'he' will have to censor due to corruption. However, it all begins with two energies..." Everyone, including Aryanna and Matthew, listened intently, fully aware of the significance of the information they were about to receive from this influential figure.

"These energies are known as Cursed Energy and Blessed Energy. They originate from a place that 'he' dare not mention, for fear of corruption. These primal forces converge and clash within the eight realms. Are you familiar with the concept of the eight realms?" Arthur inquired. The half-siblings and Augustus Black were immediately ruled out, but Aryanna nodded in agreement with her husband.

"The eight realms are as follows: the physical realm, where we currently reside; the mental realm, home to dragons and mind squids; the shadow realm, inhabited by creatures of the night; the spirit realm, where beings of the soul and spirit dwell; the astral realm, where everything that has been and will be exists; the aetherial realm, where mortality and divinity intertwine; the temporal realm, which exists beyond the boundaries of the cosmos and influences them all; and finally, the celestial realm, where gods, angels, constellations, devils, Demi-gods, and more reside and hold dominion."

Aryanna provided a concise explanation, covering the names and basic characteristics of each realm. Arthur nodded appreciatively, acknowledging her response. "You are correct, Archbishop. These realms encompass everything and everyone, both within and beyond existence. When the Cursed and Blessed energies impact the eight realms, they, in turn, affect the inhabitants, particularly those who are most attuned and adaptable to these energies - humans."

Archbishop Aryanna found herself in a situation beyond her jurisdiction, causing her head to spin with a whirlwind of knowledge and insight. The confusion and loss of intelligence seemed to affect everyone, as if their minds had been forcefully lowered to simpler levels.

Arthur, perceptive as ever, noticed this and snapped his fingers, instantly alleviating the burden on their minds and intelligence. "Shall we continue?" he asked, before anyone could even respond. Arthur nodded in approval when he saw Matthew's agreement to continue.

"To summarize what we've learned so far, the convergence and clash of energies occur within the eight realms. These realms then channel the energies towards the humans who are most capable and adaptable to them. However, it is what humans do with these energies that truly sets them apart from other creatures."

Arthur tapped his table, revealing a chart that displayed only the names of 'Blessed Energy' and 'Cursed Energy', which converged into the names of the eight realms. A small line pointed downwards, indicating the name 'humans'.

Suddenly, three lines appeared on either side of the name 'humans'. On the left, the name 'mythical creatures' emerged.

"Humans unconsciously bring forth two things. The first being the manifestation of mythical creatures, drawing inspiration from folk tales and myths, these creatures manifest into reality," Arthur explained. As he spoke, a line materialized beneath the name 'mythical creatures'. This line had the name of 'mythical ingredients.'

"Once these mythical creatures are defeated, they can be utilized in rituals to attain greater powers," Arthur continued, as everyone comprehended his words and the visual representation on the chart.

To the right of the name 'humans', another name appeared - 'Heavenly Savants'.

"The second unconscious utilization of cursed and blessed energies takes the form of heavenly savants and divine impunity," Arthur revealed. Another line appeared beneath 'Heavenly Savants', displaying the name 'Divine Impunity'.

"Heavenly Savants are types of rare people who unconsciously use curse and blessed energies to surround them and embody them physically and mentally. Unlike envoys who gain a 'dirty' type of cursed and blessed energies, Heavenly Savants gain pure and natural cursed and blessed energies, because of this, they gain Divine Impunity. This means they are not affected by divine abilities like time stop, fate manipulation, miracle manipulation, or any sort of divine and weak abilities."

Elijah was left in awe, unable to find the right words to express his amazement. They hadn't even delved into the realms of 'veils' and 'envoys' yet, and already the power and complexity of this world had captivated him.

As if on cue, a new line materialized beneath the label 'human.' And then, a name appeared - 'Veils.' Arthur remained silent as another line emerged to the right of 'Veils,' splitting into two distinct sections. The top section bore the name 'Soul Shards,' while the bottom section was labeled 'Spirit Echoes.'

Arthur cleared his throat, capturing their attention. "Before we venture into the realm of veils and envoys, it is crucial that you grasp the concept of 'Soul Shards' and 'Spirit Echoes,' as they form the very foundation of this world."

"These two entities are intricately connected, like two sides of the same coin. Soul Shards contain the memories, abilities, knowledge, insights, and much more from the previous owner's soul. These shards are formed after death, taking a fragment of the soul with them. When consumed, whatever transpires within the shard manifests in reality. For instance, if the shard depicts the previous owner's arm being broken and their loved one being killed, the damage and trauma from the shard will permanently transfer to you."

"On the other hand, Spirit Echoes possess a similar yet distinct nature. Once you consume them, it usually takes an hour or two for their effects to take hold. However, you gain access to the same memories and abilities offered by the Soul Shard with the new ability of being able to transfer information to others when consumed. Keep in mind, though, that these effects are temporary and not as potent as those of the previous owner's spirit."

Aryanna and Daemon were well aware of this fact, but to their half-siblings and Augustus, it seemed absolutely insane and unlike anything they had ever encountered before. In their eyes, Soul Shards was the riskier option, but it also promised the greatest rewards. On the other hand, Spirit Echos was the safer choice, although the rewards were comparatively lesser.

"Finally, we have entered the realm of veils and envoys. Based on my observations, each and every one of you has the potential to become exceptional and influential envoys," Arthur said, Selena's face lighting up with an unknowing smile upon hearing Arthur's compliment.

"To truly comprehend the powers of veils and envoys, you must first understand the powers held by the Great Houses. These houses are more than just physical structures; they possess a metaphysical connection to the eight realms, granting them control over the supernatural."

"House Wesen governs the supernatural in the Physical Realm, while House Psionera holds sway over the Mental Realm. House Elysium commands the supernatural in the Spirit Realm, and House Veil controls the supernatural in the Shadow Realm. House Astralis reigns over the supernatural in the Astral Realm, and House Hadō wields power over the supernatural in the Temporal Realm. House Verisius governs the supernatural in the Aetherial Realm, and finally, House Celestialis holds dominion over the supernatural in the Celestial Realm."

"Now that you have a grasp of this knowledge, there are five fundamental concepts you need to comprehend," Arthur explained in one breath. Suddenly, a small line extended from the word 'Veils'.

It stopped and transformed into a long horizontal line with five rows, two on each end and three in the middle. From left to right, the categories were labeled as 'Learnable Techniques, Mimicry Techniques, Universal Techniques, Mythical Techniques, and Genetical Techniques.'

"To provide a quick and concise understanding, Learnable Techniques are exactly what they sound like - techniques that can be learned. However, they are generally considered to be weaker in nature."

"To grasp the concept of Mimicry Techniques, one must first understand Universal Techniques. As the name suggests, Universal Techniques are techniques that individuals naturally learn within their respective House. For instance, if you belong to House Hadō, one of the nine universal techniques you automatically acquire upon advancing is Sequence Order 5: Universal Teleportation. In addition to these nine abilities, you also receive two Mimicry Tokens."

Arthur realized that Selena and Matthew were struggling to comprehend his explanation, but he knew it was crucial for their survival in this world. He didn't mind their confusion, as they would eventually have to grasp these concepts.

"These Mimicry Tokens allow you to copy, acquire, and fully comprehend any technique you witness. Now, onto Mythical Techniques..." Arthur began to explain, but suddenly, he coughed up blood and collapsed onto his knees. The table vanished into a dark abyss that emerged beneath the floor.

"I don't have much time... I need a simple answer, yes or no!" Arthur urgently exclaimed, blood staining his pristine white robe. "Yes or no to what?!" Matthew asked, rushing to help Arthur to his feet.

"Help me defeat the entity who brought you all here. Help me defeat... Azeroth... and in return, you will be rewarded with wealth and a safe passage back home."