Beyond The System

Slap!

“Is this place a bug nest?!” I swatted at my arm, already feeling like I was being devoured alive. The worst part? I could see and hear every single pest with excruciating clarity. Well—if I focused, but it was hard not to.

Seriously. No blood suckers except me, Luna vowed. I’m not sharing.

“Maybe cultivation makes our blood sweeter or something,” Elric said, lazily waving a hand through the air. “It’s starting to get dark. Anyone wanna rest?”

“My butt is killing me,” Sia groaned. “These things have to be the most uncomfortable mounts ever.”

I nudged Elric’s shoulder. “Bet that’s not the—”

My foot caught something and I went straight down, face-first into the damp dirt. “SERIOUSLY?!”

“Don’t act like you didn’t deserve that,” Thea called back from the front.

“You’re defending the jerk who tripped me?” I asked, spitting out a leaf. Sometimes I really didn’t get her.

“Hmph. Stop saying weird things and I’ll defend you.”

“Let’s camp. Pleeease,” Velea whined, dragging her voice. “I think Lyra’s done too.”

Trying to rope her in for backup clearly didn’t work. “No. Totally fine if you're here,” Lyra replied, voice cool and content.

“Alright,” Griffith barked. “Here’s fine.”

I collapsed back immediately, letting gravity take me. Then turned and locked eyes with Marcus.

He dismounted, squinting. “What?”

“House.”

“What?” He blinked. “What do you mean, house?”

“Build one. Like before. Or use one of those… cube thingies.” I made a vague circle motion with my hand.

“Peter… you’re not serious, right?” Miss Star asked, gently skeptical.

“...No.” The silence dragged. “NO! It was a joke.”

Only one soul comforted me, bounding over and hopping onto my chest. I scratched him behind the ears with full commitment. “You’ll believe me, right?”

“Peter. Get to training,” Drake ordered flatly. “You take the longest. We’ll handle the setup.”

I wasn't going to argue, but glanced over to my student first. “Vel, you good? Need anything?”

She shook her head. “Just need to keep forming my foundation.”

Good enough.

I shut my eyes.

Everything was as before, blackened channels, squirming tentacles, cracks that spread like shattered porcelain.

I let habit take over. Breathe steady, and let the rhythm sink in. 

World Force flowed in, my core spun, and eventually, I hit full. I split the energy into two strands and burned another scar into my left foot. Created then anchored the connections.

This time, to my suprise, a full branch pushed out from the Voidseed again. But unlike before, this one offered up no resistance, no visions, no backlash. It just… went. I guided it down, slowly, carefully, through to my pelvis. When it stopped, so did I.

I was moving faster as the process became routine, but it was still impossible to tell how much time had passed. And that was starting to scare me more and more.

If this pace changed again, if the other essences slowed things down even more, how long would cultivation take?

I let the thoughts flow away, focusing on absorbing more World Force to refine my muscles, and when I was done, I opened my eyes.

A quiet fire flickered at the center of camp. Around it, some were deep in meditation. Others curled up in sleeping bags. Velea lay in the center of a full fluff ring.

Probably nice and warm in there.

One lump of loyalty stayed in my lap, at least. I ran a hand through his fur, debating who to bother for a spar.

Hmm. Where’s Miss Star? If Marcus had wandered off, fine. I wouldn’t go interrupt whatever that might mean. But he was still there, sitting still, with eyes closed.

Drake, too. Actually… Everyone was in focus.

“That’s not very safe,” I mumbled. “Sooo… she’s on watch?”

It was the only explanation that made sense to me. I mean, it wasn’t exactly dangerous, not with how strong we all were now, but leaving an open fire like that, with everyone passed out?

I shifted, trying to push myself up—What the…

*Luna? *No answer. Wyrem?!

Still nothing.

“HELLO? WAKE UP, GUYS!” I shouted as loud as I could, but nothing changed. Even Bristle stayed curled up, dead asleep.

“There is no need to scream,” a foreign voice said, calm and unbothered. “You are in no danger.”

I tried to turn toward it, but my body wouldn’t respond. Still locked in place. “Who are you?!”

“A traveler,” she said. “But please, be at ease. You’re not in danger. I only came to see what’s been causing such a stir in my territory.”

Her presence closed in behind me, something formless, like a shadow or a dream that hadn't decided what shape it should take.

“The forest?” I asked. “We’re just passing through.” I spoke carefully, trying to choose every word with caution. Someone like this was not someone I wanted to offend. “We’ll leave. All of us. If you want.”

She chuckled softly. “Yes, the forest too.”

Something brushed around me, moving, gazing. I could feel the awareness, but there was still nothing to see.

“Hmm.” She sounded almost playful. “Why would you refuse?”

“W—what?”

“Nothing. Just... so young.” Her tone shifted, surprise mixing in. “Oh! You completed it? Huh. There’s only one place I know of where you can get a Voidseed. Nice job, those trials are tough.”

My pulse spiked. I felt my heartbeat in my neck, my ears.

“Gosh, it’s been so long. Have you started to grow it yet?” she asked, giddy now, like she was talking about a favorite pastime.

“Um. Yeah. I think so,” I managed. How the hell was she seeing into me? Through me? Only the old man from the trial had ever made me feel this exposed.

“Great! See? Gifts should be taken, not refused.” Something fluttered across my vision. A veil. Thin, silken, and nearly transparent. “I was hesitant at first too, you know?”

“I don’t understand.” My voice was tight. Then my heart nearly stopped.

I’d read descriptions before, in books and stuff. The other worldly beauty, but none of it compared to seeing something like her in front of me.

A flowing dress of layered blue and purple silk, each fold catching the light like water. She crouched to meet my eye level, grinning like she’d just pulled off the perfect prank.

Then she sat, just plopped down like we were old friends.

“You’re amazing, really,” she said. “Not too bright, I think, but still outpacing people with real talent. That’s not just luck.”

Her skin shimmered under the moonlight, crystalline and surreal, the firelight flickering along its edges.

This… this wasn’t some prince’s pet noble girl. No way she was involved with the State or Voxter. She was something else.

“You—Do you know that monster?” I asked, the words slipping out before I could stop them. Her perfectly golden eyes made it impossible to look away.

“Pfft.” She covered her mouth, laughing gently. “He can be, but I never saw him that way.”

“He destroyed my world… I think,” I said, heat rising in my voice. “Maybe you’d see it differently if it happened to you.”

She tilted her head, glancing around theatrically. “Doesn’t look so bad to me. Right?”

“What?”

“You think this world was always full of beasts? Please. We were engineers. Magical—” She waved a hand, dismissing the past. “Not important. We grew. Now I can do so much more. We all can.”

She sighed, almost wistful. “You’re just too young. Do you really think there’s only one threat out there? One calamity?”

She leaned in closer. “What if monsters found another way to your home? Less controlled. Would they survive, if no one was given a way to stop them?”

“And you?” I asked. “What did you face after he destroyed this place?”

She leaned back, arms stretching high. “I like it here. Not destroyed.” Then, softer, “And to answer? Plenty.”

“And who’s to say he wasn’t responsible for all of it?!” I snapped, louder than I meant to. “You’re standing there, trying to convince me to submit to someone who wants me dead for taking something that apparently belongs to him! I’m just trying to survive!”

“You’re mistaking power for omniscience,” she said coolly, but her tone had hardened. “I didn’t come here on anyone’s behalf. But with so many others whispering about you, I got curious. No need to get rude.”

“...You’re not trying to tell me to take his blood?” I asked, warily.

She shook her head. “It would be smart, but what do I care?”

“He wants to kill me anyway,” I muttered. “Or just rip this thing out of me. Either way, that creature doesn’t strike me as the forgiving type.”

“No. Probably not,” she agreed, almost cheerfully.

“Can I tell the others?” I asked, holding onto a shred of hope.

“About this?” She tilted her head and pursed her lips. “Not even sure I want you to remember.”

What kind of power—

She cut into my thoughts with a snap of her fingers. “I don’t like outsiders interfering too much in my domain. Sooo—” Snap. “There. Just progress without worry... at least while you’re in my territory. The current is the last one.”

I was still trying to wrap my head around what she meant when she followed it up.

“No more conversations with the Great Ancestor, okay? Too bad for you, I guess. And for everyone you ruined it for.” She sighed, like someone mildly annoyed. “Oh well.”

My eyes widened. “You can stand up to him?”

“Don’t be stupid.” Her tone cut through the air, sharp for the first time. “There are limits to influence. That’s all. Maybe you won't trust me, but you have no choice but to keep going.”

But just as quickly, the brightness returned. She smiled, lifted a finger to her lips.

“Maybe I’ll check in another time,” she said, playful again. “Keep this a secret, okay? Bye!”

And with a blink, she was gone.

The hum of insects returned. The soft crackle of fire. The weight in the air vanished like mist. I didn't even notice they were gone until now.

Then came the voice.

Miss Star’s shout split the night. “What are you all doing?! Do you know how dangerous that is?!”

She burst out from behind me, charging toward the geniuses clustered around the unattended fire.