ECHOES OF WAR

The ceiling above was simple, and the light bulb cast a dim glow, reflected in the newly awakened eyes of a young boy, roughly 12 years old. As he became aware of his surroundings, he jerked upright, rushed into the bathroom, quickly washed up, and hurried out of the room. This was Garth, and today was the day he would awaken.

In this world, most children awaken at the age of six. Some prodigies awaken earlier, but it is well known that human latent potential typically unlocks at six. Those who fail to awaken remain mortal forever. Humanity’s past evolution had advanced them to a level that would astonish the humans of old.

Garth had never understood why he hadn’t awakened by the age of six. His sick grandfather, the only family he had left, never explained it. He only told Garth that he would awaken at 12.

It was a beautiful morning, and Garth’s excitement made the day even more radiant. The thought of finally awakening filled him with joy. Just outside the house sat his grandfather, an old man who looked as though he had one foot in the grave. But a gentle smile spread across his face as he watched Garth.

“Grandpa Marcus, am I finally going to awaken?” Garth asked, gazing up at his grandfather with eager expectation.

“Yes, my boy,” Marcus replied with a smile, though there was a trace of worry in his eyes—something 12-year-old Garth couldn’t notice.

Filled with elation, Garth’s smile grew even brighter. Awakening his potential had been a long-awaited dream.

“So, how do we go about it?” Garth asked, his confusion creeping in.

Normally, children awakened at six in facilities equipped with advanced tools designed to stimulate their latent potential. The degree of their awakening revealed their innate talents. Those who couldn’t awaken were deemed incapable, their future prospects limited. Regardless, everyone’s lifespan extended to 200-250 years after the process, making them physically formidable.

Having missed the usual age for awakening, Garth wasn’t sure how the process would work. Marcus had only told him he was special, but never explained why, which made Garth’s confusion even more intense.

“Sit still,” Marcus said. Garth quickly obeyed, sitting cross-legged as instructed.

“Clear your mind and feel the energy around you,” Marcus said, making a series of hand signals before placing his fingers on Garth’s head and chest.

Suddenly, Garth felt a surge of energy from Marcus, causing his body to tremble violently as he struggled to resonate with the surrounding energy. But Garth didn’t lose focus. He dared not. He had trained his body since he was five, knowing that any misstep during the awakening could harm his potential. He endured the excruciating pain, sitting still and trying to attune himself to the world’s energy. His teeth clenched as his mind screamed.

After what felt like an eternity, Garth felt the pain subside. He could feel the world’s energy gathering in his chest, forming a second heart that pulsed as energy coursed through his body.

His mind became crystal clear, so much so that he could see everything around him, even with his eyes closed. When he finally opened them, he exhaled deeply and whispered, “Finally.”

“Grandpa, what class am I?” Garth asked. There were three major classes of awakened humans: Ether Adepts, Elemental Adepts, and Psychics.

Ether Adepts could harness neutral world energies to enhance their physical abilities—strength, endurance, and speed. This neutral energy, known as Ether, allowed their physique to evolve, eventually reaching the level where they could cause planetary destruction if they willed it. On the other hand, Elemental Adepts attuned themselves to specific world energies. In the early stages, they could absorb this energy to enhance their bodies, aligning themselves with their chosen energy. As they progressed, they could bend this energy to their will. Psychics, however, were a rare class—one in a million. They relied on mental energy, perception, and indirect influence over the world. Very little was known about Psychics, except that they were a force to be reckoned with.

Marcus placed his hand on Garth’s chest. As soon as he did, a look of shock crossed his face. He quickly withdrew his hand and tried again.

Seeing the surprise on Marcus’ face, Garth trembled in fear, thinking that something had gone wrong in the awakening process. Marcus, however, thought, It’s even more monstrous than I thought.

Marcus made several hand seals and placed them on Garth’s head. When he did, a sigh of relief escaped his lips.

“You’re of the three classes,” Marcus said solemnly.

At those words, Garth’s eyes widened, and elation filled him. He thought to himself, I’m a genius.

But Marcus’ expression darkened, and he spoke gravely. “Having three classes has benefits, but it also has drawbacks. While the benefits are obvious in the higher stages, the side effects in the early stages can be overwhelming.”

Garth gasped. “Why?”

Marcus explained, “Think of the body as a vessel capable of holding energies. It can hold two types of energy, but even that causes strain. If the vessel isn’t strong enough, it can break. So, what happens if the body tries to hold three types of energy?”

Garth whispered, “It explodes.”

“Exactly,” Marcus said, his tone serious. “You’ve always trained your body since you were five, and I’m thankful for that, because otherwise… Well, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation. It’s even worse for you. You have a lightning elemental affinity, Ether, and mental energy. Both Ether and mental energy are taxing on the body, and adding lightning, the most destructive of elemental forces, makes it even more troublesome. But don’t worry, I’ve sealed part of your mental energy to prevent it from straining your body for now. When your physique strengthens, it will naturally unseal. But you must be careful. Ether and Elemental energy contradict each other, so balance is crucial.”

Garth sighed in relief. “What comes next?” he asked, eager to know more. He had always understood the first step was awakening, but beyond that, he was uncertain.

Marcus cleared his throat. “In the human world, awakening is just the first step. Those who pass this stage are called ‘awakened.’ Those who fail to awaken are termed ‘mortal.’ After awakening, the awakened begin absorbing natural world energy into their bodies. Ether Adepts absorb Ether to improve their physiques in the early stages, while Elemental Adepts absorb elemental energies from their surroundings to improve their resonance with their chosen element. Psychics, however, develop their minds through special means to exert influence over their environments. But one thing is common for all classes: the first stage is to adjust the body for later growth. After the ‘awakened’ stage comes the ‘adept’ stage, where the body becomes attuned to its respective energies and can affect the world around it. Ether Users can coat weapons in Ether to increase their destructive power, while Elementals, with the right equipment, can begin to bend elemental forces to their will. This is known as the ‘understanding stage.’ When an adept reaches the peak of this stage, they move to the ‘sage level.’ Elementals at this stage can dominate the elements they control, while Ether Adepts possess overwhelming physical abilities capable of leveling mountains. Psychics, at this stage, can move matter with their minds. The effects of their power are profound. After this, there’s the ‘transcendent stage.’ This stage is considered a myth—only a handful of individuals have ever reached it, and very little is known about what happens at this level.”

Garth’s eyes widened as he processed Marcus’ words. “How do I absorb world energies?” he asked.

“By connecting to the world around you,” Marcus answered. “That sensation you feel in your chest is your core. By linking it to the world energy, you gain access to it. You originally had three cores, but they’ve merged into one, larger core capable of absorbing all types of energy. For now, you can only absorb Elemental energy and Ether. Your core will nourish your body with Elemental energy, and the changes to your body depend on which energy it absorbs. When your body is perfected, you’ll move to the adept stage.”

“Hmm…” Garth pondered as he sat down, trying to practice what he had just learned.

Marcus looked at him, a worried expression on his face. They shouldn’t find him anytime soon, right? he thought, staring at the sky, as if it could reveal what lay beyond.

Little did Marcus know, a storm was quietly gathering in the distance

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Author’s note 

Finally started this novel after lots of deliberation 

This is my first work and I hope readers can support me as i continue the novel 

Your ideas are accommodated and