Veil of Aether

Staring at the water mirror where Kei Y and Aterix’s training was unfolding, the trio—Auserre, the King, and the Vendor—watched intently as Kei Y manipulated the forces around him.

“Those Kaleidoscope eyes are as impressive as they read in the scriptures about them,” the King observed, his voice filled with genuine admiration. “No wonder they’re ranked so highly and treasured among ocular skills. He really does seem to know a lot of force alignments. That kid is rather impressive.”

Auserre, not easily impressed, leaned forward with narrowed eyes. “I still don’t know what that swirling opacity is connecting those force alignments together. Never really seen that before,” she remarked, still analyzing Kei Y’s eyes as they shifted with the various forces. The intricate colors were mesmerizing, yet mysterious.

“You’re right, I can’t really place what that is either,” the King added, his tone thoughtful. “Whatever it is, it seems like he just advanced into the first stage of rune mastery—the breathe of runes stage.”

“Well, he has been making vipers out of fire runes... no surprise he’d get there so quickly,” the Vendor commented. “Anyway, why are you here?”

The King glared at the Vendor. “Boy, you’d do best to respect the king of your kingdom,” he said, his voice dripping with authority.

The Vendor, unfazed, hid behind Auserre, a mischievous grin on his face. “You’d do best to keep your presence less around here, Old man, or else I’ll hit you with a bag of onions,” he shot back.

The King’s gaze flickered from the Vendor to Auserre, calculating the risks of engaging in a direct confrontation. Realizing the costs of attacking the Vendor might not be worth it, he settled on a different approach. With a sly grin, he leaned back slightly, adopting a more casual tone. “I’m the same age as Aussie here,” he said, gesturing to Auserre. “I’m happy for you to acknowledge my elder status as I assume you would hers,” he added mischievously, his eyes glinting with playful challenge.

Auserre rolled her eyes, clearly uninterested in the playful exchange between the King and the Vendor. "In all seriousness, what is that force? If I can’t make it out, I won’t be able to train him properly," she said, her tone now focused and serious.

The King and the Vendor continued their quarrel, the King’s frustration growing as the Vendor, once again, whipped out a bag of onions out of the air and smacked him in the face with it. "You’re really asking for it now!" the King growled, pulling out his sword, aiming it at the Vendor’s head.

As their situation could only escalate further, Auserre's sharp eyes caught something in Kei Y's ability. The swirling opacity in his eyes, the way it shifted in patterns, reminded her of something. "Could that swirling opacity be Creation Force?" she wondered aloud, her voice filled with sudden clarity as she compared it to her own experience with the Vendor’s creations. She sensed a strong similarity between the two, and for a moment, the chaos around her faded as she focused on this new revelation.

The King continued to argue with the Vendor. "What are the chances you’d have two students familiar with Creation Force?" he laughed, his amusement evident as he wiped the onion juice from his face. "This idiot is already a headache. If you’re any luckier, I’d say you’ll come across even more monstrous student prodigies on the future. Heck, you may even come across a God Spark for a student."

At that, Auserre and the Vendor exchanged a brief, awkward glance, both deciding to remain silent about certain details. Neither of them was willing to reveal the full extent of their knowledge or their student’s potential just yet.

"I’m not that lucky," Auserre replied, trying to shift the conversation away from the subject. She let out a quiet sigh.

"Hey master, don’t you agree now that I’d be the best person to teach him?" the vendor said, grinning so wide that his eyes were squinted shut. Auserre, still focused on her student, ignored him completely.

"Ignoring bag of onions man, what do you want?" Auserre asked the king, her eyes not leaving the water mirror as she watched Kei Y gain more proficiency with runes and using them in combat.

The king, clearly growing tired of the vendor’s antics. "You really can’t take anything seriously, can you?" he muttered under his breath, but he refocused on the matter at hand.

Sighing, the king finally revealed his reason for being there. "Auserre, by now, you should know that the Tournament of Kingdoms is approaching," he began, his tone serious. "I already have a set of recruit-class participants prepared to represent our kingdom, but after learning that you've accepted new students, I could only be certain that they would far exceed anyone else in their realm of power.

"Considering the level of talent required for you to even look at another cultivator, let alone take a few kids as your students," the king continued. "It’s clear that these new recruits possess a potential far beyond anything we’ve seen before. I believe that they would make a strong showing for Amunar and would be capable of securing our kingdom’s standing in the Tournament of Kingdoms."

He paused, eyeing Auserre as she remained focused on her student’s progress. "You’ve always set the bar high, Auserre. But if you let them represent us, we might just have a chance to make a lasting impact in this tournament."

Auserre’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she watched Kei Y’s movements through the mirror, his growing mastery of runes making her both proud and cautious. The King’s request was important, but she needed to think carefully about it.

“So, you’re asking me to send my students to represent Amunar in the Tournament of Kingdoms?” Auserre asked, finally turning her attention to the king.

"You know you ask a big favor, speaking of their talents to gain master's attention, you have yet to look at the son you abandoned," the vendor said to the king, his words sharp.

On another water mirror, Kei M could be seen sparring fiercely against the Ardent, his grandmaster and Auserre's master. The sound-bound kid was absorbing the Ardent teachings in real-time, adapting to the instructions being drilled into him. His body became more refined with every movement, unlocking his true potential in his stats with each lesson.

Kei M’s footwork became more fluid and refined; with a simple step, he moved so fast that, to those of his level, it was barely perceptible before he appeared beside them. The force behind his strikes was more daunting and efficient than before he entered the zone. His muscle fibers had become more elastic, maximizing both their extension and recoil, allowing him to generate power with minimal movement.

The inner mechanics of his skeletal system were being worked on meticulously by the Ardent. Subtle adjustments to his stance, spinal alignment, and weight distribution were drilled into him through each exchange. When his posture slipped even slightly, the Ardent corrected him—not with words, but with punishing strikes designed to reinforce proper form. A single misstep became a lesson; a flinch was met with counterpressure to harden his instinctive reactions. The training was merciless but measured, sculpting not just his body, but his foundational structure.

His progression was undeniable, as his sweat was becoming more contaminated with impurities.

Sadness clouded the king’s eyes as he stared at his son, his voice heavy with regret. "He’s only a shell of his former self," he muttered, his tone reflective. "His situation now is one he decided for himself. I’m happy to see my son in your hands; at least that way I can dream of him growing back into what he once was. But he made the choice to live the life he has now. I’m not going to interfere with his decision. It’s up to him to show us whether the decision he made was the right or wrong one."

A long pause followed, the weight of the king’s words hanging in the air. Despite everything, there was still a part of him that hoped for Kei M’s redemption.

The king spoke with a quiet sincerity, “At least I can still take comfort that the talent he has remaining is enough for you to take interest in him.”

Auserre scoffed, arms crossed, gaze never leaving the water mirror. “And what? You think his former status should be enough for me to let him represent a kingdom that abandoned him? The same kingdom that turned its back on him because you didn’t like the path he chose?”

She shook her head, her voice rising just slightly. “Look at him now. Scarred, quieter, harder—but still climbing. If it was before, he’d be well on his way to surpassing me. No, even more than that—he would’ve eclipsed my master. That’s the level he was heading toward.”

Her tone darkened. “But you and that airhead queen couldn’t stomach the idea of him living life on his own terms. And now what? You lean on your other son—the one who, even with more years and more cultivation, still had to rely on underhanded means to get what he wanted.”

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

The words hit like a blade between the ribs. The king didn’t speak, but the tension in his shoulders gave him away.

The vendor didn’t hesitate to twist the knife further.

“Gotta give it to the current crown prince of Amunar,” the old man muttered. “He really is his father’s son. Just as ruthless and underhanded as the man who gave birth to him.”

Looking at his son training—focused, sweat-drenched, tireless—and at the other children in the water mirrors, each just as talented, each burning with promise under the tutelage of renowned masters, the king couldn’t help but ask, voice low and tinged with desperation.

He let out a long breath, then raised his hand and waved it over Auserre. A pulse of force shimmered around her, stripping away the illusion cloaking her figure. Like a melting glacier revealing glacial jade, the veil dissolved—revealing the woman beneath.

The king glanced at her true form and paused. Long turquoise-blue hair draped the floor behind her, trailing like liquid crystal. Her figure was tall, graceful, almost inhumanly balanced, and her large cyan-blue eyes glowed faintly with a natural luster that defied age. If those who once knew her as a child could see her now, they’d lose their minds over her beauty. Even the vendor, ever casual and irreverent, took a moment to soak in the sight.

“Heh,” the vendor muttered under his breath, scratching the back of his head. “They say my biggest fortune was being born with Creation Force… but honestly, having a master like this ain’t far behind.”

The king stepped forward, tone shifting to something more personal, more pleading. “Auserre… look at me.”

She didn’t turn to face him, but her gaze flicked toward the mirror.

“After everything we’ve been through, are you really saying you’re not willing to let your students represent Amunar in the upcoming tournament?” His voice cracked slightly. “You know what kind of opportunities they’d receive if they won. Things most cultivators couldn’t even dream of—access, resources, legacy rankings, guidance from sovereign-level elders.”

Auserre remained silent, arms folded. Her eyes remained on the mirrors.

In them, the children continued their training—fluid, intense, focused. The sound-bound kid, guided directly by an Ardent. The others, every single renowned master present on the water mirrors owed Auserre—deeply. Life debts. Unpayable favors. Personal oaths made in quiet moments long past.

The vendor glanced at the mirrors, then back at the king, brow raised.

It was a look that didn’t need to be voiced: “You think the tournament can offer them more than this?”

And the king, if he was being honest with himself, couldn’t even refute it.

“Also, do you have any idea how hard it is to create a disguise for her?” the vendor snapped, his arms flailing with dramatic frustration. “You and your stupid Breaking Force just tore down meticulous effort! I demand reimbursement, you jackass.”

The king gave him a side glance, but said nothing.

The appearance that Kei Y and the others had seen wasn’t Auserre’s real one. It was an elaborate disguise, crafted with extreme care and ingenuity by the vendor—her loyal and exasperated student. Using his Creation Force, he had built her a second skin: not just a visual illusion, but a layered, reactive form of armor. It masked her presence, altered her demeanor, and bore the wear and tear of countless battles so that her true body wouldn’t have to. Every scar, every limp—woven into a masterpiece of deception to keep her real appearance hidden.

And for good reason. Auserre wasn’t just strong—she was problematic. Powerful in a way that demanded countermeasures from entire nations. Her strength alone was enough to destabilize elite circles, and her stubborn attitude made her the worst kind of rogue element: one that couldn’t be bribed, blackmailed, or baited.

People came after her constantly—not just for revenge or glory, but because she irritated them. Her presence alone demanded high-level strategies to counter, and most failed before they even got close. The last thing she needed was her beauty drawing further attention and creating a new set of issues based in lust and jealousy.

Hence the disguise. Hence the vendor’s frustrated rant.

Unfortunately for him, no matter how intricate his craftsmanship, no matter how much energy and precision he poured into his work, the king’s Breaking Force could unravel it all—so long as the king was willing to exert the effort.

And today, he had.

Auserre didn’t even acknowledge the vendor’s complaints. She just kept her eyes on the mirror, watching her students, listening as the king made his pitch.

Then, finally, she spoke.

“Look,” she said, voice low but firm, “I’m not doing this to help you. Or your kingdom. And definitely not for the sake of giving them exposure.”

She turned her head slightly, just enough for the king to see the glint of warning in her eyes.

“I’m agreeing to your request because I want them to face other talents on their cultivation level. I want them to know how many talents exist out there. How many freaks and monsters they’ll have to surpass.”

She let the silence settle before continuing.

“But make no mistake—they’ll earn it. I’m not letting a single one of them ride on my name just to get a slot. If they want to represent Amunar in this tournament, then they’ll do it by earning that right. Not by hiding behind their master.”

In the moment she agreed to the king’s request for her students to participate in the tournament, for the first time in a long while, the system updated Kei Y and Silvie’s Temporal Dungeon quest.

[Your master has given into a request for you to participate in the Tournament of Kingdoms to represent the Amunar Kingdom. Earn your right to participate and make witness with the legends of your planet’s mythical beings of old. Successfully winning the tournament would scale your planet’s current fate to be best in its favor.]

Kei Y for his part just glanced at the notification, as a glint flashed through his eyes.

Silvie, in the middle of deconstructing her Vine Force to its basic components, was constructing earthen force gauntlets as she confronted her zone boss in hand-to-hand. The boss was singing her praises for how fast she was advancing. Silvie saw the updated quest flash by and acknowledged it only as a hint toward finishing the Temporal Zone.

She quickly closed the message as she weaved between earth, water, and wind force, the little girl zone boss cheering her on. “That’s it! The more you improve, the stronger your vines will be!”

In the midst of the combat, Silvie charged forward wielding the three forces, forming lances of water, wind, and earth. She launched them at the little girl, who dodged with ease. When the lances crashed into the ground, they merged—forming a single vine lance, far more refined and powerful than anything Silvie had created before entering the zone. The vines glowed ethereally, as if acknowledging the growth she had achieved.

At that moment, the system chimed.

[You have unlocked the next stage mastery of your Intelligence stat.]

Silvie felt the change instantly. Her senses sharpened, her understanding of the forces deepened, her control more fluid.

“Hmmm,” Silvie thought to herself, frowning slightly.

The little girl zone boss tilted her head. “What’s wrong? You should be happy with your progress! Even I’m envious of how fast you’ve improved!”

“No, that’s fine,” Silvie muttered, brows furrowed. “Just a bit annoying having to reconfigure my combat style to make the most of this.”

Everyone watching paused.

“…That’s what she’s annoyed about?” the vendor said, flabbergasted.

The king gave a faint chuckle. “Seems like all your students remain unique,” he said to Auserre, who looked away, expression unreadable.

“But seeing her level of talent,” the king continued, “I can at least take comfort in you allowing her to earn the right to participate.”

“Yeah yeah, whatever,” Auserre replied, brushing it off.

“Am I the only one who thinks it’s weird that the ground in Khenu’s area suddenly has these weird strokes carved into it?” the vendor asked, squinting at the water mirror that displayed Kei Y. “What is that? Are they supposed to be rune strokes? I can’t even make them out.”

“I’ve seen those strokes before,” Auserre murmured, narrowing her eyes. “In another land, a language based farther east… I think those strokes mean ‘Oh.’”

She continued to watch Kei Y and Aterix train, her focus shifting between her students. But something gnawed at her. The moment she had taken her eyes off him—even for a breath—she felt it. A shift. A sudden change in his demeanor she couldn’t place.

It wasn’t in his movements, which were still sharp and measured. It wasn’t in his force, which remained stable.

But something was different.

And that unsettled her.

Kei Y, more stoic than Aterix could remember, stood opposite him—one arm covered in ember ash rune strokes, the other coated in frostbane frost force.

“That viper may be dead, but these runes sure are useful,” Kei Y muttered to himself. “Letting me keep using Frostbane Force. Granted, I had to weave in the frost from that Frost Tyrant Fellhorn too… but at least I can do this again.”

He chuckled softly.

With a flick of his fingers, the fluttering sakura petal rune strokes launched forward like projectiles, activating Lethal Bloom as they honed in on Aterix. Frost-wind runes sliced through the air, layering Aterix in a chilling haze.

Taking advantage of his slowed movements, Kei Y controlled the wind rune strokes fluttering around him, creating distance. Then, with a sharp lash of his frost-covered arm, a Frostbane Viper coiled out and clamped onto Aterix, freezing him in place. Kei Y followed through with his ember ash arm, a Ember Ash Viper coiling out, slamming into the immobilized foe. Aterix recoiled, steam rising from the impact.

Hovering in mid-air, Kei Y took a moment to relish the mastery he’d gained over runes.

“To think you’d be such a genius in combat runes… I’m impressed,” Aterix admitted, his eyes fixed on Kei Y’s kaleidoscope gaze. “Looks like I’ll have to start taking your training a bit more seriously now.”

“Bring it, you weird-looking thing,” Kei Y replied, though his expression twitched. The swirling opalescence in his multicolored eyes intensified—then suddenly he flinched, stifling a pained grunt.

“You okay?” Aterix asked, ignoring the jab.

“Yeah,” Kei Y grunted. “Just feeling intense phantom pain on the bottom of my feet when I tried to use this weird force.”

He neglected to mention the phantom pain in his ass.

Still, ignoring it, Kei Y reached inward and called upon the unfamiliar force—one he barely understood. In response, theShinma Enaga, the bird made of runes, appeared beside him.

“Hey buddy,” Kei Y smiled at it, gently. “Let’s show this guy just how talented we are.”

The bird chirped in response, wings spreading as the strange force surged. Feathers peeled off mid-flight, swirling around Kei Y as Shinma Edgecraft: Stormpiercer Ascendant activated in full view of everyone watching.

“That… that really is Creation Force,” Auserre muttered, shocked enough to grab the water mirror with both hands. “He even has a self-created skill. He’s a true genius.”

The vendor and the king could only nod in stunned agreement.

Aterix, on the other hand, stared at the small rune-made bird—feeling true terror for the first time.

“What kind of student did that crazy lady manage to find?” he thought, as the Shinma Enaga dove toward him like a meteor of ethereal grace.

“Even if I have to make her an enemy… I will steal this kid from her. I can always find a new planet and repopulate my species.”

Aterix watched, stars swirling in his eyes, as the bird bore down on him with divine intent.