She laid it out clearly.
The Aether spike.
The displacement of weaker monsters.
The wyvern's manifestation.
The speed of escalation.
Meredin listened without interruption.
Not a single reaction—
until the end.
"…That shouldn't be possible," he said quietly.
Seiferus nodded.
"…It happened anyway."
Silence followed.
Heavy.
Measured.
Meredin's gaze shifted slightly.
"…And the boy?"
Filo didn't answer.
Seiferus did.
"…Unregistered."
A pause.
"…But not unremarkable."
Meredin's eyes narrowed just slightly.
"…Interesting."
A small nod.
"…Then we'll be watching closely."
---
The city felt different without them.
Louder.
Bigger.
Less controlled.
Aetherwyn moved through the outer ring, trying not to look completely out of place.
Markets buzzed with life.
Vendors shouted over one another.
Metal rang from distant forges.
Aether tools hummed softly in practiced hands.
Everything moved.
Everything worked.
Everything felt… alive.
"…Okay," he muttered.
"…Don't get lost."
He immediately turned the wrong way.
"…Great."
As he moved deeper—
something shifted.
Subtle.
But noticeable.
"…The Spire," he said under his breath.
He could feel it now.
Not pressure.
Direction.
Then—
he saw it.
The **Grand Archive**.
Pale stone.
Layered glass.
Etched with glowing inscriptions that pulsed faintly with Aether.
Tall.
Ancient
Not just built—
**kept.**
"…That's a library?"
It didn't feel like one.
It felt like something that held answers people weren't ready for.
Aetherwyn stepped forward.
The doors opened without a sound.
He slowed the moment he stepped inside.
"…Okay."
Rows.
Endless rows.
Shelves climbed higher than they should.
Books. Scrolls. Tablets.
Even glowing Aether-bound records hovered faintly in place.
Light filtered through high glass panels—
soft.
Controlled.
It didn't feel like a building.
It felt like a mind.
Watching.
"…Where do I even start?"
"Depends on what you're missing."
Aetherwyn turned.
An older man stood nearby.
Already watching him.
Calm.
Observant.
Like he'd always been there.
"…Did I say that out loud?"
"Yes."
"…Great."
"Looking for something specific?"
Aetherwyn hesitated.
"…Classes."
That got his attention.
"…Ah."
The man turned slightly.
"Then you're asking the wrong question."
"…I am?"
"You shouldn't ask what a class is."
A pause.
"You should ask what you are."
Aetherwyn frowned.
"…I've been told I'm a beginner."
The man gave a faint, knowing look.
"Everyone is."
They stopped near a section of older records.
The man tapped a tablet.
It flickered to life.
"No one is born with a class."
Aetherwyn blinked.
"…Wait—seriously?"
"Yes."
"…That feels important."
"It is."
"You're considered **Unbound** before obtaining one," the man continued.
Aetherwyn nodded slowly.
"…Okay… that sounds serious."
"You can train anything during that stage."
A pause.
"Any weapon. Any style. Any form of Aether."
"…So I can just do whatever?"
"To a point," the man said.
"…but freedom without control becomes damage."
Aetherwyn folded his arms slightly.
"…And then I pick a class?"
The man shook his head.
"No."
A pause.
"You become one."
Aetherwyn stared.
"…That still doesn't help."
"It will."
"When the system recognizes understanding," the man said,
"…not when you try—"
"…but when you grasp it."
"…So I can't just say I'm a mage."
"No."
"…Unfortunate."
The man studied him carefully.
"You've already started forming something."
Aetherwyn stiffened.
"…What makes you say that?"
"You wouldn't be here otherwise."
That stuck.
"…So what happens after?" Aetherwyn asked.
"You refine it. Train it. Master it."
"And then?"
"Then you're free."
"…Free?"
"To switch," the man said.
"To learn from other paths."
Aetherwyn blinked.
"…You can switch classes?"
"Yes."
"…That feels VERY important."
The man almost smiled.
"Most never reach that point."
A pause.
"And some abilities only respond when that class is active."
"…Of course they do."
Aetherwyn exhaled.
"…So what matters more? Level or… that?"
"Rank," the man said immediately.
"Level increases power."
"Rank defines how well you use it."
"…So stronger doesn't mean better."
"No."
"…That feels unfair."
"It's reality."
The man's expression shifted slightly.
"…There are also exceptions."
Aetherwyn looked up.
"…Like what?"
"Classes that don't follow structure."
A pause.
"…EX classes."
"…How do you get those?"
The man held his gaze.
"You don't."
A beat.
"You live in a way that forces them to exist."
Aetherwyn didn't respond.
But something about that stayed with him.
The man stepped back slightly.
"…If you're serious," he said,
"start simple."
He gestured to the shelves.
"Foundation texts. Control theory. Channel stabilization."
Aetherwyn looked at them.
Then back at him.
"…And if I'm not simple?"
The man met his gaze.
"…Then you'll learn the hard way."
Aetherwyn exhaled.
"…Yeah."
"…Sounds about right."
He stepped forward.
Toward understanding.
---
The room had changed.
Not physically—
But in weight.
Filo leaned against the table.
Arms crossed.
Seiferus stood beside her.
Still.
Meredin paced once.
"…Say it again."
Filo exhaled.
"…A Greater Wyvern manifested before full Rift formation."
"…Impossible."
Seiferus didn't interrupt.
Filo's gaze sharpened.
"…We both saw it."
A pause.
"…And you know I don't exaggerate."
Meredin stopped.
"…No."
A beat.
"…Which makes this worse."
Seiferus spoke.
"…Rift Surge escalation."
Meredin nodded.
"…Accelerated beyond known patterns."
A pause.
"…Something forced it."
Silence.
"…You're thinking interference," Filo said.
"…I'm thinking control," Meredin corrected.
That landed.
"…You're saying someone pushed a Rift?"
Meredin didn't answer directly.
"…Not without rewriting Aether flow."
Filo's expression hardened.
"…So this isn't random."
"No."
A pause.
"…It's intentional."
Seiferus spoke again.
"…The boy."
Meredin turned.
"…Yes."
"…He reacted before impact."
"…Compressed Aether without training."
Meredin's eyes sharpened.
"…Instinct."
Filo pushed off the table.
"…He's unstable."
A beat.
"…But he's mine to train."
Meredin studied her.
"…You're attached."
"…I'm responsible."
A pause.
"…The investigation begins immediately," Meredin said.
"…Full surveillance."
"…Internal observation."
Another pause.
"…Including him."
Filo didn't like that.
"…You'll get your data," she said.
"…but I train him."
Meredin nodded.
"…Agreed."
Seiferus stepped forward.
"…We remain in Nolvaris."
"…Until we understand this."
"…Good," Meredin said quietly.
"…because this is only the beginning."
---
Evening settled over the city.
Lanterns lit the streets.
Aether softened—
but never disappeared.
Aetherwyn stood near a plaza.
Watching.
Learning.
"…You didn't get lost."
He turned.
"…Barely."
Filo approached.
"…Library?"
"…Yeah."
"…Learn anything?"
"…More than I wanted to."
A pause.
"…Classes aren't what I thought."
Filo smirked.
"…They never are."
"…What about you?"
She paused.
"…It's worse than we thought."
Aetherwyn frowned.
"…How?"
Filo shook her head.
"…Later."
Then—
"We're staying."
"…What?"
"In Nolvaris," she said.
"…Investigation's ongoing."
"…That doesn't sound good."
"It's not."
A pause.
Then—
Her tone shifted.
"…But it's perfect."
"…For what?"
"…For you."
She stepped closer.
"You need control."
"Structure."
"Understanding."
She gestured around the city.
"There's no better place."
Aetherwyn looked toward the Spire.
Then back at her.
"…And the test?"
Filo smirked.
"…We're getting you your class."
Aetherwyn exhaled slowly.
Nervous.
Excited.
"…Yeah."
"…Guess it's time."
---
The Royal Citadel rose within the inner ring.
Massive.
Unyielding.
Seiferus entered without delay.
## **Hall of Aegis Dominion**
The doors opened.
The chamber stretched wide—
pillars carved with history—
Aether lines glowing faintly above.
At the far end—
the throne.
King **Aerthas Vaelorin IV**.
Seiferus approached.
Then knelt.
"…Your Majesty."
"Rise, Seiferus."
The king's voice was calm.
Measured.
Seiferus stood.
"…Report."