He had no way of knowing how much time had passed as he looked up at the swaying treetops. Through the small gaps in the dense canopy, he caught fleeting glimpses of clouds drifting lazily across the azure sky.
Kael rubbed his temples with his thumb and index finger, eyes still fixed upward for a moment longer.
He exhaled softly and pushed himself up with both hands.
'Let's see how it went.'
He split his consciousness and entered his inner realm.
All around him, the white void shimmered with light. In front of him floated the colossal crimson river, vast and ever-shifting, curling and twisting in impossible patterns that defied logic. Within its current, countless silver specks drifted, carried along by the river's strange, unbroken flow.
"Only 20,000 thoughts left."
Kael's expression remained stern, though faint creases appeared on his brow as he furrowed it slightly.
He had never let his reserves drop this low. Even in prolonged battles, he always ensured he either escaped or ended the fight before his Thoughts fell below 100,000.
This time, however, his gamble had paid off, though not without cost. Nearly all his Thoughts had been drained, leaving him vulnerable. Helpless. Even if only for a short while.
But in return, he had gained something far more valuable.
New insight.
A theory he had once considered, a way of using his soulbound mote that had remained speculation, was no longer just a theory. It worked. And the proof stirred something deep within him.
A quiet joy.
'It was worth it, without a doubt.'
A knowing smile played at the corner of his lips.
Not only had he gained knowledge, but something even more precious: a new rank two mote.
With a mental command, the river answered.
Its vast, twisting current stirred, and from within its depths, a single stream of red branched off, flowing toward Kael. Suspended within it drifted countless silver specks, each one a fragment of Thought, caught in the current of something far greater.
As the stream circled him gracefully before pooling in his outstretched hand, the white void responded as well. Fragments of its endless expanse broke free, turning into glowing white particles. They drifted toward the stream, drawn by his command, merging seamlessly as if they had always been meant to be part of it.
His soul had recognized the mote as a part of itself, and in return, it assisted in bringing it into existence.
The river flowed in a sphere, thoughts moving vividly within its current. As it swayed and swirled in his palm, small, clear white particles, resembling distant stars, drifted down, landing softly in the pool in his hand.
Soon, a figure began to take shape from the three elements. A small, cat-like mote appeared, curled up comfortably in Kael's palm, its breathing slow and steady. It had shrunk significantly after merging with his soul, now small enough to rest perfectly in his hand.
"Titanwood Stalker mote."
A soft expression played on his face. It was his first rank two mote.
He studied it carefully in his palm before dismissing it and pulling his consciousness back from his inner realm. As his awareness returned, he opened his eyes, his expression calm.
"It's only a drop… but even rivers are born from rain."
Kael murmured to himself, eyes fixed on his hands.
His focus fractured as the sharp crack of a branch snapped through the quiet. He turned his head, gaze narrowing.
"Ugh…"
Selene pushed through the underbrush, emerging from a dense patch of foliage into the clearing.
"Daire, are you here?"
Her voice bounced lightly between the rocks as she called out.
Kael watched in silence as she stepped carefully over the uneven terrain, her footing unsure. He waited until she was nearly past him before speaking.
"Yeah, I'm here."
Selene turned, slightly startled, but her expression softened the moment she saw him.
"What are you doing all the way out here? We were starting to get worried back at camp."
Kael offered a faint, dismissive wave, forcing a crooked smile.
"I must've been more tired than I thought. Slipped, fell... figured I'd stay down a bit."
She studied him, her eyes lingering longer than necessary. For a moment, she looked as though she might ask something else, but instead, she exhaled, rolling her shoulders like she was shaking off a thought.
"Well, come on then. Let's get back before dark." She turned, but added over her shoulder, "Oh, and you look awful."
Kael gave a small nod in response, rising to his feet without a word, letting her last comment pass without acknowledgment.
The dense forest, and approaching night, was starting to give way to the warm, flickering glow of a campfire in the distance .
As they reached the camp, the first thing Kael noticed was Malric resting on a thick branch, casually turning the meat over the fire. He barely looked up, focused on making sure it cooked evenly.
Not far off, Torin leaned against a tree, just as he always did. A lantern hung from a low branch above him, its glow flickering as he scribbled into his notebook, seemingly absorbed by whatever filled its pages.
Malric finally lifted his gaze when Selene stepped into the clearing, but his eyes quickly shifted to Kael.
"What the hell happened to you?"
Kael's eyes flickered across the temporary camp, taking in his surroundings before giving a response.
He repeated the same story he had given Selene, only this time adding a few extra details here and there to make it sound more believable. His tone was even, casual, as if the ordeal had been nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
Malric listened with a firm expression, arms crossed as he watched Kael speak. His gaze didn't waver, as if he was searching for cracks in the story. Only after Kael finished did Malric scoff slightly before reaching toward a piece of skewered meat. He pulled it from the fire, extending it toward him.
"Eat this. I happened upon it while scouting the area. Rest well tonight, we're reaching the top of the mountain soon. It won't get easier from here."
Kael grabbed the skewer, feeling the comforting warmth of the wood against his cold fingers. He sat down near the fire, turning it slightly in his hand before taking a slow bite. The smoky flavor mixed with the lingering taste of exhaustion, made it even more enjoyable.
Selene soon joined him, settling down by the fire with a quiet sigh.
The evening soon turned into night, yet Kael still hadn't fallen asleep. Lying on his temporary bed, he stared up at the impenetrable darkness above him, his thoughts drifting in the stillness.
With a slow breath, he closed his eyes and split his consciousness once again, traveling into his inner realm.
The colossal red river revealed itself before him, its currents flowing endlessly through the vast white void. Without hesitation, he summoned the Titanwood Stalker Mote. With a simple act of will, it appeared in his hand, its small form solidifying as if it had always been there, waiting for his command.
'Impressive…'
He looked at it with a deep gaze.
He had only possessed it for a short time, yet it had already proven its value.
Selene, a rank one Luminaire, had walked right past him, completely unaware that he had been just meters away, watching her directly.
The realization lingered in his mind.
Upon refining the mote, Kael had come to understand many things about it. Its name, its abilities, the exact number of thoughts required to activate it. Yet despite knowing all of this, seeing the results firsthand still left him a little surprised.
Its abilities were nothing short of sublime, truly worthy of a rank two mote. If Kael were to summon it in its bound form, he could almost erase his presence entirely. But even without summoning it, the mote's influence lingered within his soul, subtly reshaping him. He became just a little harder to notice, his presence slightly blurred around the edges, like a shadow in fading light.
Kaels eyes shone brightly when he thought about its potential
But as he considered its bound form, his expression darkened. Even in perfect condition, he'd only be able to use it once. The Thoughts it demanded was beyond him, something he couldn't simply will away.
There were many reasons for its hunger, but the clearest was also the most humbling: he was still too weak. His rank was too low. His soul too underdeveloped. His mind, not yet tempered enough to carry something so heavy.
"It seems I'll have to increase my rank after all."
Kael sighed.
It wasn't as if he hadn't tried, he simply hadn't been able to. The explanation for his failure remained frustratingly vague. Kael had no noble lineage, no mentors, no connections. Everything he had learned so far had been through his own struggles, his own perseverance. But even then, there were limits.
The history of Luminaires stretched back hundred of millions of years, and there was no shortage of knowledge on how one could increase their rank. That, however, wasn't the real problem. The process was different for everyone, dictated by the unique pathway they followed.
Upon awakening, every Luminaire received two soulbound motes, often shaping the path they would walk, their pathway. But one was not bound to them forever. They could be traded or even given away if someone found a more suitable owner. However, the process was painful, giving away a soulbound mote meant giving away a piece of one's soul.
Despite the cost, this practice was common among noble families.
But this was where the problem lay. He was uncertain of his own pathway, and that uncertainty created obstacles.
In essence, increasing one's rank was done by gaining a deeper understanding of their pathway. Without a clear direction, progress became nearly impossible.
He had read about countless pathways, from the Phantom Pathway to the Abyssal Pathway, each one distinct, each one forged through the will and understanding of its practitioner.
Pathways could also be categorized based on their role in combat. Some fit into support, aiding allies with healing or enhancement. Others belonged to combat, excelling in direct confrontation. There were strategic pathways, built around deception and manipulation, and those focused on survival, ensuring longevity in battle.
Yet despite all his knowledge, he couldn't determine where he belonged.
His gaze lost its sharpness as his thoughts sank deeper.
On one hand, his obsidian shard mote aligned with a pathway centered around knowledge or creation, its abilities leaning toward understanding and transformation. But on the other, his Golden Pea mote was purely combat-oriented, built for direct confrontation.
Kael had never come across a pathway where soulbound motes varied this much. Most pathways followed a clear theme, with motes complementing one another, reinforcing a singular approach to battle. His, however, felt scattered and unfocused.
The more he thought about it, the less sense it made.
Kael cast one last glance at the colossal red river before withdrawing his consciousness from his soul. As reality settled back in, he let out a heavy sigh.
He couldn't afford to dwell on these thoughts right now. His mind felt clouded and sluggish, and whether he liked it or not, his reserves were still dangerously low, nowhere near an acceptable level. The exhaustion pressing down on him was proof enough.
Closing his eyes once more, this time for sleep, he let the tension drain from his body. His breathing grew slow and steady, and before long, he had drifted into deep sleep.