The Greatest Awakener: Ruler Of Time And Portals.

Nicolas and Flumen's figures looked effete tormented, as if they had been Suujected to grave anguish. There was a numbing silence inside the room, even the cheerful Flumen had solemn tones to his face. Their passive regeneration had healed their wounds but the trauma left was grueling.

Ring.

Both of their bands thrummed at the same time, a message written in large green letters was displayed.

[The main segment of the Instance has been complete, as soon as the combat trial gets completed, the exit will be opened and rewards will be distributed.

You may assist the 3rd contestant for an extra 200 points.

Location: Room No. 999

Warning: Harming fellow participants in the instance will lead to point deduction.]

Nicolas and Flumen read the message, the fact that the instance had still not been cleared settling in their mind. After a long time, Flumen tardily suggested, "We shouldhelp the 3rd contestant. That is the sole way to escape this instance."

Without saying anything, Nicolas left the room. Flumen followed closely behind. While moving, Flumen chanted a spell which made his sword illuminate with a sick green light.

Their silent travel ended as Room No. 999 came in their view. It was the last one. The two aquaintances entered through the door.

Inside they could see a rapidly moving awakener battling with 2 reptillian beasts. Nearby a third beast laid lifeless. The mage was skilled, perfectly combining magic with sword techniques. His fighting style was a homogenous combination of offense and defense. All oncoming attacks were being eluded easily while his counterattacks pushed back the monsters.

He was no infallible fighter though as blood could be seen dripping from several spots on his body. He looked utterly exhausted, lassitude bearing down on him.Nicolas hurled a Flame Orb towards the two aligators, the extreme heat ending their lives. The unknown mage had not yet noticed them but this attack made him aware of their arrival.

He was shocked by the power of the newcomer's spell. As someone recognised as a talent by his entire clan, he was nothing short of a peerless genius. It wasn't often that he found someone with greater talent than him. Seeing this new prodigy had ignited the awakener's competitive spirit.

"Thank you for you assistance. I will repay in double." He expressed his appreciation, voice low and husky.

"There is no need for that. The system has already remunerated us." Nicolas' replied in a dismissive tone.

Before the boy could respond, a chime sounded announcing that the instance had been cleared and that rewards will be distributed shortly.

A door manifested in the space before the three. Nicolas quickly opened it andrushed out with the other two following immediately.

He had landed in the same spot he got in through. The terrain appeared to be exactly as it had been before but the same could not be said for the people.

"Can I accompany you two?" The boy aked with a smile.

Before Nicolas could say anything, Flumen said, "Yes, we can support each other."

Nicolas didn't rebut beacuse they all belonged to Valtheris and one remarkable thing about their kingdom was the fraternity between its citizens.

The previous girl however was not, and this made him suspicious as to how she had managed to reach their kingdom's spawn area so soon.

The three traversed into the nearby mountain range. The only discourse that occured was the young man asking occassional questions and them answering it. His name was Clairant Echohart. This surprised them a bit. The Echohart clan was a top tier mage clan recognised by the monarch himself.

The trio of mages reached the valley's interior, the cries of beasts reverberated through its purple terrain. It was like a amethyst cystal shaped into valley. The sunlight reflected from its mystical vegetation had tinges of violet.

Sounds of crackling flames radiated from a distant point, nebulous smoke flowing upward. The mesemerizing sky of dusk blending in with the mystic valley gave the landscape a celestial ambience.

"Someone is here," Clairant pointed towards the smoke possible coming from a campfire. The trio approached in secrecy, like wraiths sneaking in through the evening's darkness.

Two awakerners, both male, were gobbling down tender cuts of meat. They seemed to be talking about a talented participant who was from their city and how the pair were at odds with her.

Clairant began to chant in a low voice. Not wanting to be left out, Flumen also beganchanting. Two ice blocks shot out, one blade-like and the other ill-shaped.

As the awakeners realised they had been attacked and the spells were about to hit, a blue streak flashed through the air, the virulent arc of water cleanly separating their head from the body.

An expression of ennuie and rue could be noticed on the plumetting heads. Their hopes of recieving a rank had been shattered.

Flumen and Clairant were at disbelief over Nicolas' spell. "If this continues, we won't be getting any points." Flumen said, a quiet dissatisfaction written over his face.

"You can take down the next target."

Nicolas said nonchalantly, the true benefits of hunting would only emerge in the later stages. There was no harm in letting them have the targets for now.

The body and blood had disppeared automatically. So after disposing the meat, the place had been converted to theirresting place for today.

The three awakeners were lying inside their tents, each consumed by their own thoughts. Flumen and Nicolas had had a close encounter with death today, an experience that could forever change any person's faiths, beliefs, and attitudes. How they changed, only time would show.

●●●●●

In a small house at the capital's outskirts, a man and woman could be seen sitting, a hologram floating before them. The pair's eyes were moist as they looked at each other, silent guilt laden in them. The hologram showed the scene of Nicolas crawling on the ground, gradually making his way to the statue. Blood was dripping from his mouth and ears as he tardily got up and carved a scar with pained movements.

The boy they had tended to since his childhood was suffering grueling injuries and their heart ached at the sight. They felt guilt; compunction for telling him about the reality, that they were not his biological parents. The people he had considered to be his birthgivers all from the start of life were his adoptive parents. This was what had given him motivation to unveil his past, and to find about the people who gave birth to him.

They thought if they had never reve. that information to him, not once would he worry so much about power and magic. While certainly not affluent, they hadenough to sustain themselves and Nicolas for the rest of their lives.

Their minds had vivid recollections of that fateful day in Ramiel port. They were travelling in a cruise ship to return to Valtheris, and as the port of Ramiel came into view they witnessed a heartwrenching sight. A living and breathing baby was thrown out of the cargo ship abreast of them. The material he was clothed in allowed him to stay above water and not drown. Their inabilty to give birth to a baby had made the two incredibly attached to them.

Adrian jumped out into the water, his years of swimming experience coming into play. The infant was crying. Tiny beads of tears cascaded down his soft cheeks. Adrian lifted the baby into his embrace. A small marine hovercraft was coming in their direction. The hovercraft approached them and he promptly got into the vehicle.

The couple were charmed by the adorable newborn and decided to adopt him. The process was etremely simple in their kingdom and in no time, they had a child,both in heart and in name.

They had even filed a case in the Civillian Grievance office as infanticide was illegal in Valtheris. But no information was found on the person who had thrown the child out despite several rounds of investigation.

Then Adrian retired as a coxswain and the family shifted to the capital, where they lived till Nicolas enrolled in Aethercrest Academy and went to Lumen. Thence their story had progressed.

●●●●●

The room was still, a heavy weight,

Where silence clung, and hearts did wait.

Two figures, tired, their faces drawn,

Tormented by what they'd lived upon.

Flumen's usual cheer was gone,

Replaced by something deep and wrong.

Nicolas, too, with eyes grown cold,

Carried a pain too much to hold.

Their bodies healed, but scars remained,

The trauma left, the ghosts unchanged.

The world outside called them to rise,

But inside, something quietly dies.

They moved in silence, side by side,

Each step a battle, none to hide.

The past was something they'd never escape,

A wound too deep, too hard to reshape.

No words were spoken, none were needed,

Their silence said all that had been heeded.

The light ahead seemed far away,

But in the dark, they'd find their way.