Ruler of Beyonders

They left Ironvale's edge within the hour. The tall buildings gave way to flatlands and silent roads, guarded by military gates and private checkpoints.

Inside the vehicle, Seroi finally broke the silence.

"Do you know what mana really is?"

Ren looked at him.

"Just… energy, right?"

Seroi shook his head.

"That is what they teach. But the truth is deeper. Mana is thought made real. It is the echo of will. Everyone has it, but most cannot shape it. Those who awaken are simply the ones whose thoughts push harder than the rules around them."

Ren stayed quiet.

Seroi continued.

"There are five known origins of mana. Nature. Element. Spirit. Mind. And Void. Each source bends the world differently. Most people awaken into only one of them. But you, Ren… you awakened into something that does not belong to any category."

"Abyss," Ren said softly.

"Yes," Seroi replied. "The Abyss is not a source. It is the absence of all sources. A soul with no chain. And that… is dangerous."

Ren leaned back slightly.

"And this place we're going. Where is it?"

Seroi pressed a button on the side panel. A map unfolded in front of them, displayed on a small screen.

"The main headquarters is called Arkenhall. It is hidden deep inside the central mountains. Far from any major city. Its exact location is locked behind spatial distortion fields. Only transport vehicles from the inner network can reach it."

"Why so hidden?"

"Because we do not just train awakened there. We store secrets. Protect relics. And watch people like you. People who bend rules without knowing it."

Ren turned his eyes toward the window.

"And your motive?" he asked. "What's the real goal of this place?"

Seroi's voice dropped lower.

"To prepare. This world is changing. And not because of you. But because of what sleeps underneath it. The Abyss is not just inside you, Ren. It is moving. Across the continents. Beneath the ruins. In the dreams of children. Something is returning. We do not know what it is yet. But you… might be the key to stopping it. Or starting it."

Ren said nothing for a long time.

He watched the land outside grow more empty. More quiet.

He closed his eyes.

And let the silence carry him.

★★★

They arrived just before nightfall.

The vehicle passed through three silent checkpoints. No names. No guards in view. Only machines scanning energy signatures. Then it crossed into a narrow valley surrounded by cliffs.

Ahead stood a mountain face.

At first, it looked like bare rock. But as the vehicle approached, the stone shimmered and vanished, revealing a long tunnel lined with glowing lines and security rails.

They passed inside.

Ren stared out.

Walls of dark stone pulsed faintly with mana. Crystals lined the upper corners, guiding the vehicle through curves and paths that twisted down into the mountain.

Then, finally, they reached the core.

The vehicle slowed as they entered a massive underground hall. The ceiling rose like a cathedral. Light poured from hovering orbs. Walkways ran across every level. Elevators and rail pods moved without sound. And at the center of it all stood a spire made of black crystal and silver steel.

That was Arkenhall.

Seroi stepped out.

"Welcome," he said simply.

Ren followed him.

People moved through the halls in quiet groups. Some wore uniforms marked with blue lines, others with red. Some carried weapons. Others floated without touching the floor. All were awakened.

Ren felt the air hum around him.

This place was alive.

They passed a long walkway that led to the inner council tower. There, a familiar face was waiting.

Yato.

He stood near the glass rail, arms crossed, the same plain black uniform as before.

When he saw Ren, he gave a short nod.

"Didn't think you'd show up so fast," he said.

Ren raised an eyebrow. "You waiting for me?"

"No. Just betting you'd look confused."

Ren gave a slight smile.

They followed Seroi deeper into the tower.

"Over the next weeks," Seroi said, "you will be tested, trained, and watched. You will be placed under a program meant for unstable high-tier types. But your case is… different."

They passed another hallway where a group of trainees stood in a circle, sparring without weapons. Some moved so fast their forms blurred. Others bent fire and ice between strikes.

One of them turned to look at Ren.

She had sharp silver eyes and dark green hair braided behind her back. She watched him without blinking.

Seroi noticed.

"That's Kaelra," he said. "Ranked third in current batch. Element type. Fast reflex. Good instincts. Keep your distance."

They moved on.

Two more passed by them.

One was a tall man with stone tattoos across his arms. The other, a short girl wearing broken glasses and holding a data pad.

"That's Brak and Teya. Strongest shield-user. Smartest analyzer. They'll be part of your core team."

Ren said nothing.

Seroi opened the door to a private chamber.

"This will be your room. Simple. Sealed. Monitored. You will rest here, train in section two, and report to me directly."

Ren entered.

The room was clean. One bed. One table. A small screen. A basin for washing.

No windows.

Seroi turned to leave.

"Your schedule starts tomorrow."

Yato gave Ren a small wave.

"Sleep well, void boy."

The door shut behind them.

Ren stood alone.

Then he walked to the bed and sat.

He stared at his hands.

The cold spark inside him was still there.

Quiet.

Waiting.

And now, he was inside the most protected facility in the known world.

But something told him…

Even this place would not be enough.

Not when the Abyss truly awakens.

Ren sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the floor. The silence inside the room felt heavy, like the walls were listening.

His thoughts moved slowly.

So this is where it begins.

He looked at his palms. Nothing strange showed on the surface. But deep beneath the skin, he still felt it. That cold spark. The echo of something bigger.

He closed his eyes.

For a few moments, everything was still.

Then he heard her voice.

"You are calm now," Nyxa said gently. "Good. You'll need that calm in the days ahead."

Ren didn't speak.

But she heard him anyway.

"You wonder what comes next," she said. "This place will teach you discipline. Not the kind that binds the weak… but the kind that breaks the strong and shapes them again."

Ren opened his eyes.

"You said this place trains people like me," he whispered. "Are there others? Like me?"

Nyxa's voice was softer this time.

"No. Not like you. But there is one who walks a path opposite to yours. She is here. Hidden. Watched. Feared by some. Respected by others."

Ren's eyes narrowed.

"Who is she?"

Nyxa didn't answer.

But he felt the silence tighten.

Then a single word drifted through his mind.

"Light."

Ren's chest tightened.

"Where?"

Nyxa replied calmly.

"Far below. The inner sanctum. She is training without end. Guarded. Monitored. Feared."

"And her name?" Ren asked.

Nyxa didn't answer.

But something told him...

He would find her eventually.