Mioverold. Daiden repeated the word in his head. It struck his heart with a passion. He embraced the world, his new home. With a deep breath, Daiden felt the aeter swell in his lungs. It was different from the energy outside, it was his own. He stretched his arms and knelt to touch the grass – sticky and strange. At …

At the end of the tunnel, Aelius confronted Daiden with an air of uncertainty. He blocked the path of his charge and stood in quiet observation of the latter. Daiden noticed his excitement wilt from the pressure; it reminded him of when they first met. But despite the situation, he dug into a state of calm, choosing to trust his …

Daiden acknowledged Aelius Bloodheart as a special existence. It impressed him when the latter moved with a sense of purpose and pride, dutybound to his status as a soldier of his world. His arms glided to a steady position, unhindered by the weight of his armour, and snapped to create shades of orange – light at first, and then as …

At the turn of midnight, Daiden experienced the start of his first day as a non-resident of the Earthen Realm. He breathed the thought, in and out, and at a gentle pace. His head turned from left to right, and stopped at Aelius Bloodheart; the latter stood frozen in a trance, at the sight of a full moon. In puzzlement, …

Takshaka. It was a beautiful name. Daiden connected with it. He noticed the blade reverberate in his arm; it spoke to him with passion. In many ways, the sword showed signs of deterioration; Daiden admired it, nonetheless. He knew what it meant in that instant, to form a bond, albeit with an inanimate object. His heart raced with thoughts of …

Daiden felt a repulsion; it gusted from the rift and wrapped him in a barrier that offered immunity. The winds prevented intervention from the Soul Doll even; it pressured for a truce, to allow for Daiden to embrace his position as an Awakened. He calmed with a deep breath and gulped at his margin for error; there was none. His …

The light trembled and returned to its container under threat; it coagulated into translucency – a solid, malleable shape. The Soul Doll forged it as a blacksmith would, with patience, skill and determination. There was little room for error. The white blazed into something hot and red, a blade; with control, the doll broke another part of its body. It …

Daiden alternated between states of fear and calm at the sight of a second approach. He found it difficult to estimate the ceiling of his Soul Doll; it moved with purpose and conviction, and with greater control than he had ever managed in his time as a gymnast. There was nothing on the other end, neither emotion nor mercy. In …

Aelius Bloodheart watched his charge nod and narrowed the distance between them. His eyes rested on Daiden, and ventured deeper still in a conquest for information. As an Evaluator, Aelius represented a wall that blockaded those unworthy. He loved his world, his country more, and to him, Daiden ranked as a candidate with the potential to impact both. The Earthen …

The particles that maintained the Earthen fabric vibrated feverishly; the heat caused a rift to occur atop the reconstructed body. Through the gap, the shard that was once merged, returned to the realm of reality. It had paled and decoloured from its brilliant red; at first, the clarity reflected a pale yellow, and then a vibrant white. It shone with …