Shattered Sanity

Garron was the first to notice the changes around Riven, as although he had been quietly meditating several meters away from the children while keeping a portion of his attention focused upon the surrounding wilderness, the sudden fluctuation of Aether near the boy immediately caught his attention.

’Hm?’

Garron thought, as he slowly opened his eyes and turned towards Riven, expecting to find the boy struggling with his circulation method or perhaps losing control of the Aether flowing through his Soul Vessel.

However, the moment he focused upon Riven properly, his expression immediately changed.

’What the hell?’

Garron wondered, as the Aether surrounding the boy no longer felt anything like the formless energy that an unascended child should have been capable of attracting.

Before reaching the Ember Rank, every cultivator absorbed the same formless Aether from the world around them, as only after completing their first ascension and awakening an elemental affinity did their Soul Vessel begin naturally attracting the elemental Aether most compatible with them.

Yet around Riven...

Flame Aether was gathering.

It was faint, barely noticeable amongst the surrounding energy, however Garron could clearly feel the familiar warmth being pulled towards the meditating boy.

Then came Earth.

The ground beneath Riven’s body seemed to grow heavier as traces of Earth Aether slowly gathered around him, before disappearing moments later and being replaced by a sudden chill that Garron immediately recognized as Frost.

’Three?’

Garron’s eyes narrowed, as before he could properly understand what was happening, another elemental fluctuation appeared.

Light Aether.

Then Shadow.

And finally...

Void.

For several long moments, Garron simply stared at Riven without moving, as the six different elemental forms continued appearing around the boy one after another before fading away just as quickly as they had arrived.

’Impossible.’

Garron thought, as despite everything his senses were telling him, his experience refused to accept what was happening before his eyes.

Even among Ascendants, individuals capable of wielding multiple elemental affinities were exceptionally rare, while those capable of commanding three or more were regarded as once-in-a-generation geniuses capable of attracting the attention of powerful clans, academies, and even the Imperial Court.

Yet Riven had just attracted six.

’Flame... Earth... Frost... Light... Shadow... Void...’

Garron counted internally, as his expression gradually became more serious.

’Six of the seven elemental forms.’

If what he was witnessing represented Riven’s genuine affinities, then the boy sitting before him was no longer merely a talented investment.

He was a monster.

A genius whose existence could attract the attention of powers far beyond anything Garron wanted to become involved with.

However, something felt wrong.

The pull toward each elemental form was incredibly weak, as although Riven was undeniably attracting them, none remained around his body for more than a few moments before disappearing.

’What exactly are you?’

Garron wondered, as he slowly stood up and began walking toward the boy.

Then he stopped.

*RUMBLE*

A faint sound of thunder rolled across the sky, forcing Garron to slowly raise his head.

The night above the camp had been completely clear only moments earlier, as countless stars had remained visible between the scattered branches stretching above the clearing.

Yet now...

A small patch of dark clouds had begun gathering directly above Riven.

’Storm Aether?’

Garron’s expression immediately changed.

Unlike the six elemental forms that had appeared before it, the Storm Aether surrounding Riven was not faint.

It was overwhelming.

The wind flowing through the clearing suddenly shifted direction, as leaves began trembling across the ground while the dying campfire flickered violently beneath the sudden change in pressure.

*RUMBLE*

Thunder sounded again, louder this time, as Garron remained completely still.

’This affinity...’

He thought, as the concentration of Storm Aether continued increasing around Riven.

’It’s not even comparable to the others.

An unascended child shouldn’t be capable of this.’

He thought, as he instinctively placed one hand against the hilt of his sword while carefully observing Riven.

’Even someone with exceptional talent shouldn’t begin influencing elemental Aether before reaching Ember Rank.’

Then suddenly...

”HUAAAH!”

Riven regained consciousness with a violent gasp.

His eyes flew open.

Both hands clawed against the earth beneath him.

And the moment he awakened...

Everything disappeared.

The Flame Aether vanished.

The Earth Aether faded.

The traces of Frost, Light, Shadow, and Void disappeared alongside them.

Even the overwhelming concentration of Storm Aether surrounding the clearing scattered almost instantly, as Garron slowly raised his head and saw the dark clouds already dissipating.

’.....’

Within seconds, the clear night sky returned as though nothing unusual had ever happened, as Garron felt confused about the whole phenomenon now.

Riven, meanwhile, seemed completely unaware that anyone had been watching him.

The boy sat upon the ground breathing heavily while sweat covered his forehead, as genuine fear remained visible within his widened green eyes while he desperately attempted to understand whatever he had just experienced.

There was no excitement upon his face that suggested that he successfully channeled elemental Aether for the first time in his life, nor a trace of understanding, as he looked as confused as Garron about the whole thing.

’He didn’t do it consciously.’

Garron realized, as his grip slowly loosened around the hilt of his sword.

’Whatever that was... the boy doesn’t even know what happened.’

For several long moments, Garron continued staring at Riven.

The green eyes.

The premature attraction of Storm Aether.

The clouds gathering before awakening, as something buried deep within his memories suddenly surfaced.

”Interesting...”

Garron muttered, as his eyes narrowed.

’There was an old legend...’

He thought, as fragments of a story he had heard many years ago slowly returned to him.

A clan of green-eyed warriors.

A bloodline that claimed descent from Surthur, the Storm God.

Children who could channel thunder in their dreams.

And among the most talented descendants...

Those who could call upon Storm Aether before they had even reached the Ember Rank.

’The Vaelthorn Clan.’

Garron remembered, as his expression gradually became more serious.

According to the old stories, the Vaelthorn Clan had once produced more Storm Aether users than any other bloodline in recorded history, as while most cultivators only discovered their affinity after ascending into the Ember Rank, the greatest children born within that clan occasionally displayed something known as the Storm Calling.

Wind would change around them.

Static would gather across their skin.

Animals would become restless.

And sometimes...

Clouds would gather above them beneath an otherwise clear sky.

Garron slowly looked toward Riven again.

Green eyes.

Unascended.

And only moments ago, clouds had gathered directly above his head.

’No.’

Garron thought, as he immediately dismissed the possibility.

’That’s impossible.’

The Vaelthorn Clan had been exterminated during the War of the Broken Sky nearly six centuries ago, as after eleven years of warfare, their homeland had been destroyed, their ancestral records burned, and every surviving descendant systematically hunted down.

Even if a handful of bastards had somehow escaped the massacre, six centuries of diluted blood should have reduced whatever remained of their legendary Storm affinity to almost nothing.

Yet Riven’s affinity was anything but weak.

’Coincidence.’

Garron concluded, as he slowly turned away.

’The boy probably possesses an abnormally powerful Storm affinity, while whatever happened with the other six elements was caused by an unstable meditation state.’

It was the only explanation that made sense.

Because the alternative meant that a bloodline believed extinct for nearly six hundred years had somehow resurfaced within a slave boy from Ashfang Village.

And Garron was not yet willing to believe something that absurd.