The dawn in Valenzuela's secluded outskirts came quietly. Shafts of gold pierced through the canopy above their mountain dwelling, birds singing softly as if to herald a new beginning.
Clark had already been awake for hours.
His body sat still, cross-legged atop a smooth stone overlooking the valley below. His red eyes were calm, no longer glowing, but thoughtful. The cool breeze whispered through the leaves—calming him before the day's lesson.
Inside the cavern, the scent of boiling root tea lingered. Jordan sat near a small wooden table carved from driftwood, his figure straight and composed. His long coat, worn with age but sharp in cut, rustled faintly as he turned to his son.
"Sit," Jordan said simply.
Clark obeyed, sitting across from him. His heart beat with anticipation—but his face remained a mask of quiet curiosity.
Jordan poured a small cup of tea and placed it in front of him.
"You're old enough now," he began. "So you should understand the world you live in… and the path that awaits you."
He tapped the table with two fingers.
"In Novaria, every human, and even some half-human lineages, carry something inside them from the moment they're born."
Clark tilted his head. "Something?"
Jordan nodded. "A dormant Eidra Core. It's like a seed. And when the time comes… that seed awakens."
Clark's eyes narrowed slightly, listening closely.
"This awakening happens during a ceremony—the Eidran Awakening—which every child undergoes between the ages of six and ten. During this ritual, your Eidra Core reveals your Soul Avatar."
Clark raised a brow. "Soul Avatar?"
Jordan nodded again. "It's the spiritual manifestation of your being. Your nature, essence, and destiny—all shaped into a form of power. It determines your potential, your path in combat, and how you grow as an Eidran Master."
Clark said nothing—but inside, his mind was moving rapidly.
"So that's the source of strength here. Not too different from my previous world... but there's more to it."
Jordan continued.
"When your Soul Avatar awakens, it will also reveal your Eidra Energy Level—a rank between 1 and 10. Most people awaken between 3 and 7. That number determines your ability to cultivate Eidra Energy, train your Soul Avatar, and unlock its forms."
He looked Clark dead in the eyes.
"Some are born with the peak—Innate Full Eidra Energy, a rare level 10. Those people… are destined to change the world."
Clark's fingers twitched under the table.
"Like me," he thought. "Back then… I wanted to change the world.... Ultimately I failed to do so! Maybe I'll do it again."
Jordan leaned back slightly.
"You won't know your Eidra Form until your ceremony. But you're almost of age now. And when it comes, you'll be tested—and judged."
Clark nodded slowly. "And then I can train?"
"If your soul resonates with power, yes. With even one spark of Eidra Energy, your journey can begin." Jordan's tone turned quiet. "But not all awakenings are equal. Some receive no form… no power. They become the forgotten."
Clark's gaze hardened.
"Then I won't let myself be forgotten."
Jordan stood and placed a firm hand on Clark's shoulder.
"I don't know what kind of strength lies inside you, son… but I have a feeling that when your time comes, the world will tremble."
Clark nodded with a faint smile, hiding the weight behind his thoughts.
"You don't know… but I do."
"I've lived a life beyond this world. And now, I'll rise again."
Later that day, as Jordan left for a trip to trade herbs with distant settlers, Clark waited until the sound of his father's footsteps vanished down the path.
Then, quietly, Clark turned and walked into the woods again—toward the small hidden glade he claimed as his own.
"I've got time before the ceremony," he muttered. "Time to refine my Sonido… sharpen my senses… and awaken the Red Demon Eyes to their true form."
He grinned slightly, eyes glinting red beneath the shadows.
"This world won't wait for me. So I'll make it notice me first."
Chapter Ends.