Chương 28: NEW DYNAMICS

The thunderous echoes of Ortis's departure faded, leaving an unnerving silence in its wake. Lady Elara, still clutching Elias's hand, stared at the empty space where her brother had been, a mixture of awe and profound worry etched on her face. Her brother's last words, about Elias having no Trait, hung heavy in the air. She squeezed Elias's hand gently, then knelt, bringing herself to his eye level.

"Elias, my love," she murmured, her voice soft but firm, "don't worry about what your Uncle Ortis said. You are unique, and that's a wonderful thing. Your father also took his time, and look at him now." She offered a reassuring smile, though Elias could see the subtle tremor in her lips. She was scared, he realized. He almost wished he could tell her about his Infinite Flow, but how do you explain transmigration to a worried mother in a fantasy realm?

Besides, that would make her even sadder after he finally managed to off himself, and for some reason, he didn't want that. He sighed.

'Thats a problem for another day.' Aina, meanwhile, had been observing them with an expressionless gaze. As Lady Elara stood, Aina stepped forward, her small figure radiating an unexpected authority. The shift from rival to instructor was immediate and palpable.

"Right then, Elias," Aina announced, her voice crisp, cutting through the lingering emotional atmosphere.

"With Father gone, you're stuck with me." Her lips twisted into a tiny, almost imperceptible smirk.

"And let's be clear: if you want to make any progress, you'll listen to every word I say. Every. Single. Word. Disobedience will be penalized." Her eyes, though still young, held a glint that promised unpleasant consequences for any missteps. She held his small hand and led him back into the manor. Elias instinctively rolled his eyes the moment she looked away.

'Oh, this is going to be a joy. My little tyrant of a cousin is now my personal drill sergeant.' He stifled a sigh, knowing it would only provoke her. Then, Aina's demeanor shifted, almost imperceptibly. A faint blush dusted her cheeks, and her gaze darted away for a fleeting moment, before snapping back to him with renewed coldness. Her voice dropped, becoming surprisingly quiet, almost shy.

"And… you will call me… B-Big Sister."

"Huh?"

"It's only proper.

'Teacher' is still too formal, and I myself aren't skilled enough to hold that title." Her demand was firm, yet the hint of vulnerability in her tone was startling. Elias stared.

'Big Sister? This manipulative, taunting little…' The words died in his throat as Aina stopped in front of a study and glanced at him, her eyes narrowed into a fierce glare, daring him to defy her. The blush remained, but it was overshadowed by a sudden, intense coldness.

"Alright, alright, fine." He swallowed, forcing the words out.

"I'll do my best, Big Sis." He even managed to put on his best innocent, wide-eyed look. Aina's glare held for another moment, as if testing the sincerity of his submission, then softened almost imperceptibly. A faint, triumphant curve touched her lips.

"Good," she pronounced, as if he'd just passed his first major test, and walked into the room. The study was small and brightly lit, adorned with a few shelves of books as well as a few other academic tools. She gestured for him to take a seat, her gaze lingering as he struggled a bit to climb onto it and sit down. She smiled and turned to get a few books, returning a few moments later. She placed a chart with diagrams depicting swirling Flow patterns and esoteric symbols.

It showed 20 distinct, colored symbols, arranged in a circle, with four larger, overarching categories. At the center of the circle with symbols was another circle where only two symbols were depicted. The horizontal and vertical lines dividing the larger circle did not bisect the smaller one, so Elias knew that those two at the center were in a class of their own. This brought the total number of symbols to 22.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Aina picked up a wooden pointer and tapped it twice.

"Now, your first lesson. Since Father seems to have confused you about… things." She shot a pointed look outside the window in the direction Ortis had vanished.

"This," Aina began, her voice taking on the precise, almost academic tone of her father, "is the Flow Spectrum. And these 22 symbols represent the 22 Traits. Each Trait is a unique connection to one of the 4 fundamental aspects of Flow itself: Space-Time, Reality, Mind, and Soul."

'So, not just random abilities, but a fundamental aspect of existence?' Elias mused, processing the information.

'Great. More proof I'm the universe is a big bowl of unfairness.'

"Father mentioned that Traits are inherent, a reflection of one's personality," Aina continued, pacing slightly before the chart.

"Each Trait has its own distinct personality, and this reflects in the manifestation of its Flow. For instance, take two people with a Trait for illusion manifestation," she pointed to a symbol near the center.

"They would both fundamentally cast illusions, yes. But the application would be entirely different. It's shaped by their unique perspective and understanding of that Trait's aspect." She then tapped the large categories.

"These 22 Traits are further divided into four main Classes that reflect the aspects, based on their general properties. First, the Space-Time or Cosmic Class." She pointed to a section of the circle glowing with starlike motes.

"These Traits manipulate the very fabric of space, time, gravity, and the fundamental forces of the universe. They're about bending space itself. Think of a Flow-user who can open miniature portals, or slow down time in a small area, or pull objects with invisible force. Very powerful." Next, she moved the pointer to another section.

"Then we have the Mind or Cognitive Class. These Traits deal with the mind, with information, perception, and influence. A Flow-user with a Cognitive Trait might be able to create illusions in someone's mind, influence emotions, extract memories, or even predict probabilities based on complex Flow calculations. Dangerous, subtle, and often terrifying." Her pointer moved again.

"Third, the Reality or Existential Class. These are Traits that affect reality itself, including concepts like death, essence, and transformation. A Flow-user might be able to heal grievous wounds, change the makeup of an object, or even manifest their own perception of reality, making them, well, real. These Traits are tied to the very essence of reality itself." Finally, she indicated the last class.

"And fourth, the Soul or Soulfire Class. These are Traits that deal with souls, the very life force of all things. They might manifest as raw blasts of energy, the ability to control a soul, infuse objects with souls, absorb them, and so on." Elias absorbed it all, his mind racing.

'So many options to test out. Just you wait, Deus, I'll be seeing you soon.' Aina paused, her gaze sweeping over the chart.

"And then there are the anomalies," she stated, her voice lowering slightly, a hint of reverence in her tone. She pointed to two symbols separate from the main circle at the center, shrouded in wisps of dark and bright light.

"These two Traits are wildcards, completely unpredictable, defying all conventional understanding of the Flow Spectrum. They're linked, too; when one appears, the other is definitely going to follow. We can't really tell what these two embody, as they can embody all other Traits, go along with specific ones, or just become their own thing." She frowned slightly.

"Aside from the two oldest Paragons in recorded history, no one else seems to have been able to awaken either of these Traits in close to a thousand years. They are truly anomalies."

'A thousand years?' Elias wondered.

'How old are those Paragons if they're the only ones close to a thousand years? That implies they've been around for an inhuman amount of time. Hmmm. I'd really like to know their thoughts on death and suicide.'