The Resonance of the Soul

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After a grueling month of harsh and demanding physical training had passed the recruits were now hardened soldiers. Five weeks of intense workouts, marches, and other activities native to military life. It was the hardest thing they all had every done. The sun was high in the sky, as the intense heat had increased leading into the summer months in the desert. Standing atop the heated pavement of the sun-dried arena where they trained daily to harness magic, the recruits awaited the announcement they were called out for.

The gilded knight, Merlin, stood before them. He was joined by two others, male and female, who wore Vanguard uniforms. Though they distinctively wore black capes signifying a sense of mystery behind them. They had distinctive pelerines, the male donned a blue one and the female in red.

Atlas recognized the woman whom adorned the red pelerine, Sian. She was previously present during his prolonged hospital stay. 

"Today we mark as a special occasion for those of you who remain!"

Merlin began his speech stoutly. Though their training was far from complete, it was a sight to see so many unfaltering hearts. They were being rewarded for their commitment under the eyes of Apollo.

"A congratulations to every one of you for enduring a month in hell. Your bodies have been bolstered and your minds molded. But that was only the start, the training from this moment onward will test more than just your body and mind."

He began to pace between the two soldiers who stood at both of his sides as he continued his long-winded speech.

"A mage must also be strong in soul. Your emotion plays a key role in your effectiveness to do battle with the power of the void stones you were granted on day one. The flames inside of you, when weak, will not produce the power necessary to protect yourself and others. And on the contrary, a blaze of glory will only lead your body to ruin. The stones are merely an outlet for inner human potential."

Merlin stopped pacing momentarily, glancing back and forth to the soldiers who accompanied him.

"Recruits, I introduce to you. Sian Anders, the Flaming Fist of the 76th. My comrade in arms as well as one of the most elite mages in the Western region."

Sian stepped forward, her cape flowing in the dry afternoon wind.

Merlin next introduced the other man, the one outlined with the blue cape.

"We also will be facilitated by commander Caleb Graham, the void mage in charge of the Urandus Union's Rapid Defense Force. Including the valiant soldiers of the city of Rosette. His experience is matched by even lady Tempest herself."

The large bulking man, commander Graham stepped forward. He was even larger in size than Merlin with his armor on. He had a beat cop moustache and carried himself with pride, though it was not to be measured without merit. Atlas could tell that he commanded presence even just by a glance.

Merlin separated every recruit into two groups, each to be under the watch of either Graham or Anders. Atlas, Elizabeth, and Lena remained.

"You three will come with me for this training." Merlin had something special in mind for them again.

Atlas understood that Lena and himself would require a different exercise, they had no void stones to even begin training with. Since day one they tried to tune and still could not, but Elizabeth on the other hand. She was a prodigy in magic among the other recruits, though she was a bit on weaker side constitutionally. She vigorously struggled in physical training to make it this far.

The four of them approached the concrete slab that Atlas recognized from their first day. Merlin stopped the group and then turned to face the three recruits.

"Atlas and Lena. I will have Elizabeth instruct you for today, she has proven herself to be a talented mage as I am sure you both are familiar. And I think her insight into tuning may prove useful for today."

Elizabeth was visibly shocked by his words.

"Thank you sir!" She quickly stood proud with her arms planted downwards at attention.

"At ease recruit."

Lena was the first to speak up regarding questions.

"What exactly will we be striving for here sir?"

"Great question Vail. You two will attempt to tune to a stone again today, with of course assistance from your friend here. If you both truly will not show any sign of affinity towards void magic today, then you will be assigned standard issue rifles for the purposes of supportive combat roles."

The reality was setting in for Atlas once he heard Merlin's ultimatum. For a little over a month he secretly attempted to tune to Orion's stone, one of the Kang twins. Ever since the battle in Rosette and his reckless engagement with the draconid, he had not been able to muster a single spark from a stone. It frustrated him greatly.

Then there was the conversation that he had with Elizabeth and Lena shortly after the former had discovered their secret, with Elizabeth's power she was able to sense some kind of energy within the two of them. But she was not clear on what exactly it was, they were hard to read, likely due to them being from the Alpha world. She promised to continue research into finding out what the cause could be, up until now there was no new information. And for Atlas it was double strange, because he knew what he was capable of. Something felt unnatural about his circumstance, but he could not pinpoint exactly what it was.

"Both of you grab a stone and head over there with Elizabeth. Follow her orders as if they were my own for today."

They obeyed the instruction and began their training.

Elizabeth spent a majority of the afternoon between the both of them, giving them tips and encouragement. Staying focused, calm, and resolved were key to tapping the potential of these shards. Merlin had removed himself from their vicinity and watched from afar. Grading the other recruits on their progress. He seemed more interested in everyone else than the two duds of the unit.

Many of the others were already producing spells equivalent to Elizabeth's from their duel. Some wielded water and fire. Others harnessing a mixture of the elements to levitate objects or shroud themselves in mist. Each mage had their own attribute that was a manifestation of their soul, what they could conjure from their innermost feelings. A mage skilled in ice was calm, reserved, and had a heart equally as cold. Atlas had noticed though, that Elizabeth was becoming well acquainted with Lena. They both seemed very similar at first, but quickly warmed up to each other.

"Hey Elizabeth, how exactly did you become so skilled at magic?"

Atlas was curious about this young woman who knew their secret. Part of him wanted to investigate her further, and some of it was just genuine curiosity.

Elizabeth had paused her instruction once he asked. She dipped her head down slightly, as if to be flashing back through memories of her past.

"It was always expected of me to enlist, everyone in my family are Vanguard mages. We are natural sensors after all, those who can sense the power of the void. It requires extreme concentration and skill to be able to sense the faint vibrations of the Nexus. I am still a novice, and can't pinpoint exact locations well like my mother or even lady Tempest. My range is fairly limited too, which is why I could only really tell what you both were when we were close to one another."

"But even so, my kind are rare, we are expected to enlist regardless of experience as our potency in the craft. It is a vital skill to securing our world from threats brought here from the Nexus. Being an only child, my mother was strict with me. I learned how to tune from a young age. Despite her harsh teaching, I want to carry the torch that my ancestors passed down to me."

She perked her head up once she got her thoughts expressed into words. Her usual cold demeanor slowly melting away as she spoke, she didn't seem entirely confident in her ability, though her ambition was clear. Even though her life was dictated, she embraced her duty with pride. It was a story that resonated with Atlas, he understood what it was like to be expected to follow a lifestyle set by others. Many thought the same of him as well back in the old world. The weight of expectation...

Elizabeth walked over to Atlas and stopped just a few steps before him.

"When we fought and I lost, I won't lie... I was angry. You two had no magic, yet I lost completely because of a mistake I made. Even with every blessing I have been given I was defeated by duds. When I found out about how you both came from the other side, I had wondered what pain and strife you two had been through. I was arrogant, but now I have a better understanding of the both of you. Looking back, I am glad I misjudged you, it helped me to grow."

Atlas smiled at her, she was a strong and honest young woman. He was reassured even more now that she was someone to be trusted, even with their small exchange here Atlas could sense that much.

He walked over to the two of them and placed his hand on Elizabeth's shoulder. They shared no words but everyone knew what we all were thinking. As if to commemorate the connection they had established. Lena walked over and join in, the trio formed a group and shared a smile for a moment.

Elizabeth's eyes suddenly widened as if something clicked in her mind. She moved Atlas' arm off of her shoulder just a moment.

"Oh sorry, was that too much?" Atlas maybe pushed the boundary a little too much, or so he thought.

Then Elizabeth got close to him, she put her hand on his chest which startled Atlas. Lena was also baffled by her sudden move.

"Hey wait–" Lena was just about to say something when Elizabeth shot back to her.

"I've got it!" She exclaimed as she glided her hand from his heart to his left shoulder.

The two of them were still curious as to what she had discovered.

"Atlas, there is a veil shard, embedded in your arm!"

"What?!" Atlas and Lena yelled out in unison.

Atlas suddenly flashed back to that day in Rosette, when he saw Tempest in the corner of the room. She must have done it then, it's the only explanation.

"Let me try something real quick. Take my hand."

Lena was visibly frustrated by their interaction. Atlas glanced over to her and hesitantly laughed it off, Elizabeth went straight for his hand and grasped it. It was freezing to the touch.

"Ouch!" He jerked it away. "You're cold!"

"Hold still, I am using my stone to resonate with you." She commanded him as she took his hand again.

Atlas closed his eyes, he could only see pitch darkness, he was inside of his own mind. It felt sort of like the dream state he was in with Lena. Something hard vibrated softly in his left shoulder, he could feel it now. Shifting just enough to cause a ripple effect in the waters of his mind. Then his eyes shot open and Elizabeth looked him dead in the eye.

"It's there! You can feel it right?"

"Yeah, I... Uh, I think so. It sort of feels like when I crossed through the barrier back at the emergency shelter, only more subtle."

Lena and Atlas were just as shocked to hear this sudden revelation.

Elizabeth continued with her explanation, "The veil normally wouldn't repel magic inside of it, but in theory if a piece were embedded into a person... It could stop them from resonating with a stone. It's blocking his soul from connecting with the physical object!"

Lena was confused as to how something like that could find its way inside of his arm. "A veil shard? You mean the forcefield used to keep void beasts away from cities?"

Elizabeth replied to Lena quickly, "Exactly that! Someone embedded a fragment inside your left arm." She turned to Atlas again. "It's repelling me the moment we resonate. You can't tune because the veil is cutting off your connection!"

Atlas glanced over to his left arm and felt it up. Bingo. It really is there. That was the lump that he felt when he was in his dream like state just a moment ago.

Lena spoke up as if to question the absurdity of the claim.

"What do you mean someone put that inside of him? Against his will?"

Atlas chimed in his thoughts quickly, "I remember... Tempest, Merlin, everyone was with me after the draconid attack. She must have been the one who..."

Elizabeth's eyes widened again at the mention of the lightning Sovereign.

"Wait hold on! You know lady Tempest personally?!" Her voice echoed out and she quickly covered her mouth.

"Shh keep your voice down Liz." Lena had to shush her quiet before her yelling made a scene, luckily it was too noisy in the arena for anyone to have focused in on their conversation.

"Let's talk about this later, what do we do to get this thing out of me?"

Elizabeth crossed her arms and thought hard for a second. Letting off a hum casually.

"Right... Well."

Atlas grabbed his arm, realizing that Tempest must have had her reasons. Was this really something that needed to be done?

Why did she seal away my ability to tune, knowing that I would come here. And she never told me... Something doesn't add up. Merlin too. He shot a glance over to his instructor, who was still not fully paying attention to them.

"Listen... I think we should take it out."

Lena did not like what she heard, she immediately refuted his request.

"Absolutely not! If Tempest put that veil shard inside of you, she must have felt that your power was too dangerous for you to wield yourself!"

Atlas turned to her. "Then why didn't she tell us about it? I can't shake the feeling something else is going on."

"No, it's too dangerous I won't let–" She was going to refuse again.

"Lena–"

This time Elizabeth spoke in Atlas' stead, interrupting her friend.

"–I believe it's up to Atlas if he wants to remove it."

She began to form a slight breeze as the wind surrounded the palm of her hand. The slight gust froze up into a solid, as if the water molecules in the air turned to glossy crystals once they touched her hand. She formed a perfectly sharp blade made of ice in her palm.

Elizabeth turned to Atlas again, "If you want it, you do it." She handed Atlas the knife. He glanced down at the blade of ice hesitantly.

"Lena once I cut it out, Merlin will probably notice. If that happens–"

"Fine!" She cut him off, as she tore a piece of her own shirt. Exposing her stomach.

"Wait what are you doing?" Atlas covered his his eyes with his palm, peeking one eye out so he could still see her.

"Once the bleeding starts, I'll patch it up. Now get it over with." She was done arguing about it, if he made up his mind. She was going to have to just follow his lead.

Atlas smiled as he took the knife from Elizabeth. "Thank you Lena."

"It should be just below the top layer of skin, not too deep. Don't cut anything vital." Elizabeth assured him that it had to be near the surface of the skin. He rolled up the sleeve from his uniform and looked at Lena.

Lena looked as if she wanted to protest again but she stayed silent. Her mind was made up.

Just then a massive gust of wind blew towards them.

Merlin was marching towards them, the anger in his step as he marched forward, wind blasting in all directions. It had alerted the entire force of recruits and the instructors that something had gone awry. He was making a show of force for everyone to see.

"What the hell do you think you are doing Castell!?"

Merlin's voice erupted through the stadium, he must have been elevating it through magic. The entire arena fell silent and watched what was unfolding.

"I'm cutting this thing out!" He confidently exclaimed as he brought the knife to his skin.

"Your emotions are potent, uncontrolled, and rebellious. It nearly got you killed in Rosette! Remove that shard and you will be more than just a danger to yourself."

"And so you planted that thing inside my body without my consent?"

"Your void magic is not only dangerous to everyone around you! I saw it... The raw power you output leveled entire city blocks! You are not ready for this power."

Elizabeth marched forward in front of him.

"He didn't know what he was doing then, it's different now. Why not train him like the other recruits?"

She said nothing more as she shielded him. Atlas walked forward in front of her, letting her know subtly that this was his fight.

Merlin leaned in close, as if to prevent the other recruits from hearing his next words. The wind around him receding like the waves on the beach retreating to the sea.

"You are a child of the nexus, and I was tasked with keeping your power out of the wrong hands. It's a miracle you were even allowed to enlist here, the condition was that we plant the shard inside of you..."

A set of footsteps could be heard approaching Atlas. The voice of a woman familiar to him spoke out.

"I was opposed to it actually, and so was lady Tempest. It was always meant for him to decide Merlin."

Sian spoke up in Atlas' defense, though it seemed she was more on board with being in opposition to Merlin.

"Let him make his own choice. Chosen or not, he has great potential as a mage. To suppress such raw talent would be a loss to our cause. You know that Merlin."

Merlin was hardly stayed silent after her rebuttal, "I was given the discretion to act as I saw fit in case he discovered the shard. If you remove the shard, I will consider it an act of insubordination."

Atlas snapped back at him immediately, "That's ridiculous! Every since I came to this world, everything has been directed for me. I didn't choose to be here, I didn't choose to have this power, the one thing I should get to decide... Is how I use it! Is that so wrong?"

"I also think he should choose sir."

Lena was the final voice in opposition. Atlas was stunned that she even spoke up, when just moments ago she sided with Merlin.

"I am humbly asking you to give Atlas the chance to prove himself to you sir." She bowed to her instructor, prostrating herself to him. The entire arena was focused on them by this point, though the other recruits could not understand what was happening. They saw the display that Lena was putting on for someone she cared about.

Sian chuckled as she crossed her arms, letting out a whistle like she was impressed. "Damn kid."

Merlin looked back at Atlas, removing his helmet to reveal his face. "My promise to you both, if he wields that power without restraint... I will end his life."

Lena looked up at Merlin, she did not speak on the words he uttered but Atlas could tell she was conflicted. She had decided to stick by him, Atlas knew he had no choice now. It was all or nothing!

Atlas' eyes burned passionately, the adrenaline pumped through his veins. He nodded in agreement, accepting whatever was to come next. This was his one chance, he knew it would be different this time.

He understood the fundamentals of the control, how to channel his energy. He knew it all in theory, but this was the moment he had to prove that his knowledge meant something.

Atlas slowly flipped the blade around and placed the sharp edged above where the shard was and he cut downwards, revealing a tiny black stone as blood sprouted from his open wound.

He used the knife to dig at the shard slightly, removing it from it's embedded position under the layer of skin he had cut open.

Lena rushed over and began pressing on the wound, she quickly wrapped it with the rag that she had torn from her clothing earlier.

Atlas held his wounded arm, that had been freshly bandaged. Lena and Elizabeth stood aside as he walked over to the stone table where the glistening white stone of the void lay in wait for their chance to be used.

The arena was overtaken by a natural stillness, the desert sands stirring around as a natural warm breeze sailed though the concrete halls. Everyone's eyes were affixed to the young man with the bloodied arm. He placed his left hand on a stone that called out to him, he could hear it now. The sound it made, it felt just right. His bloodied hand contaminating the glimmering stone. It was round, shaped almost like an eye of crystalline design.

All Atlas could think of was the dream he had with Lena. The fields from the view of that balcony, their hands connected with one another as they admired the beautiful scenery before them. It was calming, endearing, and familiar to him. He kept that image in his mind as he sent the energy welling within him towards the round stone.

A massive surge shot through him, it shook the ground under him and he cried out slightly from the pain.

Merlin, who was ready at any moment had his hammer drawn and pointed towards Atlas.

Atlas turned to the knight wielding his weapon, prepared to be struck down on the spot.

The sound within him began to chirp, like the birds in his dream. It washed over him like a breath of fresh air, and he could feel the vibration in his heart begin to sync with an unknown force within the stone. Electricity cracked around his wounded arm, surging somewhat calmly around him like he was holding a ball of lightning. It's color was distinctly white.

Everyone looked on in awe as he showed unbelievable control over the stone on his first attempt.