Vortex Origins

"No, it had five horns. I was there."

Kael said as he stepped into the room, irritation drawn across his face like a fresh cut.

Max followed, stretching his arms and yawning.

"It's called the Six-Horn Bascalyx for a reason. Six. Not five. This is why I keep telling you both to actually read the bestiary."

Kael rolled his eyes and flopped onto a nearby chair.

"Yeah, yeah. But the one I saw? Five horns. My dad called it a Bascalyx too."

Max dropped onto the couch, kicking one foot up over the armrest.

"dad also once mistook a mimic for a real vendor. Remember how he lost his favorite ship? Look, if you're taking monster facts from him, that kind of makes you… what's the word…?"

Kael turned his head slowly, eyes narrowing.

Max grinned.

"Right. An even bigger idiot."

Kael's jaw clenched, teeth grinding quietly.

Ash walked in into the room.

"Can I get just one day without the two of you tearing at each other? We're alive. We're back in the base. That's enough for me."

Kael's shoulders eased.

"And this time, no one died on that mission."

He dropped beside Max, letting his head fall back onto the cushion, the tension finally leaking from his bones.

The hum of the base filled the silence. Something moved past Kael.

He turned, eyes narrowing.

"Wait… we're letting the bot roam around the base now?"

Nexer stopped mid-step. His turned around to face kael, mechanical grin stretching across his synthetic face.

"Come on. I thought we were already pals."

Kael crossed his arms.

"Nope. Don't remember that conversation."

Nexer tilted his head.

"Well, I'm part of the team now, aren't I? Gotta move around too."

He looked toward Max for backup.

Max didn't even raise his head. Just waved a tired hand without saying a word.

Nexer gave Kael a smug look. Kael scoffed and turned away.

Ash leaned back against the wall, rubbing his temples.

"You know… I wasn't expecting this much chaos when i signed up."

Max's voice came from the couch, half-buried in cushions.

"The meteor shower. The creatures. The Apex mess… It all stirred up more than it should've. We need to stay sharp."

Kael glanced over, his tone light but his eyes serious.

"You alright? You look like you're about to collapse."

Max gave a crooked smile.

"I haven't slept since we got back from Ironhold. Too many logs to go through. And other stuff."

Ash raised a brow.

"Then maybe go lie down? Before you pass out on the floor."

Max stretched, bones cracking as he stood.

"Yeah. I will. Right after I finish the test on the divine Soulcore and the godborn race."

Both Kael and Ash tilted their heads at the same time.

Kael scratched his chin.

"What test? I don't see any problem."

Max let out a long breath and rubbed his eyes.

"What do you mean no problem? You were the first to complain last time. Ash's speed drains his lifespan. My ability forces me to feel twice the pain of any wound. And you—"

Kael turned away.

Max narrowed his eyes.

"There is something, isn't there?"

Kael hesitated, then gave a half-shrug.

"Yeah… but it's nothing serious. I had to give up two useless skills for the divine one. That's all."

Max didn't look convinced.

"So it's a choice? Or random?"

Kael's voice dropped.

"It's random. But I got lucky. Just lost deadweight skills."

Max ran a hand down his face.

"Great. Not dangerous now—but the next one might be."

Ash tilted his head.

"Next one?"

Max opened his mouth, but Nexer beat him to it. The machine's voice hummed with interest.

"He means the next skill you get when your stage increases. Each soulcore stage gives skill slots. But for the divine Soulcores… that's different. Seems like you only get one and you get it in your current soulcore stage. If it gave more skills based on lost slots from earlier stages, both Max and Kael would've gotten them already. And what he's really worried about—"

Max groaned.

"Nexer."

"—is that the next divine skill could demand more. Not just pain. Maybe a limb. Or your memories. Maybe even every skill you've ever earned."

Max sighed.

"That's enough. They get the idea."

Nexer muttered under his breath,

"At least let me finish once…"

Max ignored him and looked back at the others.

"Also all that was a guess. I don't really know how it works or how we got it. But You know… this thing. It only gives named skills. Don't you think?"

Kael nodded slowly.

"Yeah. I thought so too. But if your theory is correct, I think I'll reach my limit before i complete it."

Max turned his gaze to Ash.

"Yeah. Maybe not for us…"

The room quieted.

All eyes rested on Ash.

And none of them said what they were really thinking.

That if anyone could complete it—if anyone could bear the cost—it would be him.

Ash stared back at them, expression flat.

"What?" he asked.

"Wait—you guys actually think I'm going to pass Stage One? That's impossible without dark skills. Unless one of you is hiding a dark skill book you plan on lending me?"

Max rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yeah… you've got a point."

He paused, glancing at Ash with a thoughtful look.

"Actually—that reminds me. Your speed ability. I think it's time we tested it properly. I want to see how fast you really go… and how much it takes from you."

His eyes drifted toward Nexer.

The bot didn't say a word. It just took off, mechanical feet thudding across the floor as it vanished into one of the side rooms.

Kael raised a brow.

"Where's it going?"

Max didn't look away from Ash.

"Getting something I need."

He yawned.

"Alright Ash. Tell me about the skill."

Ash hesitated. His mouth opened, then shut again.

He thought.

'Should I? It's not like I'm hiding anything... but saying it out loud—it feels kinda weird.

Still.'

he looked at Max.

'He's my brother. If anyone deserves to know... it's them.'

Ash closed his eyes.

Darkness greeted him. The silence was vast and heavy. In the middle of it, his Soulcores shimmered high above the soul space. He focused his sight on the orb of burning crimson fire suspended in a sky of black. Its light filled the space, casting long shadows across the soulscape.

Then, without warning, a miniature version of the orb drifted down. It floated before him, dancing once like a flame caught in a breeze. Then it stopped—still, waiting.

Ash took a breath.

"I'll tell you everything written on the orb."

Max's voice echoed in the darkness like a second presence in the space.

"Go ahead."

Ash focused. The orb pulsed in time with his words.

"The skill is called Phantom's Stride. It's marked as a Named Skill and it's a growth type skill. The description reads:

A skill carved from the trait of the Phantoms—ghostlike creatures that do not age, cannot be caught, and move with strength even gods approach with caution. This technique was never meant for mortal flesh."

Max crossed his arms.

"Alright. And the effect?"

Ash looked down. His voice dropped.

"The effect says: When danger nears, Phantom's Stride may awaken automatically. Time fractures. The world slows to a crawl, while the user's body and mind accelerate fivefold. They can think, react, and move faster than anyone else alive. But while the world is slowed… the user ages five times the perceived time."

Max let out a tired breath and yawned.

"Yeah. I figured."

Kael blinked.

"Wow, that activate by itself when you in danger?"

Max nodded.

"Yeah Its a strong skill... but the cost builds. And if Ash ever pushes too far by stacking more skills on it, it'll hit back harder. That's how these Skills work."

Ash's eyes opened slowly, the glow of the Soulcore still faint behind them.

"huh, what do you mean?"

Max shrugged.

"It's your call. I won't tell you to stop using it. But don't expect it to stay kind. Using static surge with that skill takes more lifeforce from you."

Nexer returned, his footsteps light but quick. A metal box rested in his hand.

He handed it to Max without a word.

Max flipped the latch and opened it, revealing a sleek black band lined with tiny glowing veins. He glanced at Ash and frowned.

"Seriously? Again?"

His eyes dropped to Ash's bare wrist.

"You keep taking it off. I get it—you're scared of losing it. But without the band, we can't keep track of each other. That's the whole point."

Ash gave a small nod, almost sheepish.

Max sighed and handed the band over.

"I tweaked this one. It's got an ai embedded in it now. It'll log your movement speed and how much time passes for you every time you activate that skill."

Ash slipped it on. As soon as the band latched, a faint pulse ran along its surface. He tapped the side.

A blue holographic screen blinked into view, hovering in the air just above his wrist.

"There, It auto-syncs with my logs. Every movement you make—every burst of speed—gets tracked. Not just distance. This thing watches how much your body ages when Phantom's Stride kicks in."

Ash stared at the screen, lines of data slowly appearing. His eyes narrowed.

"So… it tells you exactly how much I age?"

"Yeah. The more you use that skill, the more it eats at you. We need to know when to stop. Or you won't even realize you're burning away your years."

Ash leaned back slightly.

"Is it tracking already?"

Max nodded.

"Always active now. Passive when idle, then it spikes the moment you engage Phantom's Stride."

Ash tilted his head.

"Can I check my current age?"

"Go ahead," Max said.

Ash swiped through the screen. It flickered for a moment, then displayed a single line:

[Biological Age: 17]

Ash eye widened.

"Seventeen?"

He stared at the number, the quiet hum of the base suddenly louder than before. He didn't feel older. But something deep inside... did.