Cedric
There were no stars at first.
Just silence. Blackness.
Then the ground cracked under his boots—no, not ground. Reality itself. His Primal Origin Light surged like a bellowing flame, and the Hall stirred.
He chose Material without hesitation, and the darkness responded. Not gently.
The void tore open. Molten lines of red and gold carved through the black, and the filaments that emerged did not shimmer like stars. They throbbed, heavy, brutal, massive.
"Yeah," Cedric grinned. "That's more like it."
The Hall revealed its offerings—hundreds of thousands of Celestial Marks, each screaming of raw strength. Walls of flesh, arms like siege engines, bones like mountains. Too many to count, too many to want.
But he wasn't here for variety.
He was here to become something beyond.
His Primal Origin Light pulsed again—once, twice—until twelve filaments of power flared and stood above all the others. They did not hum. They roared. A system assembled before him, a set of Twelve Marks that, when brought together, would sculpt a Titan:
1. Mark of the Mountain Spine – Reinforces his back and frame with colossal endurance.
2. Mark of the Furnace Heart – Ignites his core with volcanic strength.
3. Mark of the Worldbreaker Fist – Empowers his fists with impact that echoes.
4. Mark of the Thunderstep – Amplifies movement with shockwave force.
5. Mark of the Iron Maw – Grants biting strength to his voice and grip.
6. Mark of the Colossal Frame – Increases size and resilience beyond mortal scale.
7. Mark of the Warhowl – A shout that breaks courage and stones.
8. Mark of the Rooted Heel – Grants immovability once he takes a stand.
9. Mark of the Savage Mantle – Wraps his shoulders in primal force.
10. Mark of the Unyielding Will – Shields mind and purpose from invasion.
11. Mark of the Titan's Blood – Self-repair and vitality surge.
12. Mark of the Sky-Taker – A final transformation—growth into a titanic state.
The Hall groaned as the Twelve surged toward him. They etched into his soul like blades carving into steel. His knees nearly buckled, but he howled and stood tall.
A Titan was born.
---
Ingrid
She stood motionless, glowing threads forming symbols, systems—whole equations of light.
Energy was her path. But within it, she had seen more.
She wanted to understand, not just wield. And so her Primal Origin Light had reached into the sea of options and lit up something cryptic, beautiful, and dangerous:
Alchemy.
The Hall responded not with violence—but with elegance. Twelve Marks were illuminated before her, weaving around one another, interacting like particles in a reaction chamber.
1. Mark of Transmutation – Alters one energy form into another.
2. Mark of Binding – Fuses different forces into stable constructs.
3. Mark of Separation – Splits energies cleanly into elemental states.
4. Mark of Amplification – Magnifies the strength of any energy present.
5. Mark of Nullification – Silences specific energy patterns.
6. Mark of Conversion – Turns external energy into internal power.
7. Mark of Catalysis – Speeds up energy interactions.
8. Mark of Stabilization – Prevents energy from becoming volatile.
9. Mark of Memory – Stores energy interactions for future use.
10. Mark of Conduction – Transfers energy between herself and others.
11. Mark of Containment – Holds unstable or raw energy in stasis.
12. Mark of Evolution – Allows a Mark to grow in complexity.
The system didn't just empower. It invited mastery.
As the Twelve engraved into her Origin, she felt not pain—but expansion. A mindscape blooming. A new world of energy understanding was hers.
---
Gary
Where Ingrid had weaved, and Cedric had clashed, Gary stood at the center of a battlefield of light.
His Primal Origin Light was calm, stable, absolute. It chose with dignity.
He sought protection, command, endurance. He sought to become a bastion against the impossible. And his Primal Origin Light illuminated the darkness to reveal just that. The Hall, sensing this, formed the Golden Sentinel Regalia:
1. Mark of the Crown – A Crown formed of Light, establishing Authority.
2. Mark of the Aegis Shield – Materializes a shield that can deflect or block overwhelming forces.
3. Mark of the Sovereign Sword – Summons a blade of will and judgment.
4. Mark of the Eternal Cape – An endlessly long cape that protects, both its weared and the one he is guarding.
5. Mark of the Adamant Helm – Shields mind and senses from corruption.
6. Mark of the Steel Greaves – Anchors him to the land like a steel pillar.
7. Mark of the Gauntlet of Resolve – A gauntlet of Light and energy, that is both heavy and light
8. Mark of the Guardian Plate – Creates a passive protective aura.
9. Mark of the Sentinel Flame – A constant flame burns his heart and also the corrupting influence around him.
10. Mark of the Golden Bindings – Chains made of Light that binds enemy.
11. Mark of the Golden Ring – Energy blast in a circular shape, akin to a golden ring worn by a celestial.
12. Mark of the Throne's Will – A throne of Pure Light, one that empowers his subordinates and Allies while weakening enemies.
One by one, they embedded into his soul. His back straightened. His hands clenched.
He was not a hero.
He was the wall that let heroes rise.
---
Outside the Hall
The students who had emerged staggered or stood in awe.
Some bore marks etched into their flesh—glowing, faint.
Others said nothing, eyes wide.
The instructors whispered.
"They're coming out with tighter systems this year."
"More focused. More... complete."
"Is it the Hall?"
"No," another said. "It's them."
---
Dawn
Still standing before the sea of stars.
Not a single one had lit up.
But he wasn't confused.
He was listening.
And deep within the Hall, something ancient stirred.
---
End of Chapter 77