A blade crafted from the most precious of ores, its guard weaved from the finest of fiber. Everglade is a blade lost to time, it lies dormant, waiting for someone worthy to unleash its full power.

Certitude of Power and Glory is a book written by Muhammad November that details his discoveries concerning the history of the planet. Gramps always told me about him during my early years, and I've admired him ever since; I've always wanted to expose myself to anything that wasn't this village.

I thought about Aeri as I placed the journal back on the shelf, its leather cover still intact. I skimmed through the thick books, dragging my fingers across their rugged, dusty spines to select one at random, amassing its grime before eventually flicking them off. I've read every single book except for that. I have never seen the book on my shelf, nor have I ever seen it anywhere else in the house. It wore a cobalt blue jacket that stood out from the rest, its cover looked fresh, as though someone had slid it in earlier. It retained a certain aura that beckoned me to pick it up.

I reached for it when a deep, sinister voice called out from the shadows. My body stiffened in terror and I swiveled around with clenched fists, ready to defend myself against whatever was in the room.

"W-who's there?!" I quavered, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Take the book, Kyro Whitemaw," came the voice again, this time more ominous than before. Hearing my name being uttered from the unknown source sent a shiver of dread up my spine. Beads of cold sweat accumulated on my forehead, my throat tightened and my hands turned numb. "I have no intention of harm. Take the book; I am your servant."

"M-my servant? Stop lying and show yourself!"

Instantly, a miniature person poofed seemingly into existence in front of me as those words escaped my agape jaw. Its long, lustrous jade hair was held back by a dual-pointed headband graced with a glimmering gold finish and a brilliant flash-fire feather accessory. It wore a cerulean dress that was adorned with a shining gold belt, with slender chains that snaked up to its wrists, encircled with cuffs. A gold circle necklace had been intricately woven into its gold collar, with a symbol of the sun shimmering in the dimly lit room. Its arm sleeves were embroidered with threads of gold that rested against its porcelain skin.

My heart throbbed and my mind raced as I processed the current scene. A tiny girl? I thought as she glowed with a yellow-orange hue that danced over her skin like fireflies, her sapphire eyes examining me. "W-who are you?" I stuttered.

"As I have told you," she responded, her velvety voice filling the room. "I am your servant-Tybalt, the Flame Deity."

I stepped back, my eyes widening in surprise. A deity? Like the gods from the old stories?

"A-a deity? Like a God?"

"Yes. Your kin had awakened me the day prior."

Grandpa? What did he do?

A wave of confusion washed over me as I stumble over my words. "I-I don't understand, I haven't even unlocked my Flux yet..."

"You have unlocked Flux, and it had nearly cost your life; your heart was on the verge of stopping as your organs began shutting down. Resulatt is such a reliable person, no wonder he lost his job." The girl taunted.

"I nearly died? Why would Gramps do something like that?" I blurted, voicing my concern.

"It's really simple, Ky," she assured, her lips quirking up into a comforting smile. "You are the son of Rosina, my late master. Resulatt deduced your capabilities and activated your Flux in an irresponsible manner."

My confusion turned into shock-conflicting feelings of happiness and apprehension encapsulated me in a frigid embrace. I huffed, digesting everything that had happened. Tybalt tilted her head and sighed. "I know it's a lot to take in, but since you wanted a head start, I revealed myself just now."

I was baffled. How did she know about Cubicle? She spoke once again. "You and I share psyches-anything you feel, think, or experience, I do as well."

"So, you know about Aeri too...?" I chimed, embarrassed.

"Yes, I know about her too." She laughed gently, embers sparking to match her emotions. "I've known you since you were quite literally a fetus."

Pulling myself together, I simultaneously slap my cheeks before grabbing the alluring book and slamming it onto the table. The wooden slab reciprocated, scattering a cloud of dust that made its way into my nose, causing me to cough. I turn the book over as my eyes gleam across the smooth font; <Flux and Energy: A Grimoire> With my interest now piqued, I began to flip the pages with Tybalt resting on my shoulder.

Every species contains Energy. It is a substance with special properties akin to blood; it is created, pumped, and put to use. 'Flux' is the term given to certain nodes in the body, capable of exhibiting Energy whilst acting as a limiter.

The best way to unlock one's Flux is through constant, meticulous training, slowly and carefully exposing them to the rest of the body. Alternatively, it can also be unlocked through direct exposure to Energy. This, however, is heavily opposed, as the mortality rate of this method is well above 80%.

This is caused by the sudden awakening of an extra heart chamber known as the Hollow Pouch. This chamber acts as the bone marrow for Energy, allowing the heart to pump the new substance. There is a definitive method to prove a 'Warlock', and this is through examination of blood color. Once the Hollow Pouch has been unlocked, the Energy mixes with the blood, causing Warlocks to bleed purple.

However, since the majority of humans have this pouch laying dormant, the sudden recalibration of the pouch stresses the heart, entering it into cardiac arrest. Those who survive it are simply lucky.

I struggled to take mental notes of the information- so the stuff I perceived as 'Flux' was actually 'Energy', and 'Flux' are just nodes that allow me to use Energy?

"Think of it like this, Ky," Tybalt interrupted. "The Flux is a dam and Energy is water. The general populous has their Hollow Pouches closed, hence accumulating massive amounts of Energy. Everyone undergoes two types of training- one for their Hollow Pouch and one for their Fluxi. This allows Energy to flow in a safe manner, while slowly exposing the body to it. Similarly, a dam must be opened slowly so the river bank doesn't overflow. The consequence is organ failure."

I asked Tybalt if my 'river bank' had overflowed, to which she nodded yes and explained how if Gramps had taken a little longer, my insides would've been fertilizer for Blood Lilacs. Very enlightening. Closing the book, I started making my way downstairs with Tybalt floating above my shoulder. I wonder how Gramps would react to my newly awakened deity. Taking the last step, my ears shattered upon hearing a harsh ode that was being sung in the kitchen.

"Upon a steed, Sir Lusty rode~

His codpiece bulged, his ego strode~

With musty words, his tales bestowed~

His innuendos freely flowed~"

Tybalt groaned, "He hasn't changed a bit."

"'Ah, fair maidens,' he would croon,

'I'd pluck your rose, beneath the moon~

With lips so moist, a tempting boon~

Together we'd make the bedrock swoon!'"

I leered at my grandfather with disgust. It was piercing enough that he turned back, squinting his eyes before waving and greeting me. I approach him, with Tybalt closely trailing behind.

"Ah, hey there, fiery goddess!" he exclaimed, his visible crinkles tightening before widening his eyes. "Nice to see you again, old friend!"

The deity ignored him, idly floating above my shoulder. I excused myself and headed outside, more curious about what Tybalt can do than how Gramps knew her. Treading down the dirt path en route to a river, I asked the deity various questions; what powers did she bear? Where did she come from? How did she come from?

Apparently, Tybalt had originated from the Wonder Tree- an organic structure in the middle of the world, responsible for the birth of Energy. As for her powers, she shook her head. My body was still fragile from the prior events, and trying to harness any spells would likely make me perish on the spot. How delightful.

According to her, I was still recovering, so I had nothing to do except ask even more questions.

"Is there any way for you to show me your powers without killing me?"

She placed her hand on her chin before elaborating.

"There is a way to do so-prayer. We deities are prideful beings, we scale our power based on how you parade us, the better the worship, the stronger our blessings will be. Go on, grovel and worship me! Make sure your head is buried in the soil!"

I stare at her blankly.

"That was just banter, anything will do." she giggles.

I sighed it off and started to recite whatever popped into my mind.

"Oh radiant Flame, Goddess of Fire,
With reverence, I come before your sacred pyre.
In your fierce blaze, I seek your presence,
grant me your warmth and divine essence."

Tybalt smiled and floated towards me before kissing my forehead.

"You sure are a smooth talker."

My body began heating up, my insides scorched and my skin seared. It felt as though the Underworld itself exploded in my underbelly. In that instant, I truly thought I was going to die. Despite the agonizing pain, I gritted through flesh and bone, withstanding the hellfire that devoured me from the inside. However, all of the pain suddenly stopped, and my whole body flushed with rejuvenating sensations as my charred organs eclipsed into divinity.

"Tybalt?" I reached out with a limp, even though I had not suffered any physical injuries. "What happened?"

The only response was from the howling winds and the whistling trees, I desperately looked around for the tiny goddess, flailing my head. Go to the river, a familiar voice said, causing me to exclaim in joy.

"Where are you, Tybalt?" I announced once again, only for the gushing water nearby to answer. Ah right, the river!

I started making my way to the river, each step creating a sizzling noise. Confused, I look down, only to be met with the glaring flare of fire. I screamed and tumbled backward, each footfall imprinting the soles of my boot into the earth, torching the grass blades into withered strings. Argh! I yelled, before promptly falling down on my arse.

Gathering myself up, I continued towards the river with thoughts of uncertainty and bewilderment constantly surfacing in my mind. What the hell was that?! Amidst all my emotions, I approach the cerulean water, reflecting an image that supposedly portrayed me, which was utter nonsense. Firstly, my hair had grown below my ear. Secondly, it wasn't charcoal- it was Tybalt's jade!

Thirdly, I wore some kind of half-hat, with Tybalt's flashfire feather fixed on its white exterior. My eyes now glimmered the color congruent with the river, and my lower eyelids blazed in bright orange, I was also enveloped by a long scarf that matched the color of my lower eyelids. The once brown tunic I had worn today had turned into a white shirt, a common apparel that citizens of Citadel wore. It was made out of polyester, some kind of synthesized fiber. The bright orange that made up my scarf had also been smeared across the lower end of my shirt along with its arm sleeves, and a tangerine sun symbol had also been branded onto my shoulder.

Then it hit me. The reflection wasn't just me, it was me and Tybalt! This was certainly her blessing- her demonstration of power.

It was simply astonishing.

My already invigorated heart had just erupted like magma, I was one step closer to becoming a Warlock! And so I took my first stride of competent knowledge, only to be met with a curtain of darkness.