Elara moved forward once more, her steps deliberate despite the exhaustion weighing on her alloy limbs. The massive white blade lay embedded in the cracked stone floor of the cave, streaks of blue lightning dancing along its edge like living serpents. She had been trying to claim it for what felt like hours. Each attempt ended the sa way.
She reached out.
The blade reacted instantly.
A violent burst of lightning struck her fingers, the force sending her flying backward. She crashed into the cave wall with a heavy thud, sliding down to the ground in a heap. Bruises covered her arms, shoulders, and torso — dark welts where the electricity had burned through her systems. Her red heart monitor flickered warningly, but she pushed herself up again, breathing hard.
She wasn’t giving up.
Lian watched from a distance, seated cross-legged against the opposite wall. His expression was calm, but his blue void eyes followed every movent. He had his own struggle — the black liquid inside him. He had tried multiple tis to form the blade again, but it refused to respond. The cold presence moved lazily through his body, ignoring his commands. He hadn’t told Elara about it. He didn’t need to. Not yet. So secrets were better kept until he could control them.
Elara was at her limit.
Her body ached. Her systems were strained from the repeated shocks. She sat down in a cross-legged position, closing her eyes. She needed to rest. To ditate. To center herself.
An hour passed in silence.
When Elara opened her eyes again, a quiet determination burned in them. She stood up slowly, rolling her shoulders. A small smile touched her lips. She assud her stance — elegant and beautiful, blade held ready even though she didn’t have one in hand yet. Her movents were fluid, graceful, like a dance of steel and lightning.
She moved.
Suddenly, she was in front of the blade. Her fingers were inches away.
An outburst of lightning struck her. She was pushed back, but this ti she blocked it with crossed arms, skidding across the floor but staying on her feet. She moved again, swift and precise. Each ti her fingers ca close, the blade reacted — blasting her back with increasing force. It was as if the weapon had a mind of its own, mocking her for being weak.
Then, the blade created a force field around itself — a crackling sphere made entirely of lightning. Elara couldn’t get close anymore. Every approach was t with a wall of electricity that repelled her violently.
She stood there, breathing heavily, staring at the blade with a mixture of frustration and respect. It was rejecting her. Testing her. Demanding she prove herself worthy.
Lian continued his own practice a short distance away. He stared at his open palm, concentrating hard. He tried to summon the black liquid again, willing it to form a blade. Nothing. The cold presence inside him shifted lazily but refused to obey. He didn’t give up. He kept trying, over and over, determined to master this new power.
Power Scale / Cultivation Realms (Quick Reminder)
Foundation Realm (Layers 1–9): Body forging, no external Qi.
Circuit Awakening Realm (Early–Peak): First Qi loop, internal bursts.
Core Condensation Realm (Early–Peak): External Qi release, short flight.
Stellar Circuit Realm (1–9 Stars): True flight, Qi armor, energy projection.
Nebula Dominion Realm and higher: Domain control, galaxy-level power, etc
Power Scale Reminder
Lian Yu: Stellar Circuit Star 1.
Elara Voss: Core Condensation Middle
Keep it as reminders
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