Rayner's smile faded slightly. "An excellent question. Cases like that have been recorded—though they are extremely rare. But in most instances…" He paused briefly before continuing in a solemn tone, "…the result was death."
A few students gasped audibly.
Rayner explained, "When both core energies awaken simultaneously, neither has been established as the dominant force. This leads to an internal struggle where both cores compete for control, absorbing energy at a rapid rate and clashing violently. The result is catastrophic—most cases end with the individual's body exploding from the inside out."
The classroom fell into a stunned silence as students grimaced at the gruesome image forming in their minds.
But suddenly, a calm voice cut through the air.
"Professor Rayner, wasn't there a theory stating that it's possible to harmonize the energies from both the heart and the mind? That both cores could work together as a unified whole, eliminating their individual shortcomings?"
All eyes turned toward the speaker. Aelric Skyguard sat with his usual faint, sly smile, his silver hair catching the ambient light. He raised his hand only as a formality, his confidence evident in the way he looked at Rayner, as if testing the professor rather than asking a genuine question.
Rayner met Aelric's gaze with a measured look before smiling. "Indeed, there is such a theory. It is known as Unification," he confirmed, clasping his hands together. "The idea stems from the simple fact that both the heart and the brain exist in the same body and have functioned together since birth. By that logic, there should be no fundamental reason why they cannot harmonize."
A hush fell over the class as the students leaned in, intrigued.
Rayner paused briefly before continuing. "However, opinions on this theory are divided. Some scholars support it, while others strongly disagree. Those who oppose it argue that humans are inherently complex beings. Just as people often act irrationally—doing things they know are harmful yet continuing anyway—the same principle applies to their energies."
Rayner spread his palms toward the students. "For instance, someone who consumes alcohol understands it harms the body, yet they still drink. Or take sweets, for example—how many of you enjoy eating them even though you know too much sugar is bad for you? You try to resist, but most of the time, you simply can't help yourself."
"Pfft!" Aelric stifled a chuckle behind his hand, casting a meaningful glance at his sister. Lyra, blushing slightly, clenched her fist in silent threat, ready to punch him.
The students chuckled sheepishly, seeming to grasp the concept.
Rayner continued, his tone thoughtful. "These are simple examples, but there are countless situations where humans contradict even their own well-being." Inwardly, he smiled and mused that some examples were far too inappropriate to mention before young students.
"Because of this paradox—this conflict between emotions, desires, and reason—many believe that the energies of the heart and mind will naturally contradict each other. However, the Unification theory suggests that if someone were to overcome this contradiction and achieve perfect harmony between the two energies, they would ascend to an unfathomable level of power. They would be able to walk both paths—those of a Mage and a Vitalist. Some even claim that this was the true form of primordial humans."
"Primordial humans?" a student asked, his curiosity evident.
Rayner nodded. "Mhm. Most of you are already familiar with the power scale hierarchy that follows the Awakening Phase." He pointed at a student in the front row. "Can you name the major levels?"
The student straightened in his seat before reciting, "After the Awakening Phase, the levels, from lowest to highest, are the Origin Level, the Earth Level, and the Sky Level."
Rayner nodded approvingly. "Correct. Each level has four minor stages—Early, Middle, Late, and Peak. But do any of you know why these names were chosen? Why do we call it the 'Origin Level' after someone finishes their Awakening Phase?"
The class murmured among themselves, but no one had a definitive answer. Seeing this, Rayner's expression turned solemn as he continued,
"Legends say that at the beginning of time, millions—perhaps billions—of years ago, the first humans who walked this world were beings of unimaginable power. We call them the Primordial Humans. Compared to us, they were giants, their bodies sculpted to perfection—tall, robust, and unyielding."
The air in the lecture hall grew heavier, as though the weight of history itself pressed upon the students. They leaned forward, hanging onto Rayner's every word.
"They were born with absolute control over the natural and elemental forces of this world. Their existence defined an era known as the Age of Miracles. The most frightening part? Their power was innate. They did not struggle to unlock their potential as we do; it was simply their birthright."
Gasps and murmurs spread through the room. A few students exchanged glances, their minds spinning with images of these mythical ancestors—colossal figures shaping mountains and taming storms with a mere thought.
Rayner let the murmurs die down before continuing. "But as time passed, our race suffered countless ordeals—plagues, disasters, wars and diseases. Each calamity chipped away at the perfection of our bloodline, causing our genes to deteriorate. What was once an unshakable lineage of perfection became frail and fragmented. And so, the path we walk now—the struggle to grow stronger, to awaken our potential—is an attempt to return to our origins. Hence, we call it the Origin Level, or the Origin Realm, as you might call it."
The students' awe deepened. They had heard of these classifications before, but this was the first time they truly grasped their meaning. One student raised his hand eagerly. "Professor Rayner, what about the Earth Level? Why is it named that?"
Rayner nodded approvingly. "As I said before. Once you enter the Awakening Phase, your mental capacity expands. Your brain begins unlocking hidden potential, allowing you to access more of its capability. Generally, at the Awakening Phase, an individual can use up to fifteen percent of their brain's power. Upon stepping into the Origin Realm, this number rises to twenty percent. In the Earth Realm, it increases to thirty."
The students listened in rapt attention, their gazes locked onto Rayner as he paced the front of the room.
"At this stage, your perception sharpens beyond anything you've experienced. You become aware of every function within your body—your heartbeat, your blood flow, the state of your internal organs. But it does not stop there. Your awareness extends outward. You begin to perceive life around you in astonishing detail—the currents of natural energy, the movements of tiny unseen creatures in the air, even the tremors beneath the earth itself. That is why we call it the Earth Level."
A hushed silence followed, a quiet reverence for the boundless potential of human potential. But Rayner was not finished.
"And then, we have the Sky Level. As the name suggests, it is where we take our first true step toward conquering the skies. At this level, an individual unlocks forty percent of their brain's capacity. The energy you absorb in your core, combined with your enhanced mental strength, allows you to break free from the shackles of the ground. You will be able to levitate—soar through the skies as freely as birds."
Excited murmurs erupted among the students.
Flying freely through the skies—this was a dream every human had imagined at least once in their lifetime. So when the students learned that such a feat was within their reach, their eyes sparkled with newfound determination. The thought of one day soaring above the clouds filled them with an unshakable sense of motivation.
Observing their reactions, Rayner inwardly smiled and gave a slight nod of satisfaction. But just as he was about to speak, a slow, amused chuckle interrupted the moment.
"Hoho..."
An aged yet steady voice followed.
"It seems your class is going quite well, Professor Rayner. The younger generation looks full of vigor, brimming with dreams for the future."
Rayner turned toward the speaker, his expression unreadable.
Standing at the entrance of the lecture hall was an elderly man with neatly tied white hair pulled into a small ponytail and a well-groomed goatee. He appeared to be in his sixties, though his tall and lean frame suggested he was far from frail. His features were gentle, and a monocle rested on his right eye. He wore a dark blue coat embroidered with golden stars and a silver crescent moon on the back, his hands clasped behind him while holding an elegant cane topped with a gemstone.
Rayner's eyes narrowed slightly. 'Why is this man here?'
Before he could voice his thoughts, the old man spoke again.
"But, Professor Rayner," he continued with a smile that carried both warmth and intent, "shouldn't we guide these youngsters carefully? It would be unwise for them to chase after dreams too large for their reach, only to end up harming themselves in pursuit of something beyond their capabilities." He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Speaking of the Sky Level so early..." he chuckled softly, shaking his head.
"Before fantasizing about its wonders, they must first understand the sheer difficulty of reaching such heights. After all, even within the Brightmoon Empire, only a handful have ever ascended to the Sky Level. And across the entire Alvorn Continent, such individuals remain few and far between."
A wave of murmurs spread among the students as they absorbed his words. Some exchanged uneasy glances, while others furrowed their brows in contemplation. The weight of the old man's statement dampened some of their enthusiasm, but it also planted the seeds of doubt.
The elderly man, still smiling meaningfully, turned his gaze toward Rayner, studying his reaction.
Rayner's frown deepened—though only for a fleeting moment. In the next instant, he regained his usual composed demeanor. He dipped his head slightly in acknowledgment and addressed the class.
"This is Elder Orion Douglass," he said, his voice calm yet firm. "A member of the Council of Elders at Luna Ray Academy."
Elder Orion nodded politely to the students, his eyes glinting with quiet amusement.
Rayner then turned to him and spoke again, his tone carrying a hint of meaning.
"But, Elder Orion, you say strange things." He paused, then continued smoothly. "When you're young, it's only natural to dream beyond your limits—to aim for something greater than yourself."
His gaze sharpened ever so slightly.
"The real problem arises when one grows old and still clings to ambitions they can no longer chase."
For the briefest moment, a twitch flickered in Orion Douglass's eye. The unspoken tension between the two was palpable, lingering in the air like an unseen force.
But before Orion could respond, Rayner clapped his hands together, breaking the moment.
"Alright, that concludes today's lesson," he announced to the students. "I believe we've covered enough of the basics for one day. Dismissed!"
The students hesitated for a moment, exchanging glances before slowly rising from their seats. As they filed out, their minds swirled with thoughts of Primordial Humans, the vastness of their own potential, and the unseen tension between their professor and the esteemed elder.
Elder Orion cast one last glance at Rayner, his smile lingering but his eyes unreadable. Then, with the quiet tap of his cane against the marble floor, he turned and strode away.
Rayner exhaled softly, his eyes narrowing slightly as he watched the old man leave.