The chamber was quiet. Too quiet.
Flickering torchlight cast wavering shadows along the stone walls, making them seem like moving figures—watching, waiting. The cold air carried the faint scent of molten metal and burnt inscriptions, remnants of Elias's refinement process.
He sat cross-legged in the center of the room, the faint glint of the newly shaped coin resting in his palm. It was a small thing, unremarkable at first glance. But Elias knew better.
This was no ordinary coin.
It was a step toward something greater.
He rolled it between his fingers, feeling its weight, the smooth texture of the refined metal, and the slight warmth it had retained from the forge. But a mere shape meant nothing—it was the engravings, the energy, the intent that would determine its true value.
Taking a deep breath, he steadied himself.
Now came the true work.
Elias reached for his engraving tool—a thin needle-like instrument, its surface etched with minuscule runes of its own. It wasn't a simple tool. The enchantments embedded into it allowed for the precision required to inscribe at the level he was attempting.
With practiced ease, he positioned the coin on a flat stone surface, his other hand gripping the needle.
Then, he began.
The needle's tip pressed into the metal, carving delicate lines with steady, deliberate movements. Unlike ordinary inscriptions, these weren't meant for battle or reinforcement. They weren't meant to enhance strength or defense.
These symbols were different.
They followed the principles of balance—of cause and effect, of choice and consequence.
With each stroke, the engravings wove together into complex patterns, resembling coiling threads or shifting constellations. The deeper the carvings went, the more the air around him seemed to change—thickening, pulsing.
He could feel something stirring.
The markings glowed faintly, responding to the unseen force gathering within them. This was the nature of fate itself—fluid, yet guided by rules; unpredictable, yet bound by unseen threads.
Elias's lips curled into a faint smirk.
"Fate is not fixed… but it's not random either."
He made the final stroke, completing the engravings. The moment he pulled the needle away, a soft hum reverberated through the room. The coin trembled in place, as if adjusting to its new existence.
The first step was complete.
But this was only the foundation.
Now, he had to breathe life into it.
Elias placed the engraving needle aside and picked up the coin once more. This time, he held it between his fingers, feeling the weight of it in a new way. It was no longer just metal. It was something more.
Closing his eyes, he drew a deep breath.
A faint glow pulsed beneath his skin as he summoned his spiritual energy. It surged within him, gathering at his fingertips, ready to be woven into the newly inscribed object.
Carefully, he directed it outward.
The moment his energy touched the coin, the engravings came alive—glowing, shifting. The markings absorbed the power hungrily, as if they had been waiting for this moment.
Elias focused, ensuring the energy flowed evenly. He wasn't merely injecting power; he was binding the engravings to the natural forces they represented.
The room dimmed. The torches flickered, their flames bending unnaturally.
Something was watching.
But then—
A crack formed along the surface of the coin.
Elias's expression darkened.
It wasn't enough. His current mastery wasn't at the level required to stabilize the fusion. The engravings resisted full activation, teetering between success and failure.
His fingers twitched slightly.
He needed something more.
Slowly, he lifted his free hand, revealing the rune on his palm. It had been there for some time now—a mark not drawn with ink, but carved into his very flesh.
A third eye, its form crude yet potent.
It opened.
A sliver of something unnatural leaked from the rune, latching onto the coin like an unseen tendril. The engravings flared, reacting to the presence of this foreign force.
Elias remained motionless. He had long since grown used to the sensation.
Then, with controlled precision, he bit the tip of his finger. A single drop of blood welled up before falling onto the coin's surface.
The reaction was immediate.
The crack sealed itself. The light within the engravings stabilized, no longer flickering between existence and collapse. The room quivered with an unseen force, momentarily pressing down on everything within it.
Then—silence.
Elias exhaled slowly.
He could feel the connection now—thin, fragile, but unmistakable.
A thread had formed.
The second step was complete.
But there was still one final test.
Elias lifted the coin, turning it between his fingers. The weight had changed. It no longer felt like mere metal—it carried something more within it. Something unseen, yet present.
Now, it was time to test its purpose.
He wasn't reckless enough to begin with something overly complex. The laws of fate were fickle; to demand too much from an unproven tool was foolish.
Instead, he chose a simple question.
One that would serve as a foundation for greater inquiries in the future.
His grip tightened slightly.
He focused.
"Is it safe to stay at this academy for a period of time?"
With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the coin into the air.
It spun rapidly, catching the dim light, its engravings pulsing faintly as it tumbled through space. For a breathless moment, the world seemed to hold still.
Then—it landed.
The stone surface beneath it trembled faintly.
Elias felt something stir within him—a whisper, silent yet clear. A presence brushing against his consciousness.
He narrowed his eyes.
The answer was… unclear.
Not an absolute yes. Not an absolute no.
But the odds were in his favor.
A slow smirk crept onto his lips.
"Not entirely certain… but favorable enough."
He picked up the coin, running his thumb over its engravings. It was only the beginning—a fragile first step toward something far greater.
But it was enough.
The Coin of Destiny.
A tool that could shape the path ahead.
A way to glimpse the unseen.
A key to unlocking the deeper truths of fate.
Elias leaned back, exhaling as he examined the coin once more.
Tonight, he had taken a step into forbidden knowledge.
And tomorrow—
He would take another.