I tried and tried, but no matter what I did, I couldn't replicate that feat. My bloodline refused to budge. It was like trying to grasp mist with bare hands—ethereal, malleable, yet ever-elusive.
Weeks passed. Frustration gnawed at me as I lived off my measly government allowance, still unable to unlock the secret of my own power. Sometimes I even felt it was a fluke, but the fact that I was still alive right now was reason enough for me to know it was not.
Desperation led me to a small, dingy cyber-café, where I scoured the net for anything that could help. That was when I stumbled upon a website: "Bloodline Specialist." After an hour of grueling research, I found what I had been missing—three key phrases: "Bloodline Plane," "Bloodline Resonance," and "The Revelation." I nearly cursed my self for not having thought of it before.
The Bloodline Plane was the dimension within me where my bloodline resided, accessible with focus and intent. I followed the instructions I had read, sitting in a secluded spot behind my apartment building. Closing my eyes, I concentrated, willing myself into that realm. Then, with a sudden rush, like falling into an unseen abyss, I felt myself being pulled away, then my vision shifted.
What I saw took my breath away.
The Bloodline Plane was split into two distinct halves. To my right stretched an endless, star-speckled void, reminiscent of the cosmos itself—deep, mysterious, and unfathomably vast. To my left was a shimmering silver expanse, swirling and opaque, like liquid mercury veiling some hidden truth. Suspended high above, in the center of both territories, was a radiant star-shaped construct, pulsating with an enigmatic light.
"Now I see," I muttered, the truth dawning upon me.
I wasn't struggling because I was talentless. The issue was far more complex—I had two bloodlines.
I've seen this on the net, though rare in the past, cases of individuals possessing dual bloodlines had become increasingly common in recent years.
Floating within my translucent consciousness-form, I decided to proceed with the next phrase: "Bloodline Resonance."
This process would allow me to sync with my bloodline, granting me access to its abilities. I drifted toward the silver domain first, sensing a beckoning pull. As soon as I touched its edge, a resonance surged through me. My form trembled, awaiting a revelation—but nothing happened. No new sensation, no sudden understanding. Just... emptiness. I waited for some more time before dissolving the resonance.
Confused, I turned my attention to the starry void. The moment I entered, I felt it—an overwhelming weight pressing down on me like the gravity of a collapsing star. My form creaked under the pressure, agony rippling through me. My consciousness writhed, barely enduring the suffocating force. The resonance was trying to complete, but at this rate, I wouldn't last long enough to benefit from it.
"Damn it," I gritted out. Every moment felt like an eternity. Just as I thought I would break, the connection solidified.
Then, everything changed.
I emerged from my Bloodline Plane, gasping for air like a drowning man breaching the ocean's surface. But now, I felt it. Power coursed through my being, familiar yet new. If I was 90 percent sure before, now I was a hundred and twenty percent sure that this was the same force that had instinctively saved me during that explosion. It wasn't fire, nor wind, nor raw strength. It was presence—weight and force incarnate.
I needed to test it.
Channeling my essence, I followed the natural flow within me. Oh right did I forget to mention that essence is the energy bloodline holders use to perform their various feats. It can be higher or lower depending on rank and type of bloodline.
A pulse rippled outward, invisible but potent. A moment later, small pebbles and debris in my backyard began to levitate, including myself.
"Telekinesis?" I mused, floating aimlessly. But my control wavered. The moment doubt crept in, the flow broke.
I plummeted.
Face first.
Groaning, I peeled myself off the ground. "Okay... let's try this again."
This time, I allowed the essence to flow uninterrupted. However, instead of levitation, an entirely different phenomenon occurred.
A crushing force descended upon me.
The very air thickened, pressing me against the earth like an ant beneath an iron slab. My body refused to move. My breath hitched. Just when I thought my bones would snap, the flow ceased.
I lay there, spitting grass from my mouth. "Yeah... definitely not telekinesis." 'It's something different' I mused.
Then came "The Revelation."
Memories not my own flooded my mind, explaining my bloodline's nature.
Gravity.
I had the ability to manipulate gravitational forces. I could increase or decrease the weight of objects, even generate fields of crushing force.
With this realization came another: I was far behind.
Most of my peers had awakened at the very least four years ago, and I had only twenty months left before I was forced to attend an academy. By then, my peers would be in Rank 4, maybe even Rank 3.
At the moment, I was merely a one-star Rank 5.
The ranking system was straightforward. Upon awakening, every bloodline holder started at Rank 5, one-star. To advance, they had to condense more stars within their Bloodline Plane. Three stars made a complete rank, allowing them to ascend.
The hierarchy was as follows:
- **Rank 5** (Lowest)
- **Rank 4**
- **Rank 3**
- **Rank 2**
- **Rank 1**
- **Transcendent Rank** (The pinnacle)
At the peak of the Transcendent Rank stood figures of unparalleled power: the Principal of Nebula Academy, the Patriarchs and matriarchs of the Seven Great Families, and the Supreme Commander of the Military.
Time became my enemy and my greatest motivator. I made up a routine, training my body and bloodline for sixteen hours a day.
I divided my time, from 5am to 8am, it would be grueling body excercises. After breakfast and rest for an hour, I would continue with bloodline training from 9am to 3pm. Then after that was cultivating from 3:30pm to 10pm, have dinner, and then go to sleep. Rinse and repeat.
For the next twenty months, I trained relentlessly. Controlling my bloodline was an arduous battle, but I adapted. With each success and failure, I edged closer to mastery.
Two weeks before the entrance exam, I had just finished training my body and was about to have breakfast when I was interrupted.
A knock sounded at my door. I opened it to find two military officers standing before me.
"What's your name?" one of them asked.
"Adam Walker" I replied.
"You're a bloodline holder, correct?" he said a statement rather than a question. The other man had a device pointed at me. It was the reason why youth's couldn't escape the academies, there are devices that can detect bloodline holders.
Another nod.
"How old are you?"
"I turned sixteen a few months back" I replied.
"Good. You're required to enroll in one of the nine academies. Have you made your choice?"
I had known this moment would come. And my mind was already made up, so my answer was immediate.
"Nebula Academy."
The officer chuckled. "Figures. Everyone wants to get in, but most fail."
He handed me a tablet. "Place your palm here."
I complied, watching as my details appeared on the screen. After confirming my identity, the officer tapped the screen.
"You're registered. A transport will pick you up in two weeks. Congratulations in advance if you pass, but if you fail, you're more than welcome to join the Millitary Academy."
With that, they left.
Two weeks later, A bus arrived at my area, turns out I wasn't the only one from the building. There was this lanky kid a few floors above me. I boarded the military transport with fifty other hopefuls. The windows were opaque, giving no hint of the outside world. As I sat down, I felt dozens of eyes on me. It seemed that, despite our shared goal, competition already brewed in their gazes.
The journey to the interplanetary portal station took an hour. Once there, we were guided to a separate area designated for Nebula Academy candidates.
Stepping through the portal was a disorienting experience—like having my insides wrung out before being spat onto foreign soil. Definitely didn't expect my first portal experience to go this way.
Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system. I had arrived.
I felt a small shift in the gravitational forces. The gravity was subtly heavier, but nothing unbearable, I guess even I could only feel it because of my connection to gravity. We were given a day to rest and a hotel room to stay. If I had to compare it with my one room apartment, I guess it would be the difference between a puddle of water and an ocean. The difference was just that big. It was also a single room, but the best thing was that it had a bathroom and a balcony. The following morning, We were led to the academy gates.
The entrance was colossal, its golden letters gleaming proudly:
**NEBULA ACADEMY**
As I crossed the threshold, I wondered where this new journey would take me.
************************************************************.
Your gift is the motivation for my creation.
Support this book with powerstones. And maybe reviews.