The air trembled silently. The first door opened. The Commander of the First Order, Lusim Valder, walked in with slow steps, carrying nothing, but with each step, the air grew heavier and feet felt rooted. He didn’t need to speak or give orders… his presence alone was enough to silence all thoughts. His miel was of the third level – Essence of Control, but honed to a degree that made his very being feel suffocating. Behind him followed Alyan Solfan, Commander of the Second Order, with calm features and eyes like mirrors that revealed what others tried to hide. His miel, too, was third level – sharpened sensory precision and reflexive mastery. Then came Raizel Kornin, Commander of the Third Order. He did not look at anyone, did not greet — his presence alone was permission. His aura needed no explanation. His miel was also of the third level, yet it radiated a pressure that made those who stood before him feel momentarily powerless, even without a word.
The door opened again — not with a sound of hinges, but with a tone like a soft warning. A man dressed entirely in black entered. No weapon. No aura. But the air thickened. The silence deepened. He was the King’s Guard. He stood in the center of the hall and said in a voice so calm, yet it pierced to the bone of everyone present:
“Prepare yourselves... The King is approaching.”
Breaths slowed. Movements ceased. Everyone became part of the room, no longer of time.
The King entered.
His steps were soundless. A white robe that did not touch the ground. A face with no expression, no weapon, no emotion. He sat upon the blue-metallic throne, with no entourage, no banners — and yet, all present bowed without being told. He was not king through miel… but through something unknown. In a world where worth is measured by miel, he was the exception no one dared question.
He lifted his gaze and spoke quietly:
"What has been detected?"
The Commander of the Second Order bowed.
“My King, reports from the southern rim confirm increasing disturbances in the lava zone. Creatures appear suddenly… then vanish without pattern.”
The Seer Elder stepped forward, his voice trembling:
“A spike in energy has been recorded, equivalent to what we see at floor 60 and beyond... A signal matching a Level B.”
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Silence fell heavy. Whispers spread among the elders:
“Impossible…”
“A Level B… beyond the wall?”
“Is the system beginning to fall apart?”
The King raised his hand. Silence reclaimed the chamber.
“The First Order shall remain stationed at the Wall. But those with affinity to fire terrains... will move.”
He looked to the Commander of the Third Order.
“Form an expedition. Three Orders: the Third, the Fifth, and the Ninth. Send those you trust to hold.”
No one objected.
By the next morning, the Great Southern Gate had opened — for the first time in five years. The land beyond was cracked from heat, as if it had been breathing ash for centuries. The wind blowing from the south wasn’t just hot… it was a warning. Three banners rippled above the staging yard: the Third Order, dark and precise; the Fifth, aflame and defiant; and the Ninth, sharp and vanishing.
One hundred fifty soldiers stood in formation. Three sub-commanders. Six expert knights. The rest were elite warriors tested in the mid-floors. All were trained in extreme environments, equipped with advanced breathing gear and reinforced armor. Yet none looked confident.
The air stilled. Then the first of the three stepped forward.
He knelt silently, placing his palm on the scorched black soil, eyes closed. He whispered, his voice carrying despite the stillness:
“Five degrees higher… just this morning. The earth is boiling from within.”
Valdro Himel, sub-commander of the Third Order. Known for speaking in temperatures and numbers. His miel was third level — Essence of Control — sharpened to near the edge of something greater… but not beyond.
Across the field, another approached. His armor was layers of heat-treated cloth, light and oil-soaked. He wore no plate, no helmet. He paused every few steps, studying the sun, tasting the wind. He said nothing. When a soldier asked a question, he simply pointed and said:
“If the air catches fire... dig your own grave.”
This was Karo Valsayn, sub-commander of the Fifth Order. Master of explosive flame. He gave no orders. He smiled at nothing. He waited for ignition. His miel was also of the third level — rapid, volatile, forged in infernos… but still within control.
The third did not arrive. He appeared. No one heard him coming. Yet there he stood — in the shadows, unmoving, his face blank. Those who passed near him felt a chill, despite the heat. Some swore his shadow moved before he did.
Asten Rakvil, sub-commander of the Ninth Order. Water in fire. Stillness in chaos. Master of dense water combat and stealth through shadow weaving. His miel — third level, shaped into dual techniques of concealment and strike.
These three were elite of the elite. They stood at the peak of the third level. Only two in the entire kingdom had ever crossed into the fourth: The Commander of the Fifth Order, and The Commander of the Tenth.
Then, the temperature dropped.
Raizel Kornin appeared at the edge of the field. He bore no weapon, no armor, no light. Yet all who saw him… froze. He did not come with them. He would not join. But he came to look.
He scanned the ranks of soldiers, then spoke — not loudly, not softly — but in a tone none could forget:
“You are the final line before the state is devoured from below.
The land of fire makes no mistakes.
Every intruder is tested. Every sound is heard.
Remember your names… They may never be called again.”
He turned and left.
The caravans began to move. Their wheels dug into molten soil. Soldiers took position inside, silent. The Southern Gate, untouched for years, groaned as it opened — not like metal… but like something being awoken by force.
The air was thick. The light… faded.
And the first step into the unknown… had begun.
End of Chapter 20
“Will is the innate force that burns within every human.
It is not taught. It is not borrowed.
It emerges in fear, sharpens through purpose, and evolves only through descent.”
Description: Barely active. Instinctual only.
Trigger: Survival situations.
Typical Users: Civilians, unawakened individuals.
Combat Use: None.
Color: Pale White
Note: Cannot be enrolled in military service.
Description: The first active level of Will.
Abilities: Enhances strength, speed, reflexes.
Users: Recruits, early soldiers.
Color: Bright Red
Limitations: Minimal control. Insufficient for leadership or field command roles.
Description: Fully awakened Will that can be directed and shaped by the user.
Abilities: Allows energy manipulation, advanced combat tactics, and mental resilience.
Color: Deep Blue to Green (based on refinement).
Requirement: Minimum level for the title “Expert Knight” and above.
Note: No individual may serve in elite missions or command squads without Level 3 Will.
Description: Rare. Overwhelms the environment through sheer presence.
Effects: Induces paralysis, disorientation, or emotional collapse in lower-tier soldiers.
Color: None. Cannot be measured visually or electronically — only felt.
Known Holders:
– Commander of the Fifth Order
– Commander of the Tenth Order
Significance: Field bends around them. Not leaders by rank, but by force.
Description: Mythical. Documented once in history.
Abilities: Alters reality — time, matter, memory, physics.
Known Holder: The former Supreme Commander of the Orders, lost in the Abyss.
Legend: His final surge disrupted the structure of space. His body was never found.
Status: Extinct… or sleeping.