Deep into the night, the desert raged on, its endless tides of sand obscuring the moon and stars. The howling winds whispered through the cracks of the worn-down prison, Inside the dimly lit cell, the only source of illumination came from the faint glow of a distant overhead light.
Heavy snores echoed against the walls, all prisoners were in a deep slumber. But Aiden was not among them. At the same time all prisoners had no intention in escaping right now…
Lying on the leftmost bed, his eyes flickered open. Without hesitation, he sat up, crossing his legs. His soles faced forward, hands resting calmly on his knees, back straight as if he were preparing for meditation.
Escape wasn't an option…at least not yet. He hadn't even had the chance to explore the full extent of this prison, let alone devise a proper plan. But that didn't mean his mind would be idle.
Instead, he turned his focus inward.
Toward his CAD. After his recent battle, something had changed. A new attack had emerged, seemingly out of nowhere. It had felt... unnatural.
He had already grasped the basics of the CAD, understanding its usefulness, yet there were still mysteries surrounding it. His primary new attack Void Eruption that seemed to pull from the Phantom Zone was a paradox in itself.
Why would my ability draw from the Phantom Zone if the CAD locks me into the real world and its boundaries?
Aiden brows furrowed. The CAD was designed to keep Exodites stable, preventing them from being forcibly ripped out of zones, ensuring their safety. And yet, his power didn't seem to follow those rules.
Mira and Riven… I haven't even seen their true abilities yet. Are they just as unnatural as mine? Still, of course he had his doubts.
His head dipped slightly, he murmured. "Free power isn't always a bad thing… especially if it's given to boost your strength."
But, he neither used his abilities to the degree he should be doing, so he wasn't sure if it's him thinking that it's unnatural.
He forced himself to breathe evenly, pushing aside the crawling sensation of unease. Power without explanation was dangerous. And yet, he couldn't ignore the need to understand it.
Had something been implanted in him? Had he changed in ways he couldn't yet perceive?
Still, He had lost all thing, that can give him a strenght boost. What more, he didn't know when he will get it back.
He clenched his hands. Despite not having, his CAD wasn't currently strapped to his wrist, but he decided it isn't going to stop him.
'Helper.' he called out in his mind, staring at his wrist. 'What was that large number that kept fluctuating every time I do something?'
A moment of silence passed before a response was heard.
"That's your Danger Counter. It's akin like a life system, meant to keep Exodites alive. It calculates the level of danger you bring upon yourself."
Aiden's head tilted slightly. 'What do you mean by that?'
"For now, all I will tell you is this…do not let it drop below the Zero. And never let it rise too high above the level of Exodites you attack."
Aiden's fingers curled into the fabric of his pants. Too low? Too high? That sounded impossible to control.
But thinking about way the Helper spoke about it… there was an ominous weight behind it's words.
For now, Aiden let go thinking about the Danger Counter. That would be another puzzle for him to solve in time. But there was one thing he did understand was the creation of abilities.
To unlock abilities, one must first sense the Exo energy the very force that ran through all things. It wasn't just within an Exodite; it was everywhere. In the air, in the earth, even in the stars scattered across the Zones. However… most people couldn't perceive its presence.
Even he, an Spacelocker, was no exception. If he failed to grasp this energy, he would remain powerless.
"As long as I can 'feel' it, I'll be able to unlock my abilities." He whispered.
'Talented individuals can sense Exo energy on their first try. The less gifted take a week or two just to perceive its presence.'
Aiden exhaled slowly…
He focused, letting his breathing stabilize. His heartbeat slowed, his body relaxed, and his mind grew still.
One minute passed. Then two.
Thirty minutes…
Aiden sat there, unmoving, his thoughts sinking deeper. He felt in fashion everything about, being a Exodite is difficult.
As he failed.
"I'll try one last time. If I don't succeed, I'll wait until tomorrow night."
He clenched his fists, shut his eyes, and centered himself once more.
Ten… thirty… fifty… an hour and twenty minutes…And then…
A shift.
Aiden's lips parted slightly. A seed a hope spouted in him.
"So… comfortable."
He felt a faint sensation coursed through him something unseen yet undeniably present. It flowed through his soles, his palms.
His eyes snapped open.
"Exo energy!"
But the moment he opened his eyes, the sensation vanished.
His eyes widen briefly. He hadn't expected to feel it this soon. He thought it would take him a week at least. But no…he had sensed it.
It seem like a sign of his potential, that Mira seen in if that is it.
"I felt it… That must be the energy I was looking for."
"Now i just have a feel for an ability and think about. Even if I don't sense it consciously, my body should slowly intake it unconsciously."
Closing his eyes once more, Aiden slowed his breathing. He let his thoughts clear and his heart steady.
This time, the feeling returned quicker. At first, it was faint, uncertain like a mirage flickering at the edge of his awareness. But as he continued to concentrate, the sensation sharpened.
The energy was there. Slowly, its presence became clearer, more defined.
Through his closed eyelids, he saw it.
A thin, flowing circuit. A thread of energy, moving around him, wrapping around his body.
At first, the Exo energy trickled in, like a few tying rope around a branch.
Them the sensation wrapped around him tightly, not like a force he was controlling, but like a force welcoming him back. The Phantom Dimension. Was that why it felt so... natural?
"Ah…"
Aiden shuddered as the feeling coursed through him. The energy was, like a rainbow full of all colors like his CAD, but undeniably real. And now, it was entering his body.
His mind pulled at fragments of something long lost, a place where the air hummed with the same energy, where reality bent just enough to make you question if it was real at all.
Inside the cold, dark cell, something unseen was taking place within Aiden's body.
As the Exo energy entered his cells, it was rapidly absorbed by the mitochondria. But unlike a normal biological process, this interaction unleashed something entirely different…a strange, unknown force.
Time passed slowly…
The cells trembled.
Then, as if some ancient mechanism had been activated, he began to undergo earth-shattering changes.
Something was awakening deep inside his mind.
It was similar to the sensation he felt when he first unlocked his new attack ability only this time, there was no surge of adrenaline to keep him awake. The fatigue from the since he arrived in this zone, pulling him into unconsciousness.
Even with his evolving body, he could no longer fight off the need to sleep.
"Ding!"
There was a sudden loud sharp ring of bells, ag dawn.
All the prisoner woke up. Loud groans and muttered curses filled the air. Aiden's eyes snapped open. A slow smirk formed on his lips.
"I did gain a new ability… no, wait…there something else?"
His senses sharpened, his mind felt clearer, and most of all his body pulsed with strength. It wasn't just an increase in power. Something inside him had fundamentally changed.
'After last night, my body and mind feel stronger than ever.'
"Hey… time for breakfast!"
A deep, gruff voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
Aiden turned, spotting a scary-looking prisoner standing outside his cell, glaring at him impatiently. Beyond him, dozens of prisoners were already filing out into the dimly lit corridor, shuffling toward the mess hall.
Not wanting to draw unnecessary attention, Aiden hopped off his bed and headed toward the door.
He glanced at his cellmate still sound asleep. The man barely stirred, twisting and turning as if trapped in a nightmare.
Strange.
Aiden decided to ignore him. He had nothing to do with that guy.
Meanwhile…
In the hallway, three prisoners in matching uniforms walked toward Aiden's cell.
One of them peered inside, his eyes narrowed. He observed Aiden's alseep cellmate. The man was tossing and turning, his body was still twitching and turning.
A slow grin spread across the prisoner face.
"Everything is going according to plan."
Another prisoner chuckled. "This guy should be strong enough to lead the others out after his change."
"Oh?"
The three exchanged knowing glances. One of them lowered his voice. "But what about that other guy? Why did Marvin and Liam bring him in personally?"
The tallest among them scoffed. "That doesn't matter. We'll escape either way."
His lips curled into a sneer as his gaze flickered toward Aiden.
"Besides… he looks weak."