Orion had always known he was different, even before the tremor of magic had first ignited within him. Life in the Vrindavan orphanage, run by his gentle but firm grandmother, Celestia, was a constant struggle against the gnawing hunger of poverty. They shared their meager meals with a dozen other children, a small, resilient family forged by circumstance. When his own magical abilities had stirred to life a year ago, a quiet thrumming beneath his skin, Celestia had immediately pulled him aside, her eyes grave. "Keep this secret, Orion," she'd whispered, her voice laced with an unfamiliar urgency. "Promise me. For your safety, and for all of us."
He had promised, of course. But the orphanage's dwindling funds weighed heavily on him. How could he stand by when his talent, perhaps, could alleviate their suffering? Secretly, he'd begun slipping away to the Adventurers' Guild, a dusty, dimly lit building in the nearest town. There, under the guise of anonymity, he'd managed to register himself, hoping to take on simple, low-risk tasks that might earn a few coppers.
His talent was undeniable, even without formal training. He'd reached Basic rank Magus in what felt like a blink. But the transition to Novice had been an insurmountable wall. For a year, he'd tried to break through, following the rudimentary cultivation instructions Celestia had provided. He'd even mastered the basic concept of withdrawing magic from his magic core – the luminous wellspring that formed in a mage's meridians upon awakening – and circulating it through his body. While most mages learned this in a week, it had taken Orion three painstaking months. He often comforted himself with the thought that he was self-taught, a lone talent, but the stubborn block at Novice rank had eroded his confidence. He'd given up, resigned to his limited power.
That resignation had led him to the Whispering Caverns, hunting for the lowest-tier beasts, only to be cornered by the City Lord's enforcers. They'd approached him, feigning recruitment, but their intentions quickly became clear: another soul to shackle, another mage to enslave. He'd run, deeper into the dungeon's maw, until the bridge collapsed, and darkness claimed him.
A dull ache pulsed through Orion's head as he slowly, reluctantly, opened his eyes. He lay on a cold, smooth floor, the air surprisingly still and devoid of the cavern's usual dampness. The room was unlike anything he'd ever seen, crafted entirely from seamless, jet-black stone. It was too perfect, too smooth, to be a natural formation. As his vision cleared, he noticed that the walls were not merely stone, but embedded with dozens of glowing, translucent screens, floating inches from the surface, displaying strange symbols and shifting patterns.
Suddenly, a jolt of raw excitement, hot and dizzying, surged through him. He instinctively reached for his magic core. Instead of the familiar, stubborn resistance, he felt a smooth, powerful flow of energy. His mind raced. He concentrated, willing the power to cycle, and the resistance was gone. It was real. He had finally done it. He was a Novice rank Magus! A year of frustration, of feeling inadequate, vanished in a wave of triumphant disbelief.
A slight sting on his left forearm drew his attention. Looking down, he saw it – a strange, intricate tattoo he'd never seen before, its lines a deep, almost iridescent blue against his skin. It wasn't just a design; it felt… alive. Curious, Orion brought his hand closer, focusing his magic as he'd been taught. Inspecting one's own body with magic was a basic skill, used primarily to identify injuries or to channel power for a stronger punch. It was all he could really do with his magic, aside from his knife skills. He concentrated, pushing mana towards the tattoo.
Suddenly, a soft chime echoed in the silent room, and a rectangular, translucent window shimmered into existence directly before his eyes, startling him.
[ Orion Elias Aetherin ]
[ Race: Human (Unique Lineage) ]
[ Rank: Novice Magus ]
[ Cultivation Technique: Primordial Tether (incomplete) ]
[ Core Dungeon: Whispering Caverns (Level 1) ]
[ Abilities: ][ - Inspect (Basic) ]
[ - Dungeon Link (Passive) ]
[ - Spirit Affinity (Passive) ]
[ Special Status: Scion of Prophecy (Dormant) ]
[ Runic Mark: Active ]
Orion stared, dumbfounded. The pain from his fall was forgotten, replaced by an overwhelming sense of shock. Orion Elias Aetherin? Primordial Tether? Core Dungeon? Scion of Prophecy? His mind reeled. This wasn't just a breakthrough; it was an unveiling. His life, it seemed, was far more complicated than a humble orphan living in Vrindavan on Astraea.