Beyond The System
Chapter 148: Free

I didn’t say anything as she shook in my arms. Honestly, I wasn’t sure why she chose now, or me of all people to open up to. But to have carried this alone for days… For however long she’s known, it had to be more than painful.

Maybe it was easier because she barely knew me. I don't know.

The moments passed in silence, the sound of waves and wind filling the space between us.

“Vel.” I spoke as gently as I could. “We’re all here for you. Okay?”

She didn’t answer.

“But we have to know what’s going on,” I said after a breath. I didn’t want to pressure her, but keeping this from Thea wasn’t right. And it was healthy for Velea either. “You should tell your sister. We’ll be there for her, and for you.”

I hoped that would prompt her to share more, but it was hard to tell.

“It’s weird, right?” she mumbled. “That place is so dangerous but they still sent me here. They thought it would be safer than home.”

“Yeah,” I said. “Weird.”

I must’ve run pretty far since no one had come after us yet. Then again, maybe no one even thought to give chase.

“Look,” Velea said, lifting her head beneath my arm. “Do you think you could swim all the way there?”

I glanced out at an island not too far off, surrounded by scattered smaller ones. And beyond that... Holy—when did I start seeing so far?

I couldn’t tell the distance exactly, but it felt like I’d turned into a human spyglass. The further I looked, the less detail I saw, yet somehow, it was like my awareness was spreading outward.

I wasn’t just locked on one spot. I could still see Velea. I could still see the beach. My peripheral vision didn’t disappear, but still, my vision expanded far out. It honestly hurt my head a little, all the information flooding into me. But it felt incredible.

“I would try,” I said with a grin, “but what if a big fish eats me? Would you want me to disappear like that?”

She sniffled, then let out a tiny laugh. “I’d take care of Thea.”

“You two are way too similar,” I muttered.

Wyrem, how do you use Spiritual Sense? I asked, the thought suddenly itching at me. Was this from the Harmonic Foundation? The birth of my Spiritual Sense? Or both?

Depends how you want to use it, he replied. It should be instinctive. When you train, it might shift.

When I cultivate, my sense for World Force sharpens, Luna added. But Spiritual Refinement? Nothing yet. It's just too slow.

I’d have to ask Elric about Unveiled Perception. If he could already detect different force types after exploding his Nexus, what could I do with Spirit Sense and my developing Nexus?

“Want to get in?” I asked Velea. “I bet I could swim pretty fast.”

“Maybe we should wait for the others,” she said, her voice cracking just a little, but I could tell most of the weight had lifted.

“Alright. Let’s just watch for now,” I said, though my hand reached forward toward the water on its own. Again, only small crystalline beads of ice formed. Always the wrong form.

“What are you doing?” Velea asked, picking up the pearls of frozen water.

“Trying not to make ice.”

“Why?”

“Why not?” I shrugged. “Experimentation. It’s how I’ve made it this far.” I left out the real reason of trying to increase my control. I figured this could be a decent teaching moment for trying to discover new things... Safely.

“Can I try too?” she asked, settling beside me.

“Go for it.”

She held out her arm like I had, scrunching her nose in full concentration.

I turned back to my own hand. I kept seeing it, just for a second, the orb of water floating above my palm. But every time, it slipped. Impossible to hold.

Wshh.

Waves rolled gently in the background as I tried again.

Drip.

Another failure.

Drip. Drip.

Is it… raining?

I looked up, momentarily distracted. A few clouds lingered, but nothing—“Velea?”

“I think I got it,” she said proudly, holding out her small hand. A tiny puddle swirled there, overflowing slightly and dripping in a steady stream.

“Vel, how the heck?” I stared, stunned. “How are you doing that?”

She shrugged. “Just kinda did. I didn’t really need to think about it.”

You are surrounded by talented people. I feel bad for you, Luna jabbed. None as good as me, of course.

No… Vel had combat training, sure, but she didn’t feel like Elric or her sister. One was a master of control, the other a complete maniac for cultivation and combat. She wasn’t like them. I don't think so.

“What do you mean, you didn’t think about it?” I pressed.

“I just brought my Internal Force to my hand, then… I don’t know. Nothing special. Pulled it out of my palm.” She caught my expression. “Sorry.”

I shook my head. “Don’t be. Could you do something for me?”

She tilted her head, waiting.

“Try shaping it like I do. A sphere.”

She let the water fall through her fingers, merging with the sea, then focused again. But I saw it again this time, like before, just for a moment. The water stayed liquid… then froze, just like mine.

“Huh?” Vel furrowed her brow. “One sec, I did it in one try before.”

“Wait.”

“I promise!” she insisted.

“I believe you. It’s just, you already solved the problem.” I tried to guide her back. “Try like before. Don’t think about shape. Just pull the force out.”

She gave me a confused look, then glanced back at her hand. “Wha—? Why?”

Simple. It was simple enough to figure out from what she’d said. Simple enough for someone like her to get without overthinking.

I’d been in real battles. Not just training or sparring. I needed shape, something piercing and sharp. Something formless, without direction, generally wouldn’t do any damage.

Honestly, maybe even Elric wouldn’t have figured this out. He was too good to make something not dangerous.

But Vel, she wasn’t trying to use it to hurt anyone. She wasn’t focused on force or combat or output. She was just focused on getting something done.

“OH!” she shouted. “I get it! It won’t work with objects. It’s water... so it really is useless!”

“Bwahaha!” Maybe she wasn’t so non-combat focused after all. “Yeah, maybe it is. But still, you figured it out. Be proud.”

I rubbed one eye and focused again. This time, effortlessly, a small pool of water formed in my hand.

Elric had said consistency and flow were what he used to practice control, right? Maybe those were the keys to it. Could I hold it as just a drop? A thin stream?

“So, since we can’t use it for attacks…” Vel stood and brushed the sand off her pants. “What can we do with it?”

I stood as well, a thought, a memory of a vision, stirring in the back of my mind. The calming of chaos. Shape without purpose… life without order…

“No idea!” I admitted. Not like I’m some cosmic creation god. I couldn't* calm* the burning chaos of life or whatever. It was just water for now.

I grinned. “Guess we don’t have to worry about running out of water, though.”

“True, so we’ll be super—”

“Geez! You two wandered off so fast,” Thea called out from the tree line. “You could’ve waited for some of us.”

As she got closer, I saw her gaze drift past us, caught by the stunning view.

“You want to tell her? I’m right here,” I said, resting a hand on Velea’s shoulder. “She’ll understand too.”

“I’ll wait for everyone… They can probably explain more,” she murmured.

I figured Thea had heard at least some of it, but hadn’t pressed. “Who wants to swim? It looks so clear!”

More people emerged from the trees, but I was already tugging off my shirt. “I’m hopping in.”

And I did, but just in case, I activated True Sight and Precursor Sense, highlighting small fish, burrowed critters, and anything else beneath the surface. Seemed safe enough.

Splash!

Someone had jumped in behind me. Then another one.

Thea and Velea had joined me, both with their shirts knotted high and pants rolled to the thighs.

I leaned back, floating, as I heard hurried footsteps. Six splashes, then more. And more.

Bristle, sopping wet, paddled up and rested his head on my chest while I kicked lazily to stay afloat.

“This is it?” I asked.

“More or less,” Drake sighed with satisfaction. “We made it. First islands are right over there.”

Ironscribe floated by in nothing but his undergarments, completely shameless. Maybe he didn't wear clothes under his armor. “That’s where the danger starts. But people have come back from there.”

“Past that,” Marcus said, circling Miss Star with a crooked grin, trailed by five paddling furballs, “that’s where I’ve never heard anything.”

For just a moment, everything stilled.

I saw it, the traces of flawlessness, like clear silk brushing over the world. Then a voice, clean and curious, “The epicenter? You want to go there?”

My heart didn’t freeze like before. I was too relaxed to hold any dread. I just a smile. “If there’s no one from the State to bother us, everyone’s here, and you really blocked the Great Monster, then yes. I’ll be happy anyway.”

“Hmm. Be happy, then.”

The sensation passed, and I was moving in the water again.

“Stop being so paranoid,” Sia muttered. “I’ll watch out for her. You’re being bothersome.”

“You’re being bothersome,” Elric shot back.

“AH!”

“You two need to behave when we’re with company,” Lyra scolded at whatever caused Sia to shriek.

“Seriously. Wait until we build a room or something,” Thea joined in.

“Like you can talk,” Elric said, his tone too casual. “I left when I noticed, but seriously… you didn’t even go that far away.”

I was stunned at Elric's bravery... or stupidity. We were in the water. I mean, that had to be common knowledge, right? Modern conductivity laws be damned. Thea was dangerous here.

“Thea. Let’s be reasonable.” I could feel her tension building. “We just got here… No need for everyone to die now.”

“I think I can just get him,” she hissed, face flushed.

“What? I was just joking. No one chased after you innocent lovers.” Elric raised a brow, then froze as it clicked. “Wait, you didn’t actually do—OW!”

“Stop teasing her!” Lyra snapped as Sia snickered nearby.

“Wait, Peter. You sealed the deal?” Trevor shouted, finally surfacing from a dive. “Wow… Nice.” He gave a wildly inappropriate thumbs-up.

“DUDE?!” I could sense the bomb ticking, fast, so I acted.

I swam to Thea and wrapped my arms around her from behind. Bristle shifted targets, drifting over to Vel. The tension broke.

Danger or not…

This was better than anything I’d felt in months.

Everyone I cared about, here and safe.

Free.