Readiness is the silent promise you make to yourself that when the moment arrives, you won't be caught wishing.
The descent into Eldrath Prime was not a transition of metal and chaos, but a submersion into a land of infinite green. As the Prospect ship breached the troposphere, the sterile, pressurised air replaced by an atmospheric richness that tasted of damp earth, blooming flora, and the sharp, metallic ozone of raw Nexium.
The Voidwalker stood at the viewport, his hands clasped behind his back. Beside him, Kallus Eldrath—the Keeper of the Nex and Patriarch of his Dynasty—watched the young man's reflection. Kallus's robes shon a deep sapphire, embroidered with silver threads that seemed to pulse with a faint, rhythmic light.
"It is a lot to take in for one who has spent his life in the grey corridors of the Core Worlds," Kallus said, his voice a low, resonant baritone that carried the weight of centuries of study. "Most see a jungle. We see a library. Every vine, every mountain, every drop of the aquafalls is a vessel for information."
"It's beautiful," the Voidwalker whispered, his eyes tracking a flight of iridescent avian creatures as they darted through the canopy of trees that stood hundreds of feet tall.
"Beauty is merely the symmetry of logic," piped in Artemis Eldrath. She stood on the other side of the Voidwalker, her posture precise. Unlike her father's more traditional robes, her attire was a sleek, reinforced weave designed for mobility, though it still bore the crystalline accents of the Eldrath line. "The biodiversity here is a result of Nexirial saturation. The life doesn't just grow on Eldrath Prime, if anything it calculates."
The ship glided toward the mountainous heartlands, where the Nexium Sanctuary loomed. It was a marvel of starbound architecture—a massive ziggurat carved directly into the emerald cliffs. It appeared less like a building and more like a protrusion of the planet's own skeleton, fused with crystalline engineering. Tiered terraces overflowed with bioluminescent flowers that shifted through shades of cyan and cobalt, while waterfalls cascaded from the heights, their mists shimmering with the blue sparks of Prime Nexomancy.
The vessel touched down on a landing pad of polished black. As the ramp lowered, the sheer scale of the Sanctuary hit the Voidwalker. The air hummed. It was a low-frequency vibration that resonated in his marrow—the heartbeat of the Nex.
"Welcome to the seat of our knowledge," Kallus said, gesturing toward the grand entrance where two massive statues of ancient Nexomancers stood guard, their stone palms facing upward, cradling orbs of perpetual blue light. "The God Emperor has entrusted your path to us. Here, you will learn to speak the sacred language of the Nex."
"You don't… really mean?.." Kallus turned to him with a look of dissatisfaction. "Ok I get it. No actual language learning," the Voidwalker replied, "thank God for translators." Eldrath rolled his eyes and they kept moving.
They began their ascent through the lower terraces. Artemis led the way, her steps light and practiced. As they walked, the Voidwalker observed the life within the Sanctuary. On one terrace, a group of initiates—members of the Nexomancer's Guild from various corners of the Imperium—were gathered in a circle. They were practicing the fundamental constructs of Prime Nexomancy.
The Voidwalker paused to watch. A young initiate, sweating with concentration, attempted to manifest a geometric shield. A flurry of blue sparks erupted from his fingertips, forming a flickering hexagram of light. However, the lines were uneven; the energy sputtered and hissed like dying embers before shattering into harmless glimmers.
"Precision over power," Artemis remarked to the Voidwalker, noticing his gaze. "He is trying to force the Nex to obey. You cannot command the tide; you can only build the channel through which it flows. My father taught me that. This one however lacks the geometric foresight required for a stable construct."
To demonstrate, Artemis flicked her wrist. With a grace that seemed effortless, blue energy bled from her skin, weaving itself into a complex, rotating dodecahedron that hovered above her palm. It was perfect—stable, silent, and glowing with a serene light. With a small smile, she closed her hand, and the light vanished into a puff of whimsical sparks.
"The Guild teaches many things," Kallus added as they moved into the interior of the Sanctuary. "But the Eldrath Dynasty specialises in the Prime. We focus on light, form, and the Universal energies. You, however, are the Voidwalker. The Nex has chosen you to bridge the gap between the Personal, the Universal, and the Dimensional. Your training will be... more rigorous."
The interior of the Sanctuary was a labyrinth of wisdom. Walls were lined with "living archives"—crystalline data-spires that projected holographic scrolls of ancient lore. Sentient vines, glowing with a soft inner light, crept along the ceilings, occasionally moving to adjust the position of a floating lamp or a scholar's desk. The atmosphere was one of profound contemplation.
They reached the upper residential tiers, where the air was cooler and scented with mountain air. Artemis stopped before a heavy door made of silver-wood, a material unique to Eldrath Prime that was sensitive to magical resonance.
"Your quarters," she announced as she unlocked the door with a unique and sleek block of runic emerald into the door handle that opened up to its presence. The Voidwalker had never seen anything quite like it - even the little things, he thought.
The room was minimalist but elegant. A large balcony overlooked the mist-shrouded jungle below, offering a view of the distant horizon where the suns of Eldrath Prime were beginning to set, painting the sky in shades of violet. A simple bed, a desk for study, and a meditation mat occupied the space.
"Rest is a component of mastery," Kallus said, placing a hand on the Voidwalker's shoulder. "The mind must be a still pool to reflect the stars. We have provided texts on the basic sciences of Nexirial channeling. I suggest you familiarise yourself with the distinctions between Personal and Universal energies. The Nex is fed by your own vitality, but it is expanded by the universe around you. Understanding that balance is the difference between an architect and a casualty."
The Voidwalker turned to the balcony, the weight of his "Imperial Assignment" settling on him. He was no longer just a man; he was a focal point for the balance of the universe, a pawn of the God Emperor being shaped into a king-piece by the masters of light.
"I'm ready to begin," the Voidwalker said, turning back to his mentors. His voice was steady, despite the storm of uncertainty in his chest.
Kallus's eyes crinkled with a hint of a smile—the expression of a scholar who had found a particularly interesting scroll. "I admire your fervor. But readiness is a state of being, not a declaration. Come. The suns are setting, and the Nex is most vibrant in the twilight."
Kallus led the way out of the room and down a private corridor that spiraled upward, away from the public areas of the Guild. This was the heart of the Eldrath estate, an area forbidden to all but the highest-ranking Nexomancers.
They emerged onto a secluded, circular plateau perched on the very peak of the mountain. The ground was etched with intricate silver runes that formed a massive star-map. This was Kallus's private training circle. Around the perimeter, the "spectral guardians" mentioned in legends—shimmering, translucent figures of light—stood motionless, their eyes fixed on the horizon.
The wind whipped at Kallus's robes as he took his place at the center of the circle. The air here felt different; it was thick, almost liquid, saturated with Nexium to the point of physical pressure.
"The first lesson of Eldrath is not how to strike," Kallus said, his voice cutting through the wind. "It is how to see. Everything you see—the trees, the sky, Artemis, myself—is a manifestation of the Nex. We are all ripples in the same pond."
He raised his arms, and the entire plateau began to glow. Thousands of blue sparks drifted upward from the runes like reverse snowfall.
"The Voidwalker must learn to see the strings before he can play the harp," Kallus continued, his expression turning grave and intensely focused. "Artemis will act as your catalyst. I will act as your anchor."
Artemis stepped to the edge of the circle, her hands already beginning to weave a complex series of mudras. Blue light began to dance between her fingers, forming sharp, crystalline needles of energy.
"The God Emperor believes you are the key to the coming darkness," Kallus said, his eyes glowing with a sudden, piercing blue intensity. "The Eldrath Dynasty will ensure that key is forged in the purest light. Prepare yourself, Voidwalker. Your first session begins now."
As Artemis released the first volley of energy—not to harm, but to test his reflexes and his latent connection to the Nex—the Voidwalker felt the world shift. The jungle, the sanctuary, and the stars all seemed to blur into a single, cohesive web of power. For the first time, he didn't just see the light. He felt it calling to him, a vast, echoing force waiting for him to join the rest.