Unlimited Power - The Arcane Path Chapter 1 Prologue

~5 minute read · 1,296 words

Leon had just awakened mid-flight. Having spent the entire prior night at the airport making preparations for his journey, he was undeniably weary and opted for a nap shortly after the plane commenced its ascent.

Despite the plane being completely full, the cabin remained remarkably tranquil. It was 5:00 AM, and though he was fatigued, sleep wouldn't reclaim him. A thrill coursed through him at the prospect of returning home after a four-year absence. He yearned to reunite with his parents and younger sister. Seeing them in person, he felt, was infinitely superior to communicating through a screen. More importantly, he finally had an opportunity to rectify the errors he had committed in the past.

As Leon pondered his destination, a sudden, violent jolt disrupted his thoughts. His body was thrust forward with considerable force, expelling the air from his lungs as he collided with the seat ahead. Immediately thereafter, the piercing sound of an alert echoed, and the realization dawned that the aircraft had struck something. The impact itself wasn't overwhelmingly powerful, and the other passengers appeared to be unharmed.

"Oww…" he murmured, tenderly touching his forehead where it had made contact with the preceding seat. "What on earth just occurred?"

While the other passengers were still attempting to shake off the shock of their abrupt awakening, Leon’s gaze drifted to the window, seeking the cause of the collision. He observed a massive object soaring parallel to the aircraft. Initially, it resembled a bird, but its colossal size made that impossible. After all, birds certainly couldn't match the speed of an airplane.

Abruptly, the entity drew nearer, and Leon discerned that it bore a more reptilian, lizard-like appearance than avian. Acting purely on instinct, he swiftly sat upright and fastened his seatbelt. If pressed to articulate his reasoning, he wouldn't be able to. It was an automatic response, as if programmed. As it turned out, the 'why' became startlingly clear the moment the creature opened its maw, unleashing a torrent of fire that engulfed the plane.

Good heavens! That's a dragon!

That was Leon's final coherent thought as the inferno instantaneously liquefied the aircraft's midsection, instantly claiming the lives of dozens of passengers. Subsequently, the remainder of the plane simply plummeted from the sky.

Congratulations! You have acquired the skill: Fear Resistance!

You have earned 01 status point.

Leon's head swam with the same dizzying speed as the falling plane. Occupying a seat towards the rear, he possessed an unobstructed view of the unfolding catastrophe. The twin sections of the aircraft were descending at breakneck speeds, and the scarcity of oxygen at such an altitude was beginning to cloud his consciousness. With alarming rapidity, the plane's structural integrity failed, its components separating. He yearned to cry out in sheer terror, but the immense air pressure rendered him mute.

What is happening…

Although a small fragment of his mind desperately clung to the notion that this was a nightmarish illusion, the visceral pain and overwhelming horror confirmed its grim reality. A part of him craved surrender, a desperate escape from the pervasive fear, yet he resolutely fought to maintain his awareness.

Congratulations! You have acquired the skill: Mental Fortitude!

You have earned 01 status point.

It appeared his sanity was already starting to fray. Leon perceived disembodied voices echoing within his mind. Even though the other passengers were no longer visible, their screams seemed to linger, fading into the vast distance. He compelled himself to shift his gaze sideways, searching for any sign of the other occupants in their seats, but found none. They must have been dislodged when the plane fractured, swept away by the unforgiving winds. As his own seat began to vibrate uncontrollably, he knew his own departure was imminent.

Congratulations! You have acquired the skill: Perception!

You have gained 01 status point.

His seat finally broke free from the disintegrating fuselage, and the disorienting spinning sensation lessened somewhat. However, without any means to control his trajectory or movements, Leon was once again sent into an uncontrolled tumble. The vertigo returned with a vengeance, accompanied this time by a crippling migraine.

Congratulations! You have acquired the skill: Pain Resistance!

You have gained 01 status point.

At this juncture, the situation had transcended mere hallucination, leading Leon to conclude that the voice must be real. Acknowledging this newfound reality, Leon understood what was required. He envisioned a status screen, and as if conjured by his will, an interface materialized before him. Yet, the relentless spinning rendered it utterly illegible.

He shifted his arms, intending to release the seatbelt, only to discover the seat itself had vanished. He was now in a freefall, utterly unanchored. Gradually, his uncontrolled rotation subsided, allowing his body to stabilize in mid-air, much like a seasoned skydiver. But then…

Oh dear. Oh dear!

Now, Leon could clearly perceive a game-like interface superimposed on his vision. He also saw the fragmented remains of the airplane descending towards the vast ocean, alongside the plummeting forms of the passengers. He had no precise measure of the time that had elapsed since the monstrous assault on the aircraft, but judging by his current altitude, he knew his own time was rapidly running out.

Health: 10 +

Mana: 10 +

Stamina: 10 +

Strength: 06 +

Dexterity: 08 +

Speed: 07 +

Intelligence: 09 +

Endurance: 06 +

Control: 05 +

Mentality: 08 +

Luck: 01 +

Recovery: 01 +

Willpower: 08 +

Coins: 00

Status: 04

Leon found himself pondering the reason for his intense focus on the peculiar screen. It wasn't as if anything displayed could possibly aid him in surviving a fall from such a staggering height. The disembodied voice that echoed reached his ears, stirring memories of game notifications, yet this situation felt far removed from any game he'd played, especially one where survival from such a fall was even conceivable.

Oh god… I'm going to die.

As despair began to overshadow his fear, Leon's heart turned as cold as ice. He acknowledged that something profoundly wrong was occurring, and he would perish without ever understanding why. A dragon had materialized out of nowhere, and he yearned to know the reason. So many aspirations for his life remained unfulfilled, and now, nothing would ever come to pass.

Congratulations! You have learned the skill: Rage!