Divine Path System

The days continued to pass.

The young Varian and Sia continued on with their daily lives.

Everyday, Enigma would try to break out of the prison she woke up in and fail. But she would keep trying.

Unsurprisingly, there's not much she could do from the inside to break the prison.

Due to Isadora's unconscious will that dominated this place, Enigma couldn't break free. It's not that Isadora wanted anything bad against Enigma but when she fell into a coma, the external environment was very hostile.

Isadora must've been trying to prevent Enigma from getting into any danger.

This would change as Sia grew stronger and her unconscious will eventually recognizing the world as safe.

Of course, the critical part of brekathrough was Sia's mental defense which would crumble on Varian's birthday.

Initially, Varian stayed with her thinking the young Enigma held the key for getting out of the formation. But it dawned on him that it's not it.

'Where is Enigma?'

He assumed she was in a different dream altogether but after analyzing this dreamscape down to its roots, he understood that there's a good chance she might be in the same dream.

Then came the question, if Enigma didn't hold the key to getting out of this dream, then who did?

As he ruminated over the problem, the 'real' world continued.

For inexplicable reasons, the timeline distorted and fast forwarded, jumping months at times.

A lot changed.

Sia awakened. So did many of their peers at school.

Varian did not.

It was still in the early stages but people were pointing fingers at the hardworking boy who everyone thought would be a talented awakener.

As days passed and 90% of the students awakened, a noticable shift had already occured.

Varian and a few unlucky students were branded as outcasts. The unawakened weren't mistreated on their face. After all, some people did awaken late. But they were seen as defective.

A few newly awakened tried to bully Varian. He dealt with them swiftly thanks to his strength but getting into fights wasn't a pleasant matter. Especially not with those you thought were your friends just weeks ago.

Still, Varian continued to be optimistic. Hope, after all, was abundant in this young boy who carried great dreams on his shoulders.

Even though they were grandiose to the point of absurdity, if a man couldn't even dream, then what could he even achieve?

And then, even the last member of the class awakened.

Except Varian.

A few more weeks passed.

And people's patience…seemed to have run out.

Varian became the target of bullying. From the corridors to playgrounds, in the classes to meals, the boys who envied his popularity at school started their revenge.

They weren't adults yet but they were no children. The teenagers grouped together and tried to bully the boy who was beyond their reach not too long ago.

Since they were still newbies, Varian was winning most fights. But when they grouped together, all he could do was flee.

The 'pride' which stemmed from devoting years to practice prevented him from seeking help, even from Sia.

As a result, he had more bruises and cuts. A few fractures and ligament tears were common.

When questioned about his sudden increase in injuries, he'd answer with the one answer that'd never go wrong.

Training.

Sia was growing suspicious. She had already warned a few who were talking ill of Varian. But she didn't know the extent of what he was facing.

And then one day, she witnessed him fighting four boys in the alley behind the school.

She didn't yell them to stop or ask why they were fighting. The first thing she did was beat them all up and then bring Varian to the infirmary.

The whole time, Varian avoided her gaze. Understanding his feelings, Sia didn't ask anything.

But after that day, more than a dozen boys had to take long breaks after breaking their legs and arms.

The bullying had dropped due to the scary rumors that quickly spread. People still gave him bad looks and gossiped but that's all they could do. That's all they could dare to without inciting the wrath of the school genius.

Young Varian continued with his training in hopes for awakening, even though he's so late.

Nothing happened.

On a fine day, Young Sia and Varian were engaged in a conversation while Enigma watched with twinkling eyes.

"What do you want for your birthday?"

"A kiss."

"Wh-What?"

"Hahahahaha! I'm joking, I want a good sports shoes."

"…My pocket money won't be enough."

"Hey, I just want a good cake. The one from the old store."

"The owner bakes only a few everyday. Ummm, I guess I'll have to line up early. Consider it done."

"Sia is the best!"

"That I am!"

*** *** *** ***

"Come to think of it, is it around this time that Sia awakened her second power?" Varian rubbed his chin.

Sia first awakened in mind path. Then it was Gravity—the path tied to Enigma's origin.

"The timeflow of this world is different from the outside. A few seconds should've passed outside. But there's no telling what might happen. I have to hurry."

Enigma wasn't the solution for cracking this dream.

"I have to do something…wait," Varian stood up and his eyes widened. "I am."

His vision warped and he reached the young Varian. Perhaps because he's a soul, he was able to get in.

With the sound of a balloon popping, the world shifted and he found himself sitting next to the bed.

In front of him was the young Sia, displaying her gravity powers. Two paths weren't strange but a second awakening was.

"Varian…is something wrong with me?" Sia opened her mouth cautiously. "Am I..."

"It's fine." Varian's mouth moved without his instructions. "We just have to tell everyone that you hid your second power. Or you can keep hiding your second power."

"Is that so," Sia pursed her lips and lowered her head. Her tense shoulders relaxed. What vexed her wasn't how she had to manage the power but what he'd think of her if something strange like that happened to her.

"Thank you….."

The conversation flowed, just as it did in the past.

Varian's soul in his younger self's body struggled to gain control. The key to cracking this dream was his younger self. He couldn't let the opportunity slip by.

'Fight! Fight! Fight!'

"—ight!"

Varian's loud roar caused Sia to cover her ears insintinctively. Glaring at him with a hint of confusion, she asked. "What the hell was that?"

"Haa! Huff! Huff!"

Varian exhaled heavily, his palms slick with sweat.

"What happened to you?" Sia raised an eyebrow and quickly reached for a cloth to wipe off his sweat. "You were talking just fine and suddenl—"

"Young Sia, errr, Sia, I have something crazy to confess." Varian wiped the sweat off his forehead and said with a solemn expression.

Sia straightened her back and folded her hands on her thighs. With a sorrowful gaze, she lowered her head. "It's about my second awakening, right? I know it's weird."

Varian rubbed the back of his head. "It's impossible for one person to awaken twice. There's only one origin."

"I know, bu—"

"What if there are more people…inside you?"

"Are you crazy?"

Puff!

Varian caught the pillow she threw at him and raised his hands.

"Just think for a moment. There are people with multiple personalities. It's not so out of possibility if there are people with multiple souls."

"But souls, are they even a thing?" Sia tilted her head.

Ah, right. Human Federation was against such concepts, calling them outdated. That's also the education they recieved.

"Then how about different senses of self? Different minds?" Varian continued to press on.

Sia looked him in the eye. "What are you trying to say?"

"If you have two paths than one, then you must also have two souls than one."

"Are you reading some strange stuff again?"

"Please."

"Even if you say that, I can't see this anything more than a prank."

Varian thought for a moment before holding her hands. "Close your eyes, meditate on your self."

"Myself?" Sia closed her eyes and mumbled.

"Yes. The focus of your mediation isn't a flame or darkness but yourself. Use your mind powers, try to dig in deep. What do you see?"

"…Darkness. But it's moving…?"

"Dive deeper. Go into the darkness."

"It's scary, I can't."

Varian tightly held Sia's trembling hands and urged. "You can do it. I am with you."

"I am going deeper."

"Dive in more. What do you see?"

"Darkness."

"More."

"More."

"More."

"…I feel like I'm hitting something. Eeh, have I gone mad?" Sia almost opened her eyes but thankfully, Varian managed to prevent her.

"That barrier. Yes, strike it with your power."

"Wh-What? But I have no power."

"Your mind is the power. Imagine it cracking."

"Okay."

Kacha! "Eh? Ah? Eeeh?"

A light enveloped the young Sia and her body proportions changed.

Varian gave a tired smile to the bewildered young lady.

"Welcome to the world, Enigma."

Crack!

The dream broke.