Real Dream: Infinity

"What do you want?" William asked, raising an eyebrow. His voice was flat but laced with exhaustion.

Aurora, still startled by his sudden appearance, felt all the conversations she had practiced in her head crumble like a sandcastle swept away by the wind.

"Well, then..." William said, pretending to turn away.

"W-Wait! I... I want to talk," Aurora blurted, reaching a hand toward him, as though trying to grasp something intangible that might slip away at any moment.

"Talk? With you? Why should I? I don't know you," William replied, shrugging with indifference. Still, there was a faint hint of mockery in his tone. However, when his eyes met Aurora's, something shifted.

Aurora didn't answer immediately. Instead, her expression became completely serious, as though all the lightness had vanished in an instant. Her eyes, which seemed to reflect the depth of an unspoken pain, caused William's heart to pound unexpectedly. For a moment, he felt an impulse to step back, startled by the intensity of her gaze.

"W-What's wrong?" William stammered, trying to maintain his composure.

"Because I know what it's like to not be able to talk to anyone," Aurora finally said, her voice low but firm, carrying a melancholy that seemed to pierce through any facade William might have built.

Her words struck William like lightning. His face lost all expression, and for a moment, a wave of anger surged in his mind. "You don't know anything about me. What could you possibly understand about not being able to talk to anyone?" But as he observed the genuine sadness in Aurora's eyes, his rage abruptly dissipated.

He let out a soft sigh and looked up at the sky, searching for answers among the slowly drifting white clouds. "Fine," he said at last, his voice gentle as he turned back toward her. "We'll talk... though I don't know what you mean."

Aurora's expression changed completely. A radiant smile lit up her face as she nodded eagerly. "Of course, of course!" she replied excitedly, following him as they crossed the checkpoint into the Luminary District.

***

As soon as they crossed the gate, Aurora froze. Her eyes widened as she took in the streets before her.

"The streets are made of Luxyn!" she exclaimed in amazement, crouching down to touch the glowing material. It was an advanced compound created from In and rare minerals, allowing a seamless connection with the surrounding energetic elements. Every step she took caused small bursts of light to dance beneath her feet.

"Well, of course," William said indifferently. "Everything here runs on In. Combined with Luxyn, the cars are fully autonomous. No accidents, no errors."

Aurora barely heard him. She looked around with the wonder of a child in a theme park. The houses, though uniform in design, were breathtaking. Their black-and-white facades gleamed under the light emanating from the meticulously groomed gardens. The perfectly trimmed trees looked like they belonged in a painting.

"This place feels like a dream," she murmured, leaning slightly to try to see inside one of the houses.

William glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, raising his eyebrows slightly. "This girl is strange," he thought. He knew Aurora was from Etheron, a much less sophisticated planet. For some reason, he had assumed she wouldn't like such an artificial place as the Luminary District, but the way she marveled at everything proved him wrong.

"It's here," William said abruptly, stopping in front of a house with a flawless garden. Aurora, having walked a few steps ahead, turned and followed him.

The house was an imposing two-story building with a modern yet welcoming facade. The main door opened automatically, revealing the interior. The floor gleamed like a mirror, made of Ferroin—a material that reflected light with an almost magical effect. The Luxyn walls emitted a soft glow that adjusted in intensity based on people's movements.

As soon as Aurora stepped over the threshold, she was stunned.

The interior of the house was so pristine it looked like a museum. The floors shone as if they had never been stepped on, and the minimalist, elegant furniture was arranged with near-obsessive precision.

"If William saw my room, he'd probably send a report to the Helion director to have me expelled," Aurora thought with an amused smile.

She was about to dash off to explore every corner when William stopped her.

"Take off your shoes. You can leave them there," he said, pointing to a compartment near the door as he pulled down his hood.

"Oh, right!" Aurora said, carefully removing her shoes and placing them in the designated spot. As soon as she did, she sprinted into the house.

William sighed, watching her dart around like a child, her curiosity almost tangible.

"WALLS MADE OF LUXYN! WAIT, WAIT! THE FLOOR IS FERROIN!" Aurora shouted as she dashed from one side to the other, touching surfaces and watching how the light responded to her movements.

"It's like being in Helion," she murmured, her voice tinged with a mix of joy and nostalgia.

William stood at a distance, arms crossed. "She's definitely strange," he thought, though he couldn't help feeling a slight curiosity about her enthusiasm.

He headed toward the food preparation area, a fully automated space with holographic walls displaying an infinite menu of available dishes. As he selected something to drink, Aurora's sudden presence startled him. She had appeared behind him, staring at the screen with wide, bright eyes.

"Do you want something to drink?" William asked, slightly unnerved by her closeness.

Aurora grinned widely.

"Of course! But... you have to explain how all this works first!" she said, her contagious energy filling the room in a way William hadn't expected.

Aurora studied the hologram displaying the array of drinks and dishes as William approached a section of what appeared to be a flat wall. He touched a specific point, activating a soft light.

"This is part of Helios Tech's automated system," William explained, noticing Aurora's curious gaze. "The house is directly connected to an underground storage facility. It's controlled by an advanced AI that manages everything using robotic arms powered by In as the primary energy source. Everything I order here is prepared in seconds and sent directly to this station."

Aurora raised an impressed eyebrow. "And how safe is it? What if it serves me cold soup instead of coffee?" she joked.

William smirked faintly. "Trust me, this system is more precise than any human. Now, what do you want to drink?"

"Coffee with milk," Aurora replied after a moment, still scanning the room with her eyes.

"Perfect. Same for me," William said as he placed the order. A gentle hum resonated from the wall, and within seconds, a compartment opened, revealing two steaming cups.

Aurora took her cup, turning it in her hands and examining it as if it were a work of art. She took a sip, her eyes lighting up before narrowing slightly. "It's delicious, but I think I could make it better," she said, lifting her chin with an air of superiority.

William set his cup down on the table, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. "Oh, really? Let me explain something. This coffee is made with Luxora beans, cultivated under optimal conditions with a mix of minerals and trace amounts of In to enhance its flavor and benefits. The milk is treated at a molecular level to maintain perfect balance. Any deviation from this process could affect both the taste and the sensory experience it provides."

Aurora stared at him for a moment, blinked, and then rolled her eyes dramatically. "Gods, you're a walking instruction manual," she said, turning to sit at the table and muttering something under her breath.

William allowed himself a satisfied smirk and sat across from her, resting his elbows on the table. "So, what did you want to talk about?" he asked, his tone more relaxed.

Aurora lifted her cup to her lips, flashing a playful smile before answering. "I went to see the Dominion yesterday."

William nearly choked on his coffee. He blinked several times, his expression wavering between disbelief and resignation. Finally, he sighed. "I thought you wanted to talk about something else," he muttered to himself. Fully resigning, he adopted a mischievous smile and asked, "So, what did you think of that theater?"

"THAT REDHEAD IS SUCH A SON OF A BITCH!" Aurora exclaimed, slamming her cup onto the table with just enough care not to spill its contents.

William stared at her, surprised by the outburst of anger from someone who seemed so calm. Unable to contain himself, he burst into laughter. "I can't believe it… You, saying something like that."

And here I thought this girl was emotionless...

Aurora laughed too, though with a hint of embarrassment. "He just got on my nerves! He doesn't stand a chance against an Emergent!"

"Yeah, that guy is an idiot. Who did you spectate?" William asked curiously, hiding his smile behind his cup. "How about Melisfir?"

Aurora nodded quickly, her eyes shining with excitement. "Yes, you guessed it! Melisfir is incredible! Her black suit, the metallic military cap, and that mask with the white crack down the middle... She's so imposing. And her tactics—flawless. Even when No Limits confronted her, she didn't back down. She's a fighter to the very end. Although, I have to admit No Limits is terrifying. He withstood attacks from everyone, and if he hadn't gone straight for Melisfir, he could've lasted a lot longer."

William nodded slowly, trying to conceal his interest. "Sounds intense."

"Did you go see it?" Aurora asked, tilting her head curiously.

"Eh, yeah. It was entertaining," William replied with feigned indifference.

"Suure," Aurora replied, drawing out the word sarcastically as she gave him a pointed look. "Anyway, I don't understand much about Emergents. You, living in Aetheris where the Dominion happens, must know more. I'm curious about the abilities they use. What can you tell me about them?"

William stayed quiet for a moment, resting his chin on his hand. She didn't say it outright, but he could tell she knew he was different. Living in the Luminary District wasn't for just anyone.

Leaning slightly forward, William adopted a casual but calculated tone.

"Well, Emergents have abilities that vary depending on the stages of their development. It all starts with Phase 1, where they need injections to channel In. They don't have a core, so all they can do is use the In they're given. They can never regenerate it."

Aurora set her cup down on the table, crossing her legs and leaning toward him with interest.

"And these abilities? What exactly can they do?"

William held his cup in one hand, turning it slightly as he carefully chose his words.

"In this initial stage, Emergents can do fairly basic but useful things. For example, they can use In to increase their strength, speed, and physical endurance. It allows them to face extreme situations, but it comes at a high cost. Every time they use In, they lose part of their reserve, and once it's gone, that's it."

Aurora nodded, her eyes glimmering with curiosity.

"And healing? I noticed that too."

"Yes, they can heal superficial wounds, but it's not perfect," William responded, his voice taking on a more technical tone. "The process doesn't fully restore the skin's original appearance, leaving scars or marks. It also consumes a lot of In, so it's not something they can do often."

Aurora leaned back in her chair, reflecting.

"Hmm, that sounds limited. What about objects?"

William smiled faintly.

"Good question. They can also enhance objects with In. For example, a simple sword can become strong enough to cut through steel. But there's a catch: they need meticulous control over the flow of In. If they mess it up, the object could break or become unstable."

Aurora rested her chin on her hand.

"Interesting. What about that... aura some of them have?"

William let out a soft sigh.

"It's called In Aura. It's visible, but in Phase 1, it's extremely weak or consumes so much In that it's not worth using. That's why most Emergents in this stage avoid it."

Aurora raised an eyebrow.

"Doesn't sound like being an Emergent is very rewarding."

William chuckled softly.

"I'd say it's not, but it's just the first step. In the Dominion, for example, Helios Tech completely extracts their In at the end of the event. It's not sustainable in the long term. Those in Phase 1 are more like... artificial Emergents controlled by Helios Tech."

Aurora looked at him with a mix of interest and suspicion.

"And what about Phase 2? They must be different."

William's tone became more animated, as if the topic sparked something within him.

"Ah, Phase 2 is called Luminar. This is where things get interesting. Unlike Emergents, Luminars have a core. This core allows them to generate their own In, meaning they no longer rely on external injections."

Aurora leaned forward, intrigued.

"What can they do with that?"

William smirked slightly, enjoying her attention.

"First, they can manifest their aura more naturally. This visible halo not only increases their strength and vitality but can also be used in attacks. However, once the In is released, they can't manipulate it anymore."

"And what about objects?" Aurora asked quickly.

"This is where In-imbued objects become artifacts. These artifacts are much more durable and functional than before. They can gain unique properties depending on how In is applied to them."

Aurora squinted, processing all the information.

"And recovery?"

"It's far more advanced than in Phase 1. Luminars can heal serious wounds, but there are two ways to do it. If they need to recover quickly, they can spend a large amount of In at once, though it won't be perfect. But if they have time, they can do it slowly, using fewer resources and doing it properly."

Aurora took another sip of her coffee, studying him closely.

"All of this sounds incredibly complex."

William shrugged.

"It is. And I haven't even told you everything."

Aurora smirked mischievously.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?"

William took a sip of his coffee, trying to hide a smile.

"Because I'm a man of mysteries."

Aurora let out a light laugh, momentarily breaking the tension in the air.

"And you?" she finally asked, looking him directly in the eyes. "What phase are you?"

William blinked, caught off guard by the direct question.