The Fractured

"The Earth in 2017 had increased fear of the heating of the world. Weather patterns were becoming more and more volatile and political tensions were rising. Meanwhile a government on the other side of the world was prodding into space travel, little did they kn-"

"Lorelei?" A scruffy man with white hair and full facial hair questioned.

She was sucked into the program as she sat perfectly still on the couch. Hoisted in the air by a gravitational anomaly. Noetheris pods sat beneath it and above it keeping it suspended in air regardless of weight.

Noetheris - a power of "unknown" comprehension that is utilized to manipulate gravity. Can only be utilized by Constructborn beings.

"Yes?" Lorelei calmly replies

"We need to head to the Soulkiln. Get dressed and recharge, we need to be there in 30" he asserts.

"Yes sir I will get ready this instant." she coldly responds. Lorelei floats down from her perch and saunters into the adjacent room. Her entire room filled to the brim with Noetherian objects. Although none suspended in air. By all appearances it was a normal Western style room. In the corner was a large Battery. She backs into the large apparatus and closes her eyes. The objects around the room took flight: her bed, dresser, side table and all levitated above the ground. Only reopening them 10 minutes later, she spreads her arms and legs. Her clothes dissolve off of her body and are replaced by metal plating, lined by Noetheris pods. The furniture returned to the standard positions and she headed back into the front of the residency. The old man was sitting on the now grounded couch scrolling on some sort of device. The couch begins to float back into the air before he hops down and turns toward her.

"Professor Drosswyn, I am prepared for regeneration. Shall we depart?"

"Let's get going, we don't wanna be late do we?" the professor responds ogling Lorelei from top to bottom.

Professor Caelin Drosswyn is of Vaelkin decent otherwise known as Thoughtborn decent. A race of intellectual, semi-elemental beings who are known as the guardians of the Construct born

The pair exited the small home, being meet by nothing but open sky. The home of Lorelei was located separately from the Flameborn. Only connected by a two-passenger rail system that connects to the base of their home island. Lorelei and Drosswyn sit into the rollercoaster like seats.

"Alright, medal to the metal Lorelei. We have a 15 minute ride, so that only leaves us 5 minutes to walk. When we get there DO NOT interact with anybody, I will handle it."

"As you wish sir" Lorelei closed her eyes and the transporter rose off the rails and took off towards Pyraethis.

"Can't you go any faster Lorelei?"

"I can, I just didn't want to risk you any harm."

"Hey, I am semi-elemental at least. I will be fine we just need to hurry."

"As you wish sir" The transport launches forward with force and arrived to Pyraethis in under 15 minutes.

Meanwhile at the Ignivarum Institute

"Today we will be talking about the importance of the Soulkiln. This is the lifeblood of our world. Without it the entire world that we know would come crashing to the surface. In the same sense, without this device none of the Flameborn would exist. Does anybody know how we maintain this machine?" In the back right corner of the room sat a student with a raised hand. The professor points.

"Mr. Caelin?"

"Yes Dr. Roht, the Soulkin is recharged and maintained by the Constructborn, and the Constructborn are maintained by the Thoughtborn." the boy exclaimed

"That is correct, and class, how often does this process take place?" Dr. Roht questions. The same hand shot up. The professor ignored it this time and scanned the classroom.

"Anybody other than Mr. Caelin?" the professors brows furrowed and took a deep sigh. Before she could point to Caelin the hand in front of him shot up.

"Yes Miss?"

"The process occurs every 4 days?" The girl, unconvincingly, answered. Caelin buried his face in his hands, shaking his head.

"Close one! Mr. Caelin, what is your answer?" Giggles were heard quietly throughout the classroom. The girls face brightened and she looked at her feet.

"Um- I actually thought it was 4 as well..." He glanced at the girl in front of him. Whispers persisted in the room.

"Even YOU got this question wrong! I "thought" using your brain was the only thing you were good at!" Laughter erupted in the room, but Caelin kept his eyes fixed on the girl in front of him.

"Quiet down everybody! Mr. Virexen would you like to answer the question instead? I didn't realize your hand was up." Her eyes glared at him. His flaming eyes glared back. With a huff of smoke her responded.

"Oh. I wasn't raising my hand, but if you want me to answer I know it is 3 days. I just wanted to give the Thoughtborn a chance" Dr. Roht rolled her eyes and deferred. The kids around him playfully punched his arms and giggled. The big goofy smile on his face told her everything she needed to know.

"That is correct... Anyways, if this process isn't maintained every 3 days calamity WILL ensue, time anomalies, collapse of any Noetherian artifacts, and instability of weather. If the Soulkiln is not charged within another 4 days after that then nothing can stop the collapse of our city. Of course this has never happened, so we are not sure what the endgame of this scenario would be." Dr. Roht glanced back over at Caelin.

"Why did he answer incorrectly?" she thought

"We do have some theories on the matter, but for now we will stop there. Is there any further questions before we dismiss?" The room was silent, people were already packing up their stuff and beginning to leave the classroom.

"Dismissed" she said in a defeated voice. Caelin was on his way out of the classroom when Dr. Roht called out to him.

"Caelin."

"Yes Doctor?"

"Wanna explain yourself?"

"I don't know what you mean Doctor, just got it wrong..."

"I guess you're more like your father than I thought" Dr. Roht smiled to herself.

Caelin took off after the girl who was incorrect.

"Where is she? She couldn't have gone that far it's only been like 2 minutes" He was briskly walking through the corridor. His head on a swivel looking everywhere he could. He closed his eyes and focused. Feeling the space around him.

"4 to the left. 20 straight ahead... 1 behind?"

"What are you doing?" the girl in question was standing right behind him. Hands clasped around a wad of textbooks.

"I was looking for you of course..."

"I didn't need your help by the way-- I should've gotten it right anyways, I just reversed the process and was thinking of the pre-collapse timer." the girl turned her head looking out over the lively, floating city.

"Well I didn't want one of the great families kin to seem less knowledgeable, so..."

"Whatever, all you did is make your life harder. He won't leave you alone regardless, you know that? All you did was give him more ammunition to be a douchebag." the girl said with a concerned look on her face.

"Better he's rude to me than to you." Caelin shrugged. He continued walking down the hall gesturing for her to follow. The girl in question is quite important Aurelyn Soltharyn. She's from one of the Five families, particularly the family that excels in philosophy, light-based magic, and holds a profound influence on the Ember Archives, religion, and universities across the country.

The Five Families of Pyraethis

1. House Virexen (Firstflame):

The Leaders of the Pyrelore Ascendancy. The oldest, most influential family in terms of politics. Said to have descended from the first mortal that survived the Shattering. The descendants are born with an internal fire, visible through their eyes and breath.

2. House Kaelithar (Emberbinders):

Masters of Forgery. This family is said to produce the most incredible weapons, weapons that cut through flesh and memory. They hold an influential part within the Ascendancy, the Crucible Ring, in which they act as enforcers of Pyraethian law.

3. House Soltharyn (Lightbearers):

Heart of Pyraethian Education and Philosophy. They control light-based magic and control a special type of pyro-luminal Constructs. They also are known as prophetic and they interpret the will of fire.

4. House Drenvok (Ashwrought):

A religious powerhouse. Flameborn that embrace death and decay as part of the natural system of the world. They oversee important funerals, soulburns, and flame-pacts. Relatively unknown outside of governmental personnel.

5. House Malcarin (Stormflame Vanguard):

This family's only goal is strong military presence in the face of outside forces. They descended from the other 4 families, intermixing the most talented offspring and utilizing them for militaristic benefit,