Phantom covonent: Spiritbound Ascension

Entering the Ethereal State

Arman sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the wall in deep thought. His body was exhausted from the long journey, but his mind refused to rest. He had waited for this moment—the true beginning of his training.

Outside, the afternoon sun hung high in the sky, casting warm light through the window. The faint chatter of people outside the inn barely reached his ears, drowned out by the anticipation building within him.

He took a deep breath and whispered, "Alright… how do we start?"

A familiar voice boomed in his mind, calm yet powerful.

"First, you must learn to control your energy. But we will not train outside. Do you remember the place where we first met? The pitch-dark space?"

Arman's eyes narrowed as the memory surfaced—a void of pure darkness, endless and consuming. In that space, he had felt weightless yet trapped, as if he existed yet did not.

"Yeah, I remember. But how do you know I can even go there again? Last time, you pulled me in, and I could barely stay for long."

"That's because you were unconscious. Your spirit was unstable. But if you learn to control your spirit energy and enter by yourself, you can stay there much longer. That's where I will train you."

A flicker of unease passed through Arman. "So… how do I do this?"

The voice responded, slow and deliberate.

"You must push your body into a state where it becomes unconscious, yet your mind remains awake. You must see yourself from the outside."

Arman frowned. "You mean… like an out-of-body experience?"

"Exactly. This state is called the Ethereal State."

A cold shiver ran down his spine. Was that even possible?

But deep inside, something told him it was.

If this was the key to unlocking his true potential, he had to try.

He took a deep breath, calming his nerves, and closed his eyes.

The training had begun.

Lying down on his bed, Arman focused on steadying his breathing.

The mattress beneath him felt soft, grounding him, yet his goal was to leave it—to abandon the feeling of his body altogether.

"Alright… unconscious, but awake. How the hell do I even do that?"

The voice was patient. "Calm your thoughts. Focus on nothingness. Do not resist. Let go."

He inhaled slowly, filling his lungs, then exhaled, emptying his mind. He repeated the process, feeling his heartbeat slow.

Seconds passed. Then minutes.

And then… something shifted.

A strange lightness crept into his limbs, as if the weight of his own body was disappearing. A faint ringing sound buzzed in his ears, growing louder.

Then, a sudden dizziness.

His mind spun, his vision darkened.

A rush of energy surged through him—

His eyes snapped open.

He was still in his room.

The ceiling loomed above him, unchanged. His fingers twitched, still tied to his physical form.

"Damn it," he muttered.

"You were close," the voice reassured. "But you held on at the last moment. You must let go completely."

Arman exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples.

This was going to be harder than he thought.

But he wasn't about to give up.

Closing his eyes once more, he tried again.

This time, as the lightness spread through his limbs, he didn't resist it.

The ringing in his ears grew, the feeling of floating intensified—

And suddenly, he felt detached.

When he opened his eyes, his breath hitched.

He saw himself.

His own body, lying still on the bed. His chest rose and fell in slow, rhythmic breaths, his face peaceful, unaware.

A strange mixture of awe and fear gripped him. Was this real? Was he really outside his body?

Before panic could take over, the spirit's voice echoed.

"Well done. You did it."

Arman's mind raced. He was weightless, free, yet still connected to something unseen. He had no physical form—only awareness.

"This was quick," the spirit said. "Most people take months to achieve this. But this is only the first step. Now listen— from here, you must enter the Base Realm."

Arman frowned. "The Base Realm? What's that?"

"It's the empty realm between the human world and the spirit realm—the place where we first met."

A dark, endless void flashed through his mind.

"And how do I enter it?"

"You must absorb the spirit energy in this state and create a key—the Key of Emptiness. Once you form it, the door will appear on its own."

Arman was puzzled. "A key? What does it look like?"

The spirit chuckled. "That, I cannot tell you. The key is different for every person. Once you gather enough energy, it will reveal itself to you."

He exhaled, still processing everything. "So I should focus on absorbing spirit energy first?"

"Exactly. But not now."

The spirit's tone became firm.

"Return to your body and rest. You have a city tour in an hour and a half. You'll need your energy for what's ahead."

Arman hesitated. He wanted to keep going.

But exhaustion was already creeping in.

"Alright… I'll continue later."

With a final deep breath, he focused on his body—

And in an instant, he was back.

His eyes fluttered open, his breathing heavier than before. A dull ache settled in his head, and his limbs felt heavier.

"Wow… that was exhausting."

"That's why you must train every day to maintain this form," the spirit reminded him.

A tired chuckle escaped him as he closed his eyes.

Within minutes, sleep pulled him under.

A Sudden Wake-Up Call

Knock. Knock. Knock.

The loud knocking at his door jolted him awake.

Heart pounding, he bolted upright, blinking groggily. "Who's outside?"

Then his eyes darted to the clock—

His heart nearly stopped.

"Oh no! I'm late!"

He jumped up, scrambling toward the door. As he swung it open, Riyan, Ayesha, and Zubair stood there, smirking.

Riyan crossed his arms. "Rise and shine, baby."

Arman groaned. "I know, I know… I'm late. I'm sorry, guys, I fell asleep."

Ayesha waved it off. "No problem. Just get ready fast, we're waiting."

As they stepped inside, Arman grabbed a towel, a shirt, and a pair of pants before dashing into the bathroom.

Minutes later, he emerged, running a hand through his damp hair.

Riyan raised an eyebrow. "Whoa, slow down, man. There's no hurry—we still have ten minutes left."

Arman frowned. "What? Aren't we already Ten minutes late?" He pointed at the clock.

His friends glanced at it—then burst into laughter.

Arman blinked. "Am I missing something here?"

Ayesha grinned. "Yes, you are. This clock is twenty minutes ahead. It's only 4:50 PM."

His jaw dropped. "So… I was panicking for nothing?!"

Zubair chuckled. "Pretty much."

Arman groaned, rubbing his temples. "Whatever. I'm ready, let's just go."

His friends grinned as they stood up.

"Alright then." Riyan said, clapping his hands. "Let's go!"

And with that, they stepped out into the city—unaware of what was waiting for them next.