Chapter 87: Five Degrees Before the Sun

The walk toward the bus terminal gave Rhovan enough time to explain the rest of the advancement system, mostly because Marek had reached Degree III quickly enough that pretending the subject could wait no longer made sense.

’As expected of the Ophiarch,’ Rhovan thought most of the time. ’He’s an actual genius—no, a prodigy without equal!’

Rhovan kept the explanation simpler. Marek had threatened to stop listening if he turned it into another paragraph of praise for himself and for Marek being the supposed ’Ophiarch’ he had been claiming since the very beginning.

Regardless, his explanation was quite comprehensive for Marek. Apparently, each Cycle contained five Degrees: Initiation, Control, Stability, Integration, and Mastery. Moreover, before one could enter the first Degree, which was Initiation, there was still what they called ’Unfixed’—which explained why people who had just awakened could not control their abilities yet. It was technically the state before an Astrant established reliable and deliberate control over the Cycle already awakened.

"Then, what exactly is a First Motion?" Marek asked, holding one strap of his backpack.

Rhovan glanced at him. "So you knew about that term."

Marek lightly coughed. "Continue."

"A First Motion is simply a Sign expressing its core rule before its bearer learns how to control it. It isn’t another Degree or a separate ability. It usually happens while an Astrant is still Unfixed."

’As expected of the Ophiarch. He even knows the term already,’ Rhovan thought.

Ironically, Marek still knew less about First Motions than Rhovan did.

Marek remembered Elia. "So what happened to Elia Barcelon was a First Motion."

"What happened?"

"She’s an Aries Astrant from the university where I was at the time of the Awakening. There was a red force moving through her abdomen. It kept striking the same area and rupturing her internally."

Rhovan’s expression changed. "Then that fits."

Marek raised an eyebrow. "How? Aries governs beginnings, doesn’t it?"

"Aries governs beginnings and the first burst of momentum that follows them," Rhovan explained. "An uncontrolled Aries First Motion can make that first burst overshoot. A step becomes a lunge. A shove sends someone flying farther than intended."

Marek remembered the force repeatedly striking inside Elia. "But hers kept going even after the original movement ended."

"That part is unusual. I would have needed to see how it started to tell you why. But the foundation is still Aries—something began, her Authority produced momentum from it, and she couldn’t properly control what followed."

"So Unfixed doesn’t mean the power is incomplete."

"Exactly. The Authority is already there. The Astrant simply doesn’t know how to use it reliably yet."

Rhovan continued walking. "The same applies to every Sign. Gemini might copy something unintentionally. Taurus might use more force than its body can safely handle. Different First Motions, same problem: Authority without control. Therefore, Unfixed."

"Is it safe for me to release the First Motion I took from her?" Marek asked all of a sudden, catching Rhovan off guard.

Rhovan turned toward him before his eyes started sparkling with delight. "Can you let me see it?"

Marek immediately became suspicious of how excited he looked. "No, thanks. Perhaps another time when you’re not around, I will figure out what to do with it on my own."

Rhovan looked personally betrayed by the answer. ’That stings, Dear Ophiarch! Why wouldn’t you let me see it!’

Marek ignored him and continued walking.

Then, Rhovan continued explaining the rest of the advancement system.

Marek learned that a Cycle measured the Authority an Astrant could rightfully bear, while a Degree measured the progression of an Astrant’s control over his current Cycle. Moving from one Degree to the next did not invent a new power or change the Sign into something else. It made the same Authority more stable, more complete, and harder to misuse.

While walking, Marek took out his notebook and wrote down the Five Degrees mentioned earlier.

DEGREE I - INITIATION

DEGREE II - CONTROL

DEGREE III - STABILITY

DEGREE IV - INTEGRATION

DEGREE V - MASTERY

’I wonder when I’ll be able to reach Degree IV. According to Rhovaxi—wait, oh yeah, his name was Rhovan, anyway... according to him, I’m much, much faster than the detainees. Apparently, none of them has reached Degree II yet, which was baffling. I wonder what’s so special about me. Is it because of the unique interface I have? Do other Ophiuchuses have this, too?’

"Wait, is there something after Degree V?" he asked. "What do Astrants do to advance to a Higher Cycle? Like, in my case, from Cycle I to Cycle II?"

Rhovan folded his arms across his chest and nodded his head. It was as though he was saying, ’I knew the Ophiarch would ask me that question. I am really great at these things!’

Marek looked at him. ’He’s either praising himself or me again. This guy is such a headache.’

Rhovan cleared his throat and began explaining, "Each Cycle has a Sunblind Condition unique to its Core. Reaching Degree V does not automatically open the path to the next Higher Cycle. You have to satisfy that Condition truthfully. If you fail, you remain at Mastery until you can."

"So no Degree VI," Marek muttered, "and the previous Cycle doesn’t disappear when the next one opens."

Rhovan nodded. "Higher Cycles add what you may rightfully bear. They do not erase the foundation that allowed you to reach them."

Marek took note of this information.

SUNBLIND CONDITION AFTER DEGREE V. NOT A DEGREE.

Rhovan leaned over far enough to annoy him. "Oh, and also, a Sunblind Condition can only be fulfilled during the Sunblind Period of your Sign. Take Leo, for example. August 11 to September 16 belongs to Leo, and during that period, a Leo Astrant’s Authority becomes weaker than usual."

Marek stopped writing for a moment. "Wait. Your Authority actually becomes weaker during your own Sign’s period?"

"That’s why it’s called Sunblind," Rhovan said. "You don’t prove that you’re ready for the next Cycle when your Authority is at its best. You prove it while it’s at its weakest."

Marek closed the notebook after writing down the necessary details. He would probably need them later. "Do Degrees get grand titles like Cycles do? For example, yours is Leo at Cycle V, which gives you the identity of a Fabled Luminary."

"No," Rhovan answered.