The night Kelvin lost his parents began peacefully.
Above the small village of Elaris, the moon hung over the world like a silver lantern.
The stars were unusually bright.
A cool breeze passed through the trees surrounding the village, carrying the scent of grass and freshly harvested crops.
Elaris was not a rich village.
It did not have towering walls like the great cities of Aurora.
It had no powerful guild headquarters, no famous Awakened Academy, and no legendary warriors.
It was simply a quiet settlement on the eastern edge of the Kingdom of Asteria.
For Kelvin, however, it was home.
He sat on the wooden floor of his family's small house, his eyes fixed on his father.
"Again!" Kelvin shouted excitedly. "Tell me about the Dragon Knight!"
His father laughed.
"Didn't I tell you that story yesterday?"
"And the day before that."
"And the day before that."
Kelvin smiled.
"Then tell me again."
His father shook his head.
"You really like stories about powerful Awakened, don't you?"
"Of course!"
Kelvin sat upright.
"One day I'll become an Awakened too."
His father smiled.
"Is that so?"
"Yes!"
"What rank will you reach?"
Kelvin didn't hesitate.
"S Rank!"
His father burst into laughter.
His mother, who was preparing dinner nearby, looked over her shoulder.
"S Rank?"
Kelvin nodded confidently.
"Maybe I'll even become a Transcendent."
His father raised an eyebrow.
"That's quite ambitious."
Kelvin crossed his arms.
"I'll become stronger than everyone."
His mother laughed softly.
"Don't become arrogant."
"I'm not arrogant."
"You just said you would become stronger than everyone."
"That's confidence."
His parents laughed.
Kelvin smiled.
He loved moments like this.
He loved the sound of his parents laughing.
He loved the warmth of their small home.
He loved knowing that no matter how dangerous the world outside was, there was always a place where he belonged.
Aurora was not a safe world.
Every child knew that.
At the age of fifteen, children awakened supernatural abilities.
Some awakened Fire.
Some Water.
Some Earth.
Some Air.
Others awakened rarer affinities such as Light, Darkness, Ice, Metal, Healing, or Poison.
The strength of an awakened person was measured by a mysterious System.
F Rank.
E Rank.
D Rank.
C Rank.
B Rank.
A Rank.
And finally—
S Rank.
Beyond S Rank were realms most people would never see.
Transcendent.
Saint.
Demi-God.
God.
But Kelvin was still only ten years old.
He had five more years before his Awakening.
For now, he was simply a boy who dreamed of becoming a great warrior.
His father placed another piece of wood into the fireplace.
"So," he said, "if you become an S Rank, what will you do?"
Kelvin thought for a moment.
"I'll protect everyone."
His father's smile faded slightly.
"Everyone?"
Kelvin nodded.
"Everyone."
His father stared at him for a few seconds.
Then he smiled again.
"That's a good dream."
Kelvin grinned.
"Will you become strong too?"
His father laughed.
"I'm already strong."
"You're only a D Rank."
His father looked offended.
"Only?"
Kelvin laughed.
His mother shook her head.
"You two should eat before the food gets cold."
Kelvin immediately rushed toward the table.
For a few minutes, the world was peaceful.
Then—
BOOM!
The entire house shook.
Kelvin froze.
A bowl fell from the table and shattered against the floor.
His mother's face changed.
His father stood immediately.
"What was that?"
Another explosion shook the village.
BOOM!
This time, the ground trembled beneath their feet.
Kelvin looked toward the window.
"What is happening?"
His father did not answer.
He walked toward the door.
Outside, the village was no longer peaceful.
People were running through the streets.
Someone was screaming.
Then the village alarm began to ring.
DONG!
DONG!
DONG!
Kelvin's father opened the door.
A man ran past them.
"BEAST TIDE!"
The words struck Kelvin like a physical blow.
His father immediately turned around.
"Get inside."
His mother stood frozen.
"Another Beast Tide?"
His father nodded.
"How many?"
"I don't know."
His father looked toward the distant horizon.
A dark mass was moving beneath the moonlight.
At first, Kelvin thought it was a storm.
Then he realized what he was seeing.
Eyes.
Hundreds.
Thousands.
Perhaps more.
Creatures of every shape were rushing toward the village.
Wolves with glowing fangs.
Massive boars covered in armor-like scales.
Winged creatures filled the sky.
Serpents crawled across the ground.
The earth shook beneath their combined footsteps.
Kelvin's breathing became rapid.
"Father..."
His father turned toward him.
For the first time in Kelvin's life, he saw fear in his father's eyes.
"Take Kelvin to the shelter."
His mother stared at him.
"What about you?"
"I'll help the village guards."
"You can't."
"I'm an awakened warrior."
"You're only D Rank!"
His father smiled sadly.
"Someone has to stay."
Kelvin suddenly grabbed his father's arm.
"I'm coming with you."
"No."
"But—"
"Kelvin."
His father's voice became firm.
"You must go with your mother."
Kelvin shook his head.
"No!"
His father knelt in front of him.
"Listen carefully."
Kelvin stared at him.
"If anything happens tonight, you must survive."
"Nothing is going to happen."
His father placed both hands on Kelvin's shoulders.
"Promise me."
Kelvin's eyes began to water.
"Promise me, Kelvin."
"I promise."
His father smiled.
Then he hugged him.
It was the last time Kelvin would ever feel his father's arms around him.
His mother grabbed Kelvin's hand.
"We have to go."
Kelvin looked back.
His father had already picked up his sword.
"Go!"
The village erupted into chaos.
The gates were beginning to break.
Awakened warriors rushed toward the walls.
Fire exploded across the battlefield.
Ice spread across the ground.
Lightning flashed in the distance.
The beasts crashed against the defenses.
Kelvin and his mother ran toward the underground shelter.
Then—
A deafening roar filled the sky.
Everyone stopped.
Even the beasts seemed to hesitate.
Kelvin looked upward.
Something enormous was descending from the clouds.
His mother's face became pale.
"That's..."
She couldn't finish.
A massive creature appeared above the village.
Its wings covered the moon.
Its body was larger than several houses.
Its eyes burned with a strange golden light.
A monster far beyond the strength of the village defenders.
Kelvin's father looked upward from the battlefield.
His expression changed.
"Everyone..."
He shouted.
"RUN!"
The creature opened its mouth.
A sphere of destructive energy formed inside it.
Kelvin's mother pulled him toward the shelter.
"Run!"
The attack descended.
BOOOOOOM!
Light swallowed the village.
Kelvin felt himself thrown through the air.
His mother's hand slipped from his.
"Mom!"
He reached for her.
She reached for him.
Their fingers almost touched.
Then everything disappeared beneath the explosion.
Silence followed.
Kelvin opened his eyes.
His ears were ringing.
Smoke filled the air.
The village he knew was gone.
Buildings were burning.
The ground was covered in debris.
People were nowhere to be seen.
"Mom?"
No answer.
"Mom!"
Kelvin crawled through the wreckage.
He found her.
She was lying beneath a fallen wooden beam.
Kelvin tried to move it.
"Mom!"
She opened her eyes.
"Kelvin..."
"I'm here!"
He grabbed her hand.
"Get up! We have to leave!"
His mother smiled weakly.
"You survived."
"Yes."
"Good."
She squeezed his hand.
"That's all that matters."
Kelvin began crying.
"No. No, we're leaving together."
His mother looked at him.
"You have to live."
"I don't want to!"
"Kelvin..."
"I don't want to leave you!"
She pulled him close.
"Listen to me."
Her voice was becoming weaker.
"You have a life ahead of you."
Kelvin shook his head.
"You're coming with me."
His mother smiled.
"I love you."
Kelvin froze.
"Mom?"
Her hand slowly became still.
"Mom!"
Kelvin screamed.
He held her tightly.
For several minutes, he refused to let go.
The Beast Tide continued around him.
The village burned.
The sky was filled with smoke.
And somewhere beneath Kelvin's grief, something stirred.
Something deep.
Something ancient.
Something that had been sleeping since the day he was born.
A faint black light appeared beneath his chest.
Kelvin didn't notice.
The System did.
[Hidden condition detected.]
[Emotional threshold exceeded.]
[Soul fluctuation detected.]
[Beginning analysis...]
[Analysis failed.]
[Unknown authority detected.]
[Attempting classification...]
[ERROR.]
[Authority cannot be classified.]
A second message appeared.
[SOUL AUTHORITY DETECTED.]
[Host compatibility: 100%.]
[Awakening postponed.]
[Reason: Host is below required age.]
[Dormancy initiated.]
[Countdown: 5 Years.]
The black light disappeared.
Kelvin never saw it.
He only saw the ruins of his home.
He only felt the emptiness left by the people he loved.
And as the Beast Tide continued its destruction, Kelvin made a silent promise.
One day, he would become strong.
Strong enough to protect himself.
Strong enough to protect those he loved.
Strong enough that no Beast Tide would ever take someone from him again.
He did not know that his journey had already begun.
He did not know that his soul carried a power the world had forgotten.
And he certainly did not know that, fifteen years later, the entire world of Aurora would tremble when that power finally awakened.
For now, Kelvin was only an orphan.
But deep within his soul...
something was waiting.
Something ancient.
Something that would one day rise.
TO BE CONTINUED...