Amongst the chaos-filled land, Kael found himself standing amidst burning houses, a burning town. His eyes widened in horror as corpses lay scattered around him.
"What… happened here…?" he whispered, his voice trembling.
From within the smoke, a silhouette emerged. Kael's breath caught. A survivor? Could it be—?
But as the figure stepped closer, Kael's eyes widened in disbelief. The man was carrying the lifeless body of a woman in his arms. His lips trembled, his voice barely escaping.
"N-no… way… that's… me."
The other Kael walked silently, his expression carved with grief. Tears welled up in young Kael's eyes as he stuttered, shaking his head.
"No… no! This has to be a dream—a nightmare! How could this be?!"
Suddenly, he snapped awake, gasping for air, his chest heaving. His eyes darted around the room—familiar walls, familiar furniture.
"That dream again…" he muttered, pressing a hand to his forehead. "Why do these nightmares keep coming?"
Beside his bed, Aya was slumped in a chair, fast asleep. Despite his turmoil, a small smile tugged at the corner of Kael's lips.
"Foolish girl… sleeping like that, she'll wake up with a stiff neck."
Her eyelashes fluttered, and she stirred awake. The moment she saw him, her eyes widened.
"Dummy!!" Aya exclaimed, her voice trembling with concern. "Do you have any idea how worried I was?! You just collapsed—out of nowhere—while we were playing catch!"
Kael blinked, his relief fading into annoyance. "Wait… you're mad because I ruined your game?"
The door creaked open. Dagmond Diamther, Kael's father, stepped inside.
"You're finally awake," Dagmond said flatly, crossing his arms. "Two days of deep sleep.You brat sure know how to laze around."
Kael froze. "T-two… days? No way! Aya—tell him! It was just a few minutes, right?"
Aya's eyes softened, guilt clouding them. "Kael… you really were unconscious for two days straight."
His face drained of color. Aya quickly stood. "But it doesn't matter anymore. You're awake now—that's what matters! I'll get you something to eat. Uncle, please keep him here so he doesn't do anything reckless."
Before Kael could protest, Aya hurried off to the kitchen, leaving him alone with his father.
Dagmond walked toward the window, gazing outside. His voice was calm, but heavy.
"Those nightmares of yours… they've been coming more often, haven't they?"
Kael's lips parted. "…Yeah. Only you and Aya know about them. I told her years ago they stopped, but… Father… they haven't." His voice dropped to a whisper. "Please don't tell her. She worries too much already."
Dagmond nodded silently. The weight of the unspoken filled the room.
Finally, Kael spoke again. "I don't understand what they mean. Why me? Why do I keep seeing… that?"
Dagmond's reply was immediate, unwavering. "Because they are not nightmares. They are visions. What you see… is a future that may come to pass. And only you can change it."
Kael's heart pounded. His father's words rang in his ears like a curse.
Dagmond turned and left without another word. Alone, Kael pressed his hands into his hair, frustration and fear swirling inside him.
"He didn't deny it… he knows these dreams are real. Then why… why me?!" He groaned, gripping his head tighter. "Argh… whatever. I'm starving. Aya—hurry up already."
His voice echoed softly in the empty room.
At that time, I was naive. I didn't realize… I should have taken those words more seriously. And just like that, I stepped into the Aurators Academy.
Two Years Later
"Today's the day. The day I'll change everything."
Kael walked down the stone pathways, the bustling city of Silhua alive with noise. Students swarmed the streets—most from noble bloodlines, others of aristocratic descent. Only a scarce few, like him, were commoners.
Beside him, Aya skipped lightly, happily munching on cotton candy. "Look at this crowd! Most of these people will be our competitors."
She glanced at Kael, holding out her treat. "Want some?"
He frowned. "You're offering me a single bite of leftovers. Do I look like your pet?"
Aya smirked and popped the last piece into her mouth, ignoring him completely. Kael sighed. "Unbelievable…"
"So, Mrs. Aya," he said in mock formality, "perhaps you'd enlighten me on the admission procedures?"
She rolled her eyes. "What's with the act? You sound like we just met."
But she gave in. "Fine. First, they'll test our physical and mental abilities. Then, our inner power. The color of our inner power decides our class and elemental affinity."
Kael tilted his head. "Inner power?"
"Exactly. Red means fire, blue means water, and so on. The lighter the shade, the weaker your affinity. Some rare ones even have mixed colors—those become sub-classes of elements."
Kael's eyes lit with curiosity. "Interesting. So that's how they sort us."
"That's why I told you, every single day for the past two years, to not slack off." Aya smirked playfully.
"Come on, that's just rude," he protested, but her laughter only teased him further.
The crowd thickened as they approached the towering silhouette of the Aurators Academy. Suspended on a massive floating island, the academy was chained to four colossal mountains, keeping it bound in place.
It was more than just an academy—it was the birthplace of legends. The Seven Blades of the Kingdom, and above them all, the title bestowed upon the continent's protector: The Worldroot Guardian.
Kael clenched his fist. "That's my goal… to become the strongest of them all—the Worldroot Guardian."
Aya smiled at his determination as the massive gates loomed closer.
Yet Kael suddenly halted. A shiver ran down his spine. His eyes darted to the side, searching.
That presence again… someone's watching us.
"What's wrong?" Aya asked, noticing his expression.
"…Nothing." He forced a smile, urging her to keep walking. But his unease remained, crawling down his skin.
Far above, a hooded figure stood on the rooftop of the grand Clocktower, draped in black robes and a mask concealing his face. His gaze was locked onto Kael.
"So… he's the Fates Discarded One."
He pressed a device on his ear. "Found him, U. I'll keep watch and report later. Don't worry—I won't get noticed by the Seven Blades or the instructors. You know I'm the best at hide-and-seek."
The line clicked off. The figure leaned against the tower's stone, his voice low and filled with anticipation.
"Finally… the chance we've been waiting for. The Fates Discarded One. Soon… very soon."
In a shadowed chamber elsewhere, a man sat lazily in a chair, legs crossed upon the table. His tone dripped with arrogance.
"I just hope Z doesn't make his usual… mistakes. I ordered him to watch, nothing more."
Behind him, a silver-haired woman closed the book in her hands. Her sharp eyes narrowed.
"You should have sent me. Z is reckless. He'll stir trouble."
The man smirked. "You elves never trust anyone, do you?"
"Say what you will," she replied coldly, pulling her cloak over her head, her mask covering her face. "But don't forget—if he slips up, the Fates Discarded One will escape."
Without another word, she left the chamber, her silver hair vanishing into the darkness.