The first light of dawn crept through the cracks of the old wooden shutters, spilling across the stone floor of a secluded chamber. The room was bare no banners, no family crests, not even the warmth of a hearth. Only silence and dust lingered, as though the world itself had abandoned its owner.
Aiden Veyra sat at the edge of his bed, shirt half-buttoned, eyes fixed on the flickering flame dancing at the tip of his finger. The flame was small, fragile, like the dying breath of a candle, but within it burned a dangerous truth.
His blood carried the ancient fire of Kaor, the mythical beast that once scorched kingdoms. Yet here he was labeled a traitor, exiled from the very clan that should have been his sanctuary.
The knock came at the door, sharp and impatient.
"Aiden," a voice called. It was his uncle, stern as ever. "The elders have decided. You are to leave Veyra lands before the sun reaches its peak. Do not resist. Do not return."
Aiden's lips curved into a bitter smile. Of course. They couldn't even give me a farewell worth remembering.
He closed his fist, extinguishing the flame, and rose. "Understood," he muttered, though no one cared to hear his answer.
The courtyard of the Veyra Clan was filled with whispers when Aiden stepped outside. Warriors who once called him brother now looked at him with scorn. Servants turned away as if his presence carried disease. And at the center of it all, the elders draped in crimson robes, eyes cold with judgment.
"You have broken our trust," Elder Rael declared, his voice echoing against the stone walls. "The fire within you is unstable. Dangerous. We cannot allow you to remain."
Aiden clenched his jaw but said nothing. He had argued before, shouted until his throat bled, begged them to see the truth that his flame was not a curse, but a gift. Yet their verdict was already carved in stone.
"From this day forth, Aiden Veyra is no longer of our blood. Let it be known across the lands: he is an exile."
The words cut deeper than any blade. Aiden felt the weight of countless gazes pressing down on him, branding him with shame.
But in the silence that followed, he whispered to himself, "If exile is my fate… then I'll carve a new destiny."
The gates of the clan groaned open, revealing the vast world beyond. Morning mist rolled across the hills, carrying with it the scent of pine and earth. Somewhere beyond those mountains lay Elarion, the city of scholars and warriors, where the Obsidian Academy stood.
Aiden adjusted the strap of his worn satchel, his few possessions tucked inside, and stepped forward. Each stride away from the Veyra grounds felt like a chain breaking, one by one.
Yet freedom carried loneliness. And loneliness carried danger.
The road was long and empty, broken only by the caw of distant crows. Aiden's mind wandered to the betrayal of his kin, to the fire within his veins, and to the uncertain path that stretched before him.
By midday, the sun pierced through the mist, scattering golden light across the forested trail. Aiden paused beneath a tall oak, pulling out a small waterskin. As he drank, he sensed it eyes watching him from the shadows.
He didn't move. Didn't even lower the waterskin. Instead, he let the flame flicker once more at his fingertip.
"Come out," he said quietly.
A soft laugh answered him. From behind the trees, a figure stepped forward a girl clad in hunter's leather, her dark hair tied in a loose braid. Her bow rested casually in her hand, but her amber eyes gleamed with sharp curiosity.
"You're not very subtle," she teased. "Most travelers don't notice me until I've already taken their coin purse."
Aiden studied her. She was young, perhaps his age, but her posture carried the ease of someone who had lived by the bow for years.
"And yet here I stand," he replied, slipping the flame out of sight. "Still with my coin purse."
The girl smirked. "For now. Name's Mei Rin. Hunter, guide, occasional thief depends on who's asking."
"Aiden," he answered simply. He did not give his clan name. That title was no longer his to claim.
Mei Rin tilted her head, as if weighing his words. "You've got the look of someone running from something. Or maybe… running toward it."
Aiden didn't respond. He had no reason to trust a stranger.
But Mei Rin's grin widened, as though she already understood more than he wished. "Well, lucky for you, I know the way to Elarion. Roads aren't safe alone. Bandits. Beasts. Worse. You'll need a guide."
Before he could object, she slung her bow across her back and started walking ahead. "Come on, exile. Or do you plan to wander in circles until the crows pick your bones clean?"
The word exile struck him, though she couldn't possibly know the truth. Still, something in her tone made it feel less like an insult and more like… a challenge.
For the first time that morning, Aiden allowed himself a faint smile. Maybe fate wasn't as merciless as he thought.
And so, with the shadow of betrayal still burning in his chest, Aiden Veyra took his first steps toward a destiny far greater than exile.
The forest thinned as the dirt road widened, curving along a sparkling river that caught the afternoon sun. Mei Rin walked a step ahead, humming some tune Aiden didn't recognize, her bow swaying lightly at her hip.
Aiden kept his pace steady, his gaze shifting between the trees and the endless sky. He hadn't spoken much since they left the oak grove, but Mei Rin filled the silence well enough, talking about hunting trips, the strange nobles she sometimes met, and the ridiculous prices of bread in Elarion's markets.
Her words were background noise, though not unwelcome. After the coldness of the Veyra courtyard, her chatter felt almost… human.
"Hey," Mei Rin called, glancing over her shoulder. "You're really not gonna tell me why you're traveling? Most guys spill their guts by now. Some sob story about lost love, dead parents, cursed bloodline"
Aiden's brow twitched. "Maybe I'm just not interested in being predictable."
Mei Rin laughed, the sound sharp and bright. "Fair enough. But secrets don't stay buried for long, Aiden. Especially not in Elarion."
He didn't answer, but her words echoed in his chest.
The road bent again, revealing a stone bridge arching over the river. At its center stood a figure, cloaked in pale silver, the hood lowered to reveal hair the color of moonlight.
She wasn't just beautiful she was unreal, as if the sunlight itself bent around her. Her eyes, a piercing violet, swept over the landscape with calm detachment. Yet when her gaze settled on Aiden, he felt the air itself grow heavy.
Mei Rin stopped mid-step. "Well, well. That's no hunter, and definitely not a traveler. Look at her clothes. Nobility."
Aiden didn't need her commentary. He already knew. This girl was different her presence carried weight, like the stillness before a storm.
The silver-haired woman tilted her head slightly, as though studying him. "You," she said, her voice soft yet commanding. "Your flame… it calls to me."
The words struck him like a blade. His hand twitched toward his pocket, where faint warmth pulsed against his skin. He had not summoned his flame. How did she know?
Mei Rin raised a brow. "Okay, that's creepy. Do you two know each other?"
"No," Aiden said sharply. But the girl's gaze lingered, unblinking.
She stepped closer, her silver cloak flowing behind her like liquid moonlight. "I am Selene Aravelle, daughter of House Aravelle. Tell me your name."
Aiden hesitated. He thought of his clan name the one stripped from him at sunrise. To speak it now felt like a betrayal to himself.
"…Aiden," he said at last. "Just Aiden."
Selene's lips curved into a faint, enigmatic smile. "Very well. Just Aiden."
The moment cracked when the sound of hooves thundered down the road. From the opposite side of the bridge, a group of riders approached young men in fine academy uniforms, their cloaks stitched with obsidian thread. At their front rode a tall figure with dark hair, posture regal, and eyes that burned with calculated arrogance.
"Selene!" the rider called, his tone dripping with ownership. "What are you doing here, speaking with strangers?"
Selene's expression shifted, cool and distant. "Kaelen."
Mei Rin muttered under her breath, "And here comes trouble."
Kaelen dismounted with practiced ease, his boots striking the ground as though the earth itself bowed to him. He barely glanced at Mei Rin, but his gaze locked on Aiden with immediate hostility.
"And who is this?" Kaelen demanded. "A drifter? A beggar? He dares to speak to you?"
Aiden said nothing, though his fists tightened at his sides. He could feel Kaelen's contempt like a blade pressing against his throat.
Selene's violet eyes flickered. "He is a traveler. Nothing more."
"Then he should learn his place," Kaelen sneered. He stepped closer to Aiden, towering with false grandeur. "Listen well, drifter. Elarion is no haven for the weak. If you think you can wander into our world without consequence, you'll find only ashes."
Aiden's chest burned. Ashes? The word was almost laughable, considering the fire that slept in his veins. He met Kaelen's gaze, calm and steady, refusing to yield.
"Then let's hope," Aiden said quietly, "that I'm not as weak as you think."
The air thickened between them, sparks of tension ready to ignite. Kaelen's jaw twitched, but before he could retort, Selene stepped between them.
"Enough," she said firmly, her voice laced with steel. "We are not children quarreling in the streets. Kaelen, return to the Academy. And you" she glanced at Aiden, her expression unreadable"walk carefully. Elarion is not kind to those without allies."
She turned, her cloak swirling like silver flame, and walked toward her horse. Kaelen glared one last time before following her, his entourage riding behind.
When the riders vanished into the distance, Mei Rin let out a low whistle. "Well. That was… intense. So, Just Aiden, you made quite the impression."
Aiden exhaled slowly, unclenching his fists. His pulse still thundered, though his face betrayed nothing.
Selene Aravelle. Her name now burned in his thoughts, as vivid as fire itself. And Kaelen his arrogance was unmistakable. Rivalry had been forged before a single blade was drawn.
Mei Rin slapped him on the shoulder, grinning. "Guess the road to Elarion won't be boring after all."
For the first time since leaving the Veyra Clan, Aiden almost agreed.
But beneath his calm exterior, his flame whispered a warning: this was only the beginning.
The sun hung low by the time the city walls rose on the horizon. Elarion.
Aiden slowed, breath caught in his chest as he took in the sight. Unlike the stone halls of the Veyra Clan, Elarion pulsed with life. High towers of obsidian and marble pierced the sky, banners of noble houses fluttered crimson and gold, and the sound of a thousand voices echoed across the plains.
Merchants hawked wares outside the gates silks, weapons, fruits from distant coasts—while guards in black steel kept watch with disciplined eyes. Beyond the gates, the streets were alive with carriages, scholars in ink-stained robes, and hunters bearing trophies of beasts.
Mei Rin stretched, grinning. "Ahh, home sweet chaos. You'll like it here, Aiden. If you don't get robbed in the first hour."
He offered a faint smile but said nothing. For him, this was more than a city. It was a chance. A place where the name Veyra meant nothing… or perhaps, everything.
The line of travelers shuffled toward the gate. Aiden felt the stares he was tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in worn leathers that marked him as neither noble nor merchant. He was out of place, and in Elarion, being out of place drew attention.
Mei Rin nudged him. "Relax. You look like you're about to punch the first guard who breathes."
"I'm not nervous," Aiden muttered. But his fists told another story.
As they approached the checkpoint, the crowd stirred. A murmur rippled through the travelers as a silver-cloaked figure appeared, her presence like moonlight cutting through the noise.
Selene Aravelle.
She rode gracefully on a white steed, the crowd parting instinctively. Even the guards straightened, their stern faces softening into reverence. Nobility carried weight, but Selene carried something more an aura that demanded silence.
Her violet gaze swept the line of travelers and paused on him.
Aiden's chest tightened. She didn't speak, didn't smile, but the recognition in her eyes was undeniable.
Mei Rin whispered under her breath, "Oh, she's definitely trouble."
Before Aiden could dwell on it, a harsh laugh split the air.
"Of course. Wherever Selene goes, strays follow."
Kaelen.
He dismounted nearby, his entourage of academy students flanking him like loyal hounds. His polished armor gleamed, his smirk sharper than any blade.
The crowd whispered his name with awe. Kaelen, the prodigy of Obsidian Academy. Kaelen, heir apparent to a noble house with ties to the royal council.
He strode toward Aiden, ignoring the guards, ignoring the crowd.
"You again," Kaelen sneered. "I warned you already. Elarion has no room for the nameless."
Aiden's jaw clenched. He could feel eyes on him travelers, guards, merchants, Selene. If he backed down now, he would be branded weak before he even stepped into the city.
Kaelen's voice rose, carrying across the square. "What are you, hm? A thief hiding behind a hunter girl? A bastard trying to catch the eye of nobility? Pathetic."
The crowd chuckled nervously. Mei Rin's hand brushed her bow, but Aiden shook his head. This wasn't her fight.
Aiden stepped forward, his voice low but steady. "You talk too much."
Gasps rippled. No one spoke to Kaelen that way.
Kaelen's smirk darkened. "Bold. Very bold. Then prove it."
He snapped his fingers, and one of his men tossed him a practice blade, dull but heavy. He pointed it at Aiden. "A duel. Right here, right now. Or admit you're nothing more than a coward hiding behind big words."
The guards stirred uneasily. Duels in public weren't unheard of, but this was dangerous. Aiden had no weapon, no allies, no name to protect him.
Selene's voice cut through the tension, calm yet firm. "Kaelen, enough. This is beneath you."
But Kaelen's eyes never left Aiden. "No, Selene. It's exactly where he belongs. Beneath me."
The crowd held its breath.
Aiden exhaled slowly, heat coiling in his chest. He didn't want this fight not here, not yet. But neither could he retreat. Not again.
He stepped into the circle Kaelen's men had cleared, his fists tightening at his sides. His flame whispered in his blood, begging to be unleashed.
Aiden lifted his gaze, steady and unflinching. "Fine. A duel it is."
The crowd roared, guards shouting in vain to restore order. Kaelen grinned, raising his blade, confident of his victory.
But Selene's violet eyes lingered on Aiden, a flicker of something unreadable passing across her face.
Fate had drawn its lines.
And as the sun dipped behind the walls of Elarion, the first sparks of destiny were about to ignite.