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Eliara Fendraight… a noble girl from a renowned family that held the ducal rank for generations. She was born in a grand house rich with traditions and arts. Her father, Duke Alistar Fendraight, was a strict man with strong influence in the kingdom, yet he gave his daughter special attention despite his stern nature.
From a young age, Eliara showed a rare talent in magic and swordsmanship, even before reaching the official awakening age. Training at the academy was supposed to begin at the age of sixteen, but the world granted awakeners extra time to train in their abilities before official enrollment.
For an entire week, Eliara had been suffering from terrifying nightmares that repeated every night. Dark dreams, distorted voices, sensations of betrayal and loss—as if something wanted to swallow her soul.
On one of those nights, the nightmare's voice came stronger than ever, calling to her with false gentleness: "Come to me… and I will ease your suffering."
Despair overwhelmed her, and she began walking toward the voice, unaware that her steps were leading her far from the safe path.
She reached a dark opening, nearly hidden between the trees, feeling a stream of dark mana flowing from within.
It was the Abyssal Cave… a place made only to swallow souls and reshape them as prisoners of darkness.
She stepped back, trying to escape, but suddenly realized she was lost. All the trees looked the same, and every shadow merged into a maze with no exit.
Her legs grew tired, heat rose to her chest, but despair began to take control: "Maybe… if I enter… I can get rid of this torment…"
She took a step forward, almost entering the cave when she heard a voice behind her—sharp and clear despite the surrounding silence:
"You… stop!"
She froze where she stood, trembling. She slowly turned, seeing a boy her age, his eyes cold, yet shining with a strength and confidence she had never seen before.
Eliara shivered, almost screaming: "Who are you?"
He replied with a calm yet firm voice: "I am the one who won't let you fall into the darkness."
The system appeared in Arthur's mind, mocking as usual: [Ooooh! Perfect timing! Did you see that? You stopped her in the critical moment. Long live the outsiders!]
Eliara didn't understand yet, but she felt something different—a sense of safety she hadn't felt in months.
Arthur approached step by step, then used his skill, Abyssal Insight, directing gentle streams of mana toward Eliara:
"Trust me… I won't let any dark force take hold of you."
Eliara trembled again, but a strange feeling began spreading through her:
the strength she'd had since childhood—the magic and arts she trained in—began reacting to Arthur's energy, as if everything inside her was becoming ready to face the darkness, not run from it.
Arthur whispered to the system: "Get ready… this won't be just a rescue. We'll make sure this cave never alters her path again."
The system smiled with excitement: [Oh yes! That's what I'm talking about! True fate-changing starts now!]
Eliara took a step forward while still holding Arthur's hand, and for the first time she noticed that fear no longer controlled her.
At that moment, a deep, mysterious voice emanated from the cave, whispering: "You won't escape… no one escapes…"
But when souls find someone to support them, they are not easily defeated.
Arthur raised his hand, extending "Abyssal Insight" over a wider range, restraining the streams of corruption within the cave itself, preventing them from advancing further, while gradually guiding Eliara to use her own abilities.
This was her first real lesson: Strength is not in running, but in controlling the darkness and preventing it from affecting you.
Eliara looked at Arthur with eyes full of astonishment: "Th… thank you… I've never felt this safe before…"
Arthur smiled, the emotional coldness in his eyes fading slightly: "This is only the beginning… Learn, and don't let anything break you again."
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Hello everyone, how are you? This is the author.
I hope you like my humble novel and enjoy it. I will try to publish many chapters daily.
Also, the novel will be free; I won't lock the chapters, and I don't think that would really help. If you like it, I hope you'll support me more.
Enjoy ؛)