Aureliux's first memories were of warmth, laughter, and gentle hands.
His mother, Selira Drafent, held him close in the dim light of their small home.
Though the village was poor, her love was endless. She sang softly as she fed him, telling stories of hope, courage, and survival in a world often cruel.
One evening, as Aureliux crawled into her lap, she whispered something that made his young heart beat faster.
"You are not just any child, Aureliux," Selira said, her eyes glistening. "You… you are the child of Arcduke Arkhart."
The words hung in the air like a secret spell. Aureliux blinked, confused. "Arc… Duke?" he asked innocently.
"Yes, my son. You have noble blood flowing in your veins," she said, caressing his cheek. "But remember, titles mean nothing. All I care about is you, and being together."
Aureliux smiled, burying his face into her chest. "I don't care about blood or titles, Mother. I just want to stay with you."
Those moments became treasures he held onto as days turned into months. The village was harsh, resources scarce, and illnesses struck without mercy.
Despite her love and efforts, Selira fell gravely ill. There was no medicine, no healer who could save her.
Aureliux held her hand as her life slowly faded.
"Remember who you are," she whispered for the last time. "Even if the world is cruel, you must live, rise… and keep your heart true."
As her eyes closed forever, Aureliux's small body trembled. Tears blurred the world he knew, but one thought burned brighter than grief: he would survive. He would grow strong.
He would never be powerless again.
And in that moment, he felt it—the faint pulse of something extraordinary within him.
A secret gift, a system waiting to awaken.
And deep inside, he promised: he would return, stronger than anyone, to claim justice for himself and for the world that took his mother from him.