POv: Kael
I woke to the sound of birds and the soft breeze brushing against the window. The sunlight made the wooden floor glow in warm stripes, and for a moment, I just lay there, taking it all in. Fifteen years old, I thought. Fifteen, alive, in a place that wasn't my past life—but somehow, it felt like a second chance.
I ran my hand through my long black hair. It fell past my shoulders, slightly messy but sharp enough to make someone glance twice. I caught my reflection in the glass—dark, intense eyes, a sharp jawline, pale skin—and smirked faintly. Not bad for a boy from nowhere, I thought.
Somewhere deep in my chest, a warmth pulsed—the faint, familiar hum of aura. It was small, unrefined, but alive. I could feel the energy of the world around me, waiting, responding. I closed my eyes, letting it flow through me, expanding in small circles like ripples on water. I wasn't strong, not yet, but I could already sense what others couldn't. This world had rules, and I intended to understand them faster than anyone.
I left the small house quietly, careful not to wake anyone. The streets of Eryndor, the Kingdom I'd somehow been placed in, were lively. Merchants shouted their wares, children ran and shouted, and guards patrolled the cobbled streets with polished armor. My eyes drifted, taking in the faint glow of aura around some people—those with talent.
Eryndor… the kingdom had a king and queen I'd heard of in passing: King Alaric IV and Queen Seraphine. The council had been quarreling lately over border disputes and taxation issues. Rumor had it that some districts were unhappy, and the nobility's influence was slipping in certain regions. Political tensions simmered beneath the surface—issues that, I suspected, would play a part in my life later.
I was distracted by my own thoughts when I bumped into someone. Literally.
"Oh! Sorry!" I said quickly, stepping back. My eyes met hers.
A girl, slightly taller than me, with silver-blonde hair tied back neatly, icy blue eyes, and an expression somewhere between curiosity and mild irritation. She had an aura of confidence I hadn't seen in anyone else yet today.
"You walk like you've never been in a city before," she said, voice calm but not cold.
I tilted my head, a faint grin playing on my lips. "You could say that. I… haven't, really. I come from a smaller village farther east." I hoped my hesitation and vague tone made me sound like an innocent country boy. I didn't want her to know I wasn't from anywhere—yet.
Her eyes studied me for a moment. "East, huh? Not many travel here without a reason."
"I'm… just looking around," I said casually, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. "This place is… bigger than I expected."
She smirked faintly. "It is. I'm Lira. And you're walking through the busiest part of Eryndor like you own the place. If you get lost, don't blame me."
"I'll try not to," I said, matching her calm. Something about her presence made me want to speak more, but I held back. Letting her think she knew more than me was… advantageous.
We walked together, slowly, naturally. Lira began pointing out parts of the city: the guilds, the training grounds, and the schools for mana arts. She explained casually, like a guide showing a tourist around.
"You see that building?" she said, pointing. "That's the Royal Mana Academy. Only the top students from each district get in. Mana arts here are formalized—physical and elemental techniques, all powered by internal mana flow. You can cultivate mana through meditation, aura exercises, and practical application. The more refined your control, the more advanced your abilities."
I nodded slowly, pretending to absorb every word as if it were all new to me. It was easy—my senses were already fine-tuned. I could see the faint glimmer of aura around some of the children training nearby, could sense the quality of their mana. Some were mediocre, some promising, but none exceptional… yet.
We passed a small fountain, and a group of kids waved at her. She waved back casually, then introduced me:
"This is Joren, Selene, and Rylan. They're… locals. You might learn a thing or two from them."
I gave each a polite nod. Joren, brown-haired with a wide grin, immediately began babbling about some local game. Selene, red-haired and precise, watched me carefully, assessing. Rylan, dark-haired and bookish, simply studied me with a faint smile.
I kept my expression neutral, letting them think I was a newcomer from the countryside. A small grin formed as I caught Maia, a shy girl with soft brown hair, peeking at me from behind the group. Her aura was calm, stabilizing, and I found it… pleasant.
As we walked further, Lira explained more about Eryndor:
The ruling systems and minor political tensions. She hinted at disputes between districts and lords, ongoing disagreements the king and queen hadn't solved yet. "It'll be interesting to see how this shakes out in the coming years," she said, shrugging.
The everyday life of locals, merchants, and magic users. Mana arts were part of daily life, not just combat. Some used them for construction, healing, and even farming.
Schooling and guild affiliations. Students were sorted by talent and aptitude, and those with exceptional ability often gained recognition early.
After a while, we reached a quiet clearing at the edge of the city. I crouched instinctively and let my aura flow, subtle, precise, feeding on the ambient energy around me. Tiny sparks danced around my hands, glowing faintly. Lira watched, curious but not alarmed.
"Not bad," she said softly, tilting her head. "Most people can barely control basic mana at your age."
I smirked faintly. "I guess I've always had a knack for it."
She laughed—a light, almost musical sound. "You're confident for someone who says he's from a small village."
"Gotta survive," I replied casually, letting my eyes wander to the horizon. Something about the forest beyond the city caught my attention. A faint, unnatural pulse in the air—an aura I hadn't felt before.
Lira noticed my gaze. "What is it?"
I didn't answer immediately. My senses told me something was coming, something that would break the calm of the day. The wind shifted, carrying a strange, sharp scent. My aura reacted instinctively, flaring slightly.
Lira frowned. "You feel that too?"
I smiled faintly, green eyes glinting. "Looks like my new life is about to get interesting."
The clearing went silent, except for the faint rustle of trees. Far off, a shadow flickered at the forest's edge—a small pulse of aura, deliberate and unnatural.
And that was when I knew: this was the first step of a world that wouldn't stay peaceful for long.