《The Boy With Horns》


 Arc 01 - Chapter 01 - The Demon Spawn

    In a strange realm,


    A cloaked figure sitting before a grand desk pulled at a tome from a shelf filled with dusty, leather-bound tomes. It placed the tome on the desk and upon opening it, a white light burst forth from it.


    The figure snapped its fingers and a golden quill and inkwell materialized out of thin air.


    Dipping the quill in the inkwell, the figure began to write:


    "This is the tale of the boy with horns...."


    ------


    Somewhere on the continent of Nova Terra,


    A large wagon rattled down the uneven dirt road, its wooden wheels groaning under the weight of the cage that it was carrying. Inside the crude iron-barred cage, several weary souls huddled together with their wrists bound in rusty chains. Some sat with their heads bowed, resigned to their fate as slaves. Others shivered despite the humid air, clinging to the torn clothing that barely covered their naked bodies with their eyes darting to the armored men riding alongside the wagon.


    Kaelen sat with his back against the cage, arms resting on his bent knees. His wrists ached from the heavy iron cuffs but he ignored the pain. He had learned to live with it.


    A dirty man sitting across from him¡ªthin, his skin stretched tight over his bones¡ªleaned in hesitantly.


    "W-Why are you not the only one who''s groaning and sighing?", he muttered, his voice hoarse from thirst, "A-Are you... used to this?"


    Kaelen didn''t answer. He simply stared past the bars, watching the horizon, where the sun dipped into the distance, painting the sky in beautiful hues of red and orange.


    The man didn''t mind him not answering and kept on speaking, "Sigh... they have such young ones too. Such cruelty."


    Kaelen kept on staring at the horizon, not minding a single word of the man.


    The man glanced at the guards and then whispered, "I overheard one of the guards saying that they are planning to take us to Ramion. I''ve heard that it''s a big auction city. Have you ever been there?"


    Still, Kaelen didn¡¯t answer.


    A woman sitting before them, scoffed bitterly, her wrists bruised from struggling, "Save your breath. He won''t talk."Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    "Huh?", The man turned his head to the woman and asked, "Is he deaf?"


    "No," The woman frowned with disgust and pointed at Kaelen''s head while saying, "Look at him. He''s not one of us."


    The man frowned and turned over to look at Kaelen''s head. His thin eyes widened as big as saucers and he immediately shifted away from him.


    Kaelen''s hood had been pulled back earlier, revealing two dark, curved horns protruding from his skull. A mark of evil.


    The man inhaled sharply and asked fearfully, "Y-You''re one of them?"


    Finally, Kaelen turned to look at him, making him flinch under his gaze.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I am,¡± Kaelen replied in an emotionless tone.


    A guard walking outside the cage, having overheard, let out a laugh, "Hahaha! A demon spawn, that''s what you are."


    He spit into the dirt and said disgustingly, "I''ve seen plenty of your kind. Ain''t fit to live among humans. You should be grateful someone''s buying you. It''s way better than rotting in a ditch somewhere."


    Kaelen didn''t even look at the guard. He turned his gaze back to the horizon and kept his silence. He had long since stopped justifying his existence to those who had already decided it wasn''t worth anything.


    One of the younger slaves in the cage¡ªa boy barely in his teens¡ªwhispered, "I-Is it true? Y-You eat people?" His voice trembled fearfully as he spoke.


    Kaelen closed his eyes and muttered softly, "I don''t eat people."


    The boy quickly shrank back.


    The same guard riding alongside the wagon chuckled and said, "Doesn''t matter. Whatever they do with you, it won''t be pleasant. Lucky bastards!"


    The woman who had scoffed at him earlier shifted uncomfortably and murmured, "They''ll make fighters out of the strong ones. Sell the young ones to lords who need servants. And the unlucky ones..."


    She trailed off, her face getting worse by the second.


    Kaelen already knew what happened to the unlucky ones.


    As the wagon hit another rut in the road, Kaelen felt the weight of exhaustion creeping in. He let his head fall back against the bars and closed his eyes. The world around him faded¡ªbut he was pulled back by a voice.


    "Hey," a different guard sneered and amusingly revealed, "I know you."


    Kaelen opened his eyes slowly, his gaze locking onto the sneering guard riding alongside the wagon.


    The guard leaned closer. "You grew up in some shitty village in the west, didn''t you? I remember now. A widow''s brat. Some old friends of mine used to talk about one of them being born there. Said they had one of Khraos living among them."


    The guard grinned evilly and asked, ¡°So, how''s the widow? Oh sorry! Said she hanged herself. That true?¡±


    The air in the cage grew still. The other slaves, who had mostly kept to themselves, turned to watch the exchange.


    Kaelen¡¯s expression remained unreadable, but inside, something cracked.


    The guard laughed, his breath heavy with ale, and continued, "Can¡¯t say I blame her. Who¡¯d want to live with a cursed thing like you?¡±


    Kaelen exhaled slowly. He knew better than to react.


    The guard tilted his head, waiting for a response. When none came, he scoffed and said, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I thought. Quiet little bastard.¡±


    He kicked his horse forward, riding up to the front of the caravan.


    Kaelen turned his head away from the others, staring once again at the horizon. But this time, he didn¡¯t see the sky, or the trees, or the road stretching ahead.


    He saw the past.


    A dimly lit house. The sound of rain. The weight of a rope creaking in the dark.


    He clenched his fingers tightly, his nails digging into his palm.


    The wagon hit another rut, jolting everyone inside.


    And just like that, Kaelen¡¯s mind dragged him back, deeper into the memories he had spent years trying to bury.

 Arc 01 - Chapter 02 - Unfortunate Past

    Kaelen''s earliest childhood memory was quite unfortunate. He had grown up in a small, dingy house reeking of damp wood and old clothes hanging heavy in the air.


    He remembered his mother sitting by the fireplace, a bundle clutched close against her chest, her arms always shaking, from exhaustion or terror, Kaelen would never know. Illuminated by the glow of embers, she had a pale face with sunken cheeks and tired eyes with strands of black hair falling unloosed on her dampened skin.


    She turned and peered at Kaelen sitting beside her and brushed her thin fingers against his tiny, curled horns.


    Something silent clouded across her features. But it could be regret or maybe pain.


    Then, all of a sudden, someone knocked upon the wooden door, breaking the stillness.


    "Who''s there?", She asked and quickly hid Kaelen behind her.


    "Open up, Lirien!"


    A deep, gravelly voice answered, and Kaelen remembered that it was the village headman.


    He didn''t remember much about that night, but he knew his mother had held him tighter as the voices outside grew louder.


    "She has a demon''s child in there!"


    "We should throw the thing into the river before it brings ruin upon us all!"


    Kaelen hadn''t understood the words then, but the fear in his mother''s eyes had taken root deep within him.


    The door burst open. Rain and torchlight spilled inside.


    Hands reached for him. His mother shrieked and struggled.


    Then, darkness.


    ----


    Kaelen stood at the edge of the village well, his hands cupped tightly around a piece of stale bread. His ribs poked through his thin shirt, his body barely more than skin and bones.


    Across the square, a group of boys, no older than he was, watched with sneers upon their faces.


    "Look at him," one snickered, "eating like some gutter rat."


    Another boy, leader of their little pack, bent to pick up a stone and tossed it in his hand, saying, "Filthy demon spawn. He should''ve died with his mother."


    Kaelen swallowed, tightening his grip on the bread. He didn''t speak. He had long since learned that speaking only made things worse.


    The rock flew before he could react.


    A sharp crack. Pain flared against his temple.


    He staggered, his vision swimming. The bread fell from his hands, tumbling into the dirt.


    Laughter echoed around him.


    "Maybe if we beat him hard enough, he''ll sprout wings and fly back to hell," one of them sneered.


    Kaelen clenched his fists, but he didn''t fight back. He never did.


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    Not when they beat him.


    Not when they spat at him.


    Not when, as a five-year-old, his mother took a rope and hanged herself from the wooden beam of their house.


    He had found her, swaying gently in the candlelight. Her face had been peaceful, as if she had finally escaped something unbearable.


    The villagers kept whispering.


    "She couldn''t live with the shame."


    "She should have killed the boy before she went."


    Kaelen had never cried. Not that night. Not any night after.


    By the time he was twelve, they had grown tired of tormenting him.


    So they simply cast him out.


    ----


    Kaelen was fifteen when he found the first person who had ever shown him kindness.


    Or so he had thought.


    He was found outside of a city by a man named Gregor: half-starving, half-freezing. Having been the ringmaster of a traveling circus, he had taken Kaelen in, giving him food and a place to sleep.


    "Hard work''s better than starving, lad," Gregor said with a smile. "You work, you eat."


    He''d cleaned the floors, polished boots, clean animal stalls, and whatever jobs showed up-it wasn''t much, but for the first time since his birth, Kaelen could hope.


    Of course. He still hadn''t learnt that hope was dangerous.


    One night.


    The circus stood parked in a healthy trading town. He received his tasks well later than usual that night.


    Kaelen had finished his chores late and was about to retire to his tent when Gregor called him into his tent.


    Inside, a stranger waited¡ªa merchant dressed in fine silks, his expression unreadable.


    ¡°Kaelen, lad,¡± Gregor said, rubbing the back of his neck. ¡°This here gentleman¡­ well, he made an offer.¡±


    Kaelen felt odd, seeing Gregor''s reaction. He had never acted this way before.


    ¡°What kind of offer?¡±, He asked and glanced between Gregor and the merchant.


    Gregor sighed and answered, ¡°You¡¯re strong. You¡¯ve got¡­ a unique look. Some folk out there are willing to pay well for someone like you.¡±


    Kaelen felt his pulse pound in his ears and asked shockingly, ¡°Y-You¡¯re selling me?!¡±


    Gregor didn¡¯t meet his eyes and simply said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing personal, lad. Just business.¡±


    The merchant smiled and interjected, ¡°You should be grateful, demon spawn. There are worse fates for someone like you."


    Before Kaelen could even react, something struck the back of his head.


    A dull thud and darkness swallowed him whole.


    ---


    A violent jolt of the wagon through a deep rut in the road flung Kaelen''s eyes open.


    He looked around to see a guard outside barking an order as the wagon began to slow.


    Ahead, towering gates loomed over the wagon as the torches on the walls cast long shadows against the forest outside.


    This was the city of Raimon, the place where humans were sold to the highest bidder like livestock and where his fate would meet its end.


    The same former guard approached him, sneering: "Welcome home, demon spawn."

 Arc 01 - Chapter 03 - A Lawless City

    As the wagon passed the gates of Raimon, Kaelen thought, ''This city... feels different. I have traveled through small villages, and seen roads where beggars lay dying under the sun and nobody cares. I have also been to several slave cities but Raimon.... this feels something else entirely.''


    And, he was indeed correct.


    Raimon was less of a city and more like a beast, alive with filth and chaos.


    The streets stretched endlessly in a tangled maze of stone and wood, lined with buildings that leaned against each other like drunks in an alleyway. Half of the structures were either half-built or half-destroyed¡ªKaelen couldn''t tell which. Smoke curled from chimneys, filling the air with the scent of burning oil, roasting meat, and something foul that made his stomach churn.


    ''So this is where people like me end up?'' Kaelen thought bitterly. ''A place where even the air reeks of rot?''


    He gazed at the people around the moving wagon. They moved like shadows¡ªsome hurried, head down, trying to avoid trouble; others strolled confidently, weapons on display, daring anyone to challenge them.


    The wagon moved forward leading into Raimon''s underbelly which was packed with merchants shouting over one another, trying to sell their stuff before their throats were slit by the very customers they haggled with. Numerous stalls displayed everything imaginable: rare spices, smuggled artifacts, weapons with unknown enchantments, and even caged creatures with too many eyes or too many limbs.


    Kaelen¡¯s gaze drifted to a wooden post, where a man swung idly in the wind, his dead body stripped of valuables. Someone had scrawled a message across his chest in blood:


    "PAY YOUR DEBTS OR FEED THE CITY."


    Kaelen swallowed hard and a thought ran in his head, ''I have seen corpses before. I have smelled the stench of death more times than I care to admit... but something about this place makes my skin crawl.''


    Suddenly, a sharp whistle caught his attention and he turned to look across the street where two men stood with blades drawn, cornering a third against a crumbling wall.


    ¡°You should have stayed dead, Iver,¡± one of the men sneered. ¡°No one leaves the Iron Fangs alive.¡±


    ¡°I got out,¡± Iver spat, his hand twitching toward his belt, ¡°You should¡¯ve stayed out of my way.¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "Is that so?", another one said mockingly and touched the hilt of his blade.


    "Shadowfang Strike!"


    Kaelen barely had time to blink before a flash of steel ended the standoff. A wet gurgle, a body slumping to the ground, and the two killers wiped their blades clean like they had just finished eating dinner.


    No one screamed. No one called for guards.


    Because in Raimon, there were no guards¡ªonly syndicates, warlords, and killers-for-hire.


    The wagon jerked forward. Kaelen shuddered at the sight of the dead bodies and thought bitterly, ''This city... is a graveyard waiting to happen.''


    The road ahead widened into a marketplace if it could even be called that. Makeshift stalls lined the cracked, uneven streets, where merchants sold anything that could be bought, stolen, or bled for.


    A butcher¡¯s stand displayed fresh cuts of meat, but Kaelen wasn¡¯t sure if all of them came from animals. Further down, a woman sold vials of glowing liquid, claiming they could cure any disease, while a man in a hood beside her whispered about forbidden artifacts smuggled from ancient ruins.


    And then, there were the slavers.


    Kaelen¡¯s wagon was one of many rolling into the Scarlet Exchange, the city¡¯s most infamous auction house. The caravan ahead of his carried a group of beastmen, their fur matted with blood, their eyes filled with quiet rage. Another wagon held a dozen pale-skinned elves, their hands bound in shimmering anti-magic restraints.


    The guards driving Kaelen¡¯s cart exchanged bets on which slaves would fetch the highest price.


    ¡°That one¡ªsilver-haired elf. I¡¯d wager a thousand gold.¡±


    ¡°Bah, magic users are a gamble. What if he curses his owner? My coin¡¯s on the big beastman¡ªgood muscle for the pits.¡±


    Kaelen looked at himself and thought, ''And what about me? How much do they think I¡¯m worth?''


    He already knew the answer. He was too different. Too monstrous.


    One of the guards chuckled and nudged his companion, asking, ¡°And what of the horned brat?¡±


    ¡°Pah! Demon blood. Lucky if someone takes him at all.¡±, the guard replied carelessly.


    The crowd around them grew thicker as they neared their destination. A mix of mercenaries, traders, and crime lords gathered to inspect the incoming cargo. Some sneered at the captives, while others whispered to their attendants, already calculating potential profits.


    Suddenly, Kaelen felt it¡ªthe sensation of being watched.


    He lifted his gaze just slightly and locked eyes with a man standing atop a nearby balcony.


    Dressed in a strange black robe, his face was hidden beneath a mask of polished bone, save for his eyes¡ªcold, calculating, hungry. The way he observed the slaves was not with casual interest, but with the precision of a predator selecting his next meal.


    Kaelen¡¯s breath hitched and he thought, ''Who the hell is that?''


    A chill slithered down his spine and he forced himself to look away.


    ¡°Move it!¡± A guard jerked Kaelen¡¯s chains, snapping him out of his daze.


    The wagons rolled through a massive iron gate, and suddenly, the streets of Raimon fell away behind them. They had entered the heart of the Scarlet Exchange.


    Kaelen looked up at the towering structure before him¡ªblack stone walls, crimson banners fluttering in the air, and a sigil carved into the arch above the entrance:


    A hand clutching a severed chain.


    The symbol of those who ruled Raimon¡ªthe Slave Lords.


    Inside that building, his fate would be decided.


    But Kaelen had already learned a hard truth in life.


    He smiled sadly and thought, ''Fate is never kind.''

 Arc 01 - Chapter 04 - The Auction

    The Scarlet Exchange was more than an auction house¡ªit was a monument of human suffering, a grand structure where lives were bought and sold like common trinkets.


    At its heart stood the Auction Hall, a massive circular chamber built from doomstone, its walls lined with golden braziers that cast flickering shadows across the polished obsidian floor. Carved into the walls were depictions of past conquests¡ªmen and women in chains, kneeling before faceless masters.


    Above the hall, a domed ceiling of stained glass filtered the moonlight into an eerie glow, as though the very heavens bled in protest of what took place beneath them.


    The air reeked heavily of sweat and incense, spilled wine joining faraway cries of unfortunate people dragged from holding pens.


    The stands surrounding the stage were packed with spectators¡ªtraders, nobles, crime lords, and warlords, all eager to claim their new property.


    Kaelen stood in the line of shackled slaves on the stage, each of them displayed like cattle on a raised platform in the middle of a circular auction hall.


    His wrists ached from the heavy iron cuffs and his throat was dry from hours of travel without water. He didn¡¯t need to look around to know what kind of people lurked in the audience. He could hear them.


    "That elf there... exquisite. A rare bloodline, I¡¯d say. Easily worth ten thousand gold."


    "Bah, elves break too easily. Give me a proper orc. The pits always need fresh meat."


    "Look at that one¡ªthe horned brat. What even is he? Some bastard offspring of a demon?"


    Kaelen lowered his gaze, thinking, ''It''s always the same. Always.''


    "Brat."


    "Monster."


    "Freak."


    He was used to it. But no matter how much he told himself that, it still scraped against his mind like a rusted dagger.


    Out came a tall, gangly auctioneer in a plum-colored robe. Years sharpened on haggling and lying, his voice rang out through the hall, "Honored guests! Oh, lords of coin and conquerors of flesh! Tonight, we bring you only the best stock!"


    His long fingers, with rings of bone and gold, and what appeared to be fossilized fingers, gestured to the slaves.


    Kaelen barely listened as they began selling off the others.


    ¡°Our first offering¡ªa mighty beastman warrior, captured from the savage clans of Theria! Strong of arm, unbroken in spirit! A perfect addition to any warband or gladiator pit!¡±


    The beastman snarled as the chains were yanked, but he stood tall, his muscular form glistening under the dim light.


    The bidding started almost immediately.


    ¡°Two thousand gold!¡±


    ¡°Four thousand!¡±Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°Six thousand!¡±


    Kaelen exhaled slowly, ''It won¡¯t be much longer before it¡¯s my turn.''


    One by one, the slaves in front of Kaelen were led forward and sold. A trembling elf. A broad-shouldered orc. A weeping child no older than ten.


    And then, finally¡ª


    Kaelen¡¯s chains jerked.


    He stumbled forward, blinking against the harsh light as he was dragged onto the stage.


    As he stepped onto the stage, Kaelen stood still, back straight, hands clenched at his sides.


    ¡°Before you stands a creature of uncertain lineage,¡± the auctioneer announced, ¡°A human? A demon spawn? Perhaps something¡­ more?¡±


    Laughter rippled through the stands.


    ¡°A runt!¡± someone shouted.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a single copper!¡± another jeered.


    The auctioneer raised a gloved hand, silencing the noise and said, ¡°Ah, but let us not be so quick to judge! A mere glance may deceive! This one possesses resilience¡ªcast out and left to die, yet he lives. A survivor. Perhaps, with the right owner, he could be¡­ cultivated.¡±


    More laughter. More mockery.


    ''Cultivated? Like a crop? Like an animal?'', Kaelen thought bitterly.


    The bidding began sluggishly.


    "Fifty gold!" someone called lazily.


    "One hundred!" another chuckled.


    "One-fifty, but only for amusement," a noblewoman mused.


    ''One hundred and fifty gold. That''s all I am worth? Less than a horse? Less than a well-forged sword?'', Kaelen thought as he kept his head bowed.


    Suddenly,


    ¡°Five thousand gold!¡±


    The whole hall fell silent.


    Kaelen instantly turned his head toward the voice.


    An old man sat in the corner of the auction hall. His face was a road map of deep wrinkles, his beard long and silver-white, like mist rolling over a frozen lake. Unlike the other bidders, he did not wear finery or jewelry¡ªinstead, he was draped in simple, weathered robes of dark green, the kind only hermits, sages, or lunatics would wear.


    But what really struck Kaelen most was his eyes.


    They were not dim with age but burnt with an intensity sharper than any blade, full of something beyond the grasp of mortal men.


    The silence in the hall stretched.


    The auctioneer coughed, regaining his composure, ¡°An¡­ unexpected bid! Five thousand gold¡ªsurely, a jest?¡±


    The old man tilted his head, a faint smile touching his lips.


    ¡°I do not jest,¡± he said in an unusually deep voice, ¡°Five thousand gold."


    The crowd erupted with laughter and mockery.


    "Hahaha! What a fool!"


    ¡°Is he mad?¡±


    ¡°What could he possibly want with that wretch?¡±


    ¡°The old fool has lost his mind!¡±


    Kaelen stared at the old man and thought, ''Five thousand? Why? No one has ever given a damn about me before. Why does this old man spend so much?''


    The auctioneer hesitated, wetting his lips. He looked toward a balcony, to a masked man¡ªthe one Kaelen had noticed earlier¡ªsitting quietly.


    The auctioneer nodded slightly, as if for approval.


    The masked man cocked his head to one side, but said nothing.


    ¡°¡­Very well,¡± the auctioneer said, regaining his dramatic flair., ¡°Five thousand gold! Going once¡ªgoing twice¡ª¡±


    ¡°Six thousand,¡± a new voice interrupted.


    Kaelen¡¯s gut twisted and he looked in the direction of the other bidder.


    A nobleman in a crimson suit leaned forward, smirking and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take the boy.¡±


    The old man sighed and said, ¡°Seven thousand.¡±


    ¡°Ten thousand.¡±


    Kaelen¡¯s stomach dropped and he thought, ''No! No! This isn¡¯t just about buying a slave anymore. This is turning into a contest!''


    The nobleman huffed, his wine swirling in his goblet, and mocked, "Oh, old man, do you even have that much coin?"


    The smile on the old man''s face grew a bit wider as he reached into his robe and pulled out a small pouch, flicking it toward the auctioneer.


    The moment the pouch landed before the auctioneer, a strange force rippled through the air.


    The auctioneer¡¯s eyes widened as he reached in, pulling out a single gemstone, glowing with an inner light.


    ¡°A-A Z-Zhilstone?¡± he stammered.


    The smirk on the nobleman''s face froze.


    The old man tapped his cane against the ground and taunted, ¡°That should cover it, yes?¡±


    Silence.


    The auctioneer turned back to the nobleman and asked, ¡°Will you be raising your bid?¡±


    The nobleman¡¯s jaw tightened. His fingers clenched against his goblet.


    ¡°¡­Tch. The wretch isn¡¯t worth it,¡± he muttered, leaning back.


    The auctioneer lifted his hands and exclaimed excitedly, ¡°Sold! To the esteemed master in the back!¡±


    A murmur spread through the crowd as the old man leaned forward slightly, locking eyes with Kaelen who gulped nervously and thought, ''Oh no! W-What is this? H-How did this happen? For the first time in my miserable life, someone has fought for me. This... terrifies me more than anything else.''

 Arc 01 - Chapter 05 - The Old Man

    Behind Kaelen and the strange old man, the auction house was still alive with noise: men and women arguing over their purchases, merchants haggling, and the crack of a whip now and then as some stubborn slaves were forced into submission.


    Kaelen paid it little heed since his attention was on the stranger whose grip on the chain was firm but not cruel. Even so, every time the metal links rattled, Kaelen¡¯s stomach twisted, making him think, ''Doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s cruel or firm. Chains are chains. They all mean the same thing.''


    It was an uneven road of cobblestones, cracked and worn from years of use. The air smelled of damp earth, of rotting wood, and of that unmistakable stench that came with the auction block¡ªthe sweat, blood, and desperation of those who''d stood where he had.


    He had seen other slaves fight back and get the living sense beaten out of them, or worse. He had chosen silence, not because he didn''t have the will to fight, but because he knew that fighting only delayed the inevitable.


    Now, walking behind this stranger, he wasn''t so sure that was still true.


    The old man said nothing as they navigated the shadowed streets. Flickering torchlights danced across his tattered cloak, its green fabric frayed at the edges.


    Looking at the old man, Kaelen thought, ''This old man had a Zhilstone. So, this old fool must be a mage... but... it''s strange- mages, or at least the ones that I have seen from a distance, were always pristine and well-dressed. However, this man looks more like a beggar than a mage. Even the way he walks... it''s controlled. There''s a tension in his body, not weakness but... it''s something else. I can''t put my finger on it.''


    While he was walking behind the mage, a group of drunkards walked out of a tavern ahead, their laughter echoing down the street.


    One of them, a broad-shouldered man with a scar down his cheek, took notice of them.


    His eyes flickered to Kaelen, then to the old man holding his chain.


    ''A nice prey!'', The man thought, and a small grin formed on his lips. He whistled and shouted, "Oi, old man! That¡¯s quite the prize you got there. Don¡¯t suppose you¡¯d be willing to sell it?¡±


    Kaelen tensed his body and gulped in fear.


    The old man, however, didn¡¯t stop walking. He didn¡¯t even turn his head and politely replied, "No."


    The drunkard¡¯s grin widened, but there was a sharpness in his gaze now as he tried to persuade the old man, ¡°Ah, come on now, I¡¯ll pay you double what you paid.¡±


    The old man sighed tiredly and replied, ¡°I¡¯m not interested.¡±


    The drunken man walked toward the duo, his companions moving with him. Kaelen''s muscles coiled, ready to react if the situation called for it. He''d seen this kind of man before-opportunists just waiting for something to break, something to claim.


    The old man finally stopped walking. He turned to look at the drunken men and suddenly the air shifted.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Kaelen felt it immediately, though he couldn¡¯t quite explain how. The space around them became... heavy. The distant sounds of the city seemed to fade into a dull hum.


    The drunkard opened his mouth to say something else¡ªthen stopped. His expression twisted, his pupils shrinking as if he had just seen something incomprehensible.


    Then, as if a spell had been broken, he stumbled backward, shook his head and murmured, ¡°Tch. Forget it.¡±


    He turned on his heel, gesturing for his companions to follow, and disappeared into the night.


    Kaelen slowly exhaled, realizing only then that he had been holding his breath, and thought, ''What the hell just happened?''


    He turned his head slightly, glancing at the old man¡¯s profile, ''He didn¡¯t even raise a hand. Didn¡¯t recite any incantation. But... something changed.''


    The old man resumed walking with a nonchalant expression, pulling Kaelen who clenched his jaw, thinking, ''Who the hell is this guy?''


    After walking in silence for almost half an hour before the old man finally spoke in a merry tone, "You don''t trust me."


    Kaelen snorted, saying sarcastically, "I''d have to be an idiot to trust someone who bought me."


    The old man chuckled, sounding more amused than offended and replied, ¡°Fair.¡±


    After mustering up some courage, Kaelen asked, "What do you want?¡±


    The old man didn¡¯t answer immediately. Instead, he reached into his robes and pulled something out¡ªa rusted iron key. Without a word, he twisted the lock on Kaelen¡¯s shackles, and with a soft click, they fell to the ground.


    Kaelen blinked absentmindedly, ''Wha¡ª?''


    He flexed his fingers, rubbing the skin where the metal had dug into him. His mind raced, trying to make sense of it as he asked him, ¡°...Why?¡±


    The old man tucked the key away and shrugged his shoulders while saying, ¡°I don¡¯t keep people in chains.¡±


    Kaelen thought, ''That¡¯s it? No explanation? I have spent my entire life waiting for the second blade to fall-the price of kindness... which was always pain.''


    He rubbed his shoulders and said, "If you think letting me walk around unchained means I owe you anything, you¡¯re wrong.¡±


    The old man gave him a sideways glance, eyes gleaming with something unreadable and said, ¡°I expect nothing from you, Kaelen.¡±


    Kaelen frowned and took a step back, ¡°You know my name.¡±


    The old man grinned and replied, "I do.¡±


    A chill ran down Kaelen¡¯s spine as he questioned himself, ''How?''


    Kaelen had never told him. The auctioneer hadn¡¯t called him by name¡ªjust the horned one.


    The old man must have seen the suspicion on his face because his grin broadened further and he said, "I make it my business to know interesting things."


    Kaelen fought the urge to take another step back as he thought, ''He¡¯s playing with me.''


    He asked, "How am I interesting?¡±


    The old man stopped walking, turning to face him fully for the first time. His golden eyes locked onto Kaelen¡¯s, the torchlight reflecting in them like fire and he replied, "Because you are.¡±


    Silence stretched between them.


    Kaelen clenched his fists and replied angrily, "That¡¯s not an answer.¡±


    The old man smiled. and said,¡°No, it isn¡¯t.¡±


    Kaelen gritted his teeth and said, "You¡¯re enjoying this.¡±


    The old man shrugged and replied, "A little.¡±


    Kaelen exhaled sharply, running a hand through his messy black hair, ''This is insane.''


    He let out a bitter laugh and said, "You¡¯re mad. And I¡¯m stuck with you.¡±


    The old man¡¯s eyes gleamed with something almost mischievous and he replied, "Oh, I wouldn¡¯t say stuck. You¡¯re free to leave whenever you want.¡±


    Kaelen froze, ''Wha-?''


    The old man gestured down the road and said, ¡°If you want to walk away, go. I won¡¯t stop you.¡±


    Kaelen looked past him, down the dark streets and thought, ''If I leave now, I¡¯d be alone. Again. No food. No money. No real direction. And yet, the alternative¡ªstaying with this strange, unreadable man¡ªfeels just as uncertain.''


    Kaelen swallowed hard looking at the old man as he searched for any sign of deceit.


    The old man simply waited.


    Kaelen exhaled after a few seconds and took a step forward.


    The old man smiled at him and said, "Good choice.¡±

 Arc 01 - Chapter 06 - The Truth

    The city had long since quieted, the cacophony of merchants'' calling and drunks'' laughter distant behind them. The road was unevenly paved, the old buildings huddled together, leaning against one anotherl ike worn travelers.


    Kaelen followed the old man in silence, his steps light and cautious while thinking, ''Even without the shackles, I can still feel the chains binding me. Maybe it''s an old habit I''ve learned from years of survival. I''m free to leave, yet something tells me to follow the old man. I don''t know. Is it curiosity? Or stupidity?''


    The old man finally came to a stop before a narrow, crooked house, squashedbetween its bulkier neighbours. The wood was dark with age, the stone foundation cracked but solid. A hanging lantern by the door flickered weakly, casting long shadows against the walls.


    Kaelen frowned looking at the building and couldn''t help but think, ''I-Is this is where he lives?''


    The old man retrieved a ring of keys from his robe and slid one into the lock. The door groaned open, revealing darkness beyond.


    The smell hit Kaelen first-dried herbs and burnt parchment, something metallic. Not blood, but close. The air inside was warm, not from a hearth, but from something deeper, as if the very walls were alive with unseen force.


    The old man stepped inside and gestured for Kaelen to follow.


    Kaelen hesitated, thinking, ''This could be a trap. He could be luring me in, waiting to strike.''


    His eyes flicked to the street behind him. The empty road stretched into the shadows. No guards. No merchants. No safety.


    ''Doesn''t matter?'', He thought again, ''The world out there isn¡¯t any kinder.''


    Taking a slow breath, he stepped inside and the door shut behind him with a click.


    His eyes adjusted quickly. The walls were lined with shelves, cluttered with books, vials, and other strange trinkets. A large, wooden deskdominated the center of the room, resplendent with parchment, quills, and an assortment of tools that Kaelen didn''t recognize.


    A spiral staircase curved upward to an upper floor, and beyond an arched doorway, a chamber was partially lit. The ceiling was low, andt hick with an energy he couldn''t quite name.


    He asked, "You live here?¡±


    The old man chuckled, tossing his green cloak over a nearby chair and replied, "Why? Does it disappoint you?¡±


    Kaelen crossed his arms and replied, "I expected something¡­ cleaner. Something that is typical of someone who can do magic."


    The old man smirked, moving toward a shelf and pulling down a small wooden box and said, "Magic isn¡¯t always neat, boy.¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Kaelen remained by the door, scanning the room, ''No signs of other people. No cages. No chains. But that doesn''t mean that I am not in danger. Just because the blade isn¡¯t drawn doesn¡¯t mean it isn¡¯t there.''


    The old man set the box of wood on the table, popped the lid open, revealing a fistful of small, wrapped packages inside. He unwrapped one, took a bite-dried fruit, from the smell of it.


    He noticed Kaelen staring at the dried fruit and asked, "Hungry?¡±


    Kaelen¡¯s stomach tightened at the word. He hadn¡¯t eaten properly in days, but he wasn¡¯t about to let his guard down. So, he shrugged and said, "Not stupid enough to eat something from a stranger.¡±


    The old man laughed, shaking his head and complemented, "Good instincts.¡±


    Still chewing, he tossed another wrapped piece toward Kaelen. It landed at his feet.


    The old man grinned and said, "But if I wanted to poison you, there are faster ways than dried fruit.¡±


    Kaelen eyed the wrapped piece for a long moment before snatching it up and unwrapping it. He took a small, cautious bite and thought, ''Hmm... My body didn¡¯t seize. I didn''t get any sharp pain nor any numbness. So that means, I am safe. For now.''


    Coming to that conclusion, he finished it quickly.


    The old man watched him amusingly and said, ¡°You¡¯ve survived a long time on your own, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Kaelen¡¯s jaw tightened and he asked cautiously, "What do you want from me?¡±


    The old man leaned against the table, crossing his arms and questioned back, "What makes you think I want something?¡±


    Kaelen narrowed his eyes and murmured, "Everyone wants something.¡±


    The old man smiled and nodded, ¡°You¡¯re not wrong.¡±


    Kaelen stayed near the doorway, his back to the wall. The old man hadn¡¯t made a move toward him, but that didn¡¯t mean Kaelen trusted him.


    Changing the subject, he said, ¡°You said my name back then.¡±


    The old man nodded, prompting Kaelen to ask, "How?"


    The old man tapped his temple and said in a nonchalant way ,"Magic.¡±


    Kaelen frowned and said, "That¡¯s not an answer.¡±


    The old man smirked and said, "It¡¯s the only one you¡¯ll get.¡±


    Kaelen clenched his fists and angrily said, "You¡¯re toying with me.¡±


    The old man leaned back in his chair and grinned while saying, "A little.¡±


    Kaelen exhaled sharply through his nose in frustration and thought, ''He''s toying with me.''


    The old man snapped his fingers and a cup and kettle materialized out of thin air. Pouring himself a cup of tea, he asked, "Do you know why no one else bid on you?¡±


    Kaelen stiffened and sadly murmured, "... Because I¡¯m cursed.¡±


    The old man chuckled and shook his head, "Because they¡¯re fools.¡±


    Kaelen frowned and sarcastically asked, "And you¡¯re not?¡±


    The old man grinned and accpeted, "Oh, I¡¯m the greatest fool of them all.¡±


    Kaelen watched him, searching for any sign of malice and asked, "What do you want from me?¡±


    The old man took a sip of his tea and revealed, "I want to teach you magic.¡±


    There was an uncomfortable silence between them for a few seconds until Kaelen burst into laughter, "Hahaha! You must be mad.¡±


    "Quite possibly.¡±


    Kaelen shook his head and said while wiping the tears from his eye, "I can¡¯t use magic. I¡¯ve tried before. I have no scope.¡±


    The old man stayed silent as he drank his tea and then said, "No, you can''t use magic not because you don''t have a scope but because..."


    "... Because?"


    "Because you have a seal."


    Kaelen froze in shock and the only words that escaped his lips were, "..What?¡±


    The old man¡¯s eyes gleamed as he revealed, "Someone has placed a seal on you, boy. One that blocks your magic.¡±


    Kaelen¡¯s chest tightened and he thought, ''A-A seal? I-It can''t be?!?! All these years, I had believed that I was just... powerless. Less than nothing.''


    And now, this strange, mad old mage was telling him it wasn¡¯t true.


    For the first time in years, something flickered inside Kaelen.


    Hope.

 Arc 01 - Chapter 07 - The New Life

    Kaelen had always thought that life never gave without taking away. Every small mercy was balanced by pain. Every kindness was cloaked in a cruel intention.


    So when the old mage told him he had a seal placed on him¡ªone that blocked his magic¡ªKaelen felt something unfamiliar stir inside of him: hope.


    And hope was dangerous.


    He did not trust the old man. Not yet. Maybe never. But for the time being, he had no other place to go to.


    The next morning,


    Kaelen woke to the scent of something¡­ burnt. His eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the dim glow of floating blue runes illuminating the stone walls.


    Rubbing his eyes, he thought, ''I''m still in the mage''s tower. So, it was not a dream, then.''


    Pushing off the scratchy woolen blanket he¡¯d been given, Kaelen sat up on the rickety wooden bed. The room he¡¯d been offered was small¡ªbarely more than a closet. It was a single wooden desk, a chair, and shelves filled with books he couldn¡¯t read.


    Suddenly, the door creaked open and the old mage peeped into the room with a big smile on his face, saying, "Ah, good. You¡¯re awake.¡±


    Kaelen scowled seeing the big smile on his face and murmured, "Was that you trying to cook?¡±


    The old man walked in, holding a blackened plate with what might have once been bread and pointed out in a matter of fact way, "I¡¯ll have you know, this was an experiment. Not a failure.¡±


    Kaelen raised a brow looking at the plate and remarked, "Looks like charcoal.¡±


    ¡°Looks can be deceiving," The old man replied.


    Kaelen watched as the old man took a bite¡­ and immediately spat it out.


    "Cough! Cough! Cough!", The old mage choked on the bread and said, "A-Alright, fine. Maybe I¡¯m not a master chef.¡±


    Kaelen snorted despite himself. The momentary amusement faded quickly as he remembered where he was and why, ''This is temporary. Trust no one.''


    The old mage pulled a chair beside the small desk. He snapped his fingers and set down a different plate¡ªa proper meal this time. A slice of fresh bread, some dried meat, and an apple.


    Kaelen hesitated looking at the meal and asked skeptically, "What do you want?¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    The old mage sighed, rubbing his temples and tiredly said, "Must I want something to feed a starving boy?¡±


    Kaelen crossed his arms and said, "That¡¯s how it usually works.¡±


    The old mage studied him for a long moment, then gave a tired smile, saying, "Then I suppose I must prove to you that not all things come with hidden daggers.¡±


    Kaelen looked at the food again, then cautiously picked up the bread and took a bite, thinking, ''If he wanted to kill me, he¡¯d have done it already.''


    After eating, Kaelen followed the old mage to a large circular room¡ªa study filled with floating books, enchanted quills, and glowing sigils etched into the stone floor.


    "What exactly are we doing here?¡±, Kaelen asked as he looked around the study with crossed arms.


    The old mage leaned against a desk, eyeing him and said, "I want to see what happens when you try to cast magic.¡±


    Kaelen tensed and said irritatingly, "I told you. I¡¯ve tried before. It doesn¡¯t work.¡±


    The old mage¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t waver and he ordered, "Try again.¡±


    Kaelen clenched his jaw and thought, ''This is pointless.''


    He held out a hand, focusing like he had when he was younger. He remembered watching other young boys summon small flames, shift the air, or even call forth a single spark.


    He focused on something. Anything. Yet... nothing happened.


    TIred of holding out his hand, Kaelen exhaled sharply and let it down. He turned his gaze to the old mage and sadly asked, "Satisfied?¡±


    The old mage scratched his chin and rolled his eyes, "Hmph!¡±


    He walked toward Kaelen and grabbed his wrist all of a sudden.


    "What the hell are you doing?¡±, Kaelen shouted angrily.


    "Tracing the magic lines in your body.¡±, The old mage replied instantly.


    Kaelen tried to pull away, but the old man held him in place, muttering something under his breath as a faint golden light pulsed through his fingertips.


    ''What is he doing?'', Kaelen thought looking at the golden light entering his body.


    Then¡ªsomething shifted inside him. A feeling of something there but unreachable as if standing before a locked door with no key.


    Kaelen inhaled sharply and asked, "What¡­ what was that?¡±


    The old man released his wrist and nodded, while saying, "Yup, I was right. You do have magic. It''s just... sealed. Like there''s some big door that blocks it."


    Kaelen clenched his fists and said immediately, "... Then remove it.¡±


    The old mage didn¡¯t answer immediately like him. Instead, he walked over to a bookshelf, pulling down an ancient-looking tome and said, "Seals like this aren¡¯t simple. It''s very complex. Very ancient. It''s something I''ve never seen before. That''s rare, even for an Archmage like me."


    He flipped through the pages, running a finger across a passage written in an unfamiliar language and casually said, "Someone put a great deal of effort into making sure you never accessed your power.¡±


    Kaelen¡¯s blood ran cold and he shuddered as he asked, "W-Who?¡±


    The old mage met his gaze and said, "That is the question, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Kaelen clenched his fists and thought, ''All these years¡­ I thought I was just weak. Worthless. And now you tell me someone did this to me?''


    He exhaled sharply and angrily ordered, "Then break it.¡±


    "Complex seals are delicate, my boy.", The old mage tapped the tome with his finger and said, "Break them the wrong way, and it could kill you.¡±


    "T-Then do it the right way", Kaelen asked.


    The old man smirked and replied, "You¡¯re impatient.¡±


    "I¡¯ve waited long enough.¡±, Kaelen replied as he tried to control his trembling fists.


    The old man sighed, closing the tome and said, "We¡¯ll take this slow. First, I want you to train.¡±


    Kaelen frowned and asked, "Train for what?¡±


    "To withstand what comes next.¡±

 Arc 01 - Chapter 08 - Training

    Kaelen had seen a few of the children in his village being selected by clans, sects, and families as mana apprentices. Seeing the excitement on those children''s faces at that time made him wish that it happen to him too.


    He had always thought that training under a mage would mean learning spells, summoning fire from his fingertips, or bending the wind to his will.


    However, here he was. Running. For the 10th time.


    "Ha.. Ha.. Haaa....!"


    His breath came in short, sharp gasps as he sprinted across the dirt field behind the mage¡¯s tower. His legs burned, his lungs ached, and sweat dripped down his black brow. The crisp morning air did little to cool him.


    ''T-This is ridiculous!'', He thought as he stopped and leaned against a tree.


    The old mage, standing with his arms behind his back, watched him from a distance and shouted angrily, "Keep moving, boy!"


    Kaelen gritted his teeth in frustration and shouted back before he resumed running, "T-This isn''t training! This is pure torture!"


    The mage had given him a set of exercises that he had to complete every day and he didn''t explain it. No magic. No spells. Just basic running, push-ups, stretching, and breathing exercises.


    Kaelen¡¯s frustration boiled over and he shouted, "I-I don¡¯t see how this has anything to do with magic!¡±


    The old man remained unbothered and replied lazily, "That¡¯s because you think magic is just about throwing fire from your hands.¡±


    Kaelen skidded to a stop, panting, and asked, "I-Isn¡¯t it?¡±


    The old man sighed tiredly and explained, "Magic flows through the body like blood. If your body is weak, your magic is weak. If your mind is clouded, your control is lost. Without a strong foundation, power is meaningless.¡±


    Kaelen narrowed his eyes and asked, "T-Then why not just remove the seal first?¡±Stolen story; please report.


    The old man¡¯s eyes darkened and he said, "Because the moment that seal is gone, your power will surge like an unchained beast. If you are not prepared, it will devour you.¡±


    "D-Devour me?!"


    A shiver ran down Kaelen¡¯s spine and he asked with a terrified expression on his face, "Is that what happened to others before me?


    The mage didn''t answer and instead turned away, saying, "You¡¯re wasting time, boy. Start again.¡±


    Kaelen clenched his fists and began running again. His body screamed in protest, but he forced himself to move, thinking, ''If this is what it takes to break the seal, then I have no choice.''


    "That''s it for today!"


    Kaelen collapsed onto the ground, gulping down air like a hungry whale.


    With his heaving chest, he murmured, "I¡­ can¡¯t¡­ do this¡­¡±


    The old mage walked over and crouched beside him. Seeing his pathetic state, he shook his head and said, "Your body is gasping like a drowning man. You waste energy.¡±


    "Oh?!", Kaelen glared at him and sarcastically asked, "And how should I breathe then, oh wise one?¡±


    The old man ignored his sarcasm and ordered, "Sit up!"


    Kaelen groaned but did as told.


    The old man nodded in appreciation of his obedience and instructed, "Close your eyes.¡±


    Kaelen hesitated, then obeyed as he closed his eyes and asked, "What''s next?"


    ¡°Inhale through your nose. Slowly. Fill your stomach first, then your chest. Hold it.¡±


    Kaelen followed the instruction, though the effort made his ribs ache.


    "Now exhale through your mouth, emptying the chest first, then the stomach.¡±


    Kaelen exhaled, feeling a strange sensation¡ªhis heartbeat slowing, his mind clearing slightly.


    The old man nodded in appreciation and ordered, "Good. Again.¡±


    Kaelen repeated the process and thought, ''This is stupid¡­''


    But as he continued, something changed. His thoughts weren¡¯t so scattered. It is gradually becoming calm. The exhaustion remained, but it felt¡­ manageable.


    The old man watched him with approval and thought, ''He learns quickly. Good. This will be very helpful for him later on.''


    While Kaelen repeated the process, the old man ordered, "You will do this every morning. Before training. Before eating. Before sleeping.¡±


    Kaelen opened one eye and joked, "Before pissing too?¡±


    The old man smirked and taunted, "If it helps.¡±


    Kaelen rolled his eyes but didn¡¯t argue.


    The next day, Kaelen woke up with his muscles aching. He groaned and murmured, "Aaaah! Every part of my body hurts! And feels heavy!"


    The old man was already waiting outside as he knocked on the door and shouted, "On your feet!¡±


    Kaelen groaned and turned on his bed. He waited for the old man to go away but he was very patient. He kept on knocking until Kaelen finally shouted angrily at him, "Can¡¯t I get one day to recover?¡±


    However, the response from the old mage did nothing to calm him down.


    "No. Either you walk out of the room by yourself or I turn you into a frog."

 Arc 01 - Chapter - 09 - Breaking Point

    The early morning air was crisp and heavy with the scent of wet soil as it had rained last night.


    Kaelen stood in the middle of a vast, barren training ground behind the mage¡¯s tower.


    The sun barely crept over the horizon, painting the sky in vibrant hues of orange and yellow. It cast shadows across the jagged stones and trees that surrounded the training ground.


    Kaelen¡¯s muscles ached from the previous day but he couldn¡¯t complain since the old mage had threatened to turn him into a frog.


    ¡®I am sure he will turn me into one if I don¡¯t do as he says.¡¯ He thought, ¡®Complaints are a luxury I can¡¯t afford.¡¯


    The old mage stood a few feet away from him. With his arms folded behind his back, he kept an eye on Kaelen, observing his form.


    Kaelen glanced at the old mage and thought, ¡®Why does this old bastard have an eerie smile on his face today? Does he have something up his sleeve for me?¡¯


    ¡°If you have had enough of staring at me, then you may begin.¡±, The old mage said knowingly.


    Kaelen coughed in embarrasement and averted his eyes while replying, ¡°O-Of course!¡±


    He narrowed his eyes at the huge boulder before him and gulped nervously.


    ¡°Your task for now is to lift this boulder.¡±, The old mage ordered him, ¡°You won¡¯t stop until you successfully complete the task.¡±


    ¡°W-What?! Lift the boulder?!¡±, Kaelen murmured in shock and thought, ¡®It¡¯s impossible! I have never even been able to lift a sack of potatoes and this old fool wants me to lift this giant boulder.¡¯


    ¡°What are you gawking at, boy?¡±


    The old mage¡¯s voice shook Kaelen out of his reverie and he hesitantly grabbed the boulder. It was so big and wide that he seemed like a small boy before it.


    ¡°Now, lift!¡±


    Kaelen closed his eyes and pressed his palms on the boulder. Using whatever strength he had left inside him, he tried to do as the old mage ordered him.


    A few seconds passed but the stone remained firmly in place.


    Kaelen let go of the boulder and stepped back, panting in exhaustion.


    ¡°Again.¡±, The old mage said monotonously.


    Kaelen took a deep breath and tried to lift the boulder again only to fail¡­ again.


    ¡°Again.¡±


    Once more, he tried and failed.


    ¡°Again.¡±


    Fail.


    ¡°Again.¡±


    Fail.


    ¡°Again.¡±


    Fail.


    This continued quite a few more times until Kaelen finally had enough and plopped on the wet soil.


    The old mage shook his head in disappointment and said, ¡°You¡¯re not trying.¡±


    Kaelen shot him a glare and replied, ¡°I am trying!¡±


    ¡°Trying? You call this- trying?¡±, The old mage laughed sarcastically and continued, ¡°I¡¯ve seen drunks putting more effect into standing upright than you trying to lift this rock.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±, Kaelen said angrily and got up. He grabbed the boulder and shouted in anger as he tried to lift the boulder, ¡°Aaaaaah!¡±


    The wind around him stirred and for a flicker of a moment, the stone trembled but just as quickly, the sensation faded.


    ¡°Pathetic!¡±, The old mage commented.


    The word pierced through Kaelen like a knife. He let go of the boulder, spun around and shouted at the old mage in anger, ¡°You think it¡¯s easy, don¡¯t you? It must be fun with you just standing there, watching me fail over and over again.¡±


    ¡°I never said it would be easy.¡± The old mage said as he stepped closer to him. With a sharp tone in his voice, he continued, ¡°Power¡ªreal power¡ªrequires more than blind effort. It demands will. Focus. And you have neither.¡±


    ¡°Wha-?¡±, Kaelen stepped back as the weight of the mage¡¯s words pressed against his chest.


    ¡°I-I¡­ I¡¯m not like you. I¡¯m not like the others. I¡¯m¡­ nothing. I¡¯m weak.¡±, Kaelen muttered as tears formed in the corners of his eyes.


    With a disgusted look on the old mage¡¯s face, he said, ¡°What did you call yourself? Weak? Is this what you whisper to yourself when no one is listening? Do you wallow in it? Tell me¡ªwhen you stare into the dark, does calling yourself weak make the pain easier to bear?¡±


    Kaelen clenched his fists and he murmured in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ve been weak my whole life. No over has ever given me a chance¡ªnot my village, not the world.¡±


    He continued as his voice cracked filled with years of resentment and loneliness, ¡°And now you want me to believe I¡¯m something more? Like my whole life has been nothing but a lie? Why? What¡¯s the point?¡±


    The old mage took another step forward and asked coldly, ¡°Why? You dare to ask me why? Do you have the slightest clue of who you truly are?!¡±


    ¡°U-Uh¡­ a human?¡±, Kaelen asked in confusion.


    ¡°Haha!¡±, The old mage laughed and asked, ¡°You? You think you¡¯re human?¡±


    Kaelen blinked, momentarily stunned and asked, ¡°I¡ªwhat else would I be?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha!¡±, The old mage laughed even harder.


    After he had his fill of laughter, the old mage pointed at his horns and said, ¡°Are you an idiot? You say that to yourself every night when you go to sleep? That you¡¯re ¡®just¡¯ human? With those horns on your head? With the demon blood that runs in your veins?¡±


    Kaelen¡¯s hands trembled as anger fought with confusion and he murmured. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know what I am.¡±


    The old mage jabbed a finger at his chest and shouted angrily, ¡°Then stop lying to yourself! You are stronger than a human! Faster! More resilient! You survived things whhere others would have killed themselves. Do you think that¡¯s mere chance?¡±


    Kaelen¡¯s breath hitched as those words crashed against his carefully built defenses and he thought, ¡®H-He¡¯s not wrong¡­ isn¡¯t he?


    The old mage didn¡¯t relent and continued, ¡°What I see before me is a coward¡ªa boy who would rather cling to the scraps of his ¡®humanity¡¯ than embrace the power running through his veins. You could burn cities to ash, split apart the heavens, and yet you crawl like a worm.¡±


    Tears rolled down Kaelen¡¯s cheeks as he shouted back at the old man, ¡°Why do you even care? Why don¡¯t you just give up on me like everyone else?¡±


    The old mage¡¯s expression softened¡ªjust barely and he sighed. He tapped Kaelen¡¯s shoulders and said, ¡°Because I see what you could become.¡±


    Kaelen stared at him as he thought, ¡®W-What does he mean?¡¯


    ¡°So? You think you¡¯re nothing? That you¡¯re broken beyond repair?¡± The old mage shook his head. ¡°No! You are potential unfulfilled! A spark waiting to ignite!¡±


    Kaelen swallowed the lump in his throat and thought, ¡®A potential? Me?¡¯


    The old mage smiled slightly as he took a step back and said, ¡°Pain is your teacher. Rage is your fuel. But if you let them define you¡ªif you let fear hold you back¡ªyou will remain nothing. Or¡­¡±


    He gestured toward the stone and said, ¡°You rise. You claim your birthright.¡±


    Kaelen¡¯s heart pounded in his chest, torn between the truth he had accepted for years and the impossible hope the old mage offered. He stared at the wet soil for a long moment until¡­ he asked, ¡°W-What if I fail again?¡±


    The old mage smiled¡ªa glimmer of warmth in his sharp features and he said, ¡°Then you fail. And you try again. You don¡¯t stop. Not until the world trembles before you.¡±


    Kaelen exhaled slowly and turned back to the huge boulder.


    He closed his eyes and reached¡ªnot just with anger, but with everything he had buried deep inside.


    The pain of being cast out. The nights spent cold and alone. The endless hunger clawing at his gut.


    And beneath it all¡ªthe need to be more.


    A pulse surged through his veins. Heat coiled in his chest, like an ember catching flame.


    The ground trembled beneath his feet.


    Kaelen¡¯s eyes snapped open, glowing faintly red as his fingers dug into the boulder.


    The boulder rose, slowly, steadily until it floated a feet above the ground.


    ¡°Aaah!¡±, Kaelen roared in triumph as he slammed the boulder back onto the ground.


    With a huge boom, the boulder landed on the ground.


    Kaelen staggered back and before he could fall, the old mage caught him by his shoulders with a wide smile on his face, ¡°There you go! Good job, Kaelen!¡±


    Kaelen smiled happily and thought, ¡®I¡­ did it.¡¯

 Arc 01 - Chapter 10 - A New Kaelen

    [TSO¡¯s Note: This is the first time skip.]


    The wind brushed past the buildings surrounding the mage¡¯s tower and swept over the familiar barren training ground. The first rays of sunlight spilled across it.


    It was the same place where Kaelen had once struggled to lift a single boulder but he was no longer that frail, desperate boy who doubted himself.


    Kaelen stood at the center of the training ground, barefoot against the cold soil. His once-thin body had now become buffed up. He had developed muscles sculpted of years of discipline.


    The obsidian horns curling from his forehead which were once a symbol of his curse were now sharper and more pronounced. His skin, once pale and filled with rashes, now held a warm bronze hue.


    His long, black hair fell loosely to his shoulders and as he opened his golden eyes which were previously filled with doubt and fear now had confidence in them.


    He clenched his fist and aimed at a boulder before him which was twice the size of the once he had struggled to lift with years ago.


    He exhaled slowly as he felt the same warmth he felt years ago all over his body and punched the boulder.


    With a resounding boom, the boulder shattered on impact, sending debris all around him.


    A smirk formed on his lips as he loosened his fist and observed his newfound strength.


    ¡°Heh!¡±, The old mage muttered behind him with a smile on his face, ¡°Not bad, boy!¡±


    Kaelen turned around and saw the old mage coming toward him.


    The old mage still used his staff to walk. His silver hair was ow gathered into a neat braid and he had a deep blue robe embroidered with runes.


    Wiping the dust from his hands, Kaelen replied with a deep voice, ¡°Six years, and I finally earn a ¡®not bad¡¯? I should be honoured.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself, boy.¡±, The mage snorted, ¡°You¡¯d still lose in a duel against me.¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±, Kaelen rolled his eyes but didn¡¯t argue.


    He thought, ¡®Although I am stronger now. Faster. Better. And, I have learned more than I had ever thought possible yet one thing still gnaws at me which is the seal.


    I have long since realized that matter how much I train and no matter how much I push myself, the invisible chains around me remain unbroken.


    And of course, the strange dream¡­ the eerie voice¡­


    Just thinking about it makes a chill run down my spine.¡¯


    ¡°What happened, boy?¡±, The old mage asked in a soft tone as he stepped closer, What are you thinking about?¡±


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    ¡°I-It¡¯s nothing.¡±, Kaelen lied and averted his eyes from the old mage.


    However, the wise old mage caught onto him and asked, ¡°Stop lying to me, boy. I can guess when you do. Is it the dreams?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes..¡±, Kaelen sighed and nodded.


    ¡°Describe it to me again.¡±, The old mage asked seriously.


    Kaelen exhaled slowly, shutting his eyes as he tried to recall, ¡°It¡¯s always the same.


    A vast expanse of blackness that stretchs in every direction. The air heavy, thick, and cold¡ªlike something heavy and ancient pressing on my skin. Me standing alone in the emptiness.


    And then¡­ the voice.


    It comes from everywhere and nowhere.


    Smooth, rich, and laced with something that always makes my blood stir.


    "You are learning."


    A pause.


    "I am eager to meet you."


    And every time I would ask, ¡°Who are you?¡± Or ¡°What do you want?¡±


    But, like always, I would never receive a reply, only the feeling that somebody is watching me from the darkness.¡±


    Kaelen opened his eyes and met the mage¡¯s gaze, saying, ¡°It feels¡­ like someone¡¯s waiting for me.¡±


    The old mage narrowed his eyes and in a low voice, replied, ¡°It seems that someone or something is.¡±


    Kaelen swallowed hard and asked, ¡°Who?¡±


    The mage shook his head and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know. But whatever it is¡­ it means you¡¯re on the right path or¡­ someone wants you to think that you are.¡±


    A chill crawled down Kaelen¡¯s spine which he forced to shrug off and asked, changing the subject, ¡°So what now? New training?¡±


    The mage chuckled in amusement, witnessing his enthusiasm, and replied, ¡°No. You are ready, Kaelen.¡±


    ¡°Ready?¡±, Kaelen stopped and gulped in surprise, ¡°I-I am ready?!¡±


    The mage said nothing but turned toward the tower and gestured him to follow.


    As they walked through the arched doorway and into the hall, he finally spoke in a low voice, ¡°Yes, Kaelen. You are ready. Ready for the seal to be broken.¡±


    Kaelen¡¯s heart leaped in his chest and he shouted in excitement, ¡°Yessss!!!!¡±


    For six years, he had waited to hear those words. He couldn¡¯t control the excitement he was feeling.


    The old mage smiled and nodded.


    ¡°But...¡±


    He stopped a circular chamber deep within the tower.


    Kaelen stopped throwing his hands in excitement and looked around, asking, ¡°Where are we? I haven¡¯t seen this room before.¡±


    Torches flared to life as they stepped inside, revealing an intricate magical circle carved into the floor.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s because...¡±, The old mage said, ¡°You had no business seeing this room before, but now you do.¡±


    ¡°Woah!¡± Kaelen exclaimed in wonder and awe, seeing the magical circle on the floor.


    The old mage let him gawk at it for a few seconds until he said, ¡°Boy! Quit gawking and come here!¡±


    Kaelen quickly ran toward the old mage and stood before him.


    ¡°Good.¡± The old mage nodded and began seriously, ¡°I want you to listen to what I say carefully, Kaelen. Breaking your seal won¡¯t be easy. The magic that binds it is an ancient and powerful one. Nobody can break it easily. Hell¡­ no one can even see it unless they have Soul-Wraith Eyes like me.¡±


    ¡°Soul-Wraith?¡± Kaelen blinked in confusion.


    ¡°Yes, Soul-Wraith Eyes.¡±, The old mage continued, ¡°They allow me to see a person¡¯s soul directly.¡±


    ¡°So, you can see my soul?¡± Kaelen asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± The old mage nodded, ¡°When I first saw you entering the stage at the auction, I felt a strange itch in my eyes. After all these years, I have learned never to ignore the itch. So, I used my power to stare into your soul and saw a strange obscure chain around it.¡±


    Kaelen clenched his fists in anger.


    ¡°I have been studying it for quite some time now, and the most important thing I have come to realize about it is that it was carefully crafted to keep you from discovering the truth of your bloodline.¡±


    Sighing in anger, Kaelen asked, ¡°What do we need, old man? For the seal to break?¡±


    ¡°Three things.¡± The old mage¡¯s eyes gleamed in the torchlight.


    A thrill of both excitement and fear surged through Kaelen and he asked, ¡°So¡­ we¡¯re going on a journey?¡±


    The old mage gave a rare, toothy grin and replied, ¡°A long and dangerous one. You¡¯ll probably want to run away screaming by the end of it.¡±


    Kaelen laughed softly, shaking his head and replied, ¡°And here I thought you were getting tired of me.¡±


    The old mage¡¯s expression softened just slightly as he asked, ¡°You¡¯ve come a long way, Kaelen. But this¡­ this will be your true test. Are you ready?¡±


    Kaelen clenched his fists, feeling the power simmering beneath the surface¡ªthe power that had been denied to him for too long.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± he replied confidently and thought, ¡®For the first time in my life, I am not just fighting to survive. I am fighting to become something more and I would not stop until I found the truth no matter what it costs me.¡¯

 Arc 02 - Chapter 11 – A New Journey Begins

    The glow of lanterns flickered against the walls of the mage¡¯s tower as crickets made noise outside.


    It was late at night and Kaelen had just finished another brutal round of training. He walked in the hallway confidently. His muscle no longer ached and he felt refreshed.


    Entering the mage¡¯s office, he smiled and asked, ¡°What did you call me here for?¡±


    The old mage sat in his chair and tapped his staff. He chuckled under his breath and replied, ¡°You¡¯ve come far, boy. And since we begin our real journey tomorrow, it¡¯s time you stopped dressing like a wandering beggar.¡±


    ¡°Wha-?!¡±, Kaelen recoiled in shock and exclaimed, ¡°Beggar?! Me?!¡±


    Without saying anything, the old mage tapped his staff on the ground and a bundle wrapped in black cloth materialized out of thin air. With a snap of his fingers, the cloth unravelled, revealing a gleaming set of armour.


    ¡°I-Is that¡­ for me?!¡±, Kaelen asked in excitement as he stepped forward.


    Seeing his excitement, the old mage smirked confidently and replied, ¡°No, I thought I¡¯d look good wearing it to impress the ladies.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±, Kaelen stopped and sighed in disappointment.


    ¡°Hahaha!¡±, The old mage laughed, seeing Kaelen¡¯s face and said, ¡°Of course, boy! It¡¯s for you.¡±


    ¡°Yesss!¡±, Kaelen ran and grabbed the armour in excitement.


    ¡°This is ShadowWolf Armour which is forged from the hide of a shadow beast and enchanted with the power of concealment. It was a gift from an old friend.¡±, The old mage explained.


    Kaelen brushed his fingers against the armor and thought, ¡®It¡¯s so smooth! It feels like there¡¯s a faint rippled beneath the surface, as if touching cool water. The silver runic enchantment on the dark grey looks so menacing!¡¯


    ¡°Go on¡±, The old mage said, ¡°Try it.¡±


    He slipped into the armor and said, ¡°The chest piece fits perfectly. It¡¯s lighter than I had expected it to be.¡±


    ¡°Also,¡± He looked at the back and said, ¡°I love the cloak made of shadow-grey fur.¡±


    ¡°Hehe!¡±, The old mage nodded in satisfaction and said, ¡°This armour isn¡¯t just for show, you know. The enchantments it has will allow you to blend into the shadows making you almost invisible if you stay still. This ability is very useful for sneaking and, more importantly, for surviving which you must do until we break that seal of yours.¡±


    He gestured at the silver runes and continued, ¡°These runes absorb low-level magical attacks but it won¡¯t stop a sword through your gut so, don¡¯t get cocky. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. I won¡¯t get cocky.¡±, Kaelen nodded thrice, still admiring the softness of the cloak.


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    Watching him, the old mage said, ¡°That fur muffles sound. So, walk lightly and you¡¯ll be nothing but a ghost.¡±


    ¡°Woah!¡±, Kaelen exclaimed grinning ear to ear and asked, ¡°I look dangerous, don¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± The old mage said, shaking his head and turned around, ¡°You look like a fool who hasn¡¯t been stabbed yet.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, listen¡±, The old mage said in a serious tone, ¡°Our first destination is the Tainted Forest. It is a cursed place on the north-eastern edge of the Crellan Empire, near the border of the Kingdom of Restoveria.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡±, Kaelen cleared his throat and asked, ¡°North-east of the Crellan Empire? Umm¡­ isn¡¯t that where the ocean is?¡±


    The old mage froze mid-step, then slowly turned to face Kaelen with a disappointed look on his face and asked, ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°The ocean?¡± Kaelen repeated innocently and thought, ¡®What¡¯s wrong with what I said? Am I not right?¡¯


    A long, strained silence followed before the old mage sighed and rubbed his temples.


    ¡°By the Elemental Gods!¡±, The old mage looked at Kaelen with a disgruntled look and asked, ¡°How did you survive this long knowing so little? Do you even know where you are?¡±


    Kaelen shifted awkwardly and replied, ¡°Well¡­ there¡¯s the tower, the forest, and¡­ I figured the world was just kind of¡­ around us.¡±


    The old mage let out an exasperated sigh and waved his staff. From its tip, a shimmering illusion bloomed into the air.


    Kaelen looked up at the illusion in awe and saw a massive sphere turning slowly.


    ¡°This,¡± The old mage explained patiently, ¡°is Mirona¡ªthe world you live in. Let¡¯s start with the basics before your ignorance gives me another headache.¡±


    Kaelen¡¯s eyes widened as the image spun, glowing with faint hues of green, blue, and gold.


    ¡°There are six main continents,¡± The old mage began, pointing his staff. ¡°First is Nova Terra. The largest and most diverse continent. Humans, elves, dwarves¡ªevery kind of race lives here. It is ruled by empires, kingdoms, theocracies¡ªeach with their ambitions.¡±


    ¡°We are here.¡±, He tapped a point in the south-western region. ¡°The Crellan Empire. It is the strongest human empire in the entire Mirona.¡±


    Kaelen squinted at the image and asked, ¡°And the Tainted Forest?¡±


    ¡°Right here,¡± the old mage pointed again, ¡°in the north-eastern region, just below the Kingdom of Restoveria¡ªa land ruled by elves. The Tainted Forest was once a thriving woodland until a battle between the dark elves and the high elves corrupted it. The magic still lingers, twisting the land and its creatures.¡±


    Kaelen raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°Sounds¡­ fun.¡±


    The old mage ignored the comment and continued. ¡°Next up is Khraos, the Demon and Devil Continent. A blasted wasteland where people like you should avoid unless you enjoy being enslaved or devoured.¡±


    Kaelen grimaced and nodded, saying, ¡°Noted.¡±


    ¡°Drakonaria,¡± The old mage said, tapping a jagged, mountainous land and said, ¡°The Dragon Continent¡ªhome to the ancient dragons and their chosen kin. Even I wouldn¡¯t tread there lightly. Then we have Theria, the Beast Continent which is ruled by beastmen and wild tribes. It is dangerous if you¡¯re weak, welcoming if you¡¯re strong.¡±


    Kaelen had a look of wonder on his face as he asked, ¡°And the last two?¡±


    ¡°Parasidus,¡± The old mage¡¯s tone softened slightly and he continued, ¡°The Angel Continent. It is a place of divine beings and radiant cities. Some people call it paradise. I call it meddlesome. Lastly, we have Divinia, the Divine Continent. The seat of the gods themselves. Only fools and the desperate try to step foot there.¡±


    Kaelen stared at the image in awe and he thought, ¡®The world feels¡­ larger. Wilder. It isn¡¯t what I thought.¡¯


    ¡°So much¡­¡± he muttered, still trying to process it all.


    ¡°You¡¯ve spent your life in a tiny cage,¡± The old mage said softly. ¡°But there¡¯s more out there. More than you ever imagined. And soon, you¡¯ll see it for yourself.¡±


    Kaelen couldn¡¯t control his excitement anymore and asked, ¡°What about magic? How does it work? What else don¡¯t I know?¡±


    Immediately,the old mage raised a hand, silencing him and said, ¡°Enough questions for tonight. Magic is a lesson for another day. For now, sleep well. We will leave at dawn.¡±


    Disappointed but still buzzing with anticipation, Kaelen nodded and said,¡°Fine¡­ but you¡¯ll explain everything else later.¡±


    The old mage chuckled and replied, ¡°I always do.¡±


    At dawn, Kaelen stood the tower with closed eyes. The cold wind brushed against his face as the ShadowWolf Armor clung comfortably to his body with a sharp dagger tied to his waist.


    The old mage joined him, leaning on his staff as he surveyed the training ground one last time and asked, ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    Kaelen opened his eyes, grinning and replied, ¡°Born ready.¡±


    Without another word, the old mage tapped his staff twice against the earth and chanted, ¡°Warp Gate!¡±


    A pulse of energy rippled through the air as a shimmering, circular portal crackled open before them with dark violet light swirling within its edges.


    Kaelen swallowed and thought, ¡®There¡¯s no turning back now.¡¯


    Together, they stepped through the gate and vanished with the portal instantly closing after them.

 Arc 02 - Chapter 12 – The Tainted Forest

    Bloodfire burned from every corner of the Temple of The Abyssals in Za¡¯Lim which was decorated with stones made out of screaming faces which casted shadows along the walls.


    At the center of the chamber, a massive demon knelt in submission with his forehead touching the ground. His purplish skin carved with runes pulsed with abyssal magic along with the four bronze-like horns which curled backward from his skill almost like a crown.


    He pleaded, ¡°Oh, Lord of The Abyss! Where darkness flows endlessly! Where the forsaken cry! Please hear my words O¡¯Lord! I, Margon, your servant, humbly requests your presence. Please guide me!¡±


    Before him stood a big, eerily glowing violet statue of a faceless figure wearing armour with a star in it¡¯s hand. It  was carved from the stones brought from the deepest layers of the Abyss.


    Suddenly, the chamber trembled faintly as the statue glowed brightly and a cold voice echoed from it.


    ¡°Changes are stirring. The seal weakens. Keep your eyes on the source.¡±


    Malgron pressed his forehead to the cold stone floor and said in a voice filled with fear and reverence, ¡°Yes, my lord. I will find it.¡±


    ¡°Do not fail me, Margon.¡±


    The light from the staute flared dangerously.


    ¡°The time soon approaches when the Blood of The Evil will awaken¡­ and we must be ready.¡±


    Margon clenched his fists in anger and he dug his claws onto the floor and shouted, ¡°As my Lord commands!¡±


    The light in the statue flickered, then dimmed to the usual eerily violet glow.The presence behind it faded, but the air remained heavy with malice.


    Rising to his feet, Margon cracked his muscles and a cruel smile formed on his scarred lips as he murmured,


    ¡°The hunt begins!¡±


    ---


    In the Tainted Forest,


    A crackling purple portal formed on the outer edge of the forest. Kaelen and the old mage emerged out of it as the portal twisted and vanished behind them.


    ¡°Woah!¡±, Kaelen quietly exclaimed as he gazed at his surrondings while thinking, ¡®T-This is¡­ unlike anything I have ever seen.¡¯


    The huge trees stood unnaturally still with ashen grey bark and marked with scars. The canopy above was so thick that it blocked whatever was left of the sunlight after the grey clouds above them blocked most of it.


    ¡°This place feels¡­ wrong,¡± Kaelen muttered as he adjusted the armour on his shoulders.


    The old mage sighed heavily as he dug his staff into the dark soil, his breath visible in the cold air and said,¡±It should. This is a cursed land which is tainted by the blood of an ancient war which shattered an entire Elven Kingdom.¡±


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    ¡°What?! An entire kindom?!¡±, Kaelen exclaimed loudly.


    ¡°Shhh!¡±, The old mage put a finger on his lips and said, ¡°Do not shout here, boy! Unless you want to get killed.¡±


    Kaelen nodded and whispered, ¡°What happened here that caused an entire kingdom to collapse?¡±


    Gazing at the destroyed forest with nostalgia, the old mage began, ¡°Long ago, this forest was part of Sylvalia, the great elven kingdom that stretched from the eastern borders of the Crellan Empire into the now Kingdom of Restoveria. Back then, the high elves flourished. They were masters of magic. They balanced politics, strategy and trade with ease. But pride¡­¡±


    He shook his head in disgust and continued, ¡°¡­ was their downfall.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±, Kaelen raised his eyebrows and asked curiously, ¡°What did they do?¡±


    ¡°They began to consider themselves as beings worthy of worship and began to play with powers that were way beyond their understanding,¡± The old mage continued, ¡°The ruling family sought to make themselves as deities in the temples they worshipped. They cast every other elven race as inferior when compared to them especially the dark elves. The dark elves were told to leaves their homes in the kingdom and live in Khraos since the high elves had told everbody that the dark elves were born as a result of a union between an elf and a demon.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± The old mage said as he began to walk forward, ¡°The dark elves wouldn¡¯t just sit still and watch their homes be destroyed and their families be humiliated publicly and forced to relocate. Thus, the Twilight war began.¡±


    ¡°Why would the high elves do that?¡±, Kaelen frowned as he followed the old mage.


    ¡°Power, Kaelen.¡± The old mage replied, ¡°The dark elves believed that the high elves had always deliberately tried to weaken them. They thought that they were stripped away from their true potential. They called themselves Vael¡¯Sharis ¨C ¡®Children of the Dark.¡¯ And during their rebellion, they used magic from Khraos itself.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±, Kaelen had a disgusted look on his face as he asked, ¡°They allied with demons? Even knowing that this would prove what the high elves lied about them?¡±


    ¡°Not at first.¡±, The old mage chuckled bitterly, ¡°But desperate people make bad decisions. When they realized that they were no match against the high elves¡¯ magic, they allied with the demons of Khraos and opened up a rift, connecting both continents. The demons had promised them that they would wipe out the high elves for them in exchange of a piece of a territory in the new kingdom the dark elves would build later on after winning the war. Little did they know, they unleashed hell upon their own homeland and this very forest became the battlefield.¡±


    He gestured around them and said, ¡°See those scars? The air? The magic from centuries ago still lingers here. Those trees?¡±


    He pointed at a blackened trunk and said, ¡°They are grown from the blood of fallen elven mages whose ghosts wander around here seeking vengenance.¡±


    Kaelen shivered despite the warmth of his armor and asked, ¡°And the war?¡±


    ¡°It ended in ruin. The high elves won but at a terrible price. The survivors of the Vael¡¯Sharis ran inside the rift to Khraos and Sylvalis fell not long after as its magic lines had been fractured beyond repair.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a place we shouldn¡¯t be wandering into,¡± Kaelen muttered nervously.


    The old mage smiled faintly and replied, ¡°True. But where else would you find what we seek?¡±


    They pressed deeper into the forest and the air grew heavier with each step. Fog clung to the ground like mist, curling around Kaelen¡¯s boots and he thought, ¡®I can¡¯t shake the feeling that something is watching me.¡¯


    The old mage¡¯s voice snapped him out of his reverie, ¡°Stop daydreaming, Kaelen. Stay alert. This place is still¡ª¡±


    WHOOSH!


    Suddenly, the sharp hiss of an arrow cut through the air. Kaelen¡¯s training instincts kicked in as he twisted to the side just in time to avoid the arrow that grazed his cheek and stuck itself into a nearby tree.


    ¡®What in the seven hells?!¡¯, Kaelen thought as he heart pounded in his chest. He spun in the direction of the arrow and narrowed his eyes.


    Among the shadows of the trees, two furious emerald-green eyes emerged with a bow drawn toward him.


    ¡°Demons aren¡¯t allowed here!¡±

 Arc 02 – Chapter 13 – The First Battle

    Kaelen¡¯s heart pounded in his chest as he stared at the pair of furious emerald-green eyes aiming an arrow at his head.


    ¡°Demons aren¡¯t allowed here!¡±


    A second arrow was loosened without hesitation.


    Kaelen¡¯s reflexes which he had trained under the watchful eyes of the old mage for six years kicked in.


    He dodged the arrow as it flew past his shoulder and got stuck in a tree behind him.


    Without waiting for a third arrow to be loosened, he charged at the emerald-green eyes with the ground beneath his feet cracking up at every step he took toward them. As soon as he did that, the eyes were forced to come out of the shadows as they jumped to the side revealing the person to be¡­


    ¡®An elf?¡¯, Kaelen thought as his eyes wandered to the pointy ears of the woman. However, he couldn¡¯t afford to waste time thinking what or why was she doing this as the elf drew another arrow, notched it almost in a blur and let it loose on Kaelen.


    ¡°Shit!¡±, Kaelen cursed and ducked just in time.


    The arrow skimmed above his hair as he rolled across the forest and sprang to his feet instantly.


    ¡°Persistent, aren¡¯t you?¡±, He growled under his breath.


    She didn¡¯t answer and shifted her stance an drew a curved dagger from the thigh sheath of her brown robes.


    Charging toward him, she slashed the blade across his neck but Kaelen quickly raised his arm in defense and let his new ShadowWolf Armor absorb the strike.


    He countered with a punch, aiming at her ribs but she spun like a dance, her dark-brown ponytail whipping through the air. She aimed her boot at him and kicked him on the side.


    ¡°Aah!¡±, Kaelen grunted in pain and skid back a few feet.


    ¡°She¡¯s quick,¡± he muttered as he felt the pain in his stomach and clenched his fist, ¡°That just means, I have to be quicker.¡±


    The old mage stood some distance away from either of them. He calmly observed the fight although his staff crackled faintly but for now, he held back as he thought, ¡®This is his first battle. I can¡¯t interfere and ruin his experience. I need to let him learn how to defend himself against other races. I will only interfere when I feel that his life will be in danger.¡¯


    Kaelen didn¡¯t have that luxury as the elf lunged again with the dagger flashing toward his face.


    However, this time, he was ready. He caught her wrist in mid-air and twisted it sharply.


    ¡°Aah!¡±, The elf screamed in pain.


    Then, Kaelen threw a powerful punch at her stomach.


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    ¡°Oofmph!¡±, The elf exclaimed as she skid back a few steps and held her stomach. She looked at Kaelen and taunted in a melodic Restoverian accent, ¡°I-Is that all you¡¯ve got?¡±


    ¡°No¡±, Kaelen replied as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and said, ¡°I¡¯ve got more.¡±


    She let go of her stomach and smiled, saying, ¡°Then, come at me, Demon!¡±


    Without waiting for Kaelen¡¯s response, she leaped again¡ªfaster than he expected and aimed her dagger at his chest.


    Kaelen spun around, aiming at her back with his feet and kicked her.


    She gasped as the kick knocked her forward. However, she recovered fast and got up, staring at the dagger securely tied at Kaelen¡¯s waist, while thinking, ¡®Why is this demon so strong? He hasn¡¯t even formed an Abyssal Vein yet he moves twice as fast as one who has formed it! And, judging by his horns, he hasn¡¯t even matured yet. So, that means, he is still a fledgeling? Oh no! Did I attack the son of a Demon Baron?! That would explain the human mage with him! Humans and Demons always come together when their interests are mutual. I can¡¯t prolong this fight any longer. I must end it here and now! Otherwise, the human mage would alert the rest of the demon party they must have brought with them.¡¯


    Without wasting a second, she drew an arrow and chanted, ¡°Destructus Annihlus!¡±


    Kaelen and the old mage frowned as a silver light flared on the arrow, twisting the air around it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll warn you once,¡± She said coldly, aiming the arrow straight at Kaelen¡¯s chest, ¡°Leave! Or I won¡¯t hesitate to kill you both.¡±


    Kaelen tensed and thought as he looked at the glowing silver light on the tip of the arrow and thought, ¡®She is a mage?! T-That¡¯s magic?! What kind of magic is that?! Whatever it is, it feels dangerous. Very dangerous.¡¯


    ¡°All right.¡¯, The old mage said calmly as he took a step forward while raising his free hand in the air, ¡°Listen, elven girl. The boy isn¡¯t a demon.¡±


    However, the elf tigthened her grip on the bow and said, ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m joking, old man?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re making a mistake,¡± The old mage warned in a serious tone of voice, ¡°Stand down.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t take orders from filthy humans!,¡± She snapped and got ready to let go of the arrow.


    ¡°Sigh! Idiotic elves as always!¡± The old mage murmured as he shook his head in irritation and snapped his fingers.


    Suddenly, a sharp snap echoed through the air.


    ¡°Wha¡ª?¡±, The elf¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as the magic spell around the arrow shattered. The glowing energy broke apart like shards of glass and the arrow itself crumbling into dust.


    Even Kaelen himself was shocked and he thought, ¡®Woah! I didn¡¯t know that the old fool was so powerful!¡¯


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to raise my staff to break your childish spells,¡± The old mage said coolly, ¡°I suggest you think carefully about your next move.¡±


    Silence fell over the forest and for the first time, Kaelen saw a flicker of doubt flash across her face and he thought, ¡®She¡¯s strong. No, in fact, she¡¯s very strong but the way the old man shattered her spell must have shook her confidence.¡¯


    However, stubbornly, she didn¡¯t lower her weapon. Instead, she adjusted her aim and pointed the next arrow at Kaelen¡¯s heart, and asked quietly, ¡°Who are you people?¡±


    Kaelen exhaled slowly as his fingers twitched near the hilt of his dagger but he didn¡¯t draw it. Not yet.


    ¡°We¡¯re not your enemies,¡± The old mage said calmly and requested humbly, ¡°And if you would be so kind to lower your weapon, I¡¯ll explain everything.¡±


    The elf hesitated and her eyes flicked between the two of them as she thought, ¡®I am outmatched!¡¯


    Finally, after a long pause, she loosened her bowstring but she didn¡¯t lower her weapon.


    ¡°Talk fast,¡± She ordered in irritation, ¡°And if I don¡¯t like your answer you won¡¯t live to give another.¡±


    Kaelen smirked in defeat as he thought, ¡®Great. Another person who wants me dead.¡¯


    The old mage¡¯s expression remained calm as he said,¡°Very well. Let¡¯s start with the truth.¡±

 Arc 02 - Chapter 14 – Trust Is A Fickle Thing

    The elf had her bow raised and ready to fire at the first wrong move. Her eyes flicked between Kaelen and the old mage like she expected an attack at any moment.


    Kaelen shifted his stance and thought, ¡®She recovered from my attacks so quickly. Are all elves like that?¡¯


    The old mage seemed utterly unbothered. He stood calmly, leaning on his staff and said smoothly, ¡°You¡¯ve made your point. But we aren¡¯t your enemies. We just came here to get something that would be very helpful to us.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±, The elf frowned and asked coldly, ¡°And what would that be?¡±


    Kaelen noticed the faint tapping of her fingers against her bow and thought, ¡®Is that a habit, perhaps? Or is she just fighting the urge to strike again?¡¯


    ¡°We seek the Heart of the Three-Headed Twilight Wolf,¡± The old mage revealed.


    Suddenly, the elf became alarmed and tightened her grip on the bow, saying, ¡°You¡¯re either mad or you¡¯ve come to die.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±, Kaelen frowned and asked, ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    However, the elf ignored him and asked the old mage, ¡°Why do you want it?¡±


    ¡°Sigh!¡±, The old mage sighed and answered, ¡°That¡¯s¡­ not your concern.¡±


    A humorless smile formed on the elf¡¯s face as she repeated, ¡°Not my concern?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±, She began, ¡°Waltz into the Tainted Forest, acting like you own the place, and now you want one of the most dangerous artifacts in these woods. Do you think I¡¯ll let you do as you please?¡±


    The old mage met her gaze and said, ¡°Whether you allow it or not is irrelevant. We will find it ourselves.¡±


    Kaelen swallowed and thought, ¡®Way to go, old man! Now, she will definitely try to kill us.¡¯


    ¡°Wow!¡±, The elf smiled and said, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a fool?¡±


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    ¡°I know, you¡¯re hiding something,¡± She accused, ¡°No one comes looking for the Heart without a reason. And especially not humans or elves.¡±


    Kaelen stepped forward and said, ¡°Look, elf. We don¡¯t mean any harm. We just came here for the Heart. If you know where it is-¡±


    The elf cut him off by saying, ¡°I¡¯m not telling you.¡±


    Kaelen sighed in frustration and asked, ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±, She laughed bitterly and replied, ¡°Because even if you could find it yourselves, you¡¯d never survive. The Twilight Wolf will tear you apart.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern,¡± The old mage said coldly, ¡°Whether it tear us apart or chew us or eat us¡ªwe¡¯ll face it ourselves.¡±


    The elf smirked faintly and said, ¡°Your funeral, then.¡±


    Kaelen softened his voice and said, ¡°Look, if you know where it is, could you just tell us?¡±


    The elf smiled sinisterly and said, ¡°Well, I do know where it is but I am not telling you.¡±


    ¡°Please.¡±, Kaelen pleaded.


    However, the elf shot him a disgusted look and said, ¡°Ew! Don¡¯t do that ever again! And also, your answer is no.¡±


    Kaelen sighed in frustration, thinking, ¡®I am running out of patience.¡¯


    The old mage noticed a faint mark on neck and thought, ¡®Oh? Is that the crest of the Valewind family? Hahaha! Never in my whole life I would¡¯ve imagined to meet a member of that stubborn old fool¡¯s family. This is perfect! I can use this to my advantage!¡¯


    ¡°Well, if you refuse,¡± He said, ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll have to speak to Lord Valewind about your attitude.¡±


    The name dropped like a stone.


    Suddenly, the elf froze and her lips parted in shock as she asked, ¡°H-H-How do you know that name? W-Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Hehe!¡±, The old mage grinned triumphantly and replied, ¡°I have my ways. And if you don¡¯t cooperate, I¡¯ll make sure your family leader knows exactly how you¡¯re being negligent on your duty.¡±


    Kaelen blinked in confusion and thought, ¡®What? Oldy knows her family¡¯s leader? Since when?¡¯


    The elf glared at the old mage like she wanted to strangle him as she bit her lips in frustration. For some time, she stayed silent until she sighed in anger and lowered her bow.


    ¡°You¡¯re playing a very dangerous game, human,¡± She muttered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± The old mage said, ¡°I¡¯m very good at it.¡±


    ¡°Hmph!¡±, The elf snapped, ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll take you there. But if you die, that¡¯s on you. And, just so you know, I am praying that you do.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±, Kaelen said earnestly but the elf ignored him.


    ¡°But let¡¯s be clear,¡± She warned in a cold tone, ¡°I still don¡¯t trust either of you. One wrong move and you won¡¯t see the next arrow coming.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± the old mage said smoothly.


    Kaelen couldn¡¯t resist muttering, ¡°Charming.¡±


    The elf shot him a glare before turning sharply on her heel and ordered, ¡°Follow me.¡±


    Kaelen lingered a moment as the old mage stepped beside him, still smiling faintly.


    ¡°You knew her family this whole time?¡± Kaelen whispered to him.


    ¡°I know more than I let on, boy.¡±, The old mage replied with a wide smile, ¡°Best you remember that.¡±

 Arc 02 – Chapter 15 – The Demon Ambush

    The Tainted Forest had gnarled roots everywhere with the smell of rotten eggs and eerie fog that covered the surroundings.


    Kaelen, the old mage and the elf stayed silent and carefully moved through the forest until the elf couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer and asked, ¡°How do you know Lord Valewind, human?¡±


    The old mage stayed silent and kept following her.


    Watching him, the elf clicked her tongue in frustration and said, ¡°Hmph! Whatever! Keep silent as long as you want, human!¡±


    Kaelen cleared his throat and asked, ¡°How are you related to this.. Lord Valewind?¡±


    The elf shot him a glare and asked as she got offended, ¡°You don¡¯t know Lord Valewind?!¡±


    Kaelen awkwardly scratched his head and replied, ¡°No..¡±


    ¡°Brainless beast!¡±, The elf muttered under her breath, shot him a look of disgust and replied proudly, ¡°I am Sylra Valewind! The grand daughter of Lord Valewind! The most important member of the High Council of Restoveria!¡±


    ¡°Woah¡±, Kaelen faked his reaction as he thought, ¡®I have no idea what she just said. But judging by how proudly she was, it must be something grand.¡¯


    ¡°I am Kaelen.¡±, He said politely.


    Slyra ignored him and began, ¡°Lord Valewind had been informed of demonic activity in the Tainted Forest and he sent me to investigate the veracity of the sources.¡±


    She shot Kaelen another look and continued, ¡°Maybe those sources are true after all.¡±


    Suddenly, the old mage coughed which made Sylra stiffen and bite her lip in frustration.


    ¡°Hmph!¡±, Sylra turned away and asked softly, ¡°Who exactly are you, human?¡±


    Finally, the old mage replied, ¡°An old man.¡±


    ¡°Huh!¡±, Sylra scoffed and replied, ¡°That¡¯s not an answer.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the only one you will get.¡±, The old mage replied to her.


    Kaelen walked behind them and listening to her, he realized, ¡®Wait! I have to admit, I have been wondering the same thing. The old man has never told me much about him. Even after living him for six years, he has never revealed more than he wished.¡¯


    However, Sylra wasn¡¯t deterred and kept asking, ¡°Which magical academy did you graduate from? Are you from the Supreme Magic School? The Academy of the New Dawn? Maybe even the Ancient Runic Institute?¡±


    The old mage remained silent.


    Kaelen frowned and thought, ¡®What¡­ What is she talking about? Supreme Magic School? New Dawn Academy? What are these? I have never heard of these places before.¡¯


    He glanced at Sylra and thought, ¡®The way she speaks, it means that they are very important. Yet, I have no clue about them.¡¯


    Sighing heavily, he thought, ¡®I know nothing about this world¡­¡¯


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    Sylra wasn¡¯t done and kept on asking, ¡°Or perhaps you belong to one of the great families? The Aurelians, the Vaelmonts, or maybe¡ª¡± she glanced back at the old mage, narrowing her eyes, ¡°the Eldric Order?¡±


    Nothing. The old mage¡¯s expression didn¡¯t shift.


    Kaelen clenched his fists and thought, ¡®I hate how I feel. These are names that mean something. These names are names of power. And I am utterly clueless about them. Why am I below the old man and Sylra? Why can¡¯t I be in the same realm as them?¡¯


    Gazing upon the old mage, Slyra sighed and said, ¡°You¡¯re frustratingly tight-lipped, you know that?¡±


    Finally, the old mage sighed and looked at her, saying, ¡°Quiet down, little girl.¡±


    Sylra stopped in her tracks and turned around with an offensive look on her face, saying, ¡°Excuse me? Who do you think you are calling a little girl?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m two hundred years too old for you to call me that!¡± She shouted in anger.


    Kaelen blinked and thought with a smile on his face, ¡®Woah! I like where this is going.¡¯


    The old mage smirked and amusingly revealed, ¡°I¡¯m actually older than you, elven girl.¡±


    Sylra scoffed as she folded her hands on her chest and said, ¡°Impossible.¡±


    ¡°These wrinkles aren¡¯t mere decorations,¡± The old mage said smoothly. ¡°They are proof of my years. And unlike many, I don¡¯t chase beauty after living so long in this world. I¡¯ve seen too much to care for such shallow things.¡±


    Both Sylra and Kaelen stared at him in shock.


    Kaelen, more so as his foot caught on a stray root and he fell on the dirt with a loud thud which echoed through the silence.


    Suddenly, everything became silent. Too silent. Until, suddenly, a sound came from the right.


    ¡°GROWL!¡±


    Kaelen¡¯s head snapped up, spitting out dirt as he turned toward the noise. Sylra already had an arrow nocked, her bowstring pulled taut. The old mage¡¯s eyes narrowed, his fingers tightening around his staff.


    Kaelen scrambled to his feet, his heart hammering in his chest as he thought, ¡®What was that?¡¯


    Kaelen could feel the ground beneath his feet rumbling as several growls and roars came in his direction.


    ¡°What the f-?¡±, Kaelen said as three figures suddenly lunged at him from the shadows of trees. Their eyes gleamed and their bodies were twisted and monstrous with horns on their foreheads. Two of the figures bore a humanoid form and jagged claws whereas several others emerged from the shadows crawling on all fours.


    Before the figures could reach him, Kaelen jumped backward avoiding their attacks.


    ¡°What are they?¡±, He shouted as he gazed upon several more emerging with different bodies and shapes.


    ¡°A demon horde!¡±, Sylra shouted as she let loose an arrow which cleanly pierced one of the demon¡¯s forehead, killing it instantly.


    ¡°Demons?¡±, Kaelen repeated as he gazed at them.


    Suddenly, he felt a strange rush of excitation throughout his body but before he could dwell on it, a demon lunged at him, aiming it¡¯s spear at his heart.


    Kaelen dodged as he twisted his body in time and retaliated with a punch aiming at the demon¡¯s chest.


    His fist tore through the demon¡¯s armor and crashed against it¡¯s chest with such a forced that it was sent flying back.


    ¡°Trio-Thunder!¡±


    Beside him, Sylra chanted a spell and shot an arrow toward the sky. The arrow burst apart into three thunderous strikes which struck the demon horde killing several of them instantly.


    However, several more replaced the ones who died almost instantly.


    The old mage raised his staff, murmuring an incantation.


    ¡°Fire Vortex!¡±


    The air hummed as the air before him twisted until a fire vortex appeared and burned several demons.


    But, they kept coming.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    Kaelen blocked another strike on his legs.


    He targeted the demon¡¯s hand and grabbed it. Twisting it behind it¡¯s back, he kicked it forward.


    Before he could have a second to breath, several more demons lunged at him.


    Although his movements were precise but they lacked experience. The demons were fast, feral and relentless.


    While fighting back, Kaelen turned and saw a demon goblin lunging at him with a dagger.


    He reacted and instantly threw a powerful punch.


    A bit too powerful as his fist drove through the demon goblin¡¯s chest like a spear.


    For a moment, the world froze around him as he felt something warm on his hand.


    The demon goblin¡¯s red eyes bulged as black blood gushed from the wound and splattering across his face.


    Some of it seeped past his lips¡ªbitter, burning¡ªbefore he could stop it.


    And then¡ª


    Something awoke inside him.


    A presence.


    A voice.


    A laugh.


    It wasn¡¯t human. It came from the depths of his soul. From the abyss that lurked within him.


    ¡°DEVOUR, CHILD!¡±