Season 1
002
My body started to move, and it became no more than just a dark silhouette. It began performing a series of dances akin to a ritualistic worship session.
-No, it seems I was wrong about that. The way it moves is peculiar but it is without a doubt a form of martial arts.
Thank god I'm no longer naked though.
As if the silhouette's movements and the environment were in sync, it seemed to tell a story. I heard my voice in my head...
--
The voice echoed throughout my head. Well, MY voice echoed.
This takes talking to yourself to a completely different level.
"A long time ago in this world, individuals who have learned to make sense and take control of the power of their life force reigned as the strong. Dubbed as the "supreme ones" without any equals."
The silhouette made multiple straight punches with perfect form and the terrain changed with every frame of movement.
"Who could oppose these god-like beings who could wield strange and uncanny abilities with the power to dispose of anyone at their will?"
Why am I giving myself a history lesson on something I don't care about? I don't know why I'm talking like this either. The voice that rumbles through my head sounds so majestical and echoey.
As compared to the me of reality...it's not as majestic.
It's like if I was watching a dramatic theater performance, the silhouette fainted and mimicked death pretending there was a serious injury on their chest.
"They ruled as they wished and established themselves as the chosen ones. Creating a distinct group of these honored individuals who could wield their life force, their mana, they arrogantly thought they were above everyone else. They started to group themselves together, segregating the others who could not wield mana, the commoners. The honored ones named themselves nobles."
The silhouette got back up and repeated a sequence of a roundhouse kick with each leg and a straight punch from each fist. In the same order.
Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right.
The scenery surrounding us shifted and transformed slightly with each move.
"After the establishment of nobility, the line that separates between them and the commoners was strictly reinforced. Everyone suffered heavy backlash if they didn't have the aptitude to handle mana. Despite how much other people wanted to retaliate, the difference between a trained magician and a regular human was too drastic."
I had to agree with this part though. Even the most experienced martial artist without aura would be easily obliterated by a magician. Normal human bodies don't fare well against spells.
Magicians of ancient times were far weaker compared to mages now due to significantly less mana research and development back then.
Not only that, they lacked the technological prowess available to them. Such breakthroughs have not been achieved yet by scientists.
The silhouette started adding slight adjustments and more variation to the unchanging kicking and punching pattern.
"The injustice was too much and a secluded martial arts group stepped up."
This is just a history lesson at this point.
Even in your dreams, you can not escape education.
Or maybe...this dream is just different.
The kicks and punches increased in intensity and the silhouette started incorporating more techniques. This made it become more sophisticated and similar to the martial arts I'd seen when I was alive.
"That secretive group, founded by the ones who pursue true strength through the way of martial arts. They kept in the shadows and always did their best to maintain neutrality. Their goal was not to dominate and conquer, but to thrive and heighten their pre-existing abilities."
The silhouette began making perfect executions of some martial arts moves that I recognized. These techniques belonged to that specific sect...
"Hidden from the world, the Celestial Heavens Sect decided to spread their invention of Aura. Similar to the energy of mana, but more limited and attuned to physical prowess. At first, it was only hereditary and passed down to the main sect."
Fierce. Strong. Fast. The techniques that the silhouette demonstrated could only be accomplished by masters with years of experience.
Of course, I CAN do them as well but any techniques a tier higher would be my limit. And that's with the body and power I had in my previous life.
To be honest, I wasn't that strong. I was just lucky to have survived to the end. I barely got by from imitating the skills and strategies of the strong while fighting cowardly. The most courageous thing I did was take the hit for the hero.
"After a brief period of exposure to Aura techniques, balance slowly started to restore itself."
The silhouette sat cross-legged in the lotus position and started to meditate. The shifting terrain around him disappeared into tiny colorless particles that glowed brightly in the black void.
"Martial arts and Aura, being easier to learn, were much more present in the majority of the population. On the other hand, magic was more difficult to understand and required someone to have a natural talent of comprehending mana waves and being mana-sensitive."
Spells ignited around the silhouette, each guided by a spark of colorless particles. A wall of fire, a collapsing wave of water, a solid earth barricade, and a hurricane of wind. The most basic elements.
The silhouette got up and it started to split apart.
That pain was so surreal that I felt myself shouting, screaming, and begging for mercy.
"No! Stop it! It hurts!!"
But no sound ever came out.
You never win in a nightmare.
I woke up gasping for air.
"What the fuck was that."
I got up from the hard bed and went to the washroom. As I did my thing, I contemplated the dream that I just had. Or would it be more accurate to say it was a nightmare?
I don't know what to make of that...vision I received when I was sleeping.
In the current world, it's a constant power struggle between the Northern Empire and the UAN, United Allied Nations, or simply the Alliance.
The Imperial family of the Northern Empire are monsters. Tales of their monstrous talent and ingenuity in both aura and mana alike are widespread.
The metallic door slid open and the food was dropped in once again. After eating it, I decided to devote myself to training my body.
I pondered, "Maybe my dream was a hint."
It was a hint for me to cultivate both my aura and my mana.
Using magic only has one requirement which is to form your first mana circle. Once that is complete, you will be able to draw out spells by envisioning them with your mind or with a catalyst such as a staff or magic book.
Using aura is a bit different in comparison. It requires the foundation of a sturdy body to multiply your aura power exponentially. It is also needed to withstand the output of aura.
Aura is a power that also revolves around the concept of using a core, the heart, to gather energy. Instead of forming mana circles to use magic, Aura is focused on developing a highly concentrated and dense storage of aura in one's own heart.
Once it becomes dense enough, a small self-replenishing storage of aura, similar to the mana circle, forms in the heart. That is known as an Aura Star. Every star essentially acts as a medium in producing more aura than one could before.
Aura is more fluid than mana, allowing easier distribution to different parts of your body for reinforcement or strengthening purposes.
In my dream, colorless particles fluttered around. I believe that is relevant to the essence of Aura, as it is also colorless. Individuals can demonstrate their aura level by distributing their energy close to their heart and the stars start fluttering just outside their body near the left breast as it is where the heart is located.
"With my body as it is now...I wouldn't dream of being able to maintain aura."
Though, my body has improved. It now looks...a little less malnourished. There isn't much I can do. But with one month, I'm confident I can train to be strong enough to flee on my own.
With that said, I did begin my training. After all, what else was there for me to do? There's no one to talk to either way.
--
It has been a month; I lay restless in front of the metal door for the moment to come. As the date is not completely accurate, it should be either today or tomorrow that the slaves would commence their escape. I was sitting in anticipation the past few days as well, just in case I missed it.
As for me? I've gained more meat on my bones and I would say people would call me skinny at first glance but they wouldn't think that I'm some anorexic kid. Honestly speaking, I am more or less close to the average build of a 14-year-old.
Well, that makes sense because I AM fourteen.
I spent my time training my muscles all over my body so I am at least confident that I won't lose in a one-on-one with one of the guards.
Enough mana has been gathered for me to have luckily reached the second circle. Having two mana circles might not feel like a big accomplishment for others, but the way I like to see it is that it's a fact my mana production and power have practically doubled.
Unfortunately, despite condensing as much Aura as I possibly could, an Aura Star could not form. Without a Star to contain my aura, it will deplete almost instantaneously.
I'm sure I can manage with my fighting experience from my past life, but there's only so much a 2nd-circle twig of a teenager could do against a fully grown adult with a deadly difference in mana and aura level.
The door started to creak.
The guard outside spoke, "Enjoy your fucking meal, slave."
I smirked.
Explosions...the sound of metal breaking and frightened screams of the guards were heard down the hallway.
The guard was shocked and he turned his head to see where the noise was coming from.
"W-what the fuck-"
A natural reaction. Through the small crack that the guard opened up, I gathered up my aura quickly.
I jumped to the side of the door and spread my aura down to my legs. I felt the surge in power and I can't afford to waste this small window of opportunity.
While the aura still gave me power, I pushed as hard as I could with my legs and opened the door wide enough for my escape.
The guard dashed at me, "You son of a bitch!", he's an adult male with a built body. Though, he severely underestimated me as he didn't use his aura.
With a few steps to the right, I avoided the guard's initial attack. Now, the guard was in the prison cell and I was closer to the door. However, leaving him alive will just cause more burdens to my escape.
I have already read his moves from the way he crouched down as he glared at me.
"This fucking slave caught me off. It's not happening again."
I can guarantee that his next move would be an attempt to grab my waist and then grapple me into a chokehold, he would then slowly strangle me until I either died or lost consciousness.
I already saw through him.
"You're unlucky to have been my opponent."
I tried gathering my mana to end it in one spell but the high-circle spell covering the entire prison blocked my activation.
"Tsk." I clicked my tongue out of annoyance.
Instead, I let the guard charge at me.
I gathered a burst of aura and redirected it to my feet. As the guard dashed in the direction of my torso, I made an explosive leap with aura and went slightly over the guard's shoulders.
The guard made a fast stop by planting his feet, but that only doomed him even more.
Perhaps, I missed all the action but I couldn't help but smirk. It has been a long time since the last time I fought.
"Goodbye," I say.
I rested on his shoulders and surged my aura to my arms. I snapped his neck and ended his life in less than a second.
The guard is over on his chest with his head facing the ceiling.
I rummaged through his pockets and got a cell key. I stole the necklace that all the guards have so that they can bypass the mana and aura limitation spell.
The only weapon this guy had was a knife on his tool belt.
"Broke ass."
The sounds of screams and chaos filled the prison. I walked out into the hallway and saw many slaves rioting. It seems some of the intelligence agents have already defeated multiple guards and were on the way to help everyone else escape.
One of them locked eyes with me. He looked behind my back and saw the guard's dead body. He gave me a slight nod and I returned it.
All of us knew what to do. It was time to escape.