---Althaea---25.5 billion km²---38% Water---
The planet Althaea
Over this vast world holds countless different races, with the most prominent being, Humans, Elves, Beastmen, Dwarves, and the Dragonkin. Each prominent race holds an empire or dynasty, ruling over a continent of their own. While there are many other races, as a whole, they cannot compare to the powerhouses of the prominent races.
The Dwarven Empire, Ozidian
The Iveavia Dynasty, of the Elves
The Evarith Empire, of the Beastmen
The Heimsdale Empire, of the Humans
Finally, the Drikhokya Dynasty, home to the Dragonkin
This world contains an energy called Aether; this energy comes from the planet itself much like the breath of the world. Using this energy, innovations made to revolutionize the world both technologically and magically spread throughout the world.
The Dwarves are the main source of the technological advancements. The Dwarven Empire, Ozidian, is an almost futuristic continent. Magical Engineering, technology utilizing Aether in ways lesser forms of energy such as electricity can't compare, is the main focus point of their lives. Efficiency is prided among those who built this empire.
While the Dwarves were the source of technological advancements the source of magical advancements were the Elves, hailing from the Iveavia Dynasty. Contrary to the Dwarves, the Elves have little to no technology living in nature as their home.
The Dwarves with their technology and Elves with their magic are what allowed them to form their control over their continents.
The Beastmen of the Evarith Empire, formed by the countless tribes of Beastmen, each different having their own skills. However, they had neither the technological nor magical advancements that the Elves and Dwarves had. But what set them apart was their physicality, as warriors, Beastmen were the match of none.
Heimsdale, the Empire belonging to Humans. Humans couldn't compare to the advancements the Dwarves made nor the magic of the Elves. They were physically weaker than the Beastmen. Yet they had something the rest didn't. Versatility and adaptability. Humans weren't as strong in magic as Elves were, but they were better at magic than Beastmen. They weren't as strong as Beastmen but they were stronger than the Elves. Their technology wasn't as advanced as the Dwarves, yet they were leagues above the Elves and the Beastmen. Even if they weren't the best at one thing, combining what they could do gave them the versatility and adaptability other races did not have.
Finally, the Drikhokya Dynasty, home of the Dragonkin. Descendants of the once overlords of the planet, Dragons, now extinct, Dragonkin are all that's left of the once mighty Dragons. They didn't make advancements with technology or magic, nor trained their bodies as warriors like the Beastmen, they didn't have the versatility or adaptability that Humans have. They didn't need any of that, the Dragonkin were born strong. Born with magic capable to combat the Elves, the bodies capable of pushing back even the strongest of Beastmen. But these strengths their born with come at a price, reproduction, their greatest downfall. While as strong as they may be, their numbers pale in comparison compared to the other four prominent races. Yet their strengths far outweigh their numbers giving them a position as one of the five powerhouses.
Life went on throughout the years until one year a change happened. Year 30175. Portals began appearing around the world simultaneously, as monsters began pouring out of the portals.
Chaos erupted as portals appeared in civilian areas who couldn't put up a front to fight off the monsters. Grueling months past until everything was taken under control as all the monsters from the portals were killed. It was not the end however as more portals began to appear, however these, unlike those from before, did not have monsters rushing.
After these portals appeared and nothing happened an advance team was sent into it.
Later these portals were labeled by the populace as 'Dungeons'.
The five leaders of the five prominent races met to discuss these changes that are happening.
However, all of this did not come without benefit.
Year 30189, fourteen years after the Dungeons appeared, children began to emit a peculiar force that enveloped them. This new force was later called 'Awakening' to which it gave new powers and abilities to the inhabitants of the planet. Thus, began the rise of the new generation shifting the power balance.
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------Year 30206------
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I've always looked up to my brother. He has always been there, a ray of light, hope, a wall that protected me. When our parents died, he took over to support us. I was only 8 at the time, while he was 15, I know it wasn't easy for him as many times he would come back injured. He wasn't awakened yet, but he went into dungeons to make us any money that he could.
I wanted to help in any way possible to be of use so my brother didn't have to shoulder everything, but every time I brought it up to him, he would tell me it's his job and I should focus on studying as he ruffled my hair. The most I could do was help him bandage his wounds, I hated feeling useless, not being able to do anything more substantial.
Time went on and one day things changed, soon after my brother turned 16, he awakened, that day things changed. My brother became more protective and mysterious towards me. He began to rise through the ranks, becoming stronger and famous around the world. He found people to help him through his journey and his life, something I couldn't do...
As my brother rose higher and higher, I stayed the same. Even those around him were rising higher to stay with him, be it his rivals, brothers forged through life and death trials or lovers.
I saw my brother less and less as he grew, of course I understood he wasn't doing it on purpose, but the feeling still remained.
As the years went by, around when I turned 13, I grew bored of my constant studying. I wanted to be a good brother and study as much as I could as my brother said. But I wanted a break, to do something else. I didn't know what to do all I knew was studying and occasionally when I played with my brother. I spent all my days reading and so I thought instead of reading for knowledge what if I just read for fun? That's how I began to read stories online.
I became engrossed in these stories I read, stories of people who could do more than me, people I wish I were.
It was around then that I realized something. Was my brother not similar to these main characters from these stories? He was strong, talented, and his personality matched a lot of the main characters he's read. People flocked around my brother because of his confidence and strong nature, he wasn't a pretentious saint nor someone who disregarded everyone else, he stuck to his ideals and did what he thought was right.
At first, I thought it was cool that my brother was just like a main character from these stories I've read and engrossed myself in. If only my feelings were to stay that way... but alas feelings are ever changing.
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Laying down on my bed I looked towards the ceiling, with the lights off, the room was dark with only bits of light coming from behind the curtains.
Zephyrus Reinhardt, that's my name, a name barely anyone knows. Yet my brother, Eric Reinhardt, is a name vastly known, it would be hard to find someone who doesn't know it.
In the beginning, I studied hard because I wanted to be of use to my brother, to help him so he wouldn't have to shoulder everything by himself. I tried so hard and studied so much, and yet... it was all for not. I've already given up on such thoughts, not only am I incredibly weak compared to my brother that I'd be of no use, but he has already surrounded himself with those who can help him and take off the weight on his shoulders.
Realizing such a fact made me take a hard look at myself.
Why have I continued my studies? I lost my initial motivation towards studying so why do I still do it? What is my goal? I've only been continuing my studies as a habit that was already ingrained into me ever since I was young. But nothing truly changed, I remained the same, as my brother continued to grow.
What do I want in life? How can anything I do ever compare to even a single thing my brother has accomplished?
He who has titles such as 'Hero', 'Prodigy', 'Hope of Humanity', how can I ever compare to that?
My brother who has everything, compared to myself, who has nothing. I know he worked hard and tirelessly for what he has, I know that. But what am I supposed to do? Follow in his footsteps? Becoming a lesser copy of him?
If I wanted to be the strongest, how could I strive for something I know is impossible? I know better than anyone how strong my brother is. He's already one of the strongest while I have yet to even start...
Even if I worked hard and tirelessly as my brother does, could I even reach his level? Will I forever be stuck in his shadow?
By the time I turned 14 my feelings towards my brother shifted without myself even noticing at first.
I'm currently 15, turning 16 in a few days. Awakening can happen at any age between 14-18, Though studies have shown that those related to each other tend to Awaken at the same age. So, it's most likely I will awaken at 16, just as my brother did.
Moving my arm laying it across my forehead I close my eyes.
"Just what am I supposed to do..."
"What do I want to do with my life?"
I say aloud voicing my innermost thoughts.
KNOCK KNOCK
Turning my head towards the door I open my mouth to respond but then the door opens before I can respond.
"Hey Zeph, tomorrow we're leaving for the dungeon raid I told you about a few days ago, remember?"
My brother, Eric Reinhardt, says as he walks into the room flicking the light on making my eyes close and adjust from the sudden light.
"Ah... yeah I remember, how long will you be gone this time?"
"About a month or two, it is an SS rank dungeon after all."
Eric says as he continues walking towards me. Moving onto my bed sitting on the end, he looks at me with a tinge of regret in his eyes.
"Hey Zeph... I'm sorry I won't be here for your birthday, and possibly you're awakening too..."
"I know it's not ideal, but if we don't clear this dungeon there could be a dungeon break."
In front of me sat a 6'2 man, having jet-black hair, in reminiscent of our mother, with sharp deep blue eyes. Even through his clothes you can see the bulk of his muscles with his rough calloused hands.
Staring at my brother for a few seconds I thought back to what he said.
'A dungeon break, huh'
A dungeon break is when the monsters inside of a dungeon overflow into our world just like when it all started, the day of change.
"Yeah, I get it, it's fine."
"Are you sure?" Eric says as he looks into my eyes
"Yeah, I'm fine! Like I told you!"
I say as I move up pushing him from behind.
"Now get out how many times do I have to tell you not to just come in whenever you feel like it!"
Moving along I lead him out of my room.
"I'll see you off tomorrow."
"Hey! Wai-"
After finishing what I was saying I closed the door on him before he could respond.
Sigh
Walking back to my bed I let my body fall onto it with my face hitting my pillow.
'I get that dungeon breaks are a pressuring issue... but he'll be gone for months, he couldn't wait 3 days..?'
Exhaling my breath into my pillow I let my needless thoughts go with it.
Rolling around onto my back I get out of bed walking towards my mirror.
Looking into my mirror I see myself, a young boy with pure white hair, coming from my father, with blue eyes, not deep like my brother's, but lighter like the sky. Looking at my arms with basically no muscle and my height at 5'8, I compare myself to how my brother looks.
My brother is now 22, he will be 23 later this year. 7 years, that's the gap between us. Why our parents chose to have a 2nd child 7 years later? Well given the time frame I was born the year following the announcement of the new generation being able to awaken. So, my guess is they decided to have a 2nd child because of that...
Though I guess it doesn't matter much, they're dead and I don't have many memories of them.
Turning off the light I lay back in bed trying to sleep, after failing to sleep for an hour I decided to get up and grab a snack.
Getting out of bed I head out of my room walking down the hallway towards the kitchen.
As I walk past my brother's room, I hear sounds from the room.
I involuntarily perk my ears up as everything else is quiet, so my attention is naturally attracted to the sound.
As I focus a bit on the sound and walk closer to the room.
I hear quiet moans from my brother's room with an occasional squeaking sound.
I quickly move my legs away towards the kitchen, my face having a slight tint of red.
'AT LEAST USE A SOUNDPROOF BARRIER OR SOMETHING'
By the time I get to the kitchen I shake off the slight tint of red on my face.
'This wouldn't be the first time anyway...'