Aura begins to explain Felix Saladon's connection to all this "As my brother said, King Oberon and his sister Estella were forced to marry and the two generated two children, a man named Merion and his younger sister Illia. Like his father, Oberon also forced his children to marry, however Merion was almost 10 years older than his sister and until she was of age to marry, he also had other women and generated some bastards!" Hearing the word bastard, Adonis immediately reprimanded his sister "Aura, here we do not speak that word!" "Well, as I was saying before being interrupted," Aura resumed with a gentle smile, apologizing for her earlier language, "Merion, although destined to marry his sister Illia, had other relationships and children outside of that commitment. These children, although not officially recognized, also make up part of our family's complex history."
Adonis, still a little disturbed by Aura's choice of words but recognizing the importance of what she shared, nodded for her to continue. Aura looked around, making sure everyone understood the gravity of what she was sharing.
Aura, clearly enthusiastic about narrating this part of the history, continued with more details about Felix Saladon's rise and the consequences of his influence on the kingdom. "Felix Saladon, despite his humble origins, showed a notable ability to navigate the complex web of politics and power within the palace. His intellect and cunning caught the attention of many, leading him to become an influential counselor to King Oberon."
"Saladon was not just an intelligent man; he was a strategist who knew how to manipulate both nobles and masses. There are many theories about how he managed to rise to such a position of power," she said, pausing to ensure everyone understood the gravity of the situation. "Some people believe he used his popularity among the citizens of Tenai to position himself as the voice of the people, while others claim he was just a pawn in the hands of more powerful nobles who wanted to use his influence for their own ends."
"Regardless of how he got there, the truth is that Saladon's presence in Oberon's inner circle ended up being disastrous for the Arkons. He used his position to foment discord and distrust, pitting nobles against each other and weakening the royal family's internal cohesion," Aura explained, her face expressing the intensity of her words.
Aura's account was complemented by Sahara, who brought a somber, grave tone to the narrative, underscoring the brutality of the events that marked the end of the Arkon dynasty. The room was silent, all present absorbing the implications of those words, feeling the weight of the history shaping their lives.
"A few months after his appointment as the king's counselor, Saladon saw King Oberon, who was already very old, die and his son Merion be crowned the tenth king of Tenai. Merion ruled for a few months until a man known only as 'The Blessed One' appeared in Bercuranon, he claimed to be the son of the goddess Selerian and immortal, no one knows where he came from and where he went, but he preached and inflamed the people against the abomination of eugenics practiced by the Arkons for hundreds of years and incited a major rebellion within the heart of the kingdom."
Adonis, seeing the need for more clarity about the mysterious figure who triggered such revolt, intervened. "The appearance of 'The Blessed One' was a turning point. His powerful rhetoric and divine claims ignited the fuse for long-repressed sentiments to come to the surface. He not only spoke against the eugenic practices, but also denounced the corruption and moral decay he saw in the kingdom. He was a catalyst for popular discontent, and Saladon knew how to use this instability to his advantage."
Yorion, who had been quiet until then, added: "The story of 'The Blessed One' is shrouded in mystery. Despite his brief appearance, his impact was lasting, leading many to question the legitimacy and morality of Tenai's rulers. His legacy is seen in different ways by different people: while some see him as a martyr who exposed the truth, others consider him an agitator who paved the way for more blood and suffering."
Sahara continued: "With the death of Merion and Illia, and especially with Illia's tragic assassination and the murder of her unborn baby, the Arkon bloodline was effectively extinguished. This not only ended centuries of rule by a single family, but also divided Tenai into two distinct entities, each with its own vision of governance and society. The creation of the Free Peoples of Tenai and the Grand Duchy of Saladon represented a radical change in the political and social structure of the region."
Adonis concluded: "This is the landscape that led to the world we live in now. The consequences of these divisions are still felt today, with conflicts, disputes and scarcity between the two states being a constant. And as descendants of the Arkons, we are at the center of this tumultuous history, trying to find our place and purpose in a world still marked by the choices of our ancestors."
Adonis added: "The fall of the Arkons and Saladon's rise to power were not just political events; they were transformations that altered Tenai's social and cultural structure. The legacy of the Arkons, marked by the belief in enlightened rule and the quest for a prophetic destiny, was replaced by an era of calculation and politicking, where power was often gained or lost at the point of a sword."
At that moment the place fell silent due to the impactful story told by all, but the silence is quickly cut by Arphaxad who asks again "But I still don't understand Saladon's connection to the seeds of the kings?"
Yorin, ever the charmer, took Arphaxad's hand and said, "Don't you see my dear, he now pursues those with these characteristics to eliminate anyone who may lay claim to and reunify broken Tenai." Arphaxad quickly took his hand back and looking at Aura with a strange look on his face said "Don't look at me like that, this is Yorin, he has no preference between man or woman, besides not knowing the word limit!" said Aura to Arphaxad.
Adonis then continued what Yorin said: "Besides, they say he uses the blood of the seeds and mixes it with black magics to give abilities and strength to experimental soldiers."
Arphaxad, still absorbing everyone's explanation, tried to connect the dots. "So Saladon continues the eugenics practices in a more shadowy way, using them to strengthen his own power and prevent anyone with legitimate ties to the Arkons from challenging him" he pondered aloud, trying to fully understand the situation.
Adonis confirmed with a serious nod. "Exactly, Arphaxad. Saladon's obsession with maintaining power has led him to practices that many would consider abominable. He fears any potential reunification of Tenai that could threaten his dominion. That is why he hunts down and eliminates anyone who shows signs of Arkon characteristics, under the guise of maintaining order and security."
Aura, seeing the tension on Arphaxad's face, tried to lighten the atmosphere. "You see, that is why we are all here, protected and hidden in Hadon's house. Hadon knew of these practices and formed this sanctuary for us, a place where we can live without fear of being hunted by Saladon or his spies."
Yorin, with his usual casual style, added: "And while we are here, we try to live in the best way possible, learning from each other and keeping alive the legacy of the Arkons, even if in a way that does not imply claiming the throne or anything so grand. Our fight is more subtle, but no less important."
Adonis looked at all those present and concluded: "Our goal here is not just survival, but also to understand our history and perhaps one day find a way to resolve Tenai's divisions without bloodshed. We are here to protect one another and preserve the knowledge that can eventually lead to healing the wounds of our land."
Arphaxad scratched his head remembering the soldiers he had faced in Bercuranon who had weak golden eyes. "Then the golden eyes of the Duchy's soldiers were the result of blood and black magic, they were really as strong as the demons I faced in the war of Nannu!" said Arphaxad.
When Arphaxad said "demons I faced..." Aura, Yorin and even Draka's eyes lit up with curiosity to know how he had faced a demon and they surrounded Arphaxad with questions and curiosity. "That's not all." whispered Markel. Arphaxad who was already interested said he would tell everything later, but that he wanted to know more, so he turned to Markel, but before he could say anything Eron said "You were all born with something special, weren't you?"
Adonis was surprised by Eron's perception. "Why did you ask that?" Adonis asked Eron. "He said they use black magic, that means your blood has something beyond physical characteristics, because they wouldn't need black magic if they were just interested in having silver hair or golden eyes!" said Eron, capturing Adonis' curiosity even more.
He, impressed with Eron's sagacity, smiled before responding. "You are absolutely right, Eron. The blood of the Arkon, and by extension ours, carries more than just striking physical traits; it possesses unique properties that, when used correctly, can amplify magical abilities. The black magic that Saladon uses is not just to alter appearances or physically strengthen his soldiers, but to exploit these innate magical properties of the blood in an artificial and dangerous way to artificially increase his own powers."
Adonis realizing that Eron was much more perceptive than he imagined said "You are more perspicacious than I imagined. Alright, let me finish this story..." Adonis gathered everyone's attention again and continued "When the Arkon kings practiced eugenics, among the selected women, some were special; King Yorion's wife, for example, who shared the silver hair was a very powerful elf, and besides her there were many others, like spiritborns and renowned humans."
Draka who had been following the whole story attentively asked Adonis what a spiritborn was and the house leader answered "Spiritborns were people who had some spiritual beings as ancestors, these spiritual beings no longer exist, but left descendants throughout the land, they mated with humans, elves, dwarves and even beastmen. Spiritborns are born with some accentuated spiritual trait, they are not as powerful as the spiritual beings themselves, but are still as powerful as other races." After hearing the explanation, Draka just nodded.
Adonis, noticing Draka and the others' growing interest, continued unraveling the complex tapestry of Tenai and the Arkon's history. "The Arkons not only sought people with striking physical traits, but also those with an innate magical essence, something that could be potentiated through carefully selected pairings. It was a dangerous game of power and genetic manipulation that aimed to create what they considered the pinnacle of magical and physical capacity."
"And while eugenics practices were officially abandoned after the Arkons' fall, the fact is that those engineered bloodlines did not disappear. They dispersed and blended into the general population, carrying with them fragments of a power that was once cultivated to rule or protect a kingdom."
Eron, who had been listening attentively to the conversation, questioned: "So is it possible that there are still people today, perhaps unaware, who have those powerful traits? And would Saladon be hunting those people to control or eliminate those traits?"
Adonis nodded. "Exactly, Eron. That is the reason for our caution and secrecy. Saladon and his followers know that these traits could pose a threat to his rule if someone decided to lay claim to a connection with the ancient kings of Tenai. By eliminating or controlling these people, he believes he can prevent any challenge to his power."
Yorin, always wanting to add a light touch to the discussion, joked: "That's why we all here need to keep our superpowers a secret, right?" His attempt at humor brought some tired smiles, but the gravity of the situation still hung heavy in the air.
Adonis then continued "As I was saying, even though our ancestors who were discarded by the kings in eugenics did not have the capacities they wanted, this would not prevent them from passing them on to their children and therefore, many children of children were born with some special capacities, unique abilities or legendary..."
After Adonis finished, Eron then says "From what I know, our magical, physical and whole other capacity is engraved in the spirit and in that is included their abilities to use magics and skills, they say that a person who can manipulate 3 elements of magic is extremely special, as well as someone who can use a legendary ability, and, just like someone who can manipulate the 4 elements is almost impossible to find, someone who can use a unique ability is as absurd as!"
Arphaxad then remembering what he learned at the Imperial Academy said "But I've heard artifacts can also help you conjure magics of the 4 elements or even use some unique or legendary ability." Then Eron counterposes "Yes, but that does not come from the user, but from the artifact!". Arphaxad remembered that at the Festival of Waters tournament in Nannu, Lilla wearing Sunflower's mantle used a unique ability, he thought that perhaps at that moment she was using a special artifact or maybe she was really special.
Adonis nodded, considering Eron and Arphaxad's interaction. "That's correct, Arphaxad. Legendary artifacts are indeed a way to access powers that would normally be beyond the reach of a common individual. They act as catalysts, amplifying the natural abilities of whoever uses them or even granting totally new abilities. However, these artifacts are extremely rare and often tied to ancient secrets or protected by powerful magics."
Aura, always curious about the nature of things and especially artifacts, questioned: "But couldn't these artifacts be a crutch? Relying on something external to access true power, doesn't that weaken someone's natural potential to grow and learn on their own?"
Yorin, with a cunning smile, responded before Adonis could speak: "That's a double-edged sword, Aura. On the one hand, you're right, it could discourage personal development. But on the other, in times of need, these artifacts could mean the difference between life and death, between victory and defeat."
Adonis resumed speaking, once again addressing the group. "As for unique or legendary abilities, they are a separate case. They emerge from the rare synergy between the user's spirit and innate capacities, often passed down through bloodlines or awakened by exceptional circumstances. For example, the ability to manipulate multiple elements of magic, as Eron mentioned, is not just rare, but can be an indicator of an exceptional alignment with the forces of the world."
Arphaxad, impressed with Adonis' revelations, couldn't help but express his fascination. "This is amazing! So in a way, all of you are connected through these unique abilities. It's as if each of you carries a piece of the Arkon legacy, keeping alive the traditions and powers of a kingdom that no longer exists."
Draka, always curious and eager to learn more, questioned Adonis about how they learned to control such abilities. "How did you learn to master these gifts? Was there someone to teach you, or was it something you discovered on your own?"
Adonis smiled at Draka's question and replied: "A bit of both, actually. Hadon and our brother Set have been our mentors in many ways, guiding us through the challenges of understanding and controlling our abilities. But a lot also came from trial and error, from learning from our own mistakes and successes."
Aura, who until then had been more observant, added: "Yes, and while our abilities are a blessing, they also demand responsibility from us. We are not just guardians of a legacy, but must also think carefully about how we use what we've inherited to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past."
Yorin, always the most lighthearted, joked: "Yeah, and it also helps keep at bay those who want to exploit or destroy what they don't understand. You know, a little mystery always helps command some respect!"
Eron, still curious, asked Adonis what these abilities would be that they possessed. "I figured you all might want to know, so I'm going to tell you." said Adonis.
"Aura has a unique ability called 'Magical Blooming', this ability allows her to be able to use all elements of magic, ignoring the information in her spirit."
"Our brother Set is the most powerful among us, his unique ability is called 'Mana Vortex', it's an ability that makes his mana never run out, it overflows like a tornado making him never get fatigued and allows him to conjure magic of all possible levels, his magical limit is infinite."
"And lastly me, my unique ability is called 'SpiritBender', this ability allows me to look inside the spirit of anyone I touch, allowing me to know everything about the person, unfortunately I can't manipulate or alter anything, but knowing who we're dealing with is very helpful, and it was with my ability that I was able to identify everyone's abilities and capacities who come here!"
Kal, still withdrawn in his thoughts and inner struggles, felt a connection to Adonis' story. Adonis' ability, 'SpiritBender', was notably similar to the magic that Suzannah had taught Tiberius, which she called "Sight of the spirit." This parallel made him reflect on how, despite great distances and differences, there were common threads weaving the stories of many people. He pondered his own path and the abilities he had lost, wondering if there might still be something of his former strength that could be reclaimed or if new paths would open from his recent experiences.