In the world of Eladoria, the power of aura was both a gift and a curse. It was a measure of one's strength, potential, and in many cases, one's status in society. The ability to awaken aura, to harness that energy, was a defining moment in a person's life, shaping their future and their place in the world. But not everyone was blessed with it, and for many, the path to awakening was long, grueling, and filled with uncertainty.
For the common folk, awakening aura was something that came with years of relentless physical training. It was said that if you honed your body to its limits, aura would eventually stir within you, usually around the age of 16. The body had to be pushed beyond normal human capabilities to force the aura to emerge, and even then, not everyone succeeded. Many spent their entire lives training only to find that their bodies never produced a single spark of aura.
Nobles, however, had a different relationship with aura. They were born with superior bloodlines, ancient legacies that made the process far easier. An average noble could awaken their aura as early as 10 years old, often with minimal effort. For some of the most talented, or those from prestigious bloodlines, aura could awaken as early as 8. The use of high end elixirs and potion could also hasten this process. This natural advantage was one of the many reasons why nobles dominated the political and military arenas of the empire. Their early awakening allowed them years of practice, years to build their strength, while commoners lagged behind, still struggling to reach their first breakthrough.
But there was another, rarer way to awaken aura—one that was unpredictable and dangerous: through powerful emotions. Moments of extreme fear, anger, or desperation could sometimes trigger the dormant aura within a person. It wasn't guaranteed to work, and many who tried this method failed, but for those who succeeded, the awakening often came with a surge of raw power, as if the emotions had unlocked something deep within.
Scholars debated the validity of this method for years. Some theorized that those who awakened aura through emotion were already close to unlocking it but hadn't put in the necessary effort or training. Others believed it was purely a matter of latent talent, that some people were simply born with the ability to trigger their aura under the right conditions.
Damian was one of the rare cases. He hadn't spent years training his body, hadn't followed the traditional path of rigorous exercise and discipline. No, his awakening had come in a moment of pure, unbridled rage. The sight of his brother being hurt, the injustice of the situation, had pushed him to the edge, and in that moment, his aura had come alive.
As he walked through the hospital corridors, crutch in hand, he thought back to that moment. The surge of energy that had coursed through him, the strange power that had filled his veins—it had been overwhelming. He hadn't fully understood what had happened at the time, but now, as the days passed, it became clearer. He had awakened his aura. And with it, something dark had been unlocked within him.
The levels of aura users in the empire were well-documented, a clear hierarchy that dictated one's strength and status. Aura mastery was divided into ranks, and each rank was further divided into three stages: low, middle, and upper.
The ranks were as follows:
First Rank: The initial stage of aura awakening. This was where most commoners started, often awakening around 16 after years of hard training. Aura users at this level were just beginning to understand and control their power. It gave them enhanced strength, speed, and stamina, but they were still far from being considered true warriors.
Second Rank: By the second rank, aura users had a firmer grasp of their abilities. This rank was common among soldiers in the empire's army, and most of the military's foot soldiers fell into this category. A second-rank aura user could enhance their physical abilities significantly and begin to use aura-based combat techniques.
Third Rank: The third rank was where the gap between commoners and nobles became more pronounced. While some commoners could reach this rank with enough hard work, most third-rank aura users were nobles or those with exceptional talent. At this level, aura techniques became more refined, and users could perform feats that seemed superhuman to the average person. Many knights and captains in the army were of the third rank.
Fourth Rank: Reaching the fourth rank was a significant achievement. It marked a user as someone of considerable power, someone who could command respect. Aura users of this rank were often nobles who had dedicated their lives to combat, or commoners who had defied the odds. Fourth-rank users were known for their destructive combat abilities, able to crush opponents with ease.
Fifth Rank: The fifth rank was where true power began. Those who reached this level were often generals, high-ranking military officers, or nobles with great influence. The aura at this level was potent, and users could take on multiple lower-ranked opponents with ease. In the empire, fifth-rank aura users were considered powerhouses, capable of turning the tide of battle.
Sixth Rank: Few people in the world ever reached the sixth rank. Those who did were revered as living legends, their names known throughout the continent. These aura users were masters of their craft, their power beyond anything a common soldier could hope to achieve. They were the backbone of the empire's elite forces, and many of them held positions of immense political and military influence.
Seventh Rank and Beyond: There were whispers of aura users beyond the sixth rank, those who had reached levels of power that defied understanding. Some spoke of ancient warriors who had reached the seventh rank, or even higher, but such individuals were rare and often seen as myths.
The empire's military was built around aura users of the second and third ranks. These soldiers formed the bulk of the empire's fighting force, with the higher ranks reserved for commanders, generals, and nobles of great power. It was said that the only way to truly hold sway in the empire was to reach the fifth rank or higher. To be a fifth or sixth-rank aura user was to be considered a powerhouse, someone who could command armies and stand against the greatest threats.
Damian was now part of this world, though he had only just begun to understand it. His awakening, triggered by rage and despair, had propelled him into a realm he had never considered. He wasn't born a noble, didn't have the privilege of training since childhood, but now he had something that most commoners didn't: the power of aura.
As he limped through the streets, his mind was filled with questions. What would he do with this power? Could he become strong enough to protect his brother, to stand up to the nobles who had hurt them? Or would he be crushed by the weight of this new responsibility?
For the first time in his life, Damian felt a flicker of something other than anger or despair. It was a quiet, simmering determination. He didn't know how far he could go, but he knew one thing for certain: he would not be weak again.
And if that meant throwing himself into the world of aura users, into the ranks of those who wielded power, so be it. He would become strong. He had to.
His brother's safety, his family's future, depended on it.