The Clearing by the Pond
Lucian stood by the pond, his sword slicing through the air in deliberate arcs. His movements were precise yet carried a certain frustration. He was testing the limits of the ring Celeste had given him, and while he appreciated its benefits, it wasn't enough. Nearby, Celeste sat cross-legged, watching him with a mix of curiosity and boredom.
"How long are you going to keep doing that?" she finally asked, her stomach growling audibly.
"Until I'm satisfied," Lucian replied curtly, not even pausing. He was pushing himself harder than usual, compensating for the pain in his shoulder, which he had crudely bandaged. His swings slowed as he began to feel the familiar strain in his chest, a sensation that brought his focus inward.
Lucian stopped and sat cross-legged in the clearing, his sword resting beside him, his gaze unfocused. His hand drifted to his chest, pressing lightly against the fabric over his heart. Beneath that spot was the source of his endless frustration: his six-star mana core.
By all rights, this should have been a badge of pride, a testament to his potential and power. Six-star mana cores were rare, often the mark of legendary individuals who'd spent years—or even decades—expanding their mana reserves through agonizing trials. It was a feat that placed someone just beneath humanity's pinnacle, like the king himself, who was rumored to possess a seven-star core.
Yet, for Lucian, it was no triumph.
He couldn't remember forming it.
The process of expanding a mana core was excruciating, unforgettable—a painstaking climb that every mage carried as a mark of pride. But for him, there was nothing. No memories of sleepless nights, no victories over mana limitations. Nothing.
The mana core felt foreign, almost as if it didn't belong to him. And while others with six-star cores could wield incredible power, he was locked out of most of his potential. He could only access a fraction of it—a meager 30%, effectively putting him at the level of a two-star mage.
Lucian clenched his jaw. The humiliation of it all was unbearable. Theoretically, he should have been among the strongest in the human kingdom, second only to the king himself. But instead, he was here, struggling to survive in this cursed land, barely able to protect himself.
How the hell did I even get this?
His hands trembled as he pressed harder against his chest, as if trying to reach the core through sheer willpower. The more he thought about it, the more questions rose to the surface. It wasn't just the core. It was his scars too—those countless marks that crisscrossed his body like a grim tapestry.
He didn't know how he got those either.
But as he sat there, his hand still over his heart, the gnawing sense of unease grew. The mysteries surrounding his six-star mana core—the scars on his body, the foreignness of the core itself—felt like weights pressing against his very being. He couldn't remember how he'd acquired such a powerful core, nor did it feel like it truly belonged to him. These questions loomed over him, demanding answers he wasn't sure he was ready to face.
Determined to push past his doubts, Lucian steadied his breathing and focused. His will poured into accessing the vast, untapped sections of his mana core, his body trembling under the strain. The sharp pain in his chest intensified, radiating outward until it erupted into searing headaches. His vision blurred, and his thoughts faltered under the mounting agony, yet he pressed on. Something deep within urged him forward, despite the overwhelming sense that unlocking the truth might unleash more than he could handle.
Come on…just a little more.
But the pain became unbearable. His vision blurred, and the world tilted. He collapsed backward, sprawled out on the grass, clutching his chest as the headaches refused to relent.
"Are you okay?" Celeste asked, leaning over him. Her voice carried a mix of concern and annoyance.
Lucian groaned, his voice laced with exhaustion. "Yeah… I'm kind of okay but also… not."
Celeste sighed. "If you're done nearly killing yourself, can we eat something? I'm starving."
Lucian turned his head toward her, his expression blank but hiding the faintest hint of mischief. "Oh, we can eat. But if I make something and you don't eat it after I've painstakingly prepared it, I'm not offering anything else."
Celeste's eyes narrowed. "What are we eating?"
Lucian reached into his bracelet and pulled out a container of cooked insects. "These."
The color drained from Celeste's face. "You're joking."
Lucian's face remained impassive. "I'm not."
Celeste bolted upright, nearly tripping over herself to put distance between them. "Don't mess with me! I'd rather die than eat those!"
Lucian turned his back to her, shaking his head as he put the container away. "Funny you say that. Someone ate chopped insects when they were passed out. Tons of them."
Celeste froze, her face pale. "You didn't…"
"I did."
Her stomach churned, and moments later, she was retching into the grass, her dignity thoroughly destroyed. When she finally regained her composure, her eyes burned with fury. "I'm going to kill you. This is about restoring my honor now. You assaulted me!"
Lucian stepped back, raising his hands in mock defense. "What do you mean 'assaulted'? I didn't even touch you—"
He paused, a smirk forming. "Much."
Celeste's eyes widened, her sanity snapping. "What do you mean much, you bastard?! Die, die, die!" She summoned her flames, the clearing lighting up as she hurled them toward Lucian.
"Stop!" Lucian shouted, dodging the fiery barrage. "We're making too much noise!"
Their chaotic antics echoed through the clearing, sending birds scattering from nearby trees. For a brief moment, the grimness of their reality was forgotten.
Meanwhile, Miles Away
In the perpetual darkness of the forest, two figures moved cautiously, their surroundings faintly illuminated by a soft white glow. Selina Veymar, her once-pristine white dress now dirtied and torn, trudged behind her brother, Cedric. His once immaculate armor was equally sullied, both of them worn down by the harrowing trials of the cursed lands.
"Why are we even still alive?" Selina muttered, her tone a mix of sarcasm and despair. She was dangerously low on mana after healing their injuries from their last encounter—a wailing humanoid monster whose cries still haunted her mind. They had fought it off with everything they had, and Cedric had dealt the final blow, earning them a grim trophy: a glowing gauntlet, now strapped firmly to his right hand.
The gauntlet wasn't just a relic—it was powerful, amplifying Cedric's light magic and reinforcing his strikes. It had saved their lives, but at a cost. They were bruised, battered, and starving. They'd been forced to cook and eat the creature's vile flesh. Even now, Selina gagged at the memory of its putrid taste.
Cedric's gauntlet pulsed faintly as his mana sense extended outward, scanning for threats. He moved with deliberate care, his expression sharp and focused. "It's still following us," he said grimly, his voice low. "That darkness... it's not normal."
Selina shuddered at the mention of their pursuer—a creature that oozed an oppressive, impenetrable shadow. It had attacked them once, only to retreat when Cedric unleashed his light magic. But it hadn't left them alone. It lingered at the edge of their awareness, always out of reach yet never far enough.
"Why won't it just leave us alone?" Selina hissed, clutching her staff tightly. Her exhaustion was palpable, but her tone turned hopeful as she glanced at the tracks ahead. "And these tracks… do you think we're close to whoever left them?"
Cedric nodded, his gauntlet glowing faintly as he studied the ground. "It's two people now. Their tracks are fresh. But we can't trust them yet. We'll observe first."
Selina sighed heavily, her patience worn thin. "Fine. But if they're decent, we're teaming up. I don't care what you say. We need the numbers."
Cedric's lips twitched in something resembling a smirk, but he didn't argue. His focus was ahead, his mind calculating their next move. "Let's hope they're as capable as they seem. We've seen enough corpses to know not everyone makes it out of here."
Selina nodded, her fingers tightening around her staff. As they moved forward, the oppressive darkness closed in, and behind them, the shadowy creature followed silently, waiting for its moment to strike.