Kaelion stood in front of a ramshackle hut on the outskirts of the village. The house was far from livable: its walls were made of brittle wood, barely standing, and its thatched roof had holes in various places. Yet, for the villagers of this small settlement, it was their reality.
"Kaelion, don't just stand there! Come inside and help me prepare dinner!" The voice of an old woman snapped him out of his thoughts.
Kaelion stepped inside, his head buzzing with questions. This world felt foreign yet oddly familiar. He knew he was in a poor village, but he sensed something much grander beyond the horizon. Sitting in the corner of the dimly lit room, he watched the old woman—his mother in this new life—and frustration began to smolder within him.
"This is an insult. I, Raviel Arcadia, the Dark King, now living in a place like this?" he thought bitterly. But he knew that venting his anger would serve no purpose.
Kaelion needed to bide his time. If he wanted to reclaim his power, he needed information, strength, and—most importantly—patience.
---
Understanding a New World
In the days that followed, Kaelion began to grasp the nature of this new world. The small village he now called home was named Havenwood, part of the Kingdom of Lumerion—a minor kingdom bordering the Aglarion Empire.
What caught Kaelion's attention was not the kingdom's politics but the drastic shift in the power system. In this world, magic and swordsmanship were no longer the exclusive domain of the elite.
Instead, they were structured into a new hierarchy:
Swordsmanship: Starting from Novice, progressing to Adept, Knight, and culminating in the legendary Sword Deity.
Magic: Divided into elemental tiers, with forbidden arts like Necromancy and Soul Magic now considered almost extinct legends.
In addition, ancient artifacts—remnants from the era before Raviel's downfall—had become coveted treasures. Yet few understood their true purpose.
"Artifacts… perhaps I can use them to restore my power," Kaelion mused.
---
Encounter with Lira
One day, while helping his "mother" in the fields, Kaelion heard a commotion from the nearby forest. Curiosity led him toward the noise, where he found a group of men surrounding a young woman with long silver hair and pointed ears—an elf.
"They still hunt other races here?" Kaelion frowned. Despite the world's changes, prejudice against other races clearly persisted.
The elf, though injured, wielded a dagger and fought with all her might. However, Kaelion could see that she was exhausted. The men, armed and confident, closed in like wolves circling prey.
"Stop dodging, you filthy creature!" one of them shouted, lunging forward.
Kaelion saw this as an opportunity to test his current abilities—or lack thereof. Gripping a sturdy branch as his weapon, he stepped out of the shadows.
"Stop," he commanded, his voice cold and steady, drawing everyone's attention.
The men laughed. "Who are you, kid? Run along before you get hurt!"
Kaelion didn't answer. In a flash, he moved with surprising speed, striking one of the men on the head. The blow was enough to knock him out, even though Kaelion's strength was a shadow of what it once was.
But Kaelion knew one thing: absolute power wasn't necessary to dominate. Fear was enough. His crimson eyes glowed faintly as he fixed his gaze on the remaining men.
"Do you want to die?" he asked, his voice low but dripping with menace.
Tension hung in the air. The men hesitated, then began to retreat. "Let's get out of here! He's insane!" one of them shouted before they fled.
Once they were gone, Kaelion approached the elf. She lay on the ground, breathing heavily, yet still trying to stay alert.
"Stay back!" she warned, though it was clear she had no strength left.
Kaelion looked at her coolly. "If I wanted to kill you, you'd already be dead."
The elf fell silent, then finally relented. "My name is Lira," she said weakly.
"Kaelion," he replied curtly.
---
A Plan in Motion
That evening, Kaelion brought Lira back to the village. The old woman initially objected but eventually accepted Lira's presence due to Kaelion's insistence.
As they sat by the fire, Kaelion began to question her. "Why were they after you?"
Lira hesitated before answering. "I'm a fugitive. I used to live in the eastern forest, but it was destroyed by the Aglarion Empire's forces. Now, I'm just trying to survive."
Kaelion listened intently. This was valuable information. The Aglarion Empire seemed to be one of the dominant powers in this world, and if they were still oppressing other races, there was bound to be unrest he could exploit.
"You don't need to be afraid," he said at last, though his tone was more commanding than comforting. "From now on, you'll work for me."
Lira frowned. "What do you mean?"
Kaelion smirked faintly. "You'll find out soon enough. But if you want to survive, stick with me. I have big plans."
Inwardly, Kaelion was already strategizing. This world was rife with opportunities: racial tensions, imperial oppression, and scattered ancient artifacts. With Lira by his side, he knew this was only the beginning of his journey to reclaim his throne of darkness.