**April 5, 2005 – Natar**
The morning sun cast golden hues across the city of Natar as Voidflare Aetheris walked down the street with his friends, heading toward high school. The sound of laughter and chatter filled the air as students discussed the usual gossip, unaware that this ordinary day would mark the beginning of something beyond their comprehension.
Natar was at peace. The world had known stability for centuries, with no sign of supernatural forces or divine interventions. People lived their lives as they always had, bound by the rules of reality they understood. But fate had other plans—on this day, the first cracks in their reality would form, leading to an era of chaos and awakening.
A sharp pain suddenly pierced through Voidflare's head.
"Argh!" he clutched his forehead, his vision blurring. A deafening ringing filled his ears, drowning out the concerned voices of his friends.
"Voidflare! Are you okay?" one of them shouted, grabbing his shoulder.
But he couldn't respond. His body trembled violently as an unbearable force surged through him. Then, without warning, his skin started to crack apart, dissolving into glowing fragments.
"What's happening to me?!" he thought, panic gripping his mind.
His surroundings faded. The world of Natar vanished, replaced by an abyss of infinite darkness.
---
Voidflare floated in the endless void, weightless and disoriented. The pain was gone, but an eerie silence surrounded him.
[System Activation: Welcome to the World of Aras.]
A monotone voice echoed in his mind, emotionless yet overwhelming.
"What...?" His words faded as he realized he had no body, only a consciousness drifting in the abyss.
Then, in the far distance, a faint glow emerged. A small light flickered in the void, pulsing gently as if calling to him.
With nothing else in sight, Voidflare reached out, willing himself forward. The light grew brighter as he moved closer, illuminating the darkness around him. Then, in an instant, everything changed.
---
**Aras – The Kingdom of Lirien**
A warm breeze caressed his skin as he opened his eyes. Before him stretched a breathtaking landscape—rolling green fields, crystal-clear rivers, and towering mountains. But the most astonishing sight was the massive floating islands suspended in the sky, defying logic and gravity.
He gasped, taking in the surreal beauty of the world around him. The air smelled fresh, untouched by pollution. Birds with radiant feathers soared between the floating lands, their calls echoing through the valley.
"This… isn't Natar," he murmured.
He stood on a cobbled path leading toward a grand city in the distance. Towering walls and majestic spires rose high, adorned with intricate carvings that shimmered in the sunlight. Beyond the gates, he could see people moving about—knights in armor, merchants selling wares, and mages casting spells in controlled bursts of energy.
"Is this Aras?" he whispered to himself, recalling the words of the system.
[Objective: Survive and Adapt.]
The system's voice returned, cold and firm.
Voidflare exhaled, steadying himself. He had no idea what had happened, why he was here, or what this world had in store for him. But one thing was certain—his journey had just begun.
Meanwhile, back in Natar, the sky darkened as fissures split open in the heavens. Beings of immense power descended upon the world, marking the beginning of an era of chaos. The land that had once been peaceful was now destined to become a battlefield of gods.
As the divine forces clashed, something even more astonishing happened—ordinary people, powerless until now, found themselves awakening to newfound abilities. A surge of energy rippled across Natar, unlocking the potential hidden deep within humanity. Some discovered they could manipulate Mana, others wielded Aura or Ki. A select few, those who resonated with the fabric of existence itself, found themselves capable of touching the elusive Aether—though their grasp on it was fragile at best.
The once-stable society erupted into turmoil as people struggled to understand their abilities while dark entities emerged to seize control. The balance of the world had shattered.
The world of Natar would never be the same again. The Awakening had begun.