The sun rose lazily over the horizon, its golden light stretching across the rolling hills that surrounded Redbrook Village. A mist still clung to the ground, weaving between wooden houses and freshly plowed fields.
In one of the smaller homes near the village outskirts, Kael groggily sat up from his straw mattress. His body ached from yesterday's labor, but there was no time to rest. Farmers rose with the sun, and he was no exception.
He reached for a wooden bucket, scooped up water from a nearby barrel, and splashed it over his face. The cold shocked him awake, but he welcomed it. Life in Redbrook wasn't easy, but it was predictable. Hard work meant food on the table. Slacking meant hunger. That was the way of things.
Kael threw on a simple tunic and trousers before stepping outside. His home, like most in Redbrook, was a single-room cottage with a thatched roof. No luxury, but sturdy enough to withstand storms.
As he stepped out, his eyes drifted toward the large stone pillar standing in the center of the village square. The Awakening Monument. Every child in Eldoria knew what it was.
"Only those who are blessed may awaken their mana," the elders always said. "Touch the stone, and the world will decide your fate."
Kael had touched it five years ago, just like every other child on their twelfth birthday. And like most commoners, he had felt nothing. No surge of mana, no divine blessing. Just the cold, lifeless surface of the stone.
The memory left a bitter taste in his mouth.
He wasn't alone—only one in every twenty people awakened. The rest? They lived normal lives, working the fields, smithing weapons, or serving nobles who actually had power.
Kael had made peace with that. Or at least, he told himself he had.
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By mid-morning, Kael had made his way to the village square, where merchants set up their stalls. The smell of freshly baked bread and roasted meat filled the air. Villagers bustled about, haggling over goods, trading produce, and sharing gossip.
Near the well, a group of children swung wooden swords at each other, mimicking knights and warriors. Kael recognized one of them—Bren, the village chief's son. The boy was an Awakened, barely thirteen but already capable of controlling mana.
With a flick of his hand, Bren's wooden sword shimmered faintly, coated in raw mana. The other children gasped as he swung it, knocking his friend's weapon aside effortlessly.
"That's not fair! You're using magic!" one of the kids protested.
Bren just grinned. "Of course! That's what makes me stronger than you!"
Kael turned away, focusing on his errands. It wasn't worth dwelling on things beyond his reach.
Eldoria was a land of power. Even if he wasn't one of the Awakened, Kael knew there were other ways to become strong.
1. Awakening & Mana Users
People like Bren—those born with mana—were the lucky ones. Awakening meant they could become knights, mages, or even lords if they trained hard enough.
Mana users could:
Enhance their bodies for superhuman strength. Wield elemental magic like fire, wind, or lightning. Form powerful techniques unique to their mana core.
But awakening was rare. Most villagers, like Kael, never got that chance.
2. Essence Cultivation
While mana was a natural gift, Essence Cultivation was something anyone could pursue. It required:
Absorbing Essence from nature, relics, or even defeated monsters. Refining the body and mind to strengthen one's abilities. Breaking through levels, increasing lifespan and strength.
The problem? Cultivation resources were expensive. Only wealthy nobles or lucky adventurers could afford to pursue it.
3. Runes & Contracts
Those without mana or cultivation talent had one last option—Runes and Contracts.
Runes allowed people to carve symbols into weapons, armor, or even their own bodies to gain power. Contracts let people form pacts with higher beings—dragons, gods, or even demons—to borrow their strength.
Of course, Contracts came with a price. Some people became heroes. Others were cursed forever.
Kael sighed, adjusting the basket of vegetables he was carrying. He had no mana, no essence resources, and no desire to gamble his soul for a contract.
For now, he was just a villager.
As he made his way home, Kael glanced up at the sky. In the distance, a massive silhouette flew overhead—an elder dragon.
Even from miles away, its presence was undeniable. A god among mortals.
"One day, I'll break free from this life."
The thought came suddenly, unbidden. He clenched his fists. Was that ambition? Resentment? He wasn't sure.
But deep down, something inside him whispered:
You are more than this.
To Be Continued…