POV: Kael Lanpar
The murmurs of the townsfolk echoed through the capital's trade center. Conversations thick with prejudice mingled with the noise of the bustling market.
Cutting words about the human race slipped from the lips of the elves—who, as usual, never wasted a chance to voice their disdain whenever I was nearby.
I kept my head low, adjusting the dark hood over my face as I walked beside Dirion along the damp cobblestone streets.
"Pay them no mind, boy," the old man growled in his gravelly voice. "They can't tell an enemy from an ally."
Obeying, I pulled back the hood. The cool air brushed against my face, stirring my hair from side to side.
When I lifted my gaze, the beauty of the kingdom struck me—so perfect, so alive… and yet utterly incapable of hiding the hostility of its people.
It was hard to live in a place where you didn't belong. Even harder when no one wanted you there.
As we moved deeper into the heart of the capital, a symphony of scents filled the air.
The aroma of fresh bread and damp wood drifted around us, disguising hostility with beauty.
"Where are you taking me, Dirion?" I asked, quickening my pace. "We're moving away from the castle."
"Just walk, Kael," he sighed. "I'm not telling you anything. Accept it."
I frowned. It was pointless to argue. Reluctantly, I fell silent.
Then I looked up—and the sight before me felt like something out of a dream. Towering structures rose high among the branches of the trees.
The houses in the lower district, made of stone and clay, gave way to others built upon living trunks, connected by bridges and stairways carved directly into the wood.
Elves moved gracefully from tree to tree, carrying baskets of fruit and flowers. The entire place seemed to breathe in rhythm with nature.
Suddenly, something fell from one of the bridges—a fruit. Without thinking, I moved quickly and caught it just before it hit the ground.
"Hey, brat! Give me back my fruit!" an elf shouted from above.
I glanced at the fruit in my hand and, just as my stomach growled, shot him a smirk before continuing on with Dirion.
The forest and the city blended together in almost magical harmony. Birds flew over thatched rooftops, nesting among the houses. Every corner seemed built to coexist with life itself.
"I spoke with your father," Dirion interrupted my thoughts. "Your vacation has been moved up. You'll be returning to the human kingdom soon."
His words lit something inside me—a spark of excitement that spread through the air around us.
I still didn't fully understand my awakening, but seeing how my emotions shaped the world nearby was… fascinating.
With every step, colorful flowers bloomed in my wake, illuminating the grass with an emerald glow.
Then I remembered Airis—her smile flashing in my mind, pulling me briefly into the past.
A faint tingle ran across my lips. I couldn't deny that I missed her. After all, she had been my first friend.
I stepped onto a fallen log that served as a makeshift bridge. Balancing carefully, I looked down—the river flowed gently beneath, fish gliding with the current's rhythm.
Leaping to the other side, I felt the damp earth beneath my feet.
"Kael, when I tell you to stop… you stop. Understood?" Dirion said, suddenly tense.
I nodded, focusing. My feet pressed into the soil as astral energy coursed through my body.
The world shifted before my eyes. Through the trees and sky, the auras of nearby creatures revealed themselves.
They shimmered like living constellations, each glowing with unique colors and patterns, moving calmly, breathing the same magic that flowed within me.
As I sharpened my senses, I felt something approaching at full speed. Its footsteps shook the ground, scattering nearly every creature in the area.
By pure instinct, I gathered the celestial particles of wind, condensing them until they formed a transparent blade that shimmered between my hands.
In the distance, trees began to topple one after another. I clenched my teeth, bracing myself.
"Boy, stay behind me!" Dirion roared, shifting into a combat stance.
I obeyed, stepping back a few paces. From the ground, massive roots burst upward, encircling Dirion as though the forest itself had come to protect him.
The air grew heavy. My breathing shortened, and a cold sweat trickled down my spine. Suddenly, the footsteps stopped. A deathly silence enveloped the clearing.
I closed my eyes and let my astral perception expand. Amid the darkness, red particles outlined the silhouette of a massive beast stalking us in silence.
Without hesitation, I tightened my grip on the sword's hilt, pulled my arm back, and gathered wind.
Then I threw the weapon with all my strength. The impact was clean—the sharp sound of blade cutting flesh confirmed the hit.
"Damn it, boy! I told you to wait for my signal!" Dirion shouted.
I didn't have time to answer. The creature's roar shook my bones. Whether it attacked out of instinct or fear, I couldn't tell—but my body moved before my mind could react.
The ground trembled as a gigantic beast emerged from the thicket: a colossal bear, my sword lodged deep in its bleeding neck.
Dirion didn't hesitate. He extended both hands, and the roots lunged at the monster, trying to restrain it.
I reacted too—lifting chunks of earth and hurling them as projectiles that slammed into the creature, forcing it to stumble back.
"Kael, stop attacking it!" Dirion bellowed. "You're only making it angrier!"
He was right. The roots were shredded with a single swipe. The bear's eyes shifted from blue to blazing red, and its roar made the forest leaves quake. It dug its claws into the soil and charged straight at me—each step leaving craters in the ground.
As it raised a claw to cleave me in two, I summoned a spike of earth behind me, ready to impale it at the exact moment of impact.
But then—a sharp metallic whistle sliced through the air.
A spear pierced the bear's neck, felling it instantly. The body crashed to the ground with a heavy thud that shook the earth.
Confused, I traced the thread of white mana connected to the weapon up to a high branch—and there she was.
A woman with azure hair, swaying gently in the wind, bathed in sunlight. She watched me with a serious expression, her fingers pulling on a magical string tied to the spear.
In one fluid motion, she leapt toward the bear's corpse, yanked out her weapon, and raised it high before driving it back down with surgical precision.
"Lord Dirion," she said coolly, "you and your human guest have committed a crime. You've disturbed the balance of the natural order."
I felt Dirion's furious gaze pierce through me before he sighed in resignation.
"We apologize for our actions," he replied bitterly. "It was never our intention to slay a magical beast."
The woman jumped down from the carcass, landing gracefully with bent knees. She walked toward me in silence, her jaw tight, eyes sharp as blades.
I swallowed hard, trying to keep my composure as she slipped a hand into her pocket.
I wanted to speak, but no words came out. Then her lips curved into a smile—before she burst out laughing.
"You should've seen your face," she said between giggles. "You went completely pale."
Bewildered, I watched as she pulled a small flower from her pocket and handed it to me with a mischievous grin.
I clasped the gift in my hands, forcing a smile. I still didn't understand how she could switch moods so quickly.
"To be honest, kid," she said, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes, "for a second I thought you were going to drop to your knees and beg for mercy."
I tried to reply, but Dirion's voice interrupted. He approached, resting a hand on my shoulder, and spoke calmly:
"We should keep moving. You'll have plenty of time to get acquainted during the journey."
I nodded silently and followed behind them, though I could still feel the woman's gaze fixed on me. Covering my face with my hands, I exhaled in embarrassment. I had acted without thinking—and nearly put Dirion's life in danger.
"That bastard Matías was right…" I muttered to myself. "I'm just a part of him—sharing his memories, but not his experience."
It wasn't the first time someone had apologized for my mistakes.
Still covering my face, I bumped into something. When I looked up, I was met with the woman's smiling face. Her pointed ears twitched up and down, as if amused by the sight of me.
"Do I have something on my face?" I asked awkwardly. "Why are you staring at me like that?"
She let out a soft laugh before suddenly changing her expression.
"You've just harmed a magical beast," she said firmly. "That's a crime."
"I didn't mean to…" I whispered, lowering my gaze. "I acted purely on instinct."
She sighed, motioning for me to come closer. When I did, she studied me with a curious look.
"You're the first human I've ever seen," she said, tilting her head. "I thought your kind would be different… but it seems life means little to you."
Her words pierced straight through me. A lump formed in my throat as fragmented images from Matías's past invaded my mind—his pain, his guilt, his blood.
The air around me turned cold. I couldn't move.
Then I felt the woman's arms wrap gently around my neck. She rested her head on my shoulder and whispered softly, her voice warm and steady:
"You're just a boy. None of this is your fault. You do what you see—you learn from what you live."
When she stepped back, she joined Dirion without looking back.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart, and followed them through the damp trunks and puddles left by the rain.
After crossing a clearer section of the forest, the terrain opened up to reveal a massive structure. Several figures were training in the courtyard, armed and focused.
"The best way I found for you to train," Dirion said without turning around, "was for you to join the adventurers."
I stopped in my tracks, stunned.
"Kael, meet your squad leader," he added, gesturing toward the woman beside him. "This is Aiza Midoriya."
I slowly turned my head toward her. She was still smiling—that same expression I couldn't quite read, somewhere between mockery and kindness.
The clang of metal echoed in the distance as I tried to process everything, searching for answers. Dirion seemed to sense my confusion and said quietly:
"I'll explain everything inside. It was your parents' decision as well."
Without another word, he walked toward a sturdy cabin marked with a wooden sign that read: Adventurers' Guild.
I followed, leaves crunching beneath our steps. Outside, a few elves trained with flawless precision, manipulating elemental flow with an ease that stirred a pang of envy within me.
I possessed all five primary elements, and yet I was still stuck as a Ranked—the lowest possible tier. I couldn't advance even one level. It was… maddening.
As soon as we stepped into the cabin, the stench of sweat and blood hit me hard. I covered my nose, trying to bear it.
The wood creaked under my boots, and when I looked up, I felt the weight of every gaze in the room. Hatred. Contempt. And, in a few… faint curiosity.