POV: Kael Lanpar
The bustle of adventurers filled the tavern. Laughter, shouts, and the clatter of mugs colliding blended into a chaos so alive I could barely hear what the two people beside me were saying.
Some of the words spilling from Aiza's mouth sounded familiar. They resembled Racing, though clearly it was another language.
"Futa festa no freire sete coje," she said, frowning at Dirion. "Tu fari ni—"
The beer mug she held began to crack. Before I could move away, the glass shattered in her hands, spraying shards through the air. I raised my arm to shield myself.
"Dirion, tell me you're not serious!" Aiza shouted, standing so suddenly her chair toppled backward. "This is impossible, how could you—!"
The old man shot up and covered her mouth before she could finish. His movements were so quick she didn't even have time to react.
Aiza struggled for a few seconds, then gave in. Her breathing was heavy, but as soon as Dirion forced her to sit, her temper cooled—completely, as if nothing had happened.
The silence between them was unbearable.
I rapped my knuckles against the table. One sharp sound was enough to make them both look at me.
"Why are you speaking Elvish?" I asked, scratching my head. "What's going on here?"
Aiza leaned toward me—close enough that I could smell the faint bitterness of honey on her breath.
"You're more interesting than you look, boy," she whispered with a crooked smile. "Seems I've just found myself a gold mine."
Her tone left me more confused than intrigued. With a graceful motion, she pushed her chair back and stood. She strode to the bar and, without asking, snatched two full mugs from the bartender.
The man flinched, trembling.
"L-Lord Aiza… don't you think that's enough?" he stammered.
Lord? I frowned.
She didn't answer. Instead, she grabbed him by the collar and pulled him close until their faces were inches apart. For a moment, his fear was so thick it was almost tangible. Then, Aiza let him go and burst out laughing.
I turned my gaze away, letting her laughter fade into the tavern's noise. It was hard to imagine this woman was supposed to become my future squad leader.
"Is she always like this?" I asked, resting my head on my arms.
"Don't be fooled by her attitude," Dirion replied, standing up. "Beneath that arrogance lies one of the best leaders you'll ever meet. Come—I have something to show you."
I dragged my chair back and followed him toward the rear of the tavern. The air smelled of damp wood and stale beer. Out of curiosity, I activated my astral magic to read the auras around us.
But I felt… nothing.
A chill crawled down my spine. It was as if the life force of the entire place had been erased. Then I realized—everyone was staring at me.
And they knew what I had just tried to do.
It hit me too late. A heavy, invisible pressure settled over me as their eyes locked onto mine with growing tension.
My muscles tightened. My breathing turned uneven.
"You alright, boy?" Dirion asked, his tone suddenly grave.
"Yes…" I gritted out between my teeth. "I'm fine."
The air became suffocating. Without realizing it, my astral magic flared outward—manifesting as a demonic flame that wrapped around my entire body.
The murmurs died instantly. The wary glances turned to awe… and fear.
My fire wasn't pure.
It wasn't light.
My corrupted awakening devoured the tavern floorboards beneath me, blackening them with invisible fire. The smell of smoke and burnt resin filled the air.
I clenched my fists, forcing my breathing steady until the flames finally receded.
Silence returned once more.
Until a sharp hiss cut through the air.
A dart.
I turned my head just in time to see it graze my cheek before embedding itself in the wall behind me.
I searched for Dirion, but he only raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms with a resigned look.
"This one's on you, boy," he said calmly. "Here… not even as the former king can I save you."
Panic flickered in my eyes, though fear wasn't what drove me. I had never meant to cause trouble. It had never been my intention.
The floorboards creaked under the weight of the elf who had thrown the dart. His cold stare locked on me as he cracked his knuckles and prepared to strike.
"Don't compare us to your kind," he said through gritted teeth. "Humans are beneath us."
Before I could reply, my instincts screamed danger.
I turned just in time to see his fist cut through the air, raising a cloud of dust behind me. Even though it didn't connect, the wind from the blow lashed against my face.
Teeth clenched, I panted hard, my mind racing for a way out of this.
Think, Kael, I told myself. How do I get out of this?
Lost in thought, I barely caught the next attack coming straight at my face.
In a split second, I shifted to his lower guard, feeling the rush of air brush past my ear.
I focused my mana into my arm, watching as it began to glow with the light of Crimson Shadow. Flames of orange flared to life, and with one solid strike, I deflected his attack toward the wall.
The impact was brutal—the elf's forearm smashed through stone, leaving a gaping hole that let sunlight stream in.
Dazed, he stumbled back, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
"H–How… how did you block my strike?" he stammered, his body trembling.
"Just got lucky," I replied, a bead of sweat sliding down my forehead.
I sighed, turned toward Dirion, and started to leave—but the sound of applause froze me mid-step.
The angry faces in the crowd shifted to something else: excitement. Admiration. Beer mugs were raised, cheers filled the air, and an infectious energy rippled through the tavern.
I bit my lower lip to stifle a laugh. Then, smiling, I gave a short bow. The cheers erupted even louder.
"Well done, kid!" shouted one of the men, clapping me on the back. "You just earned your first enemy here."
My eyes found the elf I had just bested. His breathing was heavy, fury radiating off him; faint wisps of steam rose from his skin.
"You… you can't defeat me," he growled. "I swear I'll destroy you."
He stepped forward—but froze.
The air changed.
The crowd parted quickly, revealing Aiza's severe expression. Her presence warped the atmosphere—thick, suffocating. Breathing became painful; the very air burned in my lungs.
"And who exactly," Aiza asked, placing a hand on the elf's shoulder, "were you planning to hurt?"
"Not a very wise idea," she added, shaking a finger. "That boy is far more important than you."
"B–But, Lord Aiza…" the elf stuttered.
Before he could say more, Aiza pressed a finger to her lips, silencing him instantly.
"If you don't want to start a war between realms," she whispered, "I suggest you control yourself. He is the son of the Human King."
A gasp swept through the room. Within seconds, everyone hurried back to their seats—faces pale, eyes filled with dread.
"That wasn't supposed to be public," I muttered.
"You said it yourself," Dirion replied quietly, stepping up beside me. "It was confidential."
Without another word, Aiza gave the elf a light smack on the head before walking toward us.
I flinched when I realized she'd walked right past me… until I felt a sudden tug on the collar of my shirt.
"Wouldn't it be better to just tell me to walk?" I said, annoyance clear in my voice.
Her silence was all the answer I needed. I knew to shut up. I didn't resist; there wasn't much point anyway. Aiza dragged me all the way to the back door and, without warning, threw me to the ground.
The impact rattled every bone in my body. The damp earth absorbed my fall, and a sharp pain shot through me.
I pushed myself up quickly, anger building inside me like a storm. I wanted to shout at her… but I didn't get the chance.
A flash of light streaked through the air, and before I understood what was happening, a small rock struck me square on the forehead. It fell at my feet, leaving a thin, warm trail of blood sliding down my skin.
"That was far too reckless," Aiza scolded, her fists clenched. "Damn it, Kael, it's not even your first day here…"
She paused, inhaling deeply before continuing.
"You know exactly how astral magic works," she said, her tone steady now. "Letting your emotions take over your body and soul in the middle of a fight… that's the worst thing you can do."
Her words hit harder than any blow could. She was right. I knew how dangerous losing control could be for me. Any emotional imbalance could drag me to the edge of madness… or worse.
Ever since Vastiar explained my condition, I knew time wasn't on my side. The corrupted awakening was slowly consuming me.
"I'm sorry… it shouldn't have happened," I muttered, lowering my head. "I'll try to be more careful."
I felt her hand rest on my head, then—unexpectedly—she ruffled my hair in a strangely gentle gesture.
"I'm not asking you to act like an adult," she whispered. "Just to play a little smarter."
When I looked up, her smile disarmed me completely.
We walked back inside together, where Dirion was leaning casually against a pillar, watching us with calm amusement.
"We'd better get him registered," he said as he straightened. "I need to return to the kingdom—there are matters waiting."
Aiza nodded and approached the bartender. She whispered something in his ear, and the man motioned for us to follow him toward the bottle storage room.
His eyes darted around nervously until they settled on one particular bottle. He placed his hand on it and turned it slightly. A metallic click echoed in the back, followed by the sound of a hidden mechanism shifting.
The shelves split open down the middle, revealing something that defied logic.
Before me stood a massive stone archway, its surface engraved with ancient runes glowing faintly with pulsing light. But what struck me most was the energy radiating from within—a living, vibrant, almost hypnotic power.
As I stepped through, a familiar wave of sensations flooded my body. The nausea returned. The air shimmered, and a blinding light forced me to shut my eyes.
Everything spun… until, little by little, the brightness gave way to a comforting warmth.
Cautiously, I opened my eyes. And then I saw it.
Before me stretched a majestic coliseum bathed in golden light. Hundreds of people from different races walked along wide avenues, accompanied by magical beasts of every kind—ethereal wolves, fiery birds, tiny bear-like creatures fluttering playfully through the crowd.
Armor gleamed like mirrors beneath the sunlight, and the marble floors reflected my astonished face. Everything radiated order, power, and timeless beauty.
"Welcome to the heart of Astas," Aiza said proudly, smiling. "I'm sure you'll love this place."
I couldn't even answer her. Emotion stole the words from my throat.
This wonder wasn't just a destination—it was the threshold of my first great challenge… the beginning of my existence as a defender of what I am.
A human.