The Rebirth of Kael Varrus
The gentle, peaceful darkness of the void was suddenly replaced by a shockwave of sensation. Satou's consciousness, which had been a quiet flicker, snapped back into agonizing reality. It wasn't a flash of light, but an unbearable crushing pressure, like being squeezed through a straw. The silence was shattered by a cacophony of muffled, frantic noise that ripped through his ears, followed by the terrifying sensation of cold air striking sensitive, wet skin.
I'm suffocating. I can't breathe. What is this pain?
He was trapped in a body that was completely alien and utterly helpless. His eyes, still blurry and unfocused, strained to make sense of the new world. He saw a hazy ceiling, the light of a single, soft, mana-fueled lamp that cast strange, swirling shadows.
He heard a woman's exhausted but relieved voice speaking a language he did not recognize, yet somehow, his consciousness understood.
"He is beautiful," the woman whispered, tears audible in her voice. "Our little Kael. Welcome to Aalkaria."
The man leaning over them was his new father, Lord Cassian Varrus, a man with a stern, scarred face who governed a strategic border town within the Kingdom of Aethelgard, a Human-majority nation of strict honor. The authority of his noble house, Varrus, rested on his military skill and his powerful Earth Mana Affinity. His mother, Lady Elara Varrus, radiated the soothing warmth of her rare Healing Affinity.
As the nurse carefully carried Kael across the room, he caught sight of two small, curious faces peering around the doorframe—his siblings. Ten-year-old Marcus, the future heir, looked eager and solemn. Beside him, eight-year-old Lysandra was less formal, her eyes wide with curiosity about the tiny, squalling creature that had just joined their family.
"He is small, Elara. But he has the Varrus bone structure. We shall raise him to honor the name. He will be strong, and he will command a powerful Mana Affinity. It is our duty." Lord Cassian's voice was a low, gravelly rumble, a statement of expectation.
The gravity of his new life immediately settled over Kael's ancient consciousness. He was no longer just a person; he was an heir, a Human in a world of Dragonborn, Elves, and Beastkin.
So this is it. The new life. Lord Kael Varrus. Kael tried to clench his fist and failed, his tiny hand flopping uselessly. The Goddess was serious. I suppose I'll need to grow up fast if I want to keep that promise to live a good life. But first, I have five years of diapers and baby talk to endure.
Five Years Later
The nursery was gone, replaced by a spacious, sunlit chamber in the Varrus manor. Kael Varrus, now five years old, sat cross-legged on the floor, his appearance marked by an unnatural, quiet intensity. The last five years had been a constant, frustrating effort to hide his adult mind while mastering the language and navigating the high expectations of the Varrus house.
Kael's fascination with the world often had to be a private affair, conducted while his older siblings focused on their predetermined paths. His eldest brother, Marcus, ten, was already a disciplined heir, proficient with a training sword and possessing a highly-desired Mana Affinity. His sister, Lysandra, eight, was focused on their mother's skills, exhibiting a budding Light Affinity.
As the youngest, Kael devoured maps and texts in secret. His home nation of Aethelgard felt small compared to the sheer scope of Aalkaria. He often heard Marcus boasting that the Dragonborn were "all brute strength," and Lysandra lamenting the "misguided Beastkin," but Kael was only curious. He studied the Dwarves' deep cities, the terrifying power of the Demons in the east, and the routes of the fierce Amazon warriors.
He knew his path was expected to be clear: follow his father and eventually serve the kingdom with his inevitable Mana Affinity. But the more he learned, the more he understood his promise to the goddess could only be fulfilled by stepping out of his noble cradle. He needed to explore Aalkaria, not just rule a corner of it.
But first, he needed to know what his own place in this Mana-defined world would be. The coming day was the annual Mana Affinity Test, and Kael Varrus, the soul of Satou, was about to discover his power, or lack thereof.