《The Awakening Beyond The End》 A New Dawn I never believed the phrase people referred to as the ''Light at the end of the Tunnel''. Those rare occurences where people wake up from near death experiences and claim it as ''I saw the light at the end of the tunnel'' with sweat dripping from their faces. Yet, here I am in this supposed tunnel which I have no clue what it is. The last thing I remember is crying on my 16th birthday, staring at my childhood photos when I was still happy and unaware of the ugliness the world hides. I had crawled onto my bed, wishing for this day to end soon. As I felt asleep, a strange numbness crept over me. My body went cold. What happened to me? Did I...die? But how? Was I poisoned? Was I assassinated? I knew people wanted me dead but to think their wish actually came true. A part of me wanted to figure out how I died, but there was nothing I could do anymore. Since am already dead, there better not be some choir of babies with wings waiting for me and singing at the end. When I opened my eyes, I was surrounded by warmth and soft murmers. I couldn''t see well but I could hear muffled voices, full of joy. "Its a boy!" a voice cheered. As I felt myself cradled, I realized something was different. The voices weren''t speaking any language I know, yet I could understand every word they said. Memories from my past life flooded as I processed what was happening.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "Arthur", the woman whose arms were holding me called out softly. "Arthur Varen. That will be your name my child." she said as tears came falling from her eyes to chin. Her smile radiated warmth and the kindness in her eyes was something I hadn''t seen for a long time. She was beautiful-beyond beautiful, actually with features that made her seem otherworldly. Her bright smile carried a genuine motherly love I couldn''t remember feeling in my past life. My mom used to smile like that too, but...I didn''t see what it was back then. Maybe I didn''t know how to spot real kindness until I learned it the hard way. "He has your eyes, honey" she said, handing me to a man with a strong jaw, fierce eyes and thick eyebrows. I bet that he is the type who''d be strict and unyielding but when he spoke all my assumptions shattered. "Hey, Little Art! I''m your dad. Can you say ''Papa''?" I take my words back. His tone was so cheerful that I almost laughed -mentally atleast. I guess the phrase ''Never judge a book by its cover still stands.'' "Ray, he was just born!" my mother scolded her tone playful. My dad let out a laugh of embarrassment, scratching the back of his head. For the first time in a while which felt forever, I felt...safe. The First Step Arthur Weeks slowly went by and I was convinced that I had been reincarnated into a much more archaic era, where people used magic and weapons like swords existed. I learned that my mothers name was Kiara Varen, a gentle and kind hearted person who gradually melted the walls I built around myself. She firmly rooted the family itself with her empathetic nature. My father, Raymond Varen was a dependable and charismatic man if you ignore his often goofiness. His personality made him quite the opposite of the image I had in my mind for a father. But whenever I looked at them, I couldn''t help but feel my new family was everything that my past family wasn''t. They felt real. I swore to myself that I''ll protect this family no matter what. While I was grateful to have been born into a loving family, my life was still full of difficulties that even I wouldn''t wish on my enemies. With very little control over my legs and unable to manage the basic function of the body, I often found myself embarrassed when I peed myself, only for my mother to clean it again and again. In my past life, when I slowly started to get treated as a slave, I learned to understand the harsh realities of life, even most adults might struggle with. I had always been interested in fantasy novels and I buried myself in manga and anime. So, from a young age, I adapted the attitude of a king, which was the only thing that kept me sane during my time in home which was no less than a prison. I even tried to learn a bit of swordsmanship and martial arts, in order to back up my fantasy. Of course, all that came to a halt on that cursed day. Months passed by and when I was 7 months old, I finally gained some control over my legs and my habit of peeing myself. My mother, for the first time took me out of the house and i was thrilled for my first day out. While my mom was buying stuff, I learned quite a bit about this world from the citizens. First and foremost, the continent I was on is named ''Essos'' and only 4 Kingdoms reside in Essos. Second, the people here have a power system known as ''Mana Core'', which determined the strength and level of an individual. Third, warriors here are classified into 2 types- Conjurers and Augmenters. Only this much important information I could collect from my first day out, rest all were bullshit. Upon returning home, I sneaked into my father''s room, where he kept all his books. My family wasn''t wealthy, but we earned enough to have 3 meals a day. We lived far from the capital of Essos due to circumstances. The reason I sneaked into my father''s room was because I was curious about the information''s I heard today. During my research, I discovered that there are 5 basic affinities- Fire, Water, Lightning, Wind and Earth. Out of the 5, Lightning was considered the strongest due it massive destructive power. It also said that once one masters an affinity, they naturally progress to a higher level of that affinity. They are known as ''Deviants''. Their higher forms are: Fire-> Inferno, Water-> Ice, Lightning-> Thunder, Wind-> Storm, Earth-> Gravity. Those who can combine 2 or more elements to create a new form of magic are called ''Weavers''. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. In normal cases, one could rarely learn more than 2 affinity depending on their lineage. However, there are also those whose magic affinity are completely unique, different from any affinity known. These rare individuals are known as ''Ethereal'' users and only 1 individual in existence can wield a power of that affinity magic. The next thing I read was about ''Mana core''. A mana core is essential for individuals to confirm whether one has awakened. It defied how much magicule energy one can hold in their core. The mana core is divided in 3 stages: Dark, Solid, Light. Everyone starts from dark stage and make their way to light stage. There are 6 different colors of mana core: Black, Red, Orange, Yellow, Silver, White. These mana core can evolve from Black to White depending on how much you cultivate. The lighter the core, the more easy it is to use advanced spells in short period of time for conjurers. A lighter mana core to augmenters meant better mana stabilization and control. When a human is born, tiny fragments of magicule exists within their body. Once these fragments come together they form the mana core. Normally, a person begins to form their mana core around at age 5 and acquires the mana core by age of 10. However, there is a possibility that if one tries to cultivate it early on with proper technique, they may form the core early which gives them to improve early. Next, I learned about Conjurers and Augmenters. Conjurers are mages who fought using spells and excelled in long range combat. However, they were vulnerable in close combat as preparing and casting spells took time. That being said, the longer the spell took to perform, the stronger its power will be. Augmenters, on the other hand excelled in close combat. They used martial arts and weapons to fight and used their affinity to boost their power and increase the damage they could deal. They are often pretty useless in long range combat unless there is a augmenter who uses a bow or a spear which is rare to begin with. Using bow or a spear means not being able to handle close range combat and augmenters are known for their exceptional martial arts. The mana core worked differently for each. For conjurers, their mana core absorbs magicule energy from the surroundings through their mana veins to replenish their mana core. Augmenters exert that energy from their core through mana channel which is at the center of the body. This often forms a thin wall for augmenters called ''Mana Layer''. Although, even conjurers can make one mana layer but they prefer not to as it requires fine mana control and multi-tasking which can affect their battles. Only this much information the book could provide me. As I was just about to close the book, my eyes fell on something interesting. A myth mentioned that there is a level beyond white core stage which is still unknown but only 3 existence had managed to reach this level. The mana core at that level was called --? Before I could finish reading, my mother spawned and scooped me up. "Art, did you wet your pants again?" she asked letting out a sigh. I asked in my mind slightly annoyed, as I still haven''t gained the ability to speak yet but it looks i did pee myself. Again. I initially thought I hadn''t peed myself yet, but it looks like I dived too deep inside the magical world that I didn''t even realize when I peed myself. Embarrassed, my mother gently took me away to clean me up. I love my mother. History of Essos Altar in Valeria( On the day of Reincarnation of Arthur) I stood in front of the altar, my fingers tracing the surface of Ancient runes. The power I was waiting for so long. I had prepared everything for this soul but it was nowhere to be seen. I had done everything right, everything was according to my plan. Yet, the soul never arrived. Perhaps, a miscalculation I thought, that was until I felt the Mana residue energy of Sylphira. "Yes, she must have done this. Her meddling was the only explanation." I mumbled to myself as I realized what was going on. I had planned for this soul to be a weapon, a key to my ultimate power. But now that it had been lost, I had to make a decision. "Your Majesty," a deep voice echoed through the altar. My strongest sovereign ''Kaldor'' entered accompanied by his 2 sentinels. "Why are you so focused on this....human child? He was born in a ordinary world with no magic or power. What makes him so important? Is he really worth all the trouble?" His voice full of curiosity and beneath that, a sense of concern. I met his gaze without hesitation. "This child, despite his lack of magic or any power, he possess something far more dangerous. He has the ability to adapt to any any situation faster than any being I have ever encountered. His mind can absorb techniques, power, knowledge with ease. If I could have him in my ranks, my army would be 10x times stronger. If he was born in a world with a power system, he could have reached the level of a God." My voice was filled with a bit of frustration yet composed. The sovereign raised an eyebrow from behind his mask, "But he''s just a human." "Precisely," I replied, my lips curving slightly. "He has no advantages, no magic or power to rely on and yet, in that very limitation, he has the potential to be as strong as us. His mind is sharp and his body, if trained, would be indestructible. For that, I had planned to bring his soul here and reincarnate him in the perfect vessel, to make him a part of my army. But Sylphira, that overgrown lizard...had to ruin everything". Upon realizing I lost a valuable asset, I clenched my fist as if to control my anger. The Sovereign looked thoughtful but I knew he understood why I went to such lengths. "And now?" he asked. I didn''t need to say more. The answer was obvious. "I have another plan." a grin escaped my lips as I said it. "It''s not as powerful as my original plan but it''s still worth it. Let''s see, Sylphira if you can stop this." Just as I got up to prepare the ritual, I felt an immense Mana residue energy. That energy was so vast it made the entire ''Valeria'' shake. But it was nothing compared to my power or ''Zereth Vaelric.'' "Let''s go, Kaldor" I ordered my sovereign "Looks like there is a intruder here desperate to be devoured by darkness." When we reached outside the altar, we saw a human or rather a ''Returnee'' took out all my guards. Interesting. Arthur I crawled out of my cradle making my way to father''s library. I had to understand more about this world. Since, my mother was sleeping right now, it was the perfect opportunity to gather some more information. I slowly opened the door trying my best not to wake my mom up. As soon as I entered, the room was filled with the smell of old books. I had read almost every book here in last 7 months. Only 1 book remained now. My tiny hands finally reached the book, I was left to read. This book was about the world of Essos and its history.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. The world Essos was divided in 4 kingdoms:
Vallaris, The Kingdom of Humans, in the East Lorianor, The Kingdom of Elves, in the North Durakan, The Kingdom of Dwarves, in the South Tethys, The Kingdom of Fishmen, in the West
I turned the page and read on. A dispute for power among these Kingdoms had caused a great war in the past. The Dwarves and Fishmen had always been in good terms. When the war broke out, they allied with each other. Both the kingdoms opposed Vallaris, however, Lorianor was a peace loving kingdom and decided to stay out of conflict. The King of Fishmen at the time thought that if the Elf Kingdom had a change of heart, they''ll be in trouble. So, in between the war the Fishmen made a plan to assassinate the King of Elves and launched a full out attack. However, they''re plans couldn''t succeed. That was when the King of Elves, Caius Everlune of Lorianor stepped in. Under his leadership, the Elves managed to corner both the Dwarves and the Fishmen, and the Humans had taken advantage of this chaos, managed to defeat both sides. Lorianor took the least amount of casualties and Caius Everlune was declared as ''Hero of Elves'' but during his time on the battlefield, his was wife was assassinated by a Kingdom which is still unknown to this day. This news broke him and after the war, he stepped down as a King. His last words as a king were, "I couldn''t even protect my family, I have no right to be called a King. A king who can''t protect their family is not worthy to be a King." Caius had passed down the crown to his son, Alarion Everlune who was only 28 years old. The Elves had closed themselves off from the rest of the world other than their kin. They showed no interest in alliances, no desire to share their wisdom or power. However, they shared 1 common thing, The Capital of Essos ''Valoria'' and every 10 years there is a summit between the Kings and Queens of the 4 Kingdom. I closed the book after reading everything, lost in my thoughts. I, then suddenly heard the familiar voice of my father, Raymond. "Daddy''s home! How''s my little Art doing?" he came running, lifted me and tossed me up. My mother woke up from her sleep from the sudden noise and hurried with a look of concern. I was tossed again and thankfully, i landed on my father''s arms. When I landed on my father''s arms, I realized that my body is so frail, that I may die if I fall down. "Haha! My father did the same when I was younger! Look, dear I think Art is having fun!" his words were filled with excitement and laughter. I exclaimed waiting for my mom to help me. He then started spinning me and I felt pukish. "Ray! What are you going to do if you drop him?" my mother asked her voice was worried and scared. Just as she asked, it didn''t even take 1 sec and I hit my leg on the book shelf nearby. Although, I was mentally 16, my fragile body made it hard not to scream. "Ray--" my mom glared at my dad who started sweating and couldn''t do anything other than apologize again and again. My mother came up to me and healed my wounds in an instant, I wondered what kind of magic it was. The book''s didn''t say anything about this kind of magic. Ever since, I was born in this world, I believed knowledge is power and I tried my best to understand my surroundings over the last 7 months to the fullest and I was confident that I had a firm grasp of this world and what to expect after reading so many books. But after seeing my mom''s magic, I realized I spoke too soon. Perhaps I still know nothing about this world after all. "Don''t worry, Art. Mom is gonna make you all better." she said while giving a soft and warm smile as she healed me. The Return After 400 years of endless battles and wars in another dimension, I finally stepped through the portal created by the Outer Gods. Feeling the tug of air against my skin, I returned. The world where I was originally born...yet, upon arriving this wasn''t the home I remembered. Instead, I found myself in a place filled with blood, jagged cliffs and a thick layer of fog which smelled like rotten blood. It wasn''t long before a legion of masked figures surrounded me, their armour shining in moonlight. Their gaze were cold as if they weren''t humans. As they focused on me, one of them asked, "Who are you?" I didn''t feel the need to answer. My murderous intent was answer enough to them. They lunged at me, their weapons gleaming in moonlight. In a blur of movement, a flash of my blade and in minutes, over a hundred bodies laid motionless on the ground. Their strength was laughable but their numbers and their intent to kill hinted something inhumane and someone greater. As the last bunch of them fell, a man stepped out from the shadows of altar. His long black hair flowing like shadow down to his neck. Two sharp, curved horns crowned his head and his cold and calculating eyes met mine, stripping all my defenses and instilling fear in me. Draped in a sleek black coat, his presence radiated a chilling authority, commanding both fear and respect. "Impressive," he said with a slow clap, his voice dripping with mockery. "To take out my guards so quickly...you must be something special. If you agree to work under me, I''ll turn a blind eye to this mess you''ve created. What do you say? Interested?" his gaze was unwavering as if to tell me, this wasn''t an offer but an order. I didn''t lower my blade and asked "Who are you? Where am I?" He smirked and answered. "You stand in Valeria, under my domain. I am Vragor Valtazar, ruler of this land and soon much more. And you?" He tilted his head. "You seem different. Not from here, are you?" his eyes looked at me saying ''Don''t try to lie to me''. He already knew who am I. I thought to myself and chose to ignore his question. I narrowed my eyes and asked "Where is my lineage? What happened to my family?" At that question, his smirk turned into something sinister. "Ah, the past. Your predecessors were...unworthy. Weak, frail and a bunch of idiots. I ruled on them for last 200 years but their extinction was inevitable, though it''s a shame I couldn''t massacre them myself." His words struck like a dagger, but I held my ground. My chest burned with anger, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing my despair. "You know nothing about strength if you think power lies in conquest alone." I jumped at him, enveloping my blade with ''Blue Flame Magic''. "Strength?" he chuckled darkly. "Strength without control is nothing but chaos." Before I could reach him, another figure emerged- a man clad in dark armour with a presence as imposing as a storm. He dropped to one knee beside Vragor. "Your majesty, allow me to handle this pest." he requested, his voice a deep rumble. Vragor nodded, stepping aside. "Do try to keep him alive, Kaldor. I want to see if he is willing to submit to me and become a part of my army."The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "I thought you were just a floating armour, until you kneeled and stepped in to fight." I said to Kaldor, mocking him and hoping he falls for my trap. "Am surprised, you can still talk shit in a situation like this. It really looks like you don''t know your place." he answered and it looked like he didn''t fall for my trap. Kaldor then wasted no time, charging at me with speed that no one would''ve imagined looking at his massive dark armour. His sword clashed against mine with a force that sent shockwaves cracking down the land we were fighting itself. I barely matched him blow for blow, our battle creating waves of clashing steel and roaring winds. Kaldor was relentless, his strikes precise and devastating but I refused to give up. My body slowly adjusting to his speed, honed by centuries of war. ''Black Lightning'' crackled around me as I used my magic. ''Black Lightning magic: Carnival of Lightning''. aiming to overwhelm him. Bolts of lightning danced across the battlefield, carving deep scars in Valeria. Yet, Kaldor stood firm as if nothing happened. His armour absorbing the brunt of the attack and his laughter echoed in the chaos. "Is that all you''ve got, intruder?" I wondered. I gritted my teeth, pushing myself harder. This wasn''t just a fight- it was more like a test to my powers. A reminder that I was alive, that I had survived the horrors of another world and I would survive this too. All of a sudden, Vragor''s voice cut through the battle. "Enough!" In an instant, Kaldor stepped back and Vragor descended from the altar. His presence made the air heavy and I felt a chill crawl up my spine. "You intrigue me," he said, his tone but his eye''s calculating. "A returnee...one chosen to fulfill a mission in another dimension and left his home planet for centuries. Tell me, how does it feel to come back only to find everything you fought for and cared for gone?" I froze at his words but I wasn''t surprised. I had a hunch, he knew my identity. He smirked seeing my uninterested look. "Oh, and that ''Pegasus Beast Will'' of yours- why don''t you use it against me? I can feel its immense energy pulsing within you." His provocations stoked the fire within me. Without much thought, I entered my ''Second Phase'' of my Pegasus beast will. My body enveloped in a radiant aura, my strength surged and I jumped towards him and sent a bunch of serialized formed attacks. The fight that followed was unlike anything I''d ever faced. Vragor moved with impossible speed, countering every strike with precision. His power was beyond anything, yet I refused to give up that easily. Hours passed, our battle carving destruction all over Valeria. Every strike, every spell, every ounce of energy seemed futile and yet, I kept going. Vragor raised his 2 fingers and pointed them upwards to the sky, a grin forming on his face. "Let''s see if you can handle this." As I looked up and saw a massive meteorite descending from hell itself. It''s fiery glow illuminating the battlefield. "You bastard!" I roared, channeling the last of my strength. Using ''Carnival of Lightning'' on Vragor, I momentarily distracted him, ensuring he wouldn''t interfere. With my sword in hand, I leapt toward the meteorite. The impact shook the planet itself as I cut it in half, the sheer force of my strike left me exhausted and bleeding. I landed heavily, barely able to stand. Vragor approached, untouched and unimpressed. "Am surprised you''re still standing," he said, his voice laced with mock amusement. "Perhaps you are stronger than I predicted. Sorry, I underestimated you." "Are you making fun of me?" I asked, panting heavily. "Not at all. This is my first time fighting a returnee so I held back as much possible. But cutting such a big meteorite is not everyone cup of tea." A wicked smile crossed his lips. "This...this is fun. But unfortunately, all good things must come to an end." Before I could respond, he raised his hand casting a sealing spell. "The heaven and hell grows silent and binds this restless flame. Seal his strength, chain his will, let darkness devour and time stand still." As the words echoed across the battlefield, the air around me ignited with an unbearable heat. The ground beneath my feet began to bubble and glow as if consumed by lava. As my body collapsed, I could see the darkness enveloping my body and sealing my powers. And I was sealed in darkness which had no end. ''This isn''t over yet, Vragor!" I mumbled and my eyes shut.