"A sword is an extension of the hand. Magic is an extension of the mind. But a king must make both extensions of his will."
— Caelan Veyrion
First Dawn in the Legacy Chamber
The sound of dripping water echoed softly through the ancient cave.
Kael slowly opened his eyes. His body still felt heavy from the events of the previous night, but the cold that usually consumed his chest had vanished. For the first time in his life, he felt a warm current flowing gently throughout his body.
He looked at the silver ring on his right index finger. Its sapphire pulsed softly like a living heart.
"I'm not dreaming..." he murmured.
"If this is a dream," Caelan's voice came from behind him, "I must have gotten bored of being part of it after a thousand years."
Kael turned around. The Spirit of the Unifier sat casually atop a large rock, holding a cup of tea that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
Kael raised an eyebrow.
"A spirit... can drink tea?"
Caelan looked at his cup, then chuckled.
"No."
"Then why...?"
"To look wise."
Kael closed his eyes and sighed.
"I don't think the legends ever mentioned that you liked to joke around."
"Legends only preserve the victories. They rarely preserve the human side of things."
A Changed World
Caelan stood and raised his hand. Light filled the cave wall, which then transformed into a gigantic map of the continent of Aetherion.
"Look closely."
Five glowing territories appeared.
Arkanor.
Elaria.
Khazdrum.
Valkhar.
Nocthazar.
"The five races are still living side by side..." Kael said.
"On the surface, yes."
Caelan moved his finger. Black cracks appeared between the five territories.
"But the Eterna Oath is beginning to weaken."
Kael watched intently.
"Why?"
"Because of fear."
Caelan looked at him.
"Wars aren't always started by swords."
"Sometimes, they begin with whispers."
He touched the territory of Arkanor.
"Humans are beginning to gather their armies."
Then Elaria.
"The elves are beginning to close their borders."
Khazdrum.
"The dwarves are increasing weapons production."
Valkhar.
"The beastfolk are reviving their war rituals."
Finally, Nocthazar.
"The demons are beginning to call all their forces home."
Kael frowned.
"So... everyone's preparing for war?"
Caelan slowly nodded.
"And someone is pushing them in that direction."
First Lesson
Caelan changed the subject.
"Now, sit down."
Kael obeyed.
"In this world, there are three ways to use mana."
He drew three circles on the ground.
First—Internal Mana
"Reinforcing the body."
"Knights use this method."
"It allows them to lift massive stones, run faster, or cut through steel."
The first circle lit up.
Second—External Mana
"Shaping magic."
"Fireballs."
"Lightning."
"Ice."
"Wind."
The second circle lit up as well.
Third—World Mana
Kael watched as the third circle lit up with a blue light far brighter than the others.
"This..."
Caelan smiled.
"This is what the world has lost."
"World Mana is the ability to attune yourself to the mana flowing through nature. You don't force mana to obey your will. Instead, you understand its direction and move with it."
Kael slowly nodded.
"Like navigating a river instead of fighting the current."
"Exactly."
Caelan looked satisfied.
"That's why mages nowadays run out of mana so quickly. They draw it from within themselves."
"But you..."
He pointed toward the forest outside.
"...will learn to borrow mana from the world."
Impossible Training
"Stand up."
Kael rose.
"Hold your sword."
Kael drew the old training sword he was still carrying.
"Attack me."
"What?"
"Attack."
Kael hesitated.
But he swung his sword anyway.
The sword didn't even come close to Caelan.
CLACK!
Two of Caelan's fingers had stopped the blade.
"Too slow."
Kael attacked again.
This time, he was faster.
Still, he failed.
"Too slow."
Five minutes.
Ten minutes.
One hour.
Two hours.
Not a single one of Kael's attacks managed to touch Caelan's clothes.
Kael's body began to tremble from exhaustion.
"I... can't do it."
"No."
Caelan shook his head.
"You can't do it yet."
The difference was small.
But its meaning was enormous.
The First Sword
Caelan walked toward an ancient altar.
A simple sword hung there.
It wasn't decorated with gold.
It had no jewels.
It even looked rusty.
Kael looked surprised.
"That sword belonged to you?"
Caelan nodded.
"It was the first sword I used before I obtained Umbra Ignis."
Kael stared at the simple sword.
"The legends say you carried a legendary black sword."
"That's true."
"But the legends never mention that it took me eight years before I could even lift it."
Kael fell silent.
"Then..."
"...I still have hope, too."
Caelan smiled.
"Only now are you starting to think like my student."
Meanwhile...
At Drakenhall Castle.
King Magnus stood alone in an underground chamber beneath the palace.
The room wasn't recorded on any royal blueprint.
In the center of the room stood a human-sized black crystal orb.
Its surface was covered in cracks.
Magnus placed his hand over the orb.
Black mist appeared.
Then...
A voice rang out.
"Has he made his move?"
Magnus answered quietly.
"Yes."
"The boy has found the ring."
The voice gave a soft laugh.
"Good."
"Let him grow."
Magnus closed his eyes.
"I still don't understand..."
"Why don't we just kill him?"
The answer that came made the air in the room feel frozen.
"Because only the heir to the Ring of Eternis..."
"...can open the Gate of Origin."
"And only after that gate is opened..."
"...will you obtain what you've always wanted."
Magnus opened his eyes.
His gaze was filled with ambition.
"Not just Arkanor..."
He clenched his fist.
"I will rule all of Aetherion."
However, as the shadow disappeared, a faint eye-shaped carving with wings appeared on the surface of the black crystal—a symbol that had even been erased from every record in history.
The Uninvited Visitors
Back in Vareth Forest.
Night began to fall.
Kael was practicing his breathing when the Ring of Eternis suddenly began pulsing faster.
Caelan immediately stood up.
His usually calm face turned serious.
"We have guests."
Kael instinctively gripped his sword.
"From Arkanor?"
Caelan shook his head.
"Older."
"More dangerous."
"And..."
He stared toward the cave passage.
"...they've already sensed the ring's presence."
Heavy footsteps sounded from beyond the darkness.
One.
Two.
Three.
Then torchlight appeared.
Not one torch.
Dozens.
On the cave wall, the newcomers' shadows stretched out like the claws of a monster.
A man in gray robes stepped to the front. His face was concealed by a metal mask, while the same winged-eye emblem as the symbol on King Magnus's black crystal was pinned to his chest.
He raised his hand and spoke in a calm voice.
"Hand over the Ring of Eternis."
"Otherwise..."
"...we'll take it along with your life."
Kael didn't yet know who they were.
But Caelan recognized the emblem in an instant.
And for the first time since his awakening...
The face of the King Without a Crown turned pale.
He whispered softly.
"That can't be..."
"They should have perished a thousand years ago."
Preview of Chapter 5—Order of the Eternal Eye
Kael will face his first enemy as the heir to the Ring of Eternis. In the midst of the battle, Caelan will reveal the identity of the mysterious group that vanished from history long ago: the Order of the Eternal Eye, a secret organization that was once the most dangerous enemy even to the Unifier of the Five Races. Meanwhile, in Arkanor, Princess Seraphina begins investigating Kael's exile and discovers clues that her younger brother may have been framed from the very beginning. This chapter will also begin to reveal the seeds of a vast conspiracy linking King Magnus to an ancient power far more terrifying than the demon race.