I felt nothing at first—just an empty void, as if I had ceased to exist. Time, space, and reality all slipped away. Then, slowly, I felt a pull—a strange, gentle force guiding me somewhere. It wasn’t physical, but more like my very essence being reshaped, remade.
The emptiness around me began to shift. The pull grew stronger, and I felt something solid forming—a new body, a new life. There was no fear, only the sensation of being born again. As the darkness faded, I felt warmth, light, and then... the world around me began to come into focus.
I opened my eyes, and everything was new. The room was unfamiliar, but it felt strange... right. Soft light filtered through a window, casting gentle shadows on the walls. I felt warmth, comfort—things I hadn't felt in so long. But I couldn’t focus on that. My mind was still adjusting, still trying to understand.
I turned my gaze to the figure in front of me. A woman, her face kind and full of warmth. She smiled as she gazed down at me, her eyes filled with an emotion I couldn't place.
“Welcome, Aren,” she whispered, her voice soft and tender.
Aren. That was the name I now carried. It took a moment for it to sink in. This wasn’t the world I had known. This was... different.
I blinked, slowly absorbing the new reality around me. My body felt young, small, fragile. But my mind? It was sharp, aware. And then, as if sensing my confusion, I heard another voice.
"Aren," a deep voice rumbled. "You're awake."
I turned my head, and there stood a man—tall, imposing, yet somehow familiar. His presence commanded respect, and something in the air shifted when he entered. He had the look of someone powerful, someone important.
Behind him, there was another figure—a girl, older than me, with striking features and a quiet aura. She watched me with gentle curiosity, her eyes filled with a mixture of affection and something else. Perhaps she was my older sister.
I felt the weight of the moment settle on me. I wasn’t sure where I was or how I got here, but I could sense the connection. This was my new family. This was where I would start again.
But the questions flooded in—why? Why was I here? What had happened? And more importantly... Who am I now?
I was Eren. But before that? There was something... a past life, a memory that refused to surface fully. The pieces were blurry, slipping through my mind like sand, but I knew one thing: I had been given a second chance. And in this life, I would find answers.
Everyone in the room was staring at me. My mother, with her soft features and concerned eyes, my older sister, who seemed just as perplexed, and the maids, their faces filled with confusion. Even my father, who stood tall and commanding, had a frown creasing his forehead. The room, once filled with joy at my birth, had turned eerily quiet.
I felt their eyes on me, but I wasn’t ready to show them who I truly was—what I truly felt.
In this quiet moment, something deep inside me stirred. A flicker of awareness that went beyond the present. Was it a memory? A glimpse of the future?
Before I could grasp the thought, a soft voice broke the silence.
"Is he... alright?"
My mother’s voice was faint, but the tension in the room was undeniable. Everyone was waiting. Waiting for me to react, to cry, to prove I was alive, that I was just like every other child.
But no one said a word
And then, as if something inside me snapped, I cried. The sound echoed through the room, sharp and clear, and the world seemed to shift. A smile tugged at my lips as I looked up at the faces surrounding me. They weren’t sure what to think of me yet, but I knew something they didn’t: my path would be anything but ordinary.
As my cries filled the air, I felt something stir in my chest—an unspoken promise, a silent vow. This was only the beginning.
But what lay ahead? The journey had just begun.
This was only the beginning.
---
At three years old, I began piecing together the world I had been born into. My family—the Wolfhart family—was more influential than I first realized.
Mother, Selene Wolfhart, was kind yet firm. Father, Alaric Wolfhart, a Duke of Wolfengarde, was a man of few words, his presence commanding. My older sister, Claire, was overbearing but well-meaning.
The Wolfhart family resided in Wolfengarde, a kingdom within the Avalon Empire, one of the seven empires of Arcadia.
The world was governed by mana and aura, energy sources that determined one's strength. Both had six stages beyond Stage 0, and those who mastered them became formidable forces.
By observing the household and listening to conversations, I slowly grasped the language. Soon, I could understand and read basic texts, granting me access to the vast knowledge stored in the family library.
Among everything, magic fascinated me most. Books described mana as the essence of the world, coursing through all living beings. I became determined to sense it within myself.
One evening, bathed in the golden glow of the setting sun, I sat cross-legged in the library, shutting out the world. I slowed my breathing, focusing inward. At first, there was nothing. Then, a faint ripple—like a quiet stream flowing beneath my skin.
It was subtle yet undeniable. Mana.
I opened my eyes, flexing my small fingers as I observed the sensation. There was no excitement, only quiet acknowledgment. This was Stage 0—the first step.
A presence in the doorway caught my attention. Edwin, the family butler, watched me with an unreadable expression.
“Young Master Aren...” he said slowly.
I met his gaze, unbothered. “What is it, Edwin?”
A flicker of astonishment crossed his usually composed face before he straightened.
“It seems you’ve awakened.”.
To be continued..
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