"Blood that is not spilled… sleeps, but it never forgets."
From the Fourth King's Last Testament
"Grana", one of the most besieged cities in the five kingdoms, lies on the northern border of the Kingdom of Azarath, overlooking the Miralis Sea.But despite its proximity, its people cannot enjoy its beauty, due to the siege imposed by the Empire.
Despite the harshness of the occupation, the streets of Grana still pulse with the sounds of daily life.It has not broken, and even the winds that blow there, blow freely, as if they know they are blowing in a city with a people who refuse to submit.The city has been bound, its rights stolen, but the real pain lies in the daily measures.Beyond the burning and bombing, the daily seizure of citizens' homes, forcibly evicting them or killing some to threaten the others. For them, it was a slow death.But the worst of all... was the captivity.The most targeted group for capture are the youth, as those who are captured either return broken, on the brink of death... or return as killers, with no mercy for anyone.In this world bound by the chains of occupation, most people are ordinary, with limited abilities.But there are those whom fate (or so some believe) bestowed with exceptional powers at birth, which vary from person to person and are classified into five ranks:
The Sealed: The majority. Their abilities do not resemble those of ordinary people, but their powers are simple yet effective, and cannot be overlooked. They are known for the "Call of Stone," mostly used for self-defense, and rarely participate in battles.
The Awakened: They are known for their speed. Their senses grow with every war, increasing with each encounter, though their rank remains the same.
The Connected: Or you could call them the backbone of factions. This group can connect with the core of their inner strength, allowing them to control and use it creatively.
The Destined: Chosen by fate, clearly. Their numbers are few, but they can turn the tide of any battle, and they often bear a distinctive symbol on their bodies.
And finally, The Embodied Fate: A power that cannot be ignored, though it is rare.The last appearance of this power was centuries ago, and it is said that whoever possesses it is born twice:Once from the womb of their mother... and once from the womb of fate.
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When they arrived at their modest home, which looked no different from the neighboring houses, Hilda washed Raigen's hands and feet, changed his clothes which were stained with mud, and dressed him in clean clothes while saying:"Look at me, Raigen. Don't play in the mud again.""Hey, alright, I won't do it again!!"At that moment, "Valdern", Raigen's father, entered. He was built strong, broad-shouldered, and tall. His short black hair, which complemented his tan skin, gave him a special look. He placed his hand on the wooden table beside the door and then said:"Hurry up before I leave you, you've delayed!"While she was brushing off his clothes, Hilda muttered,"There, now you're ready.""Let's go, Dad!!""Alright, do you need anything else, Hilda?""Nothing else, may you both travel safely."The midday sun was high in the sky, casting its warmth on the ground as Raigen and his father headed to the market. Amid the hustle and bustle of daily life, greetings from passersby, homeowners, and shopkeepers rang out, welcoming the man with soot-covered hands, the respected blacksmith Valdern.While Valdern was chatting and buying supplies from his regular shopkeeper friend, Raigen heard a commotion from one of the houses across the street. He stopped and listened to find a woman scolding, her hands on her hips, yelling angrily:"How many times have I told you to take off your shoes before entering the house?"He closed his eyes, crossing his arms, and said,"My dear, I've told you a thousand times, I'm a blacksmith, my hands are always busy polishing iron when I need to rush inside briefly. Why do I need to take off my shoes?"She responded, even angrier, as if threatening him,"Alright, blacksmith, come in as you wish, but I won't be cleaning the floor again this time.A calm smile appeared on his face as if he hadn't been angry at all."Alright, alright, it's the last time, don't be angry."Suddenly, Raigen was struck on the head by a stone. He quickly placed his hand on the spot and shouted,"Ouch, ouch!"He turned around and saw a girl about his age, or perhaps a few months younger, with wide blue eyes like the sea and silky yellow hair that wasn't too long nor too short. Her childish features were more pronounced with her anger as she exhaled, saying:"Hey, what are you doing there?"Raigen looked at her while holding the spot where the stone hit with both hands."What made you throw a stone at me?!"She replied angrily, but at the same time, her childish features became evident."And what do you think, you're spying on my house?""Ah, is this your house?""What do you think? Get away, and if I catch you here again, I'll kill you."Raigen crossed his arms, turned his face away, and closed his eyes,"Who said I was staring? I was just passing by." He sighed, adding, showing some annoyance:"Hah, what did you just say? You'll kill me? Try your luck..."Before he could finish his sentence, Valdern had already finished his conversation and shopping."What's going on, Raigen?"That little girl quickly spoke,"I found him spying on our house.""Why are you lying? I was just passing by."Valdern placed his hand on his head and smiled sheepishly,"Oh, I'm truly sorry about this." Then he added, while holding Raigen:"I'll make sure to scold him for this behavior, it's not like him to do this."They then left, with Valdern holding his son's shoulder,"Do you want me to tell your mother?""Believe me, I was standing and just heard the noise. That's all. It's just that girl, she's so arrogant.""Don't do this again, boy."After finishing their shopping and returning home, Hilda started preparing dinner, and they all gathered around the dinner table—a rectangular wooden table with three chairs, and a candle in the middle.Valdern sat in his chair, while Hilda moved from one dish to another. Let's not forget Raigen, the mischievous one, who wandered around the house, sometimes with his mother, sometimes with his father.When they all sat down to eat, each raised their head to the sky, thanking God for the blessings, their hands folded. As soon as Raigen finished his prayer, he grabbed his spoon and ate quickly."Take it easy."Raigen lowered the spoon and then asked a question his parents didn't expect:"I just remembered, Dad, do women really scare men?"His father laughed in his rough voice, and Hilda in her soft voice laughed too, then looked at him and said,"Why don't you answer, Valdern?"He smiled at her,"Do you really want an answer, Hilda?"Meanwhile, Raigen looked at them in confusion.His father replied teasingly, as if trying to provoke his wife,"It's not about scaring, Raigen. We men act wisely, unlike them."Hilda responded, upset,"Hey, what do you mean by that? Do you mean we have no wisdom?"Valdern whispered directly to his son,"See, I told you."Hilda fell silent, and soon, they all burst into laughter. After Valdern stopped laughing, he asked,"But where did you come up with that question, Raigen?""When we were out shopping, in front of that house, where the girl said I was spying on her, there was a short woman scolding a big man with hands that could break iron."Hilda reacted with a smile,"Ha, were you spying on other people's houses?"His father answered, embarrassed, as if he had nothing to do with it,"Didn't you tell me you were just passing by?"And so, Raigen's teasing ended with a scolding.In that family atmosphere, while everyone was enjoying each other's company, someone was planning something that could make this their last moments together.Time passed, and it was time for Raigen to go to sleep.As his father turned to tell him to go to his room, Raigen had already been overcome by sleep and was leaning on him.Valdern patted his son's head with his large hands, then said quietly to Hilda,"I'll carry him to his room, wait for me."As he laid Raigen down on his bed, Raigen felt the warmth of his father's hand. He mumbled in a voice he could barely understand due to sleepiness, while the thought of kings never left his mind."Dad… do you know the truth about the kings?"Oh, you didn't tell me she told you the story."Raigen put his hands under his cheek, turning to his side comfortably,"No, I saw it..."Before he could finish, he had already fallen asleep.His father smiled softly as he left the room, then said quietly,"It was clear... you are the world's protector."