heir of the cursed blood

The world beyond RagDon was colder than Kael expected.

Mountains loomed like jagged bones to the east. The dirt beneath his boots had turned from red clay to gray stone. Forests gave way to broken plains, burned long ago in wars no one remembered.

Eorun walked ahead silently, like a shadow older than the sky.

Kael's thoughts burned hotter than his legs.

"Why did the master let you take me?"

He didn't expect an answer, but Eorun gave one.

"Because I asked. And because he no longer believed in you."

"Then why do you?" Kael shot back.

Eorun stopped. He looked at Kael, long and quiet.

"I don't. Not yet."

They walked in silence for hours after that.

🌙 That Night…

They set camp near a crumbled statue, half-swallowed by moss. Kael sat beside the fire, nursing the bruises that hadn't yet faded.

Eorun was sharpening a curved dagger, the metal edge glowing faintly blue.

"We start training tomorrow," the old demi-human said.

"Will you teach me magic?" Kael asked.

"No."

"Then… an ability?"

Eorun looked up. "Boy, what don't you understand? You have neither. You weren't born with a spell circuit. No crest appeared on your forehead. Your aura is silent. You're a blank page."

Kael's fists clenched.

"Then what am I supposed to do? Just die quietly?"

Eorun's dagger plunged into the firewood beside Kael's foot.

"No. There are three known forces in this world," Eorun said, pacing slowly:

Magic = learned + cast using mana

Ability = innate + limited to one unique power

Aura = universal but physically demanding, used by weapon-focused fighters or those without strong magic/ability

Eorun said:

"You use what every other sword-bearing fool in this world uses.""Aura."

Kael frowned. "But… I thought Aura was something special?"

Eorun chuckled, rough and tired.

"No, boy. Aura isn't rare. It's just hard."

He placed the blade down and looked Kael in the eye.

"Aura is the weapon of those too weak in magic. Too ordinary in ability. The outcasts, the soldiers, the mercenaries, the forgotten."

"Anyone can use it — in theory. But not everyone survives the training."