An alarm blared at 6:00 a.m., slicing through the silence of a small upstairs room in a wooden house.
Vex Lugulband's hand reached out from under the sheets and lazily silenced it. Beside the alarm, an old digital calendar glowed softly:August 7, 3224.
He lay still for a moment, staring at the ceiling. There was a weight in his chest—a strange, heavy sadness. When he touched his cheek, he felt a dry tear.
"What did I dream… that made me wake up like this?"
But he couldn't remember. Only the dull sting it left behind.
He sat up, pulled open the blinds, and let in the dawn. The usual view greeted him: sunrise over the mountains, farming fields stretching out across the land, and a clean amber sky.
This was his village. His small corner of the world.A blend of rustic tech and modern medieval charm.One of many settlements scattered across the new continent, built after the end of the Great War—and the rise of magic.
**"After the Third World War, humanity teetered on the edge of extinction.Nuclear weapons didn't just destroy cities—they scarred the skies.Radiation gave birth to an unexplained phenomenon that wrapped the planet in a veil of strange energy.They called it the Celestia Dream.
With it came magic.And with magic, echoes of the past.Warriors. Scientists. Strategists. Sages. Kings.Genetic memories of ancient titans began manifesting in the dreams of a chosen few, awakening them to extraordinary abilities.
But not all were blessed.Only a small fraction of the population had the fortune—or the curse—of carrying a legacy.
Thus, the new inequality was born:Those who descended from legendary bloodlines… and those who didn't.
Today, the world is ruled by four major powers, each with an ancestral academy at its heart.One of the most prestigious: Olympo Academy, located in modern-day Greece, capital of New Europe."**
Vex turned toward the bookshelf beside his bed.A photo of his mother sat there.And below it, another—an old picture of him as a baby, held by a blurred figure he never quite remembered:His father, killed in an accident when Vex was barely a newborn.
He headed downstairs.
In the shop below, his mother Irene greeted him with a warm smile and a box of vegetables in her arms.
"Good morning, Vex… it's Saturday! You should be sleeping in."
"Morning, Mom," he replied with the same sincerity, taking the box from her to help.
As they stocked the family shop, Irene handed him a wrapped package.
"When you're done, take this to old Zurath's store. It's important, okay? And while you're there, tell him to stop sending me chocolate. He knows me too well."
"I will."
"And don't take forever. I don't want you spending the whole morning with Jeremy wasting time, alright?"
Vex chuckled.
"I'll try…"
Outside, he met his lifelong best friend: Jeremy Tull—heir to a line of farmers descended from Jethro Tull, the inventor of the mechanical seed drill.
"Vex! Finally! They dragged me out of bed to work the fields before nine, and then my sister made me run one of her errands. I'm so dead."
"Jeremy… sometimes I think the world's been against you since the day you were born."
"Thanks for the emotional support. I think."
They walked toward the village center. Jeremy, always the talker, brought up their future after basic school.
"My dad wants me to stay on the farm. Honestly? I don't mind. It's my world, y'know?"
"Yeah… makes sense. I was thinking of staying here too, helping Mom with the shop."
Jeremy raised an eyebrow.
"Seriously? With your grades, you could get into a decent academy. If only you knew who your ancestor was…"
Vex looked down, a quiet frown crossing his face.
"Yeah… if only."
Sensing the shift, Jeremy quickly changed the subject, flashing a grin.
"Still, who knows. The world's weird. Maybe the Celestia Dream hits you when you least expect it."
"Maybe. Though I wouldn't count on it."
"Well, you've always had that mysterious loner vibe going on. Wouldn't rule it out."
They reached a fork in the road. Jeremy stopped.
"Gotta get back before my dad docks my pay. Catch you later, Vex."
"See you, Jeremy."
And he was off, running.
Vex sighed. Alone again.
Zurath's shop always felt different.Part antique bookstore, part curiosity shop, part haven of wisdom.Zurath himself was an old man with a white beard, deep eyes, and a smile that never told the whole story.
As Vex entered, a little bell rang.
"Vex! Welcome, son. I was just thinking about you."
"My mom sent me with this package. And says to stop sending her chocolate."
"Hahaha! I'll never stop."
Zurath vanished into the back, leaving Vex alone.
At the far table rested a black stone, half-covered with a cloth.Ancient inscriptions lined its surface, humming with a dormant energy.Vex stared at it—he didn't know why—but a chill ran down his spine.
Then the door opened.
A tall figure stepped inside.
Reddish-black hair. An elegant cloak. A sword, wrapped and silent, at his side.His steps were smooth but firm.His eyes, sharp as blades.
Aric Ghalahad.
He said nothing.
Just stopped, and looked at Vex.As if something about him… unsettled him.
"This is the boy?" he asked, not looking away.
Zurath reappeared from between the shelves.
"Yes. Vex Lugulband. Irene's son."
"Hm… curious eye color. Black, but they don't reflect light. Interesting…" Aric murmured, arms crossed.
Vex felt exposed. Watched in a way he never had before.
"Nice to meet you…" he muttered.
Aric didn't reply. He simply turned back to Zurath, ignoring him completely.
Zurath handed Vex the return package with a smile.
"Give this to your mother—and tell her I still owe her a story."
"I will. Goodbye, Zurath."
"See you soon, Vex."
And as he left… Zurath watched him in silence.
Aric still faced the closed door.
"That's the boy you told me about?"
"Yes. And if my suspicions are right… the world just changed.Even if no one knows it yet."