Wein woke to the smell of smoke.
His eyes slowly opened as pale morning light spread across the sky. The ground beneath him was cold and damp, and his body felt stiff, as if he had spent the entire night sleeping in the open.
For a moment, he didn't move. Then the memories returned. Flames swallowing the village. Screams echoing through the night.
The northern savages, and the knife that tore across his throat.
Wein's hand shot up to his neck. His fingers pressed against the wound, expecting torn flesh and flowing blood. Instead, he felt rough skin that had already begun to close.
The cut was still there—tender and painful—but it was no longer fatal. Wein blinked slowly. "That… should have killed me."
A wound like that wasn't something a person survived overnight. Yet he was sitting here, still breathing.
He pushed himself upright, ignoring the dizziness that followed. The village road stretched before him, littered with broken carts, scattered tools, and dark stains where blood had soaked into the dirt.
Morning light revealed what the night had hidden. The village was destroyed. Several homes had burned down to blackened frames. Others had collapsed into piles of charred wood. Thin streams of smoke still drifted lazily into the pale sky.
The northern savages were gone. They had come like a storm during the night. And left just as quickly.
Wein slowly stood. His legs trembled slightly but managed to support him. He walked toward the center of the village.
Bodies lay scattered along the road and near the ruined houses. Some belonged to villagers he recognized immediately. Others were burned too badly to identify.
Wein stopped and looked around. No movement, no voices, no survivors. "…Looks like everyone's dead."
The words came out flat and emotionless. He waited for a moment, glancing around the silent ruins.
Nothing changed.
Wein scratched the back of his head. "Well… not like I cared." He said, while a small smile slowly appeared on his face. "This place was garbage anyway."
A strand of white hair slipped in front of his eyes as he looked at the ruined buildings.
White hair.
Golden eyes.
Traits people in the Emerald Kingdom often associated with devils.
Ever since he was a child, those features had made him an outsider. Villagers whispered whenever he walked past. Parents pulled their children away.
Some believed he was cursed. Others believed he brought bad luck.
Wein had grown used to it. Most of the few people he might have cared about had died years earlier from sickness or accidents. By the time the savages arrived, he had already been living alone.
So when he looked at the ruined village now… he felt nothing.
No grief.
No anger.
Just emptiness.
Then something appeared in front of his eyes.
Transparent letters formed in the air.
Name: Wein
Status: Injured
Bloodline:
Hunter Bloodline — Awakened
Fire Bloodline — Awakened
Spiritual Essence Quality: Primordial
Spiritual Essence Status: Maximum
"So it wasn't a dream."
The warmth inside his body stirred.
He instinctly knew waht it was, it called Spiritual Essence. He could feel it clearly now, flowing through his veins like a steady current.
the Essence had healed the fatal wound on his throat far faster than it should have.
He wasn't aware just yet, If his Spiritual Essence quality had been normal… He would have died during the night. but his Spiritual Essence quality was Primordial, such potent Spiritual Essence quality had quickly healed his wound, quick enough to bring him back to life.
As for his Bloodlines and its abilities, the 'status window' didn't explain it. But Wein instinctly knew what abilities he currently has. His Hunter Bloodline improved his physical strenght, senses, and instinct. While his Fire Bloodline gave him immunity to heat and fire to a certain degree. It also alow him to create and manipulate fire, using Spiritual Essence as a fuel.
After some moments, Wein began to laugh. At first it was quiet. Then louder. "Haha…"
The sound echoed strangely through the burned remains of the village.
"The important thing is…"
He raised his hand. A tiny spark appeared above his palm. Then a small flame flickered into exist. The fire danced lightly in the morning air.
Wein stared at it with bright golden eyes.
"I awakened."
The words came out almost like a whisper.
Then he laughed again, louder this time.
"Hahaha!"
Two bloodlines.
Hunter.
Fire.
Even someone with little knowledge of the outside world understood how rare awakening a bloodline was.
Two bloodlines?
That was something even more unusual.
The flame reflected in his golden eyes as he watched it flicker.
"So this is power."
He closed his hand, extinguishing the flame. The warmth remained in his palm.
Wein looked toward the southern road leading away from the village.
Beyond the distant hills lay the City of Flower, one of the largest cities in the Emerald Kingdom. A place where mercenaries, soldiers, and adventurers gathered.
A place where someone with bloodline abilities might actually have a future.
Staying here meant starvation.
Or worse.
Wein stretched his stiff shoulders. His throat still hurt, but the wound had stabilized, it was good enough.
He gave the ruined village one last glance. The place where he had lived for seventeen years. The place where everyone had treated him like something cursed.
His expression didn't change.
"Good riddance."
Without another word, Wein turned toward the road., and began walking.
Behind him, the burned village slowly disappeared into the morning mist.
The only survivor left it behind.
And he didn't look back.