Laying on his bed, Nozna was shaken to the core.
He gathered his thoughts, desperately trying to calm himself for what felt like the hundredth time tonight. His chest rose and fell in sharp bursts.
Gradually, his breathing slowed down, as his sight slowly adjusted to the suffocating darkness and the familiar outlines of his room. He was truly back. He was safe.
A nightmare.
He had dreamt about his father dying to a Strange beast twice, both in different ways. It was terrifying, each scenario gnawed at his sanity.
But the last two scenes were familiar to him.
Growing up, Nozna had always been haunted by the same two visions: One as a baby being carried by a maid, and another where he turned into a monster in absolute darkness… he dreaded the second one more, the searing pain always felt horrifyingly real.
In a panic, he quickly sat up. A sharp jolt sprung through his entire body as it ached with the familiar burning pain.
A brief glance around the room told him it was still night. Tiny specks of moonlight squeezed through the tiny gaps of the windows, allowing his eyes to barely register his surroundings.
Grimacing, he glanced at his arms.
Just like in the dream, the skin on his arm was swollen and riddled with fur and bulges. He had hoped to see something else, but this was nothing new.
A few minutes later, the swelling alongside other abnormalities gradually receded. His arms became his own again.
The result was always the same after the two mysterious visions. Nozna had gotten used to it… Except, today's nightmare contained 2 more visions that struck at his deepest fears.
He recalled his paralysis, his cowardice, and his misery, unable to even attempt to save his father. This moment of weakness caught him off guard for the last vision. It felt as if the pain was worse than usual.
He drew his knees towards his chests as he buried his face in his arms. Miserable and powerless.
These nightmares usually occured once every two weeks, sometimes every week. It would usually take a while until Nozna could fall asleep again.
However, tonight was different. He couldn't fall asleep again.
The sequence of his father getting devoured by the beast replayed in his mind. His chest tied into a knot.
After some consideration, he stood up and left his room. Nozna moved slowly, careful not to wake up his father. The creaking wooden floor groaned as he trudged towards the hearth. He needed some warmth, something to chase out the hollow coldness underneath his skin.
As he turned into the main room, the bright orange glow of dancing embers greeted him. The hearth was still alive, casting flickers of light.
But something was off. Nozna froze. He felt as if his heart had just jumped out of his body.
In the centre of the room stood a tall figure cloaked in a robe. A familiar robe. A pair of emerald eyes stared straight back at Nozna.
Nozna was about to let out a gasp, possibly a scream. "Who are you? What are you doing in our home?", but his mouth was shut.
More specifically, it seemed like the top of his lips was suddenly glued to the bottom of his lips by an invisible force. No matter how hard he tried to open his mouth, it would not open.
Suddenly, the mysterious figure raised both of his arms, as if to surrender.
Please calm down, I am Khamat. I don't mean harm.
Nozna's eyes widened.
He's- He's speaking in my head? H- How? Khamat? The traveller from earlier? What do you mean you don't mean harm? Why are you-
Khamat's voice resonated in Nozna's mind again
I apologise if it was too sudden. Please follow me.
Nozna stared at the mysterious man as he slowly disappeared from his sight through the door.
He was puzzled by what had just happened. The stranger who, just earlier in the day, was being guided by him to the village had just now infiltrated his home, and is now speaking in his mind. He even asked Nozna to follow him.
Fear gripping him on all sides, he slowly began to follow Khamat outside. Every fibre of his body cautioned him against doing so.
What am I doing…Well, it's not like I can sleep. But s- still, suddenly appearing in someone's home like that…Too sudden? You can't get more sudden than that!
He contemplated, his humour slowly returning. It seemed as if he was much calmer than earlier.
Khamat's voice appeared again, his thick accent the same as earlier in the day.
Please follow. I will explain.
And so, Nozna stepped out.
The blanket of warmth was replaced by waves of cool breezes.
Let's walk.
This guy must be a lunatic. 'Let's walk?' Saying that after everything he just did. Well the idea doesn't sound too bad. Wait, he can't read my mind can he?
Sorry I don't mean it, I really don't mean it!
Nozna cast a fearful look at the hooded figure. No response. Khamat simply carried on walking, quiet and composed.
Nozna quickly followed, not daring to fall behind.
This situation does not make any sense! What kind of luna- person shows up at your house and asks for a midnight stroll?
As they strolled exposed to the chilling moonlight, the freezing night began to gnaw at Nozna. Noticing his shivering, Khamat stopped.
W- what now? I'm not allowed to be cold either?
Khamat then did something that surprised Nozna. In a swift motion, the tall figure unwrapped his dark-maroon robe and gently draped it over Nozna's shoulders.
W- What…
The robe was heavier than it looked. Its inner lining was warm against his skin. He couldn't help but gaze at the figure beside him. He was wearing a sage green garment that covered almost his whole body whilst his sleeves were embroiled with beautiful golden shapes.
He was hiding this beautiful…thing…under his hideous cloak?
Catching Nozna's bewildered expression, Khamat gave a faint smile and spoke aloud for the first time. "Aranese attire. From the Haddamat empire… you were cold, it's my fault."
Then with a short cough, he added "You can speak now."
"Th- Thank you… sir." Nozna managed, his mind was still spinning.
Both continued walking, eventually reaching the quiet riverbanks. Weirdly enough, the short walk with Khamat felt… calming. Something about the presence of this strange man was oddly comforting to Nozna.
An unfamiliar voice from behind the walking pair called out in Aranese, its tone was low and respectful.
"Captain."
The rustling of grass seemed to quieten as there was a subtle shift in the wind. Nozna paused. With a sharp turn, he saw a figure shrouded in the same robe that wrapped around himself. Approaching Nozna and Khamat, the new mysterious figure moved like a phantom.
The second traveller?...
Nozna shifted uncomfortably.
Khamat didn't turn. "Everything is under control. You may return," he said, flawlessly switching to Aranese.
The new figure paused for a moment, before replying. "Yes captain."
Just as quick as he had appeared, Tomir had vanished back into the darkness like a shadow.
I can't understand them!... Is that their language?
Finally turning to Nozna, Khamat smiled. "At ease. Let's talk." Khamat switched back to Santorian.
W- What does he want to talk about?
Nozna's head swirled with questions, but he decided to stay silent, not daring to speak.
Khamat lowered himself onto a patch of grass near the riverbank. Seeing this, Nozna did the same.
Seconds passed in silence, only the swaying of leaves could be heard. Khamat remained expressionless, closing his eyes as if meditating.
Then without warning, he spoke.
"What were you doing before I appeared in your hut?"
Nozna blinked.
What?
"I was sleeping."
Khamat turned towards him. His face was unreadable. "Only sleeping?"
W- Wait…does he know about my nightmares? Does he know about my origins? Was he sent here to kill me? Wait wait wait. No, that can't be. He could easily kill me. Why is he so interested in what I'm doing?
Mustering his courage. Nozna spoke. "W- What do you want from me?"
Instead of responding, Khamat stared at Nozna, his deep gaze intensified. Spikes of anxiety clawed at Nozna's spine.
"I am an Arcan."
Suddenly, all the tension from Nozna's body slackened.
"What… is that?"
Khamat frowned, almost disappointed. "You don't know?"
Having had enough, Nozna's fear was partially chased out by frustration. "Hey, can you at least explain what's going on? First, you break into my hut, asking me to take a walk with you and now you're asking crazy questions that I don't understand!"
Nozna swallowed. His voice had cracked slightly at the end. He was still very much fearful of this mysterious man.
Khamat watched Nozna for a few seconds, before turning towards the river. The surface of the water was dark and clear, almost glass-like. The delicate moonlight gave the river a soft reflection revealing a myriad of scattered stars. The soft currents of the river can be barely heard, as if the water didn't move.
"Have you heard of humans possessing supernatural powers?"
Nozna looked at Khamat in astonishment. Supernatural powers?
His mind raced as he attempted to recall what he could. There have been myths and stories of legendary heroes all over the continent, a group of humans that can defeat the Strange beasts…There were also rumours that the church's archbishops wielded divine powers of the gods.
He had never really given it a thought, he was certain his friends and others in the village never really either. But after deep consideration…
A group of humans defeating Strange beasts… The archbishops' so-called divine powers…
So those people were humans with supernatural powers? But that's impossible! They didn't teach this in school, and if it was true, the news would be all over the kingdom…
Wait, but didn't this man just use some sort of power to seal my mouth shut? That wasn't some sort of a trick. That was real.
A ripple of unease swept over Nozna, however, another emotion was stirred inside of him: Curiosity.
Seeing that Nozna didn't speak, Khamat carried on.
"There is a collective name given to those groups of people." He explained.
"They are known as Arcans. More specifically, we are Arcans who wield Arcan powers."
Khamat paused, his gaze returning to Nozna.
"You seem to not know anything."
"N- No." Nozna stammered. He had never heard the word Arcan before.
Khamat nodded calmly, "Please allow me to explain, then."
Nozna nodded, allowing Khamat to speak.
"There are many different theories about where these powers come from." Khamat began, his tone was even. "I will tell you the one I was taught. The one I believe in."
His eyes drifted towards the stars shimmering in the river's reflection.
"The first era marked the creation of our world, the existence of gods. The second marked the birth of creatures, and the third marked the birth of humanity. As far as I know, this is what most kingdoms and churches believe, and it is also the theory that makes the most sense."
"There is no proof that humans existed before the third era. Records and artifacts only lead back to as far as the third era, tracing back to roughly 35,000 years ago."
35,000 years… Nozna's head spun, struggling to process the length of many years.
"Our ancestors documented that their knowledge of first and second era existing were bestowed upon them by the gods. Whilst the gods are no longer physically with us, at some point during the third era, these gods walked on our world, interacting with us humans."
Gods walking on our world? Interacting with us? Nozna couldn't believe it. Gods were divine beings, they were the gods! How could they be side to side with humans as equals?
"The third era marked the dawn for humanity, where the gods created humans, though it is widely believed that humans were not their first creation. The gods had previously shredded parts of their divinity to create countless other species. But we humans were different, the gods didn't sacrifice any of their divinity for us."
He turned to look directly at Nozna.
"This is why, unlike other species, humans are born without any innate supernatural powers."
Nozna blinked. That makes sense, but what about other animals like rabbits, birds…they don't seem to possess any power. Were they also later creations?
Khamat continued, "Eventually, the gods turned against each other. It is not known what exactly transpired, but the scale of the war was cataclysmic, lasting for nearly 10,000 years. The world only saw peace in the fourth era."
Nozna's thoughts swirled in disbelief. 10,000 years of war…
"During this time, humans learnt to gain divine powers through consuming the corpses of other species. Through endless trial and error, our species had created sets of rules and rituals for gaining powers. Thus, birthing a new concept, Arcan powers."
Nozna pondered. "So, the whole time, it was as simple as eating the meat of these monsters to gain power? Wait, I thought the meat from the Strange beasts was not edible."
"It's not quite that simple." Khamat answered calmly. As I said, there are a set of rules and rituals you must follow to attain Arcan powers."
"Our Ancestors realised that Arcan powers they received were the very same powers possessed of the other species they had consumed. Essentially, it was similar to a transfer of Arcan powers from one vessel to another. Thus, these creatures were eventually called Arcan creatures. Yes, Strange beasts is the term used by the mass population, but 'Arcan creatures' is the correct term."
His voice suddenly turned stern. "There is a reason why we Arcans strictly adhere to the rules and rituals when gaining and using these divine powers."
"Nozna, you see. The meat from Arcan creatures is not exactly inedible, it is more accurate to say that consuming Arcan creatures outright may lead to corruption. This is the concept of berserkness. The corruption takes over your body, you lose control of your newly transferred powers, and they destroy you from the inside. What happens after is either disintegration or partial transformation into a monster. To normal humans, the symptoms make it sound like eating those monsters is not safe."
Nozna froze.
Transformation into a monster.
Wasn't this very similar to something he was experiencing?
"W- Wait, give me a moment, this is too much to take in." Nozna stammered
"No worries," Khamat reassured.
"So, the gods created humans with no powers, and in order to gain powers… humans had to eat Arcan creatures? However, gaining power comes with a price, and that price is corruption turning humans berserk?"
Khamat smiled. "In the most simplest terms, yes, you are correct. However, I must correct you Nozna. One must not 'eat' Arcan creatures."
Seeing the confusion on Nozna's face he continued, "One must 'consume' them. There is a subtle difference. Which leads us back to the rules set out by our ancestors."
"One: Only specific parts of the Arcan creatures are required to obtain power, the whole corpse does not need to be consumed.
Two: Consuming too many Arcan creatures will lead to berserkness.
Three: Consuming an Arcan creature much stronger than you will also lead to berserkness.
Four: Arcan powers are categorised into different groups called Spectras, there are currently 20 Spectras.
Five: Wielding Arcan powers from two different Spectras at the same time will lead to berserkness. Though there are some Spectras that are more welcoming when mixed, the Arcan will still be in a half-berserk state."
"These 5 are the first set of rules and rituals established by our ancestors through observations."
I see. Not the whole corpse of the Arcan Creature is needed, that would make sense, you won't need to absorb all the corruption from the monster. The more you consume, the more corruption you take in. This also explains rule two and three.
Rule 4 and 5… Spectras?
"I don't really understand the fourth and fifth rule. Are Arcan creatures grouped into Spectras too?" He asked.
"Correct, but perhaps you may understand better if I give you an example. Arcan creatures that wield the powers of flames belong to the Flame Spectra, whilst Arcan creatures with the power of the ocean and skies fall under the Storm Spectra. You can only consume one creature out of the two, the flame one or the storm one. Consuming both will lead to berserkness."
That… makes sense…
Nozna's thoughts started to wander.
A power that can silence someone… and also speak in their mind…
"What Spectra are you?" Nozna asked, unable to hide his curiosity.
All of a sudden, the air became still.
Khamat's smile froze.
"Nozna, it's not nice to ask about someone's spectra." As panic mounted on Nozna's face. Khamat let out a chuckle, surprisingly light hearted.
"I will tell you in due time."
"I- I see." Nozna murmured.
A few seconds passed by in silence.
Nozna couldn't help but think. Everyone in the village, his father, his friends, the aunties and uncles, the elder, all of them. They lived their lives not knowing that a whole world of divine powers existed. This was not something that was taught in school. This was not public knowledge.
"So… why are you telling me all of this?" Nozna asked.
Khamat's expression grew serious.
"In order to use Arcan powers, one must possess Essence. Essence is the force that resides in your body, and through it, you can activate Arcan powers."
"That may sound simple, but there is one truth behind it. Only Arcan bodies contain Essence, it is poison to normal humans."
Although Khamat didn't exactly answer his question, Nozna subconsciously knew what he was going to say next. A chilling sensation crept up his spine.
Khamat looked him in the eye.
"And Nozna… you possess essence."
Khamat rose to his feet and turned to Nozna, offering him a hand.
"You are already one of us. Welcome–"
A faint smile crossed his face.
"–to the world of Arcans."