Prologue
In the ancient realm of Aryavarta, where legends are born and destinies entwine, power flows through the veins of its people like a silent river. Some wield chakra, others command artifacts or harness the primal force of Qi. Yet beyond these mortal gifts lies a secret older than time itself—the Seven Divine Gates, ethereal conduits bestowed by the gods to safeguard humanity from extinction.
Long ago, when mankind teetered on the brink of annihilation, the gods anchored these Gates within the human soul. To unlock them requires not strength, but purity—a mind unshackled from desire, a heart untouched by malice. Few have ever glimpsed their power, and fewer still have survived the sacrifice they demand.
This is the story of a boy who dared to awaken all seven.
Chapter 1: The Awakening
Ledger of the Royal Awakening Department paced the dimly lit chamber, his boots echoing against marble floors. King Fernando's emblem—a coiled serpent crowned by flames—glinted from his cloak. Today, like every day, he scanned the crowds of hopeful youths, searching for a spark of divinity.
A tremor rippled through the air. Not chakra, nor Qi, but something older. His vision blurred as if the world itself shuddered.
A boy stood at the threshold.
Ten years old, perhaps. Gaunt, with hollow cheeks and eyes like smoldering embers. His tunic hung loose, revealing jutting collarbones. No parents accompanied him—a violation of protocol.
"Name?" Ledger asked, masking his unease.
"Nero Almik," the boy whispered. His voice was brittle, yet beneath it thrummed an unnerving resonance. "My village… the Commons. My mother is ill. My father… gone."
Ledger's chest tightened. Even in Aryavarta's golden age, suffering festered in shadowed corners. He waved aside the rules, pressing a golden mudra into Nero's palm. "For your family. Now, let us begin."
The Awakening ritual was simple: a surge of energy to unveil one's latent gift. Ledger channeled his chakra, threads of light weaving around Nero's frail form.
Nothing.
No elemental affinity. No warrior's vigor. Only a soul so pristine it stunned Ledger—a diamond amidst coal. Such purity belonged in temples, not battlefields. Yet…
What caused that tremor?
"I'm sorry," Ledger said, withdrawing. "You bear no gift."
Nero turned to leave, shoulders slumped.
"Wait." Ledger pressed a purse of coins into his hand. "Return tomorrow. I've work for you."
The boy's faint smile lingered in Ledger's mind long after he vanished.
Chapter 2: The King's Decree
"Report," snapped Velmin, Ledger's superior, his scarred face a mask of suspicion.
"Malnutrition," Ledger lied. "A dying commoner."
Velmin's laughter grated like rusted chains. "See that he stays dying."
But Ledger knew better. That night, he knelt before King Fernando in the serpentine capital of Aehichatrapur, its spires clawing at a starless sky.
"The boy's soul is pure," the king murmured, steepling jeweled fingers. "Raise him as your ward. Enroll him in the Priest's Academy."
Ledger bowed, mind racing. Priests wielded no swords, yet their purifying magic was Aryavarta's last defense against the Abyss—those formless horrors that devoured light and flesh alike. Warriors might shatter mountains, but only a priest's hymn could banish a shadow.
Yet Nero's aura…
What if the Gates chose him?
Chapter 3: The Priest's Path
The academy loomed like a bone-white sentinel, its halls steeped in incense and whispers. Noble-born acolytes sneered as Nero entered, his patched robes a stark contrast to their silks.
"Outsider," they hissed.
Ledger gripped Nero's shoulder. "They fear what they cannot understand."
Nero said nothing. But when the High Priestess pressed a hand to his brow, her gasp echoed through the chamber.
"This child… his soul is a mirror to the gods."
Outside, thunder boomed. Somewhere, in the abyssal deep, something stirred.
Author's Note:
The tale of Nero Almik has only begun. As the Seven Gates stir, so too do the hungers of the Abyss. What price will purity demand? And what ancient truth lies buried in Aryavarta's forgotten scrolls?
To be continued…