NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3: Prologue 3.
At only 14, Merlin was a young orphan, shaped by the brutal losses of his people and the harsh realities of survival. Alone in the world, with his family gone and his village in ruins, he wandered from place to place, doing what he could to survive. His natural talent for Lightning Magic, a gift passed down through his bloodline, kept him alive, but it was never enough to shield him from the overwhelming cruelty of the world. Though his powers were considerable for someone so young, his lack of proper training and resources meant that, at times, he was vulnerable to those stronger and more experienced than him.
After weeks of travel, barely able to fend off the wild creatures and demon scouts that roamed the land, Merlin found himself standing at the imposing gates of the Dawnsedge Sword Sect. The gates were adorned with intricate runes, and the air around them hummed with a strange energy. The Sect was one of the Six Great Sects that had risen in the 1500 years of what the empire called "peace." Yet, Merlin knew better. The peace had only been an illusion, a fragile veil between the demon race and the people who survived the shattering.
The Dawnsedge Sword Sect, founded by Zaheer Haesula, the first Augmenter, was known for its emphasis on augmenting the body with magical power—enhancing the physical form through the use of mana, rather than the strict cultivation of the body itself as the demon race did. Augmentation was still a form of magic, drawing from the unique energies of mana, but it was distinct from the physical refinement practiced by demons. This form of augmentation was something Merlin knew he could learn to master, especially given his affinity for Lightning, and the fact that his spirit root was rare and potent, a legacy of his distant ancestor, Myrddin.
Zaheer Haesula's innovations had shaped the world of magic, blending the ancient arts of body manipulation with magical augmentation. The Dawnsedge Sect became renowned for its ability to create warriors capable of immense physical prowess and magical power in tandem, although still distinct from the brutal, raw power of the demons.
Merlin, driven by his desperation to survive and the desire to avenge his family, took a chance and approached the gates of the sect. He had nothing but the clothes on his back, the saber he'd scavenged from the wreckage of his village, and his growing but unrefined magical abilities. The guards at the gate were wary of the young boy—he was small, with a body that bore the marks of someone who had been through far too much, but his presence carried something different. A latent power. He held himself with a quiet resolve, even in his state of near-exhaustion.
After a brief examination and a demonstration of his Lightning magic, the guards were impressed by his rare spirit root and potential. They could see the nascent talent for the Saber in his stance and movement, something they did not often see in such a young, untrained boy. Despite his grim appearance and rough demeanor, there was an undeniable spark within him.
Thus, Merlin was granted entrance to the Dawnsedge Sword Sect, the first step in his long and difficult journey toward mastering his powers and finding his place in the world.
His training began with the basics, from learning the proper stance and form for swordsmanship to focusing his energy into controlled mana flows. Augmentation magic, though not as grueling as the body refinement techniques of the demons, still required precision and discipline. The Augmenters used their mana to enhance their physical attributes, from strength to speed to endurance. It was a way of making the body itself a conduit for magical power, something Merlin would need to master if he was to stand against the demons in the future.
Under the tutelage of seasoned masters in the sect, Merlin honed his Lightning affinity, learning how to wield it both as a weapon and as an enhancement for his body. His nascent Saber talent was carefully developed as well, his instinctive strikes and combat prowess shaped into something far more refined and deadly. Although he was younger than many of the other disciples, Merlin quickly began to gain a reputation for his skill with a blade and his natural affinity for Lightning Magic.
Despite the relatively peaceful training environment of the sect, the shadow of the demons loomed ever larger in Merlin's mind. He had seen the cruelty they were capable of firsthand. His heart burned with the desire for revenge, but he knew that revenge alone would not be enough to save his people—or himself.
The Dawnsedge Sword Sect, in its own way, was preparing Merlin for a greater battle—one that would not only define his destiny but also that of the world itself. However, despite his growing strength and new-found skills, Merlin was still haunted by the memory of his family and the knowledge that the demons still lurked in the world. They had destroyed everything he had known, and he would not stop until he avenged their death, no matter the cost.
As he trained in the ancient halls of the Dawnsedge Sword Sect, he couldn't help but wonder: Would he ever be strong enough to face the demons who had taken so much from him? And would the power he was gaining be enough to stand against them, or would the ghosts of his ancestors—of Myrddin Wyllt—be the only guide he had as he prepared to forge his own destiny in a world forever scarred by the past?