Origin manual

The Book glowed, a dull blue hue, its pages emanating an otherworldly energy.

Arko's aura flowed out of him like a river, merging with the book's ethereal radiance.

As the seconds ticked by, the sensation intensified, his connection to the book deepening with every passing moment.

~swoosh~

A rush of air swept through the room as the book's pages began to turn on their own, the motion growing swifter and swifter until the whirlwind of movement ceased as abruptly as it had begun. Arko's heart raced with a mixture of anticipation and curiosity.

The page before Arko now was one he knew he had never encountered.

Dominating the page was a meticulously detailed hand outline, its fingers positioned in a specific arrangement. Underneath the hand was a set of characters, a text that seemed to beckon him.

Intrigued, Arko hesitated for only a moment before placing his hand on the page.

Placing his hand on the hand-shaped mark, he felt a jolt of energy surge from his palm.

Suddenly, the symbols on the page began to move, their intricate lines shifting and rearranging in response to his touch. Aura, in greater quantity than before, poured from Arko's being into the book, like water flowing into a vessel.

As if in response to the influx of energy, the book began to shrink, its form gradually condensing. Then, with a strange and ethereal grace, it seemed to melt into Arko's hand.

In its wake, a peculiar mark emerged on the back of his hand. It resembled a demonic-looking honed skull inscribed in a triangle, its lines intricate and foreboding.

In the wake of this transformation, Arko felt a cool sensation radiating from his head. A cascade of knowledge, information he hadn't known he was missing, surged into his mind.

The Book was an ancient manual from the Origin Race, the very first race to have ruled the continent eons ago. It outlined a comprehensive body cultivation technique, revealing thousands of images of distinct postures, each linked to complex pathways of aura manipulation within the body. As the knowledge flowed, Arko's understanding grew, and he absorbed it like a sponge soaking up water.

"Where the hell did my parents get this from."

However, as the torrent of newfound understanding reached its peak, a wave of exhaustion suddenly overcame him. His eyelids grew heavy, and he sank back onto his bed, his consciousness slipping away.

***

The sound of urgent yelling pierced through Arko's groggy state, yanking him out of his slumber. The captain's voice resounded throughout the barracks,

"Everyone up ! Get ready for guard duty at the sunset gate."

Arko scrambled to get his equipment in order, His thoughts continuously wandering to the Origin manual.

Within five minutes, they were assembled and ready.

Arko excited the barracks joining Elara and Milo outside. quickly the whole 21st division excited the barracks and formed ranks ready to march out.

Looking around, Arko noticed the soldiers gear was a mix, some barely wearing armor while others wore near full plate armor.

"Milo, do you know why we weren't given gear and the same uniform ?"

"Yes, I heard from the others that this squad is formed almost entirely formed by soldiers from other cities. there are 18 official divisions in the capital. all the other ones were recently formed by soldiers from around the kingdom."

The division emerged from the military ward, their footsteps echoing in the cobblestone streets. The clank of armor and the shuffle of boots reverberated through the air as they began their march. Arko fell in line, surrounded by his fellow soldiers.

As they moved through the heart of the city, the glow of lanterns cast pools of warm light that danced across the stone walls of buildings.

Looking around Arko realized the streets where still full of refugees with nowhere to go.

Many sat along the edge of the road or chose to lay down on the hard cobblestone.

The city's inhabitants watched in silence as the soldiers passed by. The sounds of their footsteps merged with the distant hum of conversations and the occasional echo of a child's cries.

Amidst the lantern-lit streets, the division pressed on, bringing them closer to the towering wall that marked the boundary between the city's safety and the unknown darkness beyond.

The night was still young, the moonlight casting an eerie glow over the city's walls.

The cool night air wrapped around them refreshingly.

Soon they arrived at the wall, the captain's voice echoed into the night,

"Man the wall, our 21st division is responsible for the sunset gate"

Arko and his comrades stood vigilantly, gazing out into the darkness beyond the city walls.

The world outside was shrouded in shadow, a canvas for the unknown. As they kept watch, the silence was broken by hushed murmurs and exchanges between the squad members, their voices mingling with the distant rustling of leaves and the occasional distant howl of a night creature.

Time seemed to slow as they fulfilled their duty, the night enveloping them in its embrace. Arko's thoughts churned, a mixture of wonder at the newfound knowledge and the pressing reality of their situation.

Arko looked at the back of his left hand in wonder. The skull tattoo that had appeared after the afternoons events was nearly invisible in the night.

"The origin race huh"

He couldn't wait to try it but for now he couldn't do anything but stand there, looking out in the darkness surrounding the city.

Their watch continued, the minutes ticking away, each moment marked by the shifting of the stars above.