Chapter 4

Aura is a natural energy akin to lifeforce that is present on every living being, from animals to plants, some even believe that earth and stones have it too. 

To an expert user's vision, a normal person would still exude an aura like that of a tiniest white smoke seeping from their skin. While a typical aura user would discharge aura like that of a fog flowing and inches or two beyond.

However, almost the entire human civilization has no knowledge or means of utilising it to its full potential, until a few individuals had accidentally discovered it and learned how to utilise it to some extent, making them superhumans to a certain degree.

Unbeknownst to most, this happened a few centuries even before the Harluk empire was formed. Furthermore, the knowledge of the mysterious power came from another continent, "The ancient lands beyond the eastern sea". That's what most people who have heard of it call that place. 

A particular clan brought this unknown power that enabled them to conquer the continent and its inhabitants, forming the formerly Harluk empire.

The founding families then united with the natives and passed on their insights and enlightenment to their descendants and liegemen. 

Aura exists in every human, most just lives their life not knowing it. The very first person to stumble upon this phenomenon was said to be a religious individual who dedicated their lives to spirituality and gave up some aspects of regular, wordly life. 

The person systematically meditated for long periods of time until he discovered a tiny flicker of warmness well deep within themselves. With the help of his fellows, they were able to nurture that warmth and grew it, expanding it beyond their persons.

….

Individuals that were able to harness their aura to some degree are called "aura users", but the common folks call them "The Awakeneds" or those who woke up from the slumber of being confined to human limitations. 

Since the Harluk empire, noble houses would try to pass down their family's method of awakening to their children and to their loyal servants in order to secure their lineage.

Awakeneds are predominantly associated with nobility and the military. Since nobles often compete and sometimes fight against each other, awakeneds are generally set up as a combatant with superb fighting skills. Thus the birth of knights in the continent of Tevia.

Considering that every user has differing levels of mastery, aristocrats created ranks to determine one's proficiency.

The "Newie", has only found their spark, guided it to their upper abdomen and is currently trying to map their aura channels. 

The "Fledgling" or a knight-apprentice, this individual has just learned how to exert their aura beyond their silhouette at the end of this phase they are able to fully force out a certain amount of aura that would allow them to transcend human limitations, although for just a brief period, roughly at around a measly few minutes. 

The "Amateur" or an amateur-knight, an awakened who is capable of executing a "full-burst", similar to what an apprentice can do but has more flare in a sense, like that of a raging fire. By this time, an amateur can extend their aura a foot or more and at the end of this stage they are able to maintain their full-burst to almost half an hour.

A "Full-knight", at this point they are now considered as professional knights, traditionally they are now conferred, and or dub by the king, a duke or someone who has the authority to do so. Despite that there are knights who weren't conferred with the title and yet have enough faculty of being a full-knight. 

A full-fledged knight is a martial expert who is able to extensively merge their fighting prowess with the utilisation of their aura. Unlike apprentices and amateurs, full-knights can be superhuman for extended periods.

The "Knight-master", the rank beyond the regular full-knight, this level is rarely attained being most awakeneds would only reach the full-knight stage in their lifetime. Aside from having more aura reserves than their predecessor, Masters can coat their weapons, shields and or equipment with aura to enhance its functions, making them more effective in the battlefield.

The next rank is almost thought to be a myth by those who understand the path of advancement of the awakeneds. Grandmasters are considered to be beings close to becoming gods themselves. So far no one has truly demonstrated a power enough to be ranked as a grandmaster. Though a few had tried to classify themselves or someone before, but never truly proven.

At one time, the founding emperor of Harluk was said to be, yet he died eventually rebutting the buzz. Given that the utilisation of aura would improve one's life force and increase the person's life expectancy. 

….

Aura would most likely have been used on different practices other than combat, yet there is no extensive knowledge of it as of the moment.