AETHERYA
A fantasy world that existed long before names, kingdoms, and history were recorded by human hands. Everything within it—the earth, the air, living creatures, even time—all follow a single absolute law: Aether.
Aether is the breath of the world.
It flows unseen, seeping into the earth, the sea, and the sky, serving as the source of all phenomena known as magic. No living creature in Aetherya escapes its influence.
From birth, every individual is granted a Magic Core. This magical core functions as a filter and vessel for the Aether. It is through the Magic Core that the Aether is transformed into mana, and then manifested as magic.
The Magic Core determines everything.
Power. Status. The future.
Those with a strong Magic Core will stand at the pinnacle of the world.
Those who are weak will live in their shadow.
To maintain that order, the world recognizes a system of existence rankings.
From Black Iron, the lowest tier that relies solely on physical strength, to Celestial, the highest tier capable of influencing the laws of the world itself. This ranking system is not merely a measure of strength, but a common language understood by all races in Aetherya.
Humans, elves, beastfolk, dwarves, and other races coexist under the same order. Cultural and regional differences do not change one thing: anyone who wishes to survive must submit to the laws of magic.
In the past, Aetherya once experienced the Heroic Age. An era in which extraordinary individuals emerged and changed history with their power. But that era has long since ended. All that remains are ruins, legends, and the remnants of the sacrifices they made.
Leaving behind a being of supreme authority, Arkhe.
And a being approaching that authority, Vas’thyr.
All that is called revelation is conveyed through several churches that worship the Arkhe they cherish.
Everything proceeds as it should.
Aetherya is a well-ordered world. A world that rejects chaos and leaves no room for deviation.
For in this world, there is only one recognized truth:
Anything that lacks a Magic Core
should
never have existed.
Yes... something that truly should not exist, yet was experienced by someone who accidentally awoke in a forest.
A young man harboring the greatest desire within him—one he could never achieve, not even at the end of his life.