The path to the dock city of Cailor twisted ahead of Aric, its winding trail cutting through thick, overgrown woods. The words of the assassin from the night before still rang in his ears. You’re already dead, Aric. He had tried to forget them, but they clung to him like shadows, following every step he took.

He had kept up a brisk pace since dawn, and now, by midday, Cailor’s spires rose in the distance, their dark silhouettes standing stark against the clear sky. The harbor city was busy year-round, and that made it the perfect place to disappear for a while. The streets bustled with traders and sailors, a sea of people where a wanted man like him could blend in.

Cailor was filled with life as always—its docks buzzing with activity, the rhythmic sounds of the ocean crashing against the shore. Aric kept his hood pulled low as he slipped through the crowded streets. He moved toward a small tavern tucked away from the main thoroughfare, the kind of place where he could listen without drawing too much attention.

Inside, the tavern smelled of salt and stale beer. Aric found a corner table, his eyes and ears on the room, where a few gruff sailors were chatting among themselves. He ordered a drink, his mind drifting.

“…the Academy Exams are coming soon,” one of the sailors mentioned, his voice rising over the din of the room. “Biggest event in years. I hear Bearers from all over the kingdom will be there.”

Aric’s hand tightened around his cup. The Academy Exams. A proving ground for those with Link, the supreme power above all others. Bearers of Link were rare and dangerous, their strength dwarfing that of ordinary magic users or alchemists. Aric knew that better than most. He’d grown up surrounded by Bearers—his own family.

His siblings’ faces flashed through his mind, each one etched with the unmistakable power that set them apart from the rest of the world.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Graham, wild and unyielding, his Link, Korruption, a force of destruction as reckless as his personality. He wielded his power with abandon, never caring about the consequences. Then there was Dulce, calculated and cold, whose Link, Krimson, allowed him to control corrosive blood-like energy. His power was ruthless, eating through anything it touched.

Haelcar, the quiet one, had the rare Link of Projection. His ability to manifest energy into physical forms made him a master of strategy. Despite his soft-spoken nature, Haelcar was deadly in combat. Akali, on the other hand, was different. He had no affinity to Link at all. But that never stopped him from mastering magic and combat, relying on skill alone to hold his own against his siblings.

And then there was Ursa, the youngest and the only sister. Her Link was the most secretive—Time. Few knew of her power, but those who did respected her abilities. Controlling time itself made her a formidable opponent, even if she rarely showed it.

Finally, Aric thought of himself. The eldest, the one with the most feared Link of all—Khaos. His power was untamed, pure destruction, capable of tearing through reality itself. It was the kind of power no one could fully control, and that was why he had chosen not to use it. Not anymore.

The memory of that night crept into his mind—the flames, the screams of his siblings, the destruction he had caused. He had sworn off using Khaos, and that decision had cost him everything. The central kingdom wanted him for his power, and he had been on the run ever since, hunted like an animal.

Aric pushed the memories away, draining the last of his drink as the sailors continued to talk about the Academy Exams. He stood, leaving a few coins on the counter before slipping back out into the city streets. The sun was setting now, casting a warm orange glow over Cailor’s harbor, but Aric’s thoughts were already far from this place.

The road ahead was clear—he had no interest in the Academy, no desire to see his siblings again. He had left that life behind, choosing instead to follow a path that led away from the central kingdom, far from their schemes and their wars.

Still, as he walked through the crowded streets, something tugged at him. The faces of his siblings—Graham, Dulce, Haelcar, Akali, Ursa—they were always with him, even when he tried to leave them behind. They would be at the Academy Exams, testing their powers, proving themselves to the world.

And a part of him, no matter how small, couldn’t help but wonder—what would it be like to face them again? Not as their brother, but as the Bearer of Khaos?

He shook the thought from his mind. The Forgotten Isles lay ahead of him, a distant place where no one cared about power or the politics of the central kingdom. It was where he belonged now.

But as he disappeared into the growing dusk, the thought remained—no matter how far he ran, he couldn’t escape the blood that tied him to them.