The tension was almost visible now, a thin line drawn through the heart of the tribe. It pulsed beneath the surface, growing sharper with every sidelong glance, every low murmur that spread through the huddled groups. Resentment simmered out of the women, directed at the Bronlo family, who kept to themselves at the far end of the cave, oblivious to the quiet revolt brewing against them.

I kept my distance, observing as the subtle seeds I’d planted with the honey began to take root. The Bronlos hadn’t shared as much as they could have, and the tribe was beginning to wonder why. I could see the questions taking shape, doubts passing from person to person, fed by quiet whispers and lingering glances.

I allowed myself a flicker of satisfaction, though I kept it hidden behind a mask of indifference. Small steps. Always small steps.

Next day. As the first light of dawn began to creep across the sky, I slipped out of the cave the moment it was opened, making my way into the forest on the other side of the shallow river, where no one would disturb me. I found good spot with light and almost no shadows. The earth was damp, softened by last night’s rain, and the mist hung low, giving the morning an eerie quiet.

It's time to prepare for my Aura Ignition, let's see what I can remember about aura, and if I can use the skills I absorbed.

Aura power draws from two sources: the blood and the mind.

The blood… the physical vessel. The body has to accept and channel mana, shaping it like a raw material to feed the aura. Aura is my only tether to magic, my only real weapon forged within the blood but governed by the mind. In its first, unawakened form, aura is a hidden, a magnetic field, invisible yet humming with potential, waiting to ignite.

Magic, though… magic is another game entirely. True magic relies on aura control. A steady, unbreakable link between the mind, body, and unseen force aura. Incantations, ward formations, SIGILLS… none of them can hold power without aura as their foundation. Every spell, every defense, every weapon stems from this energy.

Aura feels like a second skin, stretching and contracting with my will.

Learning to control it is a mix of instinct and discipline, like learning to smile or keep a straight poker face, yet infinitely more delicate. When I handle mana, I am playing with fire. Losing control isn’t just a setback. It’s deadly. To fumble, to hesitate, is to invite disaster.

This trinity, mind, body, aura. Is the foundation of power. The mind must command; it’s the general that directs the body and aura alike. And aura itself commands mana, weaving it into shape, into purpose, into magic. Without aura There’s no other path to strength.

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the air settle around me. The forest seemed to hold its breath with me, waiting. Today, I was pushing harder, testing the limits of my control. I closed my eyes, letting my aura extend outward, feeling it brush against the trees, sinking into the soil, blending with the surrounding elements.

"Aura is power, born of blood and mind."

With a steady breath, I reach out, my senses expanding beyond myself as I start to harvest mana from the world around me, drinking it in as though it were life itself. The energy pulses, cool at first as it flows into me, building in strength until I can feel a faint charge run through my veins.

The blood connects it to the body, and the mind commands it. I felt my heartbeat sync with the energy that pulsed beneath the earth, the threads of mana swirling around me, like an unseen river just below the surface.

My aura sparks to life, flickering in readiness. The air crackled, faint arcs of electricity leaping between my fingers as I forced mana into shape. I watched the small electric arc crackles between my fingers, a test, then another, brighter and hotter. Then back to small spark, a flicker of blue light, but enough to feel the power in my veins. Enough to know that I was growing stronger.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

As the warmth enveloped my hand, I shifted my focus, calling forth a different type of energy.

I started small, I focus on the chill seeping into my skin, then gathering my aura to push the cold away. Slowly, warmth spread through me, a controlled pulse that radiated from my core outward. Letting warmth flood through my body, holding the cold at bay. This is what I need. Power, control, the discipline to wield it.

And this exercise, It was a simple exercise of delicate balance, but a vital one. And it's only the beginning of what I’ll become.

If I learn control, Without control, magic is a beast with no leash, a fire with no limit.

Control is everything.

I attempted to create a glove made of pebble's and dirt, just to test my earth manipulation skill, it started to form from the earth around my hand, then I lost the control, I only manged to do my fingers.

I wasn't disheartened by my half success, this was more than I could do in my past life.

Yes.

I can feel it now. The ignition of my aura is close. Soon, I’ll be ready to harness its full power, today I started to walk the path toward becoming an Arch-mage.

But as I channeled the energy, something strange happened. The ground trembled beneath my feet, barely noticeable at first, then stronger, more insistent. The surrounding forest seemed to respond, the trees bending slightly as if acknowledging the surge in power. I stilled, my heart hammering in my chest, a thrill mixed with unease.

I had touched something deep, or something vast touched me.

And for a brief moment, I felt watched.

I left the area immediately, making sure to stay in the light, as i used the little mana I had to form protective spell of shielding. i wanted to take things slow but I had to use the spell.

Aura Shield. A translucent, barrier of pure aura enveloped my body just slightly above my skin, my skin must have been shimmering with a vibrant light under my fur.

Just as I crossed the river the watched feeling was gone, am not sure why but now I felt safer.

NO, “I can’t let fear control me. Not now, not ever.” Fear is a shackle, a chain that only grows tighter the more you struggle against it. And if I’ve learned anything, it’s that survival depends on overcoming what others would flee from. Unlike animals, we humans don’t run blindly from the unknown. We find ways to adapt, to endure. We don’t just survive; we shape the world around us. If we have the right tools. It's time for me to make some.

I crouched by the river, selecting a flat stone, its surface cool and smooth beneath my fingers. Holding it in one hand, I used the edge of another stone to carve a simple spell into it—a glyph designed for hypnosis. I focused, letting my aura pulse through the stone, seeding it with mana until it glowed faintly. The spell was basic, enough to hold the attention of any animal that wandered too close, trapping them in a trance for just long enough. A few seconds, maybe half a minute, would be all I needed.

“It’s not much, but it’ll do.” This spell would work only on animals, lulling them into a moment of stillness. Enough time for a hunter to strike before they realized the danger.

One stone wasn’t enough. I needed more. So, I made five more, working quietly, feeling the weight of each stone settle in my palm as I infused it with mana. With every stone placed carefully along animal paths in the forest, I prepared myself for the wait. The moment the first spell activated, I would be ready.

The quiet of the forest settled around me as I crouched, listening for any sign that one of the stones had done its work. My heart beat in time with the subtle energy of my aura, which pulsed outward, tethering me to each stone like a web. Finally, I felt it—the faint vibration of magic triggered. The first stone had caught something.

I crept through the trees, moving as quietly as I could, feeling the soft, damp earth underfoot. As I approached, I saw it—a squirrel, transfixed by the stone, staring at it as though it were an old friend or perhaps the finest acorn it had ever seen. The spell held it in a trance, eyes glazed, completely unaware of me as I moved in close.

I struck fast, swift, and silent. The squirrel’s small body fell limp in my hand, and I tied it to my belt, its weight a small but essential victory. **A prince, hunting squirrels.** I let out a dry chuckle, the irony bitter on my tongue. “I wonder what the royal court would think of this.”

“I can’t believe it… a prince, reduced to squirrel meat,” I muttered to myself, shaking my head. But it would feed me, even if only for a day. And with any luck, the next stone would bring something larger.

And then, another vibration—a second stone triggered, calling to me from deeper in the woods. I followed the pull, stepping carefully, feeling the thrill of the hunt settle deeper within me. The second stone had worked, and there, drawn to it, was a large rabbit, gazing intently at the glyph as if it were some enchanting jewel.

I felt a rush of satisfaction. “Yes. This will do.” The spell wouldn’t hold long, but just long enough.

The rabbit remained still, its soft body unaware of the danger, hypnotized by the lure I had crafted.

Finally I can go back home without anyone saying I was wasting time out in the forest or keep saying am not good hunter.