"In this world, there is a flux of energy called Aura", the professor says as he writes in the chalkboard, "It's a special type of energy, used to bring forth various effects. The effect that it brings is dependent of the user's body..."

Sadly for the professor, Aaron was not biting it. The boy was half-asleep... no, to say he was still "half" awake is a euphemism. Aaron was, indeed, sleeping like a princess as his Aura Fundamentals class went on. Although dedicated towards his goal, the boy wasn't the hard-working, studying type.

"Mr. Aaron?", the professor called, drifting his attention to the sleeping boy. The man navigated the classroom, going towards Aaron. "Mr. Aaron!", he pleads, almost begging to the boy to wake up. With a swift motion of his hands, the professor hits the back of the boy's neck, forcefully waking him up.

"Huh? Is the class over already?", Aaron mumbles, looking around the classroom with his tired eyes. All he could see was shocking faces. The rest of the class couldn't help but laugh. Not with him, but of him. You see, Aaron is what people call the "indirect class clown", a person that people didn't hold with high regards or expectations, and because of that, a easy target of bullying. Why? Because in a world of light-bending will and monster-killing people, Aaron had... nothing. The only thing he has in his pocket is the faith he has on himself and a unmatched persistence, or so he thinks. 

As the professor was saying, this world is dictated by the magic-like energy called [Aura]. And Aaron had nothing of it. Hell, even inanimate objects like some weapons and equipment could transmit some form of [Aura], but Aaron was unable to use anything of his own power since birth. The sole presence of someone unable to use [Aura] in his classroom makes the professor, Azra Miethel, furious. How could a strong, accomplished person like him end up teaching a useless piece of garbage like Aaron? The motive behind that was even more infuriating to the likes of him…

"Who do you think you are, boy?!", the professor screams, almost manifesting his own Aura, letting his killing intent slip. Sadly for him, he couldn't punish Aaron in a proper manner, only being able to scream at him, especially inside his classroom. In fact, if the world worked in the unlucky boy's favor, professor Azra wouldn't be able to talk to him at all. Aaron is a Kingsleif after all, and so the boy was a member of one of the Three Great Families, even without being able to use [Aura], even if he was considered a disgrace for his own kin.

The only benefit that Aaron could grasp by being part of the Kingsleif’s family was being able to study in a good school like the Technician’s School of Un, one of the best inside the capital of Assha. One of, of course, because no other top-notch school would accept to teach a useless prick like him. His Kingsleif status could only go so far to a person without the qualifications, even worse when his own family almost disowned him. Aaron only had his indomitable will at hand, but that didn’t make him able to use [Aura]. If it wasn’t for the pleads of his big brother, maybe he wouldn’t be able to study there at all. Well, being under such a important wing had it’s benefits.

"If it wasn't for that brother of yours, I would make sure to...", the professor's hatred flows through his words one last time before giving up, letting a short, bad-tempered "Hmpf!" slip from his mouth, getting back to the front of the class, picking his chalk and starting to write again. The once joyful, laughing class falls silent. Azra was a known mood-killer, and a good one at that. "You could learn a thing or two if you pay attention to class. Maybe like that you start to be useful for anyone dumb enough willing to give you a chance.", he smirks at his own wicked, hateful joke, chuckling a little.

It was clear as day that the professor didn't like Aaron one bit, and he wasn't alone at that. In fact, almost everyone in that class held a undying grudge against the unlucky boy. "A useless bum like him shouldn't be in the same class as me" was their consensus. For the people of that class - and for pretty much everyone that hold the power of [Aura] in high regards -, Aaron was simply a mistake, something that shouldn’t exist. Even the lowest of the parasites of society could use [Aura] properly to do something with their lives, so why a Kingsleif of all people couldn't do it? Surely he was a failure at birth, and thus shouldn’t be able to roam freely in the capital of Assha.

Aaron’s status as a Kingsleif at that point was almost considered a farce. Only two people hold him as such: his brother Caim and his mother Ysevel. Sadly for the unbelievers, Aaron was a full-born Kingsleif, but the fact that he couldn’t use [Aura] quickly backfired at him. He was born talentless in a talented family. His brother was one of the strongest [Aura User] of the current era, and everyone knew of the glorious feats of Lady Ysevel.

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"Way to go, shit-head.", a boy behind Aaron laughs between his words, throwing a paper ball against the Kingsleif's head. It was Ethos Arthen, one of the most despicable people to ever exist. A wicked boy at heart, that felt pleasure in tormenting the people he found weak, preying in their suffering. "You could only be useful if you were born again, how about you try that?", he chuckles almost uncontrollably, his henchmen following the lead. Ethos, despite having a undeniable talent on the use of [Aura], didn't had the apparent nobility and gracefulness of a member of a Great Family. He was truly a ugly duckling, but sadly a powerful one. And because of it, Ethos started to pick on the people he felt were worse than him. In Aaron's case, Ethos had his feast: In this world were [Aura] is basically everything, a person with none of it was a easy target for the boy.

A fierce "Shush!" of Professor Azra made them stop, shutting the class once more. It didn’t transmit half of the rage he used on Aaron, even though being loud and disrupting class with wicked jokes is way worse than just being quiet. Aaron was powerless inside that classroom. He could do nothing but wait for the class to finish in absolute silence. He suffered daily for nothing but unluckiness. Unlucky to be born in a world that grasped at power like this, unlucky of being a member of one of the Three Great Families.

At this point, though, after the he was unfazed by his seemingly “useless destiny”, ignoring the devilish advances of his classmates. He would not fall for their tricks and provocations, he couldn’t let them win, not like that. As a Kingsleif - even if he was a disgraced one -, he needed to hold his head high. Even in dark times like this, Aaron's soul could still find comfort in his mother's love, one of the only people to believe in him. With her words as his motto, he could do anything. After all, she said...

──────────────────── "You are bound to greatness"

With the class dismissed, Aaron got out of the room, being quickly followed by his friend. Even in a classroom like this, filled with the most wicked people, one could find some trace of happiness. And Aaron's came in a shape of a small girl with natural pink hair. The girl tried to maintain her coolness, but he could see that she was worried. Of course she's was, after all, who wouldn't be after seeing their long-time childhood friend being humiliated like that? 

“You know… I can break all his bones if you want.”, she swiftly moved herself to his side, giving him a little pat on the back, smiling at him. Aaron couldn’t help but to smile back. Lillian was truly a gift of the gods of this world, being so strong and still so compassionate. She and Aaron were good friends for a long time, so she knew about his struggle. “I don’t know why you let those guys shit on you like that. We all know that you could easily beat them, and if not, I’m here to help!”, she gave him another big smile, handling him a sandwich she was keeping inside her pocket.

“I need to beat them fair and square.”, Aaron answered, giving a bite on the sandwich. It tasted like ham and chicken at the same time, and it was good as always. Besides being one of the best [Aura User] on the rise, Lillian had great cooking skills. “Just like you did with Ethos in the last tournament, and besides, I already did the math for it… it’s not like I will loose to those guys if we fight on even grounds, so I don’t need to jump nobody like that. Have a little faith in me, yeah?”, the Kingsleif gave her another smile. She chuckled at the answer, giving Aaron another pat in the back, a little stronger this time.

“You did the math to beat them? Could you explain that to me, Einstein?”

“Well, you see, “Their face” plus “My fist” equals “Absolute Victory”.”, he said. They laughed together. A interesting, explosive sound drew their attention. It was a big commotion coming from the training area. An battle between [Aura Users] was about to happen. Lillian was quick with the proposal, already moving in the direction of the Training Arena. “Wanna watch the fight?”, she asked receiving a short “Yeah!” from Aaron, who followed.