chapter 0.1
The world built on ash
In a world scarred by war and thick with ancient malice, not all are born equal. Some enter life powerless—ordinary in every way, untouched by the arcane. But many more are gifted with the ability to reshape destiny itself: the power of magic. These rare individuals, capable of bending the laws of reality to their will, are known as Conduits. They make up nearly seventy percent of the human population, and no two are ever quite the same.
The way magic awakens within them varies, shaped by culture, lineage, and fate. In Arcacia—the world's largest and most influential nation—magic is governed by the Seven Laws of Element. These foundational forces define the limits and possibilities of magical potential: Fire, Air, Stone, Water, Metal, Electricity, and Wood. Each element offers a path, and each path carries its own risks, triumphs, and truths.
Atlas, a fiercely independent and self-reliant nation, stands apart from the rest of the world—not just in spirit, but in design. While other nations draw from elemental laws to harness magic, the people of Atlas have forged a different path. Their magic does not obey the Seven Laws. Instead, they wield Zone—a raw, unfiltered form of arcane energy that courses through their bodies and fuels their machines. In Atlas, Zone is everything. It powers their advanced technology, enhances the physical prowess and mental acuity of its wielders, and blurs the line between man and machine. Unlike elemental magic, which shapes the world externally, Zone elevates the individual, amplifying their abilities far beyond human limits. The origins of this power are steeped in legend. Thousands of years ago, a mysterious cube descended from the sky—an object not of this world, pulsing with unimaginable energy. From it, the people of Atlas learned to harness Zone, and in doing so, laid the foundation for a civilization unlike any other. The Cube remains at the heart of their empire, a source of endless power and one of their most closely guarded treasures.
The Nartaki Tribe is a group of secluded people, bound by tradition and fire-hearted belief. Unlike other Conduits who shape magic through elements or raw force, the Nartaki channel their power through Deevada—a sacred battle dance said to summon the ancient spirits, mythical beings believed to be the earth's original inhabitants. Each movement of Deevada is more than ritual; it is invocation. With every step, spin, and breath, the dancers awaken forgotten powers, calling forth entities older than time to aid them in battle, healing, or protection. This mystical form of magic is deeply personal, passed down through generations by the family heads—keepers of rhythm, memory, and legacy. The Nartaki rejects modernity. To them, technology is a betrayal of the natural order, a desecration of the sacred balance between spirit and flesh. As such, they remain isolated from the rest of the world, choosing instead to live in harmony with the earth, solving their problems with age-old wisdom and ancestral power. In their silence, they preserve a magic few dare to understand—and even fewer survive to witness.
Isolated in the shadowed corners of the world, the Dark Empire—known to most as Xece—stands as a realm untouched by mercy. For centuries, it has been ruled by a single, unyielding Dictator, a figure shrouded in mystery and ageless power. Under his iron-fisted reign, the people of Xece are bound to one forbidden path: the study and practice of Dark Magic, drawn from the cursed tomes of Hades. While such magic is outlawed across the civilized world, in Xece it thrives—woven into every facet of life. Where other nations seek peace or balance, Xece worships conquest. Its teachings, whispered by the Damned Alps, exalt fear, domination, and eternal tyranny. This dark creed has long cast a shadow over foreign relations, making diplomacy with Xece all but impossible. In response, most nations have forged a fragile alliance, rallying around the noble kingdom of Arcacia in a desperate effort to hold the line against the empire's relentless war machine. The battle for the world's soul continues, and Xece marches ever forward.
The resistance.
Within the heart of Arcacia—a kingdom renowned for its elemental mastery—lies a darker truth veiled behind gold-threaded curtains. The nobles, shielded by the Supremacy Laws, live untouched by consequence. Their wealth grants them impunity, their whims outweighing justice. The common folk suffer beneath their boots, voices silenced by the weight of privilege and ancient law.
In response to this rot, a resistance was born—an underground force determined to strip corruption from Arcacia and restore it to the glory its legends once promised. But unity among the rebels did not last. The movement fractured into two factions, divided not in their goal, but in their vision of what the future should be.
The first believes in justice and equality—rooting out corruption from within, restoring the kingdom through righteous reform and the protection of all lives, no matter how small. They fight with discipline and restraint, upholding the very ideals Arcacia was meant to represent.
The second faction is forged in fire and fury. They seek to rebuild Arcacia in their own image—a nation where joy is not the privilege of the powerful but a right for all, regardless of birth or class. Yet their methods are ruthless. To them, the ends justify any means, no matter how inhuman or brutal. For a new world to rise, they argue, the old one must burn.
And so, Arcacia teeters—caught between the weight of its past and the fury of those who would shape its future, by peace… or by force.
The twelve arms of Arcacia.
Among the many Conduits of Arcacia, there exists an elite order feared and revered across the kingdom—The twelve arms of Arcacia These formidable mages are renowned for their unrivalled mastery over the elemental laws, each a living weapon forged through years of brutal training, discipline, and combat. Their rank is marked by the gold star badges emblazoned upon their crests, beginning with a single star and ascending to the twelfth. Each star represents a leap in magical prowess and battlefield excellence. To bear even one is to command respect. To bear twelve is to stand as a legend—the strongest Conduit in all of Arcacia. The Arms answer to no king or noble. They bow only to the trident —the three heads of Arcacia—whose identities are shrouded in secrecy and power. Whether as guardians, enforcers, or instruments of war, the twelve arms move with singular purpose, acting as the blade and shield of Arcacia's ruling will.
The three heads of Arcacia.
Presiding over Arcacia as its sovereign rulers are the enigmatic Three Heads of Arcacia, collectively known as The Trident. Each embodies a pillar of rule—Wisdom, Strength, and Unity—and together they form the unshakable centre of Arcacia's power. Though they hold the title of kings, they are rarely seen beyond the confines of the noble court, their identities obscured by secrecy, ceremony, and shadow.
To the common people, the Trident are figures of myth—untouchable, godlike. Even within the upper echelons of power, few have stood in their presence. When summoned, the Twelve Arms of Arcacia—the kingdom's elite Conduits—must kneel on one leg and bow their heads in solemn reverence, a gesture reserved only for the highest authority.
Whispers claim that the Trident possess magical power that transcends the Seven Laws themselves—ancient, unbound forces said to predate elemental magic. Whether truth or legend, one thing remains certain: no one rules Arcacia without the Trident's will, and no one dares to challenge them openly.