AWAKENING OF THE ASTRAL CORE
CHAPTER ONE — THE DAY THE BLOODLINE STIRRED
In a universe divided, two realms once coexisted in distant silence.The Mortal Realm, where martial arts shaped strength, destiny, and ambition.And the Astral Realm, a realm of ancient magic, cosmic spirits, and beasts forged from starlight.For ages, the two realms were separated by the Astral Veil, a barrier of pure star energy. Nothing crossed it. no mortal, no beast, no magic.Until the night it cracked.A star tore across the heavens, bright enough to turn night into day. Winds howled. Mountains trembled. The blazing comet streaked downward with a roar that felt older than the world itself.People called it the Starfall.Its descent bathed the land in a wave of silver radiance. Trees bowed. Rivers shimmered. Every living thing felt the sky's heartbeat.And deep within the humble dojo on Azure Peak, a sleeping boy shivered.Kael Ryu, sixteen, quiet, thin, and painfully ordinary—or so everyone believed.As the Starfall's pulse spread over the mountain, a faint glow flickered beneath the skin of Kael's chest.It was not new power.It was not granted by the comet.It was something ancient…Something inherited…Something that had slept within his bloodline for generations.A dormant inheritance responding to a forgotten call.Then silence returned.And Kael slept on, unaware that centuries of fate had just shifted.---Morning broke over Azure Peak. Students filled the courtyard, fists thudding against wooden posts. Ranks of disciples trained in unison, sweat glistening in the sun.Kael joined them quietly, hoping today would be different.It wasn't.Whispers spread instantly."He still can't open his Qi Veins?""Still useless.""How is he even a disciple here?"Kael ignored them, keeping his eyes on the ground.Then a shadow blocked his view.Taron Blaze.Seventeen. Strong. Talented. Cruel.The opposite of Kael in every way.Taron smirked. "Heard the Starfall shook the mountain. Weird things happen around weaklings like you. Maybe it'll give you some power too.""I don't want trouble," Kael muttered."But trouble wants you."Before Kael could respond, Master Rokan entered the courtyard. His presence silenced everyone."Combat drills. Pair up."Taron pointed at Kael immediately."Him."Kael's heart sank.The match began.Taron attacked like a storm—staff whirling, strikes heavy, footwork flawless. Kael dodged clumsily, barely staying alive. Taron's blows cracked stone, shattered air, and forced Kael backward step by step."Stand still!" Taron snarled, swinging his staff down in a killing arc.Kael braced for impact—But in that instant, the world slowed.Sound dimmed.Light froze.A soft pulse throbbed in Kael's chest—the same one from the night before.A dormant bloodline briefly awakened.His senses sharpened. He saw the strike not as a blur but in perfect detail.What… is this?Kael rolled aside instinctively. Taron's staff slammed into the ground, splitting stone.Gasps erupted.Kael stood slowly. A faint silver glow shimmered briefly beneath his skin before fading.Taron stared."What… was that?"Kael didn't know.He only knew one thing—Something inside him was no longer sleeping.Taron charged again.Kael clenched his fist.Not in confidence—But because something inside clenched for him.A whisper echoed in his mind."Astral Core… bloodline… reawakening…"Kael's punch shot forward.Not powerful.Not skilled.Not trained.But guided by an ancient instinct.A shockwave of silver light exploded outward.Taron flew across the courtyard, crashing into a pillar.Silence consumed the world.Even the wind dared not move.Master Rokan stepped forward, eyes trembling."That aura… that energy… an Astral Bloodline?" He whispered. "Impossible. That clan vanished centuries ago…"Kael staggered, the glow fading completely. His knees buckled. He gasped for air.He wasn't strong.He wasn't awakened.He was just… beginning.And unaware that the first spark of his ancestral power had finally stirred.