Seeds of Treachery

[In the year 923, nine centuries from the present date]

The Kingdom of Avaloria shone as a beacon of strength and prosperity, standing at the pinnacle of its power. Its disciplined and unrivaled soldiers formed an impenetrable shield around the realm. Yet, hidden within the shadows of the royal court, a clandestine force known as the 'Aethereal Kin' wielded a power beyond imagination. Known only to the highest echelons, these warriors, descendants of the kingdom's founding families, were the true heart of Avaloria's might.

Unbeknownst to the common folk, the Aethereal Kin possessed an extraordinary ability—a gift tied to their bloodline. They could absorb the aether from the beasts they slew, transforming this ethereal essence into unparalleled strength. This secret, the kingdom's most sacred asset, was meticulously guarded and passed down solely within their ranks.

King Arnault of Avaloria, a wise and revered ruler, harbored a deep-seated fear. He knew that if the secret that his kind could absorb aether from slain beasts were to be revealed, it could spell the kingdom's doom. Aether was more than mere power—it was a life force itself. To shield this knowledge, the king concealed it even from his people, his court, and his own bloodline.

Not all within the bloodline knew the secret. To awaken this power, one had to perform a ritual as ancient as the kingdom itself: slaying a beast and absorbing its life force—its aether. This act, shrouded in mystery and danger, was the key to unlocking the kin's formidable power.

And so, the Aethereal Kin stood as Avaloria's silent guardians, their true nature hidden behind a veil of secrecy, their power waiting, ever watchful, for the moment it would be needed to protect the kingdom from its darkest foes.

One evening, in the quiet of the royal palace, King Arnault sat in his study, his face weary from years of ruling. His trusted advisor, Lord Uriel, stood by his side, watching the king with a concerned expression.

"Your Majesty," Uriel began, "there are murmurs from the court. Whispers of unrest. The nobles grow restless."

King Arnault sighed, his hand trembling slightly as he reached for his goblet. "They always do," he murmured, taking a slow sip. "The kingdom thrives, and yet they are never content."

"They seek more power, sire," Uriel said softly. "Perhaps now is the time to reveal the truth. To ensure the kingdom's future, to safeguard our people. The Aethereal Kin's strength... it could be used to secure our rule. The bloodline must be known."

The king's gaze sharpened as he set his goblet down. 

"Uriel, you know perfectly well that the secret of my bloodline must remain concealed. If word ever spread of our ability to absorb aether and amplify our aether capacity, the kingdom would plunge into chaos. There are those who would exploit such power for destruction."

"But, sire—"

"Not even my other sons can know. Only the crown prince is allowed to bear this secret," King Arnault interjected sharply. "It is too dangerous. The very foundation of Avaloria's strength rests in that secret, and if it were revealed..." His voice trailed off, tinged with a rare hint of fear.

Elsewhere in the kingdom, Duke Geoffrey Aethoria, a member of one of Avaloria's founding families, brooded in the shadows. He was ambitious, driven by a hunger for power that had simmered quietly in his heart for years. Though he was not of the royal bloodline, Geoffrey had always believed that destiny had a greater role in mind for him. He had watched the sons and daughters of King Arnault grow complacent and weak, enjoying their luxury while the kingdom's strength dwindled.

Geoffrey knew that if he ever hoped to claim the throne, he would have to uncover the kingdom's most sacred secret—the power of the Aethereal Kin. This formidable force, born from the direct descendants of the royal bloodline, was shrouded in mystery. Their strength was so immense that they had recently defeated a dragon that attacked a neighboring allied kingdom.

But how could he uncover such a secret? The Aethereal Kin were as elusive as they were legendary. They answered only to the royal family, and their powers were spoken of only in whispers and rumors.

His eyes glinted with resolve as he turned to his most trusted lieutenant, Malvin, who had served him faithfully for years.

"Malvin," Geoffrey began, his voice cold, "I need eyes inside the palace. The king's bloodline—those wretched Aethereal Kin. We must know everything."

Malvin bowed his head. 

"I will see it done, my lord. But you know, there are risks. The royal family is... well protected."

"Risks?" Geoffrey chuckled darkly. "There is no risk too great when the prize is the throne. Go. Find me the truth."

As Geoffrey's spies infiltrated the royal court, the whispers grew louder. At first, they were just rumors—tales of strange rituals, of warriors who were far stronger than the average soldier, and rumors of a secret bloodline that had been gifted with supernatural strength. Geoffrey's spies, planted among the courtiers and servants, soon uncovered the truth.

One night, in the dim light of a candlelit chamber, one of Geoffrey's informants, a lowly servant named Thalia, came to him with a trembling hand. She knelt before him, her eyes wide with fear.

"My lord," she whispered, "I have discovered it. The secret of the Aethereal Kin."

Geoffrey leaned forward, his breath steady despite the thrill running through him. "Tell me everything."

Thalia swallowed hard, her voice trembling. "One of their members was drunk, and I had to tend to him. In his inebriated state, he revealed their secret to me. The warriors... they are not like other men. When they fight monsters, they just keep getting stronger. They grow more powerful with each kill, as if the very life force of the beasts they slay flows into them. He said that they absorb the aether of the creatures they defeat, using it to fuel their power."

Geoffrey's heart raced. The pieces were finally falling into place.

"And this power... is it known to the king?"

Thalia hesitated, then nodded.

"He said it was only the king and a few others. The Aethereal Kin have sworn to protect this secret with their lives. It is what keeps Avaloria strong, my lord."

Geoffrey leaned back in his chair, a smirk forming on his lips. 

"Aether... Power that flows from beasts themselves. This kingdom's strength is not in its soldiers, but in the blood of those who can harness the very essence of life. This changes everything."

The weeks following Geoffrey's discovery were a blur of plotting and strategy. His mind, once fixated on political maneuvering and alliances, now turned with laser-like focus to one singular goal: to obtain the power of the Aethereal Kin. He could no longer be satisfied with merely ruling as a duke—no, he wanted the throne, and with it, the kingdom's greatest weapon.

From the moment Thalia shared the secret of the Aethereal Kin's power, Geoffrey became obsessed. His spies provided him with more details, painting a vivid picture of the immense power hidden within the royal family and their most trusted warriors. Geoffrey had already devised a plan, but he needed more information first. He had to discover how to awaken the power, the same power that the Aethereal Kin wielded.

Every night, he locked himself away in his study, poring over ancient texts and consulting his most loyal informants. But despite all his efforts, one crucial piece of the puzzle remained elusive: how did one awaken the power of the Aethereal Kin? No matter how many books he read or how many whispers he gathered, he could not uncover the specific ritual required. The answer, it seemed, was locked away even deeper in the kingdom's history.

Meanwhile, King Arnault remained vigilant, increasingly wary of the growing tension in his court. He trusted few, and he trusted Geoffrey even less. The duke's ambitions had always been apparent to the king, and now, with his spies infiltrating the palace, the king could sense that something was amiss. However, he had no idea just how close Geoffrey had come to uncovering the kingdom's most dangerous secret.

It was late one evening when the breakthrough Geoffrey had been waiting for finally arrived. Thalia, the lowly servant who had delivered the first tidings of the Aethereal Kin's power, came rushing into his chambers. Her face was pale, and her breath came in ragged gasps.

"My lord," she said, her voice trembling. "I have learned how the power is awakened."

Geoffrey's heart quickened at the words. "Speak, Thalia. Tell me everything."

Thalia's eyes flicked nervously toward the door before she leaned closer to Geoffrey, lowering her voice to a whisper. 

"The power is unlocked when one of the Aethereal Kin slays a beast—the larger, the more powerful, the better. The blood of the beast, its aether, must be absorbed through the ritual. It is only then that the gift becomes real, that the power surges through them."

Geoffrey nodded slowly, processing the information. 

"And this ritual... it must be done by killing a beast, correct?"

Thalia swallowed hard, her gaze steady despite the tension in the air. "Yes, my lord. Only after they kill the beast can they absorb its power and awaken it."

Geoffrey's eyes narrowed, suspicion lacing his words.

"How were you able to obtain this information?"

Thalia took a deep breath, the weight of her revelation heavy.

"From the same member who divulged the initial secret, my lord," she confessed. "He's rather talkative when inebriated."

A dark smile tugged at Geoffrey's lips.

"Then I must find a way to bring this power to me. No one will stand in my way—not even the king."