บท 25: Chapter 25: True Name

Kael's hollow eye sockets locked onto the raven, his skeletal jaw tightening in a grimace of disbelief. His bony fingers twitched slightly, the edges of his cloak swaying as if stirred by an unseen breeze.

"Are you serious?" he rasped, his voice like dry leaves scraping stone.

The kael lowered his head, the glint of disappointment in his hollow eyes. 'Ahh, my perfectly valid argument is all for waste now,'

"Is it some kind of trick or a spell?" the raven said, his tone sharper now.

The word struck Kael like a phantom bullet. He staggered half a step, his hand brushing over his ribcage as if the shock had unsettled his very bones.

"And here I was, thinking you had some intelligence," Kael spat, pointing a skeletal finger at the raven. "You're worse than someone who stumbled here with no knowledge at all."

The raven's beak opened, but Kael cut it off with a sudden wave of his hand.

"In every kingdom," Kael began, his tone heavy with irritation, "there are a select few who possess true names. These individuals are said to wield immense power or unique, unheard-of abilities."

The raven blinked, clearly unimpressed.

"True names allow mastery," Kael continued, his bony hands gesturing as he paced, the hem of his cloak dragging in the sand. "Not just of one or two abilities but many. They can even possess powers beyond imagination. But it's not instant. They learn and grow just like cultivation"

'The only reason I seem ahead of them," he thought, 'is because of the system. I got three abilities without learning them, Lucky me.'

The raven tilted upward in thought, as if calculating something. Then his gaze snapped back to Kael.

"What do you mean by that?"

Kael replied, "Normal people in this world are born with one, that's all. They can only evolve that ability like a child born with fire. He can learn different forms for that fire and expand it into fireballs, blasts, and so on, but it takes relentless effort."

The raven nodded, it movements slow and deliberate.

Kael continued, "But those with true names, Are born with two or more abilities. People with true name can also grow faster. They're literally overpowered"

Kael added, "both people without true name and those with true name, all can cultivate abilities outside their origin. Like a fire user might learn water, air, or earth, but people without true name can not learn another ability fast they are usually slow, while people with true name can cultivate faster."

"all you just explained, does not define what you can do, I doubt people with true name will be struggling with fighting a spider?", the raven quipped with a harsh caw, its head tilting in mockery.

Kael froze, his bony hand tightening into a fist. He stared at the raven in silence, his jaw clenching. "You can't even console me, can you? What a waste."

Turning sharply on his heel, Kael's cloak flared out behind him as he began to stride away.

"Where are you going?" the raven called.

"Out of here," Kael said, his voice clipped. "I need to become stronger, leave this desert, and learn more about this world."

Kael hadn't walked far when the distinct flap-flap of wings grew louder behind him. He turned to see the raven struggling to stay aloft, a chunk of raw meat dangling from its beak.

"What are you doing?" Kael asked, his tone as dry as the air around them.

The raven landed with an awkward thud, dropping the meat onto a flat stone. "What does it look like?" it shot back.

Kael rubbed the bridge of his nasal cavity with one hand. "I hope you're not following me."

The raven tilted its head. "Why not?"

"Because you shouldn't," Kael snapped.

"That's not an answer."

"You won't be any help," Kael said, glaring. "The only thing you're good at is talking. I don't even know why you're a raven and not a parrot."

"Hey! I survived here alone, don't underestimate me" the raven retorted, puffing its chest.

Kael folded his arms. "Then stay alone, and don't follow me."

"Why"

"..." Kael didn't not answer, No. he didn't have any reason, it not bad to have a companion but the raven is annoying.

'this raven will only just talk too much it won't be useful... Well it is no use, it has no intention on going back'

The raven grabbed its meat again, staring at Kael with stubborn defiance. After a moment, Kael sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. "Fine," he said. "If you're going to follow me, there are rules."

The raven perked up but didn't seem particularly interested.

"First," Kael said, raising a skeletal finger, "talk less. Talk when the time is right and keep quiet when it is not right, I don't like beings that can't keep their mouths shut. And also learn to respect me I am the boss here!"

The raven tilted its head again, feigning ignorance.

"Second, if you're coming with me, you need to be useful."

The raven dropped its meat onto the rock. "Useful how?"

"You tell me."

The raven scoffed. "I'm not sure, but I don't like being stressed."

"Great Then, I can't guarantee not stressing you," he muttered. "Rule three: you're not my friend. You're just an ally. And as an ally, you will tell me everything you find, see, or know, understand?."

"Fine, whatever," the raven replied, preening its feathers.

"Also," Kael added, leaning in slightly, "you have to tell me what currently you know about yourself."