11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpylnd0eg0
As the two traveled through the ghostly silence of the night in their horse-drawn carriage, Zephyros turned his gaze toward Kael, who was staring blankly into the distance.
"Are you alright, lad?" Zephyros asked, his voice breaking the stillness. "You haven't uttered a single word since we left your mother. Usually, you’d be pelting me with a rain of questions."
Kael let out a deep, heavy sigh. "I was just... thinking."
Before they had departed, his mother had handed him a sealed letter. "Oğlum, this is a letter written to you by your father. There is a note on it stating it is for your eyes only, so I never opened it," she had said. The weight of the truths he was learning began to cloud his mind.
Zephyros nodded with an empathetic look. "I understand, son. It’s never easy when the things you’ve known to be true for years turn upside down in a single day. But sometimes, truths reveal themselves only when we are truly ready to carry them."
Hoping to soften the mood, Zephyros pointed to the glimmer on Kael’s finger. "That moon-etched ring... would you like to tell me its story? Where did you get it?"
A bittersweet smile tugged at Kael’s lips as he remembered Ashael. He began to recount their first meeting in the forest, the secrets they shared, and the tension-filled moments he spent within the heart of the tribe. Zephyros listened, his eyebrows arching in genuine surprise.
"A Dark Elf, eh? You’ve stumbled upon a remarkably rare race. I know them to be a nomadic people compared to regular elves. You’re lucky you didn't lose your memory; if they had cast that spell on you, you likely wouldn't even remember your own name."
Kael let out a timid laugh. "Yes... Ashael stood against her own father for me." He looked down at the ring, his voice trailing off. "I wish I could see her again. She was truly my only friend. Do you think... do you think if I were stronger, they would have accepted me?"
Zephyros’s expression grew somber. "It’s not about your strength, Kael. Dark Elves prefer to keep themselves closed off from the outside world. I don't know the exact reason; there isn't much information about them in books or ancient records. Even I have never seen one in my entire life, yet you managed to enter the very heart of their tribe. I can’t help but be a bit envious, nephew."
Kael leaned back, his eyes reflecting the passing shadows. "Uncle, I think elves feel magic differently than we do. Ashael once told me about hearing the voice of nature. She said when she placed her hand on the ground, she could speak with it—that mana literally flowed from the earth into her body. When I tried it, all I felt was a tiny ripple of mana, nothing more."
Zephyros nodded slowly. "Yes, humans aren't as blessed with mana as elves are. It’s as if Mother Nature herself sculpted them... Kael, you will see elf students at the academy. Some are even of noble blood. The Eastern Kingdom Academy provides education to everyone regardless of race, but I want you to stay far away from them. Especially the noble elves. Do not let people touch you. Even though we’ve sealed your powers with the ring, high-circle individuals might still sense the dark magic dwelling within you."
He paused, his gaze sharpening. "Until you graduate, I want you to master fire magic. And whatever you do, do not draw your father’s sword from its sheath. Use the 'Phoenix Fire' sword Master Grim gave you. That blade is a perfect match for fire magic."
Suddenly, a mischievous smirk spread across Zephyros’s face. "By the way, did I mention I’m a faculty member at the academy? You won't be getting rid of me that easily. One tiny mistake and I’ll be breathing down your neck!"
Kael rolled his eyes. "Great, just what I needed..." he muttered, though deep down, the thought brought him a sense of comfort. "Uncle, do you think it would be a problem if I wanted to see my mother’s family?"
Zephyros met Kael’s curiosity with understanding. "Of course not. We’ll stop by the Krowell Estate before heading to the academy. I’m quite curious to see my father’s—the legendary High Mage—reaction when he sees his grandson after all these years."
Kael felt a surge of excitement. He wondered just how powerful this High Mage grandfather was, the one his mother had spoken of so often.
As dawn approached and they neared the city center, a sudden, violent uproar erupted. People were screaming, fleeing in every direction, and the air was so thick with dust that visibility was nearly zero. Zephyros and Kael jumped from the carriage to investigate the chaos. Standing before them was a four-circle beast: Echidmer, known as the Mother of Chimeras. It was rare for such creatures to breach the kingdom's walls and reach the center, but something was wrong here.
Kael spotted an enchantment glowing on the beast’s neck. It was the exact same mark he had seen on the wolves that attacked his village. Someone had smuggled the creature into the kingdom and was controlling it.
"Kael, be careful! I’ll clear the civilians, stay within your barrier!" Zephyros shouted.
However, Kael’s body moved on its own the moment he saw a small girl collapsed on the ground, sobbing in terror as the monster loomed over her. He gripped the hilt of the Phoenix Fire sword. In an instant, Kael soared into the air like a falling meteor. His body was enveloped in a dense, scorching aura of fire; it looked as if a phoenix had spread its wings, gliding down from the heavens toward its prey.
With his blade infused with fire magic, he drew a massive arc from the sky. A gargantuan fissure opened from the beast's head down through its torso. Echidmer didn't even have time to feel the pain before being cleaved in two and collapsing to the earth.
Kael walked through the cloud of dust, his sword still steaming, and knelt before the crying child. As he sheathed his blade, his voice was calm and steady.
"No need to be afraid. The monster won't hurt you anymore." He placed a hand on the girl’s trembling shoulders to reassure her. "Is your family here?"
A woman came sprinting toward them, screaming, "My daughter!" She threw her arms around the girl, sobbing, while looking at Kael with eyes full of gratitude. "Thank you... May the Gods bless you!"
Nearby, the crowd watched the spectacular execution in awe. Whispers began to rise: "Did you see that? He felled it in a single blow!", "Who is he? A knight?"
Zephyros ran to Kael’s side, staring at the bifurcated, still-flaming remains of the beast. He knew Kael wasn't a weak child, but he certainly hadn't expected him to split a four-circle monster in half.
"Kael... I told you not to put yourself in danger. Fortunately, no one else was hurt."
When the guards and High Guard Alaric reached the scene, they froze in shock at the sight. Alaric approached Kael, a look of strange familiarity on his face.
"Young man, are you al—" Alaric paused. "Wait... I think I know you from somewhere."
Kael smiled. "Ah, sir, you rescued me when the wolves attacked our village."
Alaric burst into laughter. "Hah! Now I remember! Back then, you were fighting off wolves all by yourself with an axe. You turned out to be quite a tough nut to crack, didn't you?"
While Alaric laughed on the outside, he was reeling with internal shock: I can't believe the growth in this boy compared to a year ago. How old is he, and he’s already slaying a four-circle creature?
Alaric shook Kael’s hand firmly. "Thank you for your help, young man. Thanks to you, we’ve brought the situation under control without any loss of life."
Zephyros called out to Alaric, "The knights must be quite busy these days, I assume? Considering a monster managed to get right into the heart of the city."
"Believe me, Master Zephyros, we don't know either. We have no idea how the barriers were breached."
Kael intervened, "Master Alaric, the enchantment on the beast’s neck is the same as the one on the wolves when we first met. I believe someone intentionally brought it inside."
Alaric grew grim as he looked at the red symbols on the creature. "You’re right. I’ve seen these symbols before. Lately, there’s been a surge in monster activity outside the kingdom as well. I don't know whose hand is in this, but sooner or later, the Kingdom will settle the score."
Zephyros turned to Kael. "Let’s go. The guards have the area under control now anyway."
As the chaos subsided, Kael and Zephyros left the dusty streets behind and set out once more toward their true destination: the Krowell Estate.
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