In the night sky of the western continent, the two moons shone brightly like ethereal silver eyes looking down upon the world below. The larger of the two, known as the elder sister, Dua, cast her serene light across the land. Beside her, the smaller moon, Ozlic, the younger brother, glimmered softly, almost like a silent companion.
Though they shared the sky, the moons were distinct in their presence. Dua, with her larger, luminous form, seemed to protectively overshadow the smaller, more fragile Ozlic. Their names were rooted in an ancient legend—a tale as old as the continent itself.
It was said that Ozlic, the younger brother, had been grievously wounded and eventually killed in a great battle. Overcome with grief and fury, Dua embarked on a quest for vengeance, but ultimately, she too died not being able to fulfill her vengeance. She died while her spirit ascending to join her brother in the heavens. Now, they watched over the world together, an eternal reminder of love and sacrifice.
Amidst this celestial view, two airships drifted through the night like tiny fireflies suspended against the darkness. The larger of the two, Aeliana, sailed majestically, her sails catching the light of the moons as she glided forward. Close behind followed Orion, its sleek form a shadow in the night. These ships were making their way steadily toward the capital city of the Kederawen kingdom.
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Inside Aeliana, the atmosphere was thick with silence. Everyone gathered in the grand hall, their attention half-focused on the food in front of them. The awkwardness hung in the air, making it difficult for anyone to enjoy the meal. Plates were being nudged and utensils scraped against dishes, but no one dared to break the quiet.
It had been half a day since they'd left Icidia City, heading east toward the capital. Despite being in the company of friends, no one seemed eager to speak. Vito, who had been quite talkative earlier, was now unusually subdued, as if lost in his own thoughts. Aiden's eyes kept flicking to Eldric, Vito, and Edvard. He could sense they all knew more about Marcus than they were letting on, but none of them seemed willing to start the conversation.
Lora, sitting beside Eldric, was fidgeting with her fork. She hadn't touched her food and instead, her gaze was fixed on her grandfather. It was clear that something was bothering her, and Eldric could feel her eyes boring into him, making him shift uncomfortably in his seat.
Finally, Eldric sighed and turned toward her. "Lora, my sweetheart, if you have something to ask, go ahead. I'll tell you whatever you want to know."
Lora straightened, her eyes wide and serious. "Grandfather, why didn't you ever tell me you had a disciple? He seems to know me, and from what I understand, he had something to do with my kidnapping. He wants to hurt you. Why have you never mentioned him before?"
Everyone stopped eating and leaned in, waiting for Eldric's response. The question was important and the silence that followed was almost oppressive. Eldric put down his spoon, his expression darkening as if a painful memory had resurfaced.
He took a deep breath, his eyes lingering on Lora's worried face. "I didn't want you to know about him because it's something I've tried to bury deep inside. It's a wound that never healed. It's been almost a thousand years since it happened, but the pain is still there"
Lora's expression softened, concern etched on her face. "Grandpa…"
Before she could continue, Aiden, who had been quietly observing, spoke up. "You need to tell us about him, Eldric. Like it or not, we're all involved now. He's tried to attack us, and while I'm confident I can deal with him, we can't be sure what he might do next. What if he targets Lora again or someone else close to you?"
Eldric glanced at Aiden, his eyes filled with regret. After a moment, he nodded slowly. "You're right, Aiden. I've kept this secret for too long, and it's time you all knew the truth." He sighed heavily and leaned back in his chair, gathering his thoughts.
"It's a long story," Eldric began, his voice low and full with emotion. His gaze drifted to the window as if he were looking back through the centuries. "It goes back about fifteen hundred years, to a time when I found a little boy…"
AN: [Prepare yourselves for a long flashback no Jutsu XDD].
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[1500 years ago].
The relentless sun blazed down on an expansive desert, its heat reflecting off the golden sands. Suddenly, in the middle of this huge desert, a blue portal tore through the air, and an old man stepped out, shielding his eyes against the searing light. His red robes fluttered around him as he squinted up at the sun, a broad grin spreading across his face.
He looked almost delirious with joy as he started spinning in circles, his laughter echoing through the empty desert. "Hahahaha! We made it back!" he shouted, almost dancing in the sand.
Behind him, the portal flickered again, and a tall young man, almost two meters in height, stepped through. His expression was far less jubilant as he looked around, his eyes narrowing in annoyance. The portal disappeared with a quiet whoosh, leaving no trace behind.
"Stop dancing like an idiot, Eldric. You look like a clown" the young man snapped, his voice gruff and irritated. "Do you even know where we are? I'm not interested in wandering into another one of your 'accidental detours'."
Eldric paused in his dance and turned to the young man with a mischievous smile. "Ah, Edvard, don't be so grumpy! Be happy! We're back in the western continent. I'd recognize that scorching sun anywhere. After that hellish dimension we were stuck in, this feels like a paradise!"
Edvard, dressed in a simple black T-shirt and blue jeans, his black boots sinking slightly into the sand, rubbed his temples. "You're always so sure of yourself. But look around—does this look like the Kederawen Kingdom to you? This place is a wasteland."
Eldric, now wearing a dark red robe adorned with golden gloves and shoes, shrugged as he glanced around. He was carrying a magic wand, and several books hung from his waist, swaying with his movements. "Well, I'm positive we're somewhere south of the continent. The mana density and the position of the sun tell me that much."
Edvard crossed his arms, his frustration simmering just beneath the surface. "So we're lost. Again. Great."
Ignoring the sarcasm, Eldric's eyes suddenly lit up as if struck by a brilliant idea. "Wait here, Edvard. I'll find us some help."
"What? No, wait, Eld—"
Before Edvard could finish his sentence, Eldric shot up into the sky, a streak of red and gold against the harsh blue backdrop. Edvard watched him disappear with a sigh, shaking his head in exasperation. "This old fool is going to get us killed one of these days," he muttered to himself.
He glanced around the empty desert, scanning the horizon for any signs of civilization. "I swear, if we end up stranded in another cursed dimension, I'm throwing him into a portal myself."
A few moments later, a dark shape appeared in the sky, growing rapidly larger. Edvard squinted, his eyes widening as he realized what it was. "You've got to be kidding me…"
*Rooooarrr*
A massive desert vulture, over twenty meters long, soared down towards him, its wings creating gusts of wind that sent sand flying. Perched on the vulture's back was Eldric, grinning from ear to ear.
"Look what I found!" Eldric called out cheerfully as the vulture landed with a thud, sending a cloud of dust billowing around them. "We have our transportation sorted. Now we can find a city and get back home."
Edvard who heard that could only think one thing in his mind, 'If they see that thing, they will shit themselves and die from terror'.
Edvard's mouth hung open as he stared at the enormous bird. "How the hell did you find a desert vulture this big in just a few seconds? It's like you're a magnet for disasters. Also why would it let you ride it?!"
Eldric patted the vulture's side affectionately, ignoring its pained groan. "I may have had to, uh, persuade it a little. A simple golem spell and a minor scuffle, nothing to worry about. He's a friendly fellow, aren't you?"
Edvard noticed the blood dripping from the vulture's beak and the slash marks on its feathers. He gave Eldric a deadpan look. "You beat it into submission, didn't you?"
"Details, details," Eldric waved him off. "Come on, get on. We'll find a town faster this way."
Edvard couldn't argue with Eldric's logic. As reckless as it seemed, the old mage was right. He sighed, casting a sympathetic glance at the battered vulture before climbing onto its back. The massive bird flapped its wings, kicking up a cloud of sand as it took off into the sky.
The vulture's wings kept beating powerfully as it carried them north. After what felt like an eternity of flying over endless sand dunes, they finally spotted a small village in the distance.
From above, they could see smoke rising from burning houses and tiny figures running around in chaos. Eldric's eyes narrowed as he observed the scene below.
"It's bandits," he said grimly. "They're slaughtering the villagers."
"I'll handle this," Edvard replied, his tone cold and precise. "You stay here. We don't need you turning the whole place into a crater."
Eldric nodded and held back. With a single, fluid motion, Edvard leaped off the vulture, plummeting towards the village like a meteor.
*BOOOOM*
He crashed into the ground with a thunderous impact, a crater forming around him. Dust and debris flew everywhere, obscuring the area. The bandits, caught off guard, scrambled back in fear, searching for the source of the explosion.
Eldric, looking down at the scene, sighed and shook his head. "Telling me I'd turn the whole place into a crater and then him proceeding to cause one. he's quite the hypocrite haha"
*Thud*
One of the bandits watched in horror as his comrade fell to the ground, but something was horribly wrong—the man's head was missing. Before the bandit could even process what had happened, a warm sensation spread down his legs as fear overtook him. His hands trembled, and just as he tried to scream or run, his vision blurred. Suddenly, everything began to spin, and the world twisted sideways. It wasn't until his own head tumbled through the air that he realized what had just happened.
Edvard moved silently, his face cold and emotionless, as he methodically decapitated the remaining bandits with swift, efficient strikes. His mana blade, glowing faintly, sliced through the air with deadly precision, leaving no room for escape. Not a single sound came from his victims, only the soft thud of their lifeless bodies hitting the ground.
As an assassin, Edvard valued speed and efficiency above all. Unlike brute-force warriors, who relished in raw displays of power, he preferred subtlety, dispatching his enemies with minimal effort. The mana blade, a signature technique among assassins, allowed him to conserve energy while making each strike lethal.
He wiped the blood from his blade, the glowing energy dimming as he deactivated the technique. The dust finally settled around him, revealing the full scope of the carnage. Edvard surveyed the bodies scattered across the ground with a detached expression. There was no satisfaction, only the pragmatic completion of a task.
With a soft grunt, he removed one of his gloves, wiping away the grime and blood that had accumulated during the fight. "Filthy," he muttered, casting one final glance at the fallen bandits. Then, with the calm of someone who had done this countless times before, he turned toward Eldric, who was still observing from a distance.
The battlefield lay in eerie silence now, only the sound of the flames from the burning village crackling softly remaining.
Swoosh Swoosh
After Edvard finished, the desert vulture descended, its massive wings stirring up the sand as it landed with a heavy thud. Eldric leaped down from the bird's back with practiced ease, surveying the scene with a calm, calculating gaze.
He then turned toward Edvard, his voice carrying a mix of admiration and irony. "Ruthless as always. Just like the Red Shadow I know. It's like you've never cared about the life or death of anyone."
Edvard scoffed, wiping the blood off his blade with a dismissive flick. "Don't paint me like some cold-blooded killer. These bandits were lower than filth. No one would mourn their deaths. Let's focus on what matters now—finding survivors, if there are any."
Eldric nodded, more focused now. They began moving swiftly through the charred remains of the village, sifting through the aftermath of violence. They searched for any signs of life, but each step only confirmed the grim reality—there were no survivors.
Just as they were about to leave, a faint voice broke through the eerie silence.
"He...lp...me…"
Edvard halted, his sharp eyes scanning the debris. "Did you hear that?"
Eldric's expression grew tense. "Yes."
Swoosh Swoosh
Both of them moved in unison, their speed creating gusts of wind as they homed in on the source of the weak voice. They stopped in front of a collapsed house, where the voice cried out again, fragile and desperate.
"So...me...bo...dy...ple...ase...he...lp…"
Edvard wasted no time. "Eldric, step back," he commanded. Eldric complied, standing aside as Edvard began to lift the debris with a surprising amount of strength for someone of his class. Despite being an assassin, whose skills were based on speed, Edvard's physical power far surpassed that of most mages. He threw aside large chunks of the wreckage with ease.
After a few moments of digging, they uncovered a small, frail figure—a boy, no more than ten years old. His tiny body was pressed against the lifeless form of a woman, her arms wrapped around him in one final act of protection.
Eldric knelt beside the boy, his eyes softening. "She shielded him... Used her last breath to keep him safe."
Edvard stood in solemn silence, observing the scene with a grim expression. Eldric reached out gently toward the boy, but as his hand approached, the child recoiled in fear, his eyes wide with terror.
"Please, don't kill me!" the boy cried, trembling as he clung tighter to his mother's body.
Eldric didn't flinch. Instead, he spoke softly, his tone calm and reassuring. "Easy there, little one. What's your name? We're not here to hurt you. The bad men are gone. Let us help you—you're hurt, and we need to take care of that."
The boy remained silent, his wide eyes staring up at Eldric. But then, as if something clicked in his mind, he turned to the woman beside him. His face twisted in anguish.
"Mom! Mom, wake up! It's me, Marcus! Please, wake up!" His tiny hands shook her lifeless form, his voice cracking with desperation. "Please, mister, help her! She's not answering me!"
Edvard and Eldric exchanged a pained glance. There was nothing they could do. Stepping forward, Edvard placed a firm but gentle hand on the boy's shoulder. "Kid, stop. She's gone. Your mother… she's with God now. There's nothing more you can do."
For a moment, Marcus froze, his tear-filled eyes darting between the two strangers and his mother. His mind couldn't process it, and then, in an explosion of raw emotion, he screamed—his voice filled with all the pain and loss a child should never experience.
"Noooooooooooo!!!!!!!"
The very air around them trembled. Both Eldric and Edvard staggered as they felt the full force of the boy's anguish strike them like a wave. Their souls quivered under the assault, their bodies momentarily paralyzed.
Eldric's eyes widened. "This... this is a soul attack."
Edvard's voice was tight with disbelief. "He's... he's using the psionic element. And he doesn't even know it."
Soul attacks were dangerous—direct assaults on the essence of one's being. Only those with immense mental fortitude could withstand such an attack without suffering permanent damage. The fact that the boy had unleashed one unconsciously was nothing short of remarkable.
As the boy's scream faded, his body went limp, and he collapsed into unconsciousness.
Thud
Eldric moved quickly, catching the boy in his arms before he could hit the ground. He cradled the child gently, looking down at him with a mixture of sadness and awe. "Seems like we've found something rare on this journey, Edvard. This boy... this power... don't you think this is fate?"
Edvard watched Eldric's face, seeing the excitement that had replaced his usual calm demeanor. He knew exactly what the old man was thinking. This boy, without a family, without a home, was a raw gem waiting to be polished—and Eldric, ever the seeker of knowledge and power, would want to be the one to shape him.
"Perhaps," Edvard replied, his voice measured. "But for now, let's take him with us. He needs to bury his mother properly. That much we owe him."
Eldric nodded, though his mind was already racing ahead. The boy's potential was undeniable, and Eldric was certain now—this child was destined for greatness.