Chapter 3.
"What is it that you want to show me?" Adonis asked after washing the dishes. His appearance was the same as his usual, wearing a white scarf around his neck and mouth, snowflake necklace which was the last gift he got from Freya, and short sleeve shirt and trousers.
Cyrus who was now wearing something more comfortable just smiled while motioning Adonis to follow him. "What do you know about Mystics?" Cyrus asked ignoring Adonis' question.
Adonis showed a confused expression to both the question and why his father lead him behind the staircase, but still answered. "Not much, only that they can do incredible things like controlling ice or having incredible strength. Even thought Mom was one she never really told me much about them and I've learned not to trust the exaggerated rumors from villagers."
"That's not surprising, and it's smart to not put full faith in their rumors since 99% of it is made up." Cyrus chuckled while a secret passage behind the staircase was revealed making Adonis stand frozen with his mouth agape. "Follow me." Cyrus said while walking down a spiral staircase lit up by blue candles.
"The reason why information about Mystics is so scares is because everyone who gains those powers makes a binding swear to not reveal that information to those who don't know about it." Cyrus stated.
"Why?" Adonis asked.
"It's because if people knew where Mystics' powers originate from then the Imperial Family would lose a lot of their power." Cyrus said once they reached a door. "Despite how nice they may look to the public, they are actually cowards who want to control everything in Haven. My boy, if you ever meet one, be careful." Cyrus opened the door revealing a basement with a myriad of different devices.
"I, will." Adonis nodded while curiously looking around. "What about the Cardinal families, aren't they also like the Imperial family."
"Hmm, no. Not really, there is a difference between them. The Cardinal families are basically like royals whose job is to protect and rule over their domain. So the Winter family for our Domain. The Imperials though, oversee everything including the cardinals, but that's all they can really do, oversee, at least in the public." Cyrus said while bringing out a small box. "Though that doesn't mean you should be less careful around Cardinals, just that it would be better to give your trust to one of them than the Imperial Family."
"Anyways back to Mystics they are able to control the Magical Arcane Natural Artificial Energy in the air which allows Mystics to do supernatural feats." Cyrus said gently placing the box in front of Adonis.
"The what?" Adonis laughed.
Cyrus sighed. "Just call it Mana. Anyways mana or mystic energy which is what so people call it is what gives Mystics the ability to do supernatural things."
"What does this have to do with the Imperial family, or why I can't use it even though mom could." Adonis asked.
"It's because we weren't supposed to be able to use this energy." Cyrus stated while sitting on the ground. Adonis followed his actions as he felt this explanation would take a while.
"The word Mana was created by using four words, Magical. Arcane. Natural. and Artificial. excluding energy. Despite the mixture of word they all have specific meaning that contribute to what we know about the energy."
"Magical is for the Magic aspect of the energy and how it allows Mystics to do these supernatural things. Arcane is used for the mysterious aspect of the energy and how even now no one can find it's origin or purpose. Natural is used for how it already existed and was not made or caused by humankind."
"Then doesn't it contradict with the Artificial aspect of the word Mana, if not what is it their for?" Adonis asked.
"Would you believe me if I said it was the first thing the author could come up with." Cyrus scratched his head bashfully.
"What?" Adonis asked confused.
"I'm kidding. I'm kidding. The artificial part is for this." Cyrus said as he opened the box which revealed a small black orb.
"Is that?" Adonis eyes widened.
"Yes, it's a monster core however, it's not a normal one as it has been artificially tampered with a made to fuse with humans letting them use mystic energy." Cyrus smile, but it vanished when he felt bloodlust from his son.
"T-That's from that day, the one that mother killed." Adonis muttered.
"Adonis calm down." Cyrus said seeing his son's frightful state.
"No. No!' Adonis said backing away. "There were two that night! No three!" Mother died by one, but she also injured and killed the others and that's the one she killed! I can tell!" Adonis shouted as he backed into a table knocking glass bottles over.
"I-I remember, that day on the disaster. Not one or two, but three Infernos came." Adonis muttered while holding his head. "Mother badly injured one, then the other one was going to kill me when she killed it, but then when she told me to run I didn't listen and then she died protecting me from the last one."
Adonis kept on muttering as flashes of what happened that day passed through his head. His mother shouldn't have died, he should have. Despite all his boast about him being stronger than her when real enemies came he couldn't move as he was paralyze in fear while his mother was attacked by three strong enemies and thousands of weaker ones.
Everyone ran away from her and nobody tried to help her, yet she still protected them. When he finally gain some confidence despite being scarred out of his wits all he did was get in the way and cause her to die.
"Donnie!" Cyrus screamed which snapped Adonis out off his flashback. "It's not only the inferno's core, but also your mothers." Cyrus sighed.
"W-What?" Adonis asked dumbfounded.
"Those were her last words." Cyrus said with a painful expression. "Use me and it to make sure our son becomes the strongest, so that despite any weakness he may have in the future he can protected them and survive, unlike me."
Adonis felt flashes from his time with his mother appear in his head.
"How can a strong person have weakness?" I asked. "Strong people are supposed to be invincible and unbeatable like you, even father can't find your weakness."
Mother laughed and kissed my forehead, but I rubbed it off, kisses were for babies and I was a big boy. "Just because you're strong doesn't mean that your invincible or don't have any weakness. A weakness isn't necessarily about something a person has but also the things they care about, like you and your father, you guys are my weakness that's why we live out here."
"What do you mean mother I'm also very strong I'm not a weakness maybe father is though since even I can beat him. What if I protect father then that means you won't have a weakness and we can live with all the pretty stuff I heard about from uncle." I said with my nose pointed high, after all I could beat all the kids at the village even some of the older ones.
"There are ten grades for Mystic Cores." Cyrus said bringing Adonis back. "The highest is SSS Grade which can only be procured from a Catastrophe Grade monster like the inferno your mother killed. While your mothers core grade was an SS one right below that. Despite this I did the impossible and combined both to make a core grade higher than that. The first X Grade Mystic Core in the world."
"..." Even though Adonis knew nothing about cores the fact that his day looked so proud about it and the common fact that it was higher than the highest Core grade made him astound that his father could actually accomplished something.
'Who is my father... really' Adonis thought.
Adonis knew that not only could this Mystic Core could bring the Imperial families attention, but even all the experiments and devices down here too. Even though he didn't know what they were or what they did he could tell that it was some ground-breaking stuff. He felt like he was truly seeing his father for the first time.
"Donnie." Cyrus said calling Adonis by the nickname Adonis hasn't heard since he was a small child. "We both have things that we dearly want. You want to complete your impossible mission while I want my precious son to live longer than me." Cyrus said holding the X Grade Core.
"I want you to have a family, well if a nice girl can stand such an annoying husband. You guys will have children. Make me a grandfather hopefully having three kids or at least two, but one is fine I guess." Cyrus laughed. "I just don't want to outlive my only child and be lonely for the rest of my life so please, I beg." Cyrus bowed. "Don't fear it because of it's origin and please use it to accomplish your goal. So that you can come out of it alive, it's what I and your mother would want."
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Author Message: Hope you guys like the story so far, since this is my first novel comment and point out some mistakes or tips for me.