For the next few hours, despite the clear fatigue weighing over the shoulders of Altair and Syris, Tenebrae allowed the children to lead as she merely followed, observing the exuberance of youth that could never be bought or experienced again. A precious gift she'd seen hundreds of times and longed for herself.
'I feel so old, watching them play. How many Hell Cycles or Eternities has it been since I experienced such joy from adventuring? ' She said to herself, amused by her envy towards her child. She clapped her hands together, gathering their attention. " Are you two hungry? It's almost noon."
"Can we go there?" Altair pointed towards a midsize restaurant within the heart of the Fujian District. He stared eagerly at the store headboard. "Azure Winds Pavilion." Translated from Mandarin to English via his Neuolink.
"Syris?" Tenebrae said, glancing at the Young Celestial.
"I'm down!" She cheerfully said, racing after Altair, who'd long left them behind.
Tenebrae faintly grinned. "She must have been a kid when she died if she is so excited over something so small. How tragic." She told herself and followed them into the Azure Winds Pavillion, drawing in a rich scent of herbs and spices. Tene felt her stomach growl as she approached the front desk.
"Table for three."
A daze struck the host's face as he struggled to find the words before the beauty that seemed as ethereal as the night itself. His face grew flushed, and despite the confidence he'd cultivated over the years, all seemed to wither to nothing in the blink of an eye.
"Alex?" Tenebrae said teasingly, noting his name tag over his vest. " Are you guys full?"
"Ah! Yes. I mean, no. Right, this way."
Altair stared… he stared hard, reaching for his Mother's hands as the host led them upstairs to an empty table. He smiled. " Your—"
"No need for a waiter. Just get us everything on the menu." She handed him her card, sitting beside Altair, with a dotting pang within her eyes. "Oh, and some water and drinks. Ones with a heavy dose of mana."
"Right away, ma'am. " Alex stammered to say, rushing off.
"Mana?" Syris interjected. " But won't that damage our Mana Roots?"
Tenebrae chuckled, poking at Altair's fluffy cheeks. "Nope. You'll be fine. You're a Celestial remember? Just trust in your blood, and you'll be fine. The boundaries of higher beings pushes the absolute limits of the word impossible."
"Mom," Altair moaned, pushing her hand away.
"Oh, come on. You're not gonna be a kid forever. I've got to enjoy all the fluff I can get." Tene righteously proclaimed, with glowing fascination, that quickly turned to mournful tears. " Or does my Altair not love his mama bird anymore?"
"Altair loves, mommy!" The prince exclaimed. "Hugs!"
Syris's brow twitched at the overly affectionate display of love between these two, unable to stop herself from feeling like a third wheel. "You two are weird."
"Jealous?" Altair said as Tene nibbled on his cheek. He folded his arm, sitting as though he were the final boss, evilly smiling.
The display was so outrageous Syris couldn't help but giggle. "I do believe… you might be a dummy."
Altair smirked, ready to rebuttal. When a sudden tingling sensation within his chest caught his attention, he reached for his heart, and the tingling turned to an indescribable itch he couldn't quite reach.
"You alright?" His Mother asked him.
"Yeah…" He replied, uncertain.
In the brief silence, Syris glanced towards the stairs, towards the rows of staff heading up. And smiled, almost tasting the breathtaking herbs she'd never smelt. And the indescribable amount of mana emanating from each dish. It was radiant, carrying such density a thick azure layer could be seen around each dish.
She shuddered and thought: 'Will I be able to absorb that much? Everything seems so different from back then...' But the fear waning on her mind mellowed out with the curiosity that quickly followed.
"Master Tenebrae,' Maneger Cravis said as the four servants plated the round table. "Are you thinking of allowing the children to—"
"Stop asking questions, and there'll be twenty-five thousand Sols in your bank account if you turn around now." Tene casually said, her eyes scanning over the dozens of dishes that were as enticing as the mana fluctuation off of them.
Cravis knowingly grinned and bowed. " But of course." He said, gesturing for his men to follow.
Tenebrae didn't bother to eye the few onlookers at their table, watching with grimaces of smile and curiosity hidden beneath expressions of worry. She shifted her gaze to her son, holding his chest, nearly clenching it. And she spoke: "Eat. It'll only get worse. You too, Syris. Or he'll leave you behind."
Syris's eyes went wide, and without hesitation, she dug in. Reaching for the finely cut roasted duck, still a little pink at its center
Altair stared out at the table, his hold over his chest tightened as the itch swelled to that of a burning heat expanding from his heart to the plethora of organs, spreading up the arms down to his feet. He paled, nearly staggering out of his chair. Holding under the stern gaze of his Mother.
"Eat." She demanded.
Sweat slithered down his neck into his coat, sinking deep beneath his tunic as he reached forward, grabbing ahold of the tomahawk-sized wyvern meat and tore into it. Oils of buttered rosemary, thyme, onion, and garlic swelled within the young prince's mouth with each bite.
But the roiling burn twisted into agony, contorting his oval features, as he continued to eat: From the Wyrven mean to the Awakened Tiger, to Bazoi, and more, Mana whirled through the Princes Mana Roots, intensifying dread within his heart.
'It burned. It burned!' He cried to himself, thinking only of his Mother. Not even noticing the sliver of dark blood trailing down his nose.
"Keep Going, Altair. You to Syris. I know it hurts. But keep going. What your feeling is merely an illusion."
Syris looked up, tears of black trailing down her cheeks as the whites of her eyes swelled with a dark foreboding color: The iris of her eyes twisted into a deep scarlet. It was as though Syris had risen from the Nine Hell, a demon based on her appearance.
A violet hue glowed within Tenebrae as she spoke: "Eat."
The command whipped through their young minds as Altair and Syris found themselves enthralled by her words; Thoughts beyond her command ceased to exist as the pain within their Mana Roots exploded.
They gorged themselves while Tenebrae cruelly watched with the sweetest smile over her lips that never once faded: Even as a foul dark red blood seeped through their clothing, she observed them.
And then nothing… As if it were all a dream, the pain, the agonizing heat vanished, and a cooling wave began.
Altair looked up, his exposed flesh consumed with a seeping dark red liquid.
[DING]
[Connecting to the Mryaid Heavens Matrix]
[Fusing Neurolink and Orgin System]
[Downloading and Installing the Shadow Proclomation]
[Authority insufficient to view Shadow Prolcomation]
[Building Character Sheet]
[World of Shadows Grimoire Detected]
[Trial of the Moon Detected]
[Trial of Blood Detected]
[Trial of The Nine Hells Detected]
[Trial of Heaven Detected]
[Trial of Darkness Detected]
[Trials of the Abyss]
[Tower of Babel Detected]
[Bible of Snow Detected]
[System Store Locked - Insufficient Authority]
[Ding]
Name: Altair
Age: 9
Class: Young Prince Lv 1 [First Awakening]
Strength: 1
Dexterity:1
Constitution:1
Wisdom: 5
Charisma: 5
Mana: N/A
Skills: Dark Moon Blade [F]
Passive: [Heart of Darkness [???]]
First Class:
[Young Prince Lv 1]
Attributes: [+1 Wis], [+1 Cha], [+1 Con] Per Level Up
Description: He Who Is Naive Has Taken The Path Of The King! May He Find The Throne He Seeks. Be It Good Or Evil, His Throne Awaits Him.]
Skills:
Dark Moon Blade [F]
Proficiency: 0%
Requirement: [5 Mana], [5 Char], [5 Wisdom]
Sword Limit: 2
Description: Conjure A Sword Of Darkness Blessed By The Moon.
Passive Skills:
Heart of Darkness [???]
Proficiency: N/A
Attribute: Abyssal/Myriad
Description: N/A
***
Altair froze, his mind whirling with thoughts, but as he grinned. Overwhelmed by the sense of accomplishment. He looked up at his Mother's smiling expression. " Mom! I did it! I'm an Awakener! I—" His arms trembled as he raised them high, his innocent eyes spiraling a violet hue within the darkness.
"I DID IT!!!"