As the last lingering ethereal lights from the sacred Elven ritual finally began to dissolve and fade into the encroaching twilight shadows gathering in the ancient misty forest glen, leaving young Eric alone momentarily with his swirling thoughts and awakened powers thrumming just under his skin, an ephemeral divine feminine voice echoed from somewhere overhead, audible only to the boy himself:
"Now you finally have it, my dear child. Our champion of prophecy awakens..."
Craning his neck and glancing all around the now empty moonlit glen, Eric searched intently for any sign or source of the mystifying words that had resonated with crystal clarity mere moments before. But finding nothing, he set the bizarre occurrence aside for the present moment as Lady Feywood and Lady Ellara gently helped guide the exhausted boy to his feet to begin the long winding journey back through the forest to the Feywood ancestral estate.
Throughout the trip home, with his loyal black wolf companion Shadow happily bounding through the silver-limned forest alongside the group, Eric found himself largely lost in contemplative silence, his thoughts swirling ceaselessly as he attempted to process the full profundity of the visions and newly unlocked powers still thrumming just under his skin.
The return trip passed by in a blur, between Eric periodically reliving vivid flashes of those fractured prophetic glimpses, and struggling to comprehend what cosmic designs had deemed him worthy of such unbelievable gifts.
When at last the family and Shadow arrived back at the soaring outer gates of the royal ancestral Feywood palace, Lord Feywood, who had awaited their return with great anticipation, greeted the group eagerly in the vaulted entrance hall, his sharp eyes immediately assessing his grandson for any noticeable change.
After warmly embracing his daughter Lady Ellara and grandson Eric, Lord Feywood proclaimed, "If the sacred ritual succeeded as intended, you may now find yourself able to access and view a status screen much like those we elders possess, dear boy. Focus your thoughts inward, and try willing the mystical interface to appear solely before your mind's eye."
Doing as his grandfather instructed, Eric focused intently and clearly stated "Status" within his thoughts. Suddenly, much to the boy's shock, a glowing ethereal interface flickered into view, hovering in the space just before Eric's widened eyes. Of course, the status screen remained invisible to all others present, though based on Eric's awestruck reaction, Lord Feywood correctly surmised the ritual had succeeded in its goal of awakening the boy's latent potential.
As Eric quickly scanned the panels and pages of his newly revealed status, seemingly containing details like his current race, age, attributes, magic abilities, experience level, and more, as well as additional currently locked slots for skills, classes, and special talents awaiting further development along his journey, Shadow watched the proceedings attentively from his master's side.
Sensing Eric's exhilaration, Shadow barked approvingly and rested his great shaggy head contentedly atop the boy's lap in solidarity, while thumping his fluffy tail excitedly against the marbled floor at this momentous development.
"You are blessed with immense inner gifts and talent, grandson," Lord Feywood proclaimed solemnly. "With proper training and guidance along the path destiny has lain before you, I am certain you will undoubtedly blossom into a formidable benevolent force capable of great good in this world."
Hearing his grandfather's stirring words of faith, Eric grinned broadly, his chest swelling with a mixture of pride at fulfilling these first steps toward his apparent grand fate, and continued exhilaration at the scope of possibility and growth now spread out before him.
As Eric retired to his chambers, exhausted but thrilled, Shadow curled up loyally at the foot of the plush bed. Together, boy and beast would be ready when destiny called...