The village of Autarcie was a small place where a few homes meant that everyone knew each other. The inhabitants lived mainly from hunting, farming, and livestock. Despite its small size, the village lacked for nothing.
Upon their return, Aniche, the man's wife, gave Lore a warm welcome. After explaining her situation, she introduced her as her sister, which made Lore cry. Aniche comforted her, and from that moment on, Lore became part of the family.
Aniche was pregnant, and a few months later, the child they were expecting was born.
There were some complications during the delivery, but thanks to Oboro, the oldest woman in the village, and Lore's support, everything went smoothly—at least for Aniche. The situation regarding the child was more complicated. According to Oboro, the baby showed no signs of life; they had cold sweats, fearing he had died during childbirth. After gently tapping the infant, there was no response.
Kae-zêl was eager to see his child, until Lore came to inform him of the news. She struggled to speak, and the words wouldn't come.
He immediately sensed that something was wrong and rushed into the delivery room. He was relieved to see that Aniche was fine, simply asleep from exhaustion.
But then it became clear that something was wrong with the child.
Oboro held the baby in her arms, trying to revive him. After a few minutes, the child expelled amniotic fluid, and his heart began to beat.
His body gradually warmed up. Oboro appeared relieved, while Lore silently cried. They then announced the child's gender: a boy!
In the panic, the man hadn't thought to ask for the gender. Regardless, the important thing was that both mother and child were well. However, they soon noticed that the baby neither cried nor made a sound, as if he were an empty shell.
Aniche slept for three days.
They decided to wait before naming the child, but when she awoke, she seemed different. It was hard to explain. The man intended to tell her about their son and his appearance. Although he resembled them, his complexion had something unusual.
He was so fragile, and his skin was extremely pale. It was better not to bring up the subject, as he found her behavior strange, especially since no white-skinned person had ever lived in the village. It was quite rare to meet someone with such a complexion, especially one so pronounced in an infant.
After holding the baby, Aniche's eyes began to glow slightly, and a symbol appeared in them. It was an attribute often seen in high-ranking priestesses, and it was the second time he had encountered one in his life. She named the child Theos, and in his surprise, the man could only remain silent.
Theos Mâ GIN.
Following these events, an oracle spread through all the high spheres of the Amalek Empire: "He who is born from the womb of the protector mother of men shall be he who opposes the heavens. Blessed be Amalek, for you shall see his awakening first. You shall be cursed in your happiness, for the advent of his reign heralds misfortune. The throne of Amalek shall remain vacant until his arrival. His coming shall be the sign of the end and the beginning; the barrier between worlds shall shatter."
After Theos's birth, everyone noticed that the child was exceedingly expressionless. He resembled a lifeless puppet, and this continued throughout his youth. He did not speak and seemed not to listen either. Unable to move, he required constant care for all his needs, whether for eating or bathing. It was clear he would not survive on his own.
It was quite strange, especially since Aniche acted as if nothing was wrong. She had just transitioned from being an adventurer to a priestess. Still, they did not know to which deity her attribute was connected, nor what the future held for them. What was certain was that Theos was their son, no matter his appearance.
From that point on, Zêl often traveled to the capital to gather information about Aniche's attribute. He even brought back a doctor from the capital to examine the child, but with no success, just like the healers and even the mages. According to various explanations he had gathered, it seemed that the situation was tied to the child's soul, to his essence. However, the cause remained unknown, as did any means to address it.