The air in the palace gardens was crisp and gentle, the morning sunlight streaming through the canopy of trees, creating a soft dance of shadows on the ground.
For Zephyron Eternis, cradled in his carrier, this was a welcomed break from the confines of the palace walls. Elara Werize, his maid and sworn protector, held him carefully as they strolled through the quiet paths, the sound of her soft footsteps mingling with the rustle of leaves and distant birdsong.
As they walked, the sounds of grunting and clashing metal drifted from the training grounds nearby. The palace guard was hard at work, practicing their swordplay and archery under the watchful eye of Guard Commander Albert Tuspin, a towering man known for his unwavering discipline and military prowess.
Elara, always alert, paused for a moment, her sharp red eyes narrowing as she observed the training from a distance.
Zephyron stirred in his carrier, his curious gaze drawn toward the source of the noise. Despite his infant body, his mind was anything but.
The guard's training intrigued him, reminding him of ancient military exercises he'd once read about in Lucian Rathmor's memories. The rhythmic clashing of swords, the focused concentration of the men, and the stern shouts of the commander brought back echoes of battles fought in other times and other places.
However, this moment of quiet observation quickly took a dangerous turn.
An archer, stationed further down the training ground, notched an arrow and drew back the bowstring. His eyes were focused on the distant target, but as he aimed, something went wrong. Perhaps it was a slip of the hand, but the arrow veered wildly off course.
Instead of flying toward the target, it arced sharply in the direction of the garden—directly toward Zephyron and Elara.
For a split second, time seemed to slow for Zeph. He could see the arrow slicing through the air, its deadly point aimed straight at him.
His mind raced, his infant body unable to move, to react, to protect itself. Elara, however, was quicker than thought. Her body tensed, and without a moment's hesitation, she raised her free hand.
Then, it happened.
A blaze of light burst from her palm, a brilliant orange-red fireball that shot through the air with a roar. The fireball collided with the arrow, reducing it to ash before it could even come close to its target.
Zephyron was left wide-eyed, his infant heart pounding as he tried to process what he had just seen. The fireball, so sudden and so powerful, was unlike anything he had ever imagined possible.
His mind, both as Zeph and Lucian, reeled. It wasn't some technological feat, nor did it seem to involve any kind of advanced device. It was as if the fire had come from within Elara herself. How could this be?
Zeph's body remained motionless, but his mind was racing, replaying the event over and over again. The image of the fireball—a natural, yet unnatural phenomenon—danced in his thoughts.
In the Elysium's Whisper where Lucian Rathmor resided, his consciousness was equally stunned. Lucian tried to decipher what had just happened.
How had Elara summoned fire from her hand? He combed through his memories, sifting through his vast knowledge of science, physics, and technological advancements, but nothing seemed to match this occurrence. There was no device, no implant that could have facilitated such a thing.
The heat, the energy, the raw elemental power—it was all beyond what Lucian had ever encountered.
Lucian quickly shared these memories with ROSE, using a neura link device that allowed them to transfer thoughts and impressions with precision.
ROSE absorbed the data, her systems processing the event with lightning speed. Like Lucian, she too was awestruck by the display.
For a moment, even ROSE had no immediate explanation. Then, as she dug deeper into the old records, fragments of information began to surface. It was a term Lucian had only come across in the ancient, often disregarded manuscripts of humanity's early beliefs.
Magic.
This realization hit Lucian and ROSE like a bolt of lightning. Magic—a concept once thought to be nothing more than fantasy—was real in this world. The excitement that surged through Lucian was palpable.
This opened a whole new realm of possibilities, a phenomenon that defied the very laws of science he had lived by. Magic was real.
Zeph, still sitting quietly in his carrier, could feel Lucian's excitement as it mirrored his own. The implications of what he had just witnessed were enormous.
But the awe was soon interrupted by the worried face of Elara, who had quickly stepped in front of Zeph, her expression one of panic and relief. Her red eyes darted to his small form, checking for any signs of harm.
"Zeph... my little prince, are you alright?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly as she gently touched his cheek.
Zeph could do nothing but blink up at her. His infant body was incapable of speech, and yet his mind was still processing the enormity of what had just occurred. The fireball—the magic—was still fresh in his thoughts, as vivid as the moment it had appeared.
After confirming that Zeph was unharmed, Elara's expression darkened. She turned toward the training grounds, where the guards had frozen in shock at what had just transpired.
Albert Tuspin, the guard commander, stepped forward, his face paling at the sight of the fireball's aftermath.
"Elara," he began, his voice tight with fear and regret. "That arrow—it was an accident. I swear it."
Elara's eyes burned with anger as she glared at the guards. "An accident that could have killed the prince!" she snapped.
Her hand, still warm from the magic she had cast, clenched into a fist. "You should have been more careful! One mistake, and it could have been fatal. I will be reporting this to my mistress."
Saying this Elara left the garden with zeph.
The guards ashamed, lowered their heads. Albert quickly ordered them back to their drills, but the tension in the air remained thick.
As the commotion settled, Zeph's mind wandered back to the fireball, replaying it over and over in his head. Elara had conjured magic. Real magic.
The implications of this were enormous, and both he and Lucian were consumed with excitement at the thought of learning more.
For now, however, Zeph remained still, quietly nestled in Elara's arms, his eyes gazing at the world around him with newfound wonder.