The rhythmic clatter of the carriage wheels on the road did little to ease Ryan's restless mind. The memories of the battle in the forest replayed over and over in his head. He had watched his parents wield immense power, shaping the battlefield as if they were forces of nature, yet somehow, he had still been hurt. The sting of confusion and the nagging fear he had felt in that moment remained fresh in his thoughts.
Unable to suppress his turmoil any longer, Ryan spoke, his voice soft but insistent. "Why was I hurt back there? With your strength, I shouldn't have been in any danger, right?"
Helena and Roger exchanged a glance, the brief silence that followed heavy with unspoken truths. The carriage rocked gently, but Ryan could feel the tension building in the air. It was Helena who finally spoke, her tone somber, yet steady.
"That creature wasn't an ordinary beast. It was sent by the cult of the Evil Gods. They have been a lurking presence for centuries, always working in the shadows. The attack you experienced was no mere coincidence—it was a distraction. The shadow you saw... it was something far worse. A power even we fear."
Ryan's mind raced with questions, but one thought kept gnawing at him. The cult of the Evil Gods? There had been no mention of them in the game. He had combed through the lore back on Earth, seeking every bit of information about this world, but this cult... it was entirely new. Why wasn't this part of the game? A chill ran down his spine as a new realization settled in. This wasn't just a scripted world anymore. The people here had their own thoughts, their own lives, and countless secrets that the game had never revealed. The game was just a shadow of the real world. Elyndor was far more dangerous and complex than he had ever imagined.
Helena interrupted his thoughts, speaking again in a quieter tone. "You've seen how your father and I fight, Ryan. My magic allows me to control all the basic elements—fire, water, earth, and wind. That's the power of a witch. But your father's strength comes from something far more unique—our Duskveil bloodline."
Roger shifted in his seat slightly, a subtle tension on his face. The flicker of golden light in his eyes betrayed his weariness, though he tried to keep his voice even. "I'm only a level 4 magister, Ryan, but the bloodline I carry allows me to wield power beyond my level." He paused for a moment, his golden eyes flickering with intensity. "But the truth is, my bloodline is only quasi-awakened. In its fully awakened state, my eyes would remain golden permanently, and my body wouldn't feel the pressure it does now."
Ryan's brow furrowed in concern. "Pressure?"
"Yes," Roger said with a sigh, his expression turning grim. "Every time I use my bloodline, it places a strain on my body. That's the cost of a power not fully awakened. If it were fully active, there would be no strain, but that's something I haven't been able to achieve."
Ryan nodded, filing away the information. He thought of his own bloodline, still dormant, and wondered if his power would be anything like his father's. His parents didn't know how to awaken it, and Ryan tactfully didn't press further. Why hadn't his father discussed the full extent of his bloodline? There was a hint of something deeper there, but Ryan chose to leave the question unasked for now.
As Roger spoke, another realization dawned on Ryan. The Duke of Pendragon didn't value the Duskveil territory for its land. It wasn't just the resources or strategic position that made the family important. It was the people. The power that ran through their veins made them valuable—Roger's bloodline in particular.
Ryan's thoughts shifted to his own situation. His bloodline had not even quasi-awakened, let alone fully. He wondered if it had something to do with his soul power—too overwhelming for his body at birth, forcing his parents to seal it. Could his bloodline be linked to his sealed power, or was it something entirely different? Either way, neither he nor his father knew how to awaken it, adding to the growing list of mysteries surrounding his identity.
"When you turn 16," Helena said softly, "your body should be ready to handle the full extent of your soul power. Until then, the seal remains to protect you."
Ryan sat back, absorbing the weight of his mother's words. His soul power, the Duskveil bloodline, the cult of the Evil Gods, and now, the mysterious shadowy forces—there was so much more to this world than the game had ever hinted at. It felt like the rules had changed entirely.
"When I fainted... I remember seeing the black monster. It appeared in my sea of consciousness, but... it died. Just like that."
His parents looked at each other again, this time with clear concern. "The fact that it entered your consciousness is troubling," Roger said slowly, "but the fact that it died there is even more so. We need to investigate this further."
Ryan nodded, though his thoughts were still spinning. What did it all mean? His soul, tempered by the forces of his rebirth and the space crack, seemed to be at the center of more mysteries. The fact that the black monster had died in his consciousness without explanation raised new fears. What unknown powers did he possess? And what other dangers awaited?
As the carriage continued toward Pendragon territory, Ryan's mind was filled with uncertainty. His parents were strong, but the world around him was far more dangerous than he had ever realized. There was no turning back now.
To be continued...