Zaryth knelt beside the child, his hands trembling as he cradled her small body. Her skin was slowly cracking, flakes falling like dust. He could feel her life slipping away, and the weight of that realization crushed him. His heart pounded painfully in his chest—the overwhelming helplessness, the bitter regret. Tears welled up in his eyes, and a raw scream of anguish escaped his throat, shaking him to his core.
The little girl stirred weakly in his arms, her pink eyes fluttering open. She looked up at him, her gaze filled with fear—as if even her young soul knew she was nearing death. Zaryth gently rubbed her cheeks with his thumb, trying to keep her warm.
"Stay with me... I'll save you. I promise," he whispered, his voice hoarse with desperation. But how? What could he do? His powers… were they enough? He had the authority of Vitalis—the ability to manipulate life essence. But when he tried to draw life from the trees and creatures around them, it wasn't enough to repair the damage. She was too fragile, too far gone.
Zaryth gritted his teeth. He refused to give up. There had to be a way—something he wasn't seeing. Then, suddenly, an idea struck him.
---
A Risky Gamble
The child's core hadn't fully developed before it was shattered. It was unlike an adult's core—it was still malleable, still in flux. Her very DNA was unraveling before his eyes, like a thread pulled loose from a fragile fabric. And then, in an instant, Zaryth's perspective shifted.
His eyes glowed bright, the world before him changing. He could see the essence of life itself—each crumbling piece of her genetic code, every fading thread of her soul. Time seemed to stand still as the solution formed in his mind.
"What if I replace her broken DNA with mine?"
It was a reckless idea, dangerous even. Transferring his own life essence into her, fusing her with a part of him. If it failed, she would shatter completely, and if it succeeded… she would live, but not as the same person. She would be part of him now. There was no room for hesitation.
"Here goes nothing..."
Zaryth placed both hands on the child's small frame, closing his eyes. He concentrated on the deepest part of himself—Vitalis. His life essence swirled, flowing through him like a river. He pulled at the strands of his own DNA, sending them into the crumbling structure of the child's body. The moment his essence connected with hers, he felt the bond snap into place.
Her core—what little remained—reacted, accepting the new essence. Piece by piece, her broken genes realigned with Zaryth's. He poured more of himself into her, reshaping her shattered core. His heartbeat became hers. His essence filled the gaps where hers had once been.
A surge of warmth pulsed through the little girl's body. The cracks in her skin mended, the crumbling ceased. The child's breathing steadied. The glow in Zaryth's eyes faded as the transfer completed. She was whole again.
---
A New Beginning
Zaryth slumped back, panting from the effort. The little girl stirred, her small body rising and falling with soft, even breaths. Her pink eyes slowly opened, looking around in confusion. She noticed Zaryth sitting beside her, his expression soft but exhausted.
"Yo," he said with a tired grin. "Looks like you were in a lot of pain, huh? But don't worry—I replaced your broken core with mine." "My mana core was already useless and i had two of them so I used one of them to fix your core "
The child blinked, not understanding, but she felt the warmth and safety in his presence.
Zaryth gave a small laugh. "You know... since your genes are partly mine now, I guess that makes me your biological dad, right? Funny, isn't it?" He gently picked her up, cradling her small frame in his arms. His embrace was warm and steady, like a shield against the world.
"From today onward," he whispered softly, "I'll be adopting you. I'll be your papa. How does that sound?"
The little girl tilted her head, blinking at him with wide eyes. **Her pink irises began to shift, slowly deepening into a vibrant purple—**a reflection of the new bond between them, as if she had accepted him fully. Her small hand reached out to grasp his shirt, holding him tight.
Zaryth smiled, brushing a strand of her now golden-blonde hair away from her face. The combination of purple eyes and blonde hair suited her perfectly. He could already see a spark of life returning to her gaze.
---
Zaryth looked at her with a serious expression. "Your mother..." He paused, the memory of Roxane's tears flashing in his mind. "She loved you, cared for you till the very end. And she will always live inside your heart. That's something no one can ever take away from you."
He looked at the child thoughtfully. "I think it's only right that we keep part of her with you... from today onward, your name will be Roxane."
The child blinked up at him, as if trying to process the weight of the name. But there was a calmness in her gaze—a quiet understanding that seemed beyond her years. Her small hand reached for his, gripping it tightly as if she had found someone she could trust.
Zaryth chuckled, his heart lighter than it had been in a long time. "Looks like you've accepted it, huh?" He ruffled her blonde hair gently. "Roxane it is, then. Welcome to your new life, kid."
For the first time in what felt like forever, Zaryth smiled with genuine warmth. The world outside might still be harsh, but for now, in this quiet moment, it was just him and his daughter.
---
At the inn, Zaryth and the little Roxane slept together on a large bed. For the first time in a long while, Zaryth felt an unfamiliar warmth. He lay on his back, the child nestled against him, her small hand clutching his shirt. As he gazed at her peaceful expression, he thought about how his family would react. Would his grandmother Arkania laugh and tease him? Would Dorian or Elysia even believe what had happened?
He let out a soft sigh, finding a small flicker of happiness in his heart, something he hadn't felt for a long time. Despite the weight of everything—his training, the dangers ahead—he smiled, knowing he had given the child a second chance at life.
The morning came with Roxane's loud cry, startling Zaryth awake. "Okay, okay," he muttered, rubbing his eyes. "I guess you're hungry, huh?"
He sat up, holding the baby in his arms, and realized that taking care of a child required more than saving lives—it required day-to-day care. "I need to get you food," he whispered as she kept fussing.
Wrapping her warmly, Zaryth made his way into the bustling market streets. It was still early, and vendors were just setting up their stalls. Zaryth picked up baby food, milk, and some tiny clothes, marveling at how small they were. He struggled a bit with figuring out what babies needed, but he managed.
After returning to the inn, he tried feeding her for the first time. Roxane, still quiet for her age, opened her mouth slowly as Zaryth spoon-fed her. He couldn't help but chuckle at her tiny, serious expression, "You don't say much, do you? But you eat well, at least."
The bond between them was growing stronger by the hour. Roxane seemed calm, as if she trusted him instinctively, and Zaryth felt a strange satisfaction knowing he was taking care of her.
---
Returning to the Chronos Estate
After preparing everything, Zaryth carried Roxane back to the Chronos estate. As he entered, the palace staff and guards froze in disbelief at the sight of their young lord cradling a baby.
Arkania, sitting in her grand hall, raised a curious brow when she saw him enter. "Zaryth, what have you brought with you this time?" she asked, clearly amused.
"I... uh... have a daughter now," Zaryth admitted awkwardly, shifting the baby in his arms.
The hall went silent as everyone stared in shock. Arkania's laughter echoed through the room. "Oh, this is unexpected! I knew you'd surprise me one day, but this..."
The maids whispered among themselves, stunned. "A baby? Did our young lord really adopt a child?"
Even the butler was momentarily speechless. "Well, that escalated quickly," he muttered.
Arkania stepped closer, inspecting the baby with her sharp, knowing gaze. "What's her name?" she asked warmly.
"Roxane," Zaryth answered with a small smile, adjusting the little girl in his arms. "I named her after her mother."
Arkania chuckled, rubbing the child's cheek affectionately. "Welcome to the family, little Roxane. You'll fit right in."
Zaryth felt strangely at ease as the staff bustled around, making accommodations for the newest addition to the estate. For the first time in a while, he felt that things were... right.
"Come now, Zaryth," Arkania teased, "you have a lot to explain. But first, let's make sure your daughter is comfortable."
With a soft, relieved sigh, Zaryth followed his grandmother, Roxane cradled close to his chest. His life had taken a turn he hadn't expected—but for once, he didn't mind.