Chapter 2: A Glimpse of Truth
The days passed, and Astraeus continued his observations. His fascination with the Kalephor grew as he pieced together more of its behavior. He was convinced that the creature's flight wasn't powered by magic or divine intervention—it was a natural phenomenon, one that could be understood through scientific reasoning.
That evening, as the sun began to set, Astraeus sat in his study, surrounded by books and scrolls. His mind raced with the new knowledge he was accumulating.
"What if," he muttered to himself, "the flight of the Kalephor isn't just about wings? What if it's the manipulation of air currents, a perfect balance of energy? What if I could replicate this?"
He pulled a sheet of parchment toward him and began to sketch.
Astraeus: "The key to flight must lie in the manipulation of air pressure. The wings of birds create lift by pushing air downward. But the Kalephor seems to move in a different way—almost as if it's controlling the very air around it."
He wrote the equations down, trying to account for the mysterious energy field he suspected surrounded the Kalephor's body. He had seen it—a faint, crackling energy that seemed to interact with the air, giving the creature the ability to fly with minimal effort.
Suddenly, a figure appeared in the doorway.
"You're at it again, I see," came the voice of his mother, Elysia, a gentle but firm woman. She had always supported his studies but worried that he would push himself too far.
"I'm close, Mother," Astraeus replied, barely looking up from his calculations. "I know I can replicate this."
"Replicate what?" she asked, stepping closer and glancing at the complicated equations he had drawn on the table. "Magic?"
"No. Not magic. Science," Astraeus said, his voice filled with conviction. "If I can understand the forces at work in these creatures, I can manipulate them. It's all a system, Mother. A system of laws that can be understood and applied."
Elysia studied her son, her eyes softening with both concern and pride. She didn't fully understand what he was trying to do, but she knew one thing for sure: Astraeus was no ordinary child.