The door to Rynan's room burst open. Linia, his mother, rushed in, her face pale with worry. "Rynan! Are you okay—" Her voice caught in her throat as her eyes landed on him.
Rynan was sprawled on the floor, unmoving.
"RYNAN!"
She dropped to her knees beside him, panic overtaking her. Her hands trembled as she placed her head on his chest, listening for any sign of life. Relief washed over her when she heard his steady breathing, but her worry didn't fade.
"What happened, my boy?" she whispered, brushing the damp hair off his forehead.
The sound of footsteps thundered from down the hall. Forle, Rynan's father, appeared in the doorway moments later, his expression a mix of confusion and alarm. "W-what happened here!?"
Linia turned to him, her voice shaking. "He collapsed! I don't know why, but I heard a scream right before I found him like this!"
Forle glanced at Rynan's still form. His eyes narrowed. "Was it his scream?"
"I... I think so," Linia admitted hesitantly.
Forle stepped closer, his jaw tight with worry. His gaze darted between Linia and their unconscious son, searching for answers neither of them had.
_____𖤍_____
Rynan's eyes shot open.
He bolted upright, his breath coming in short, panicked gasps. His gaze darted around the room until it landed on the mirror propped up on the desk beside his bed. He froze.
'I-it's gone...'
The glowing yellow eyes, the golden hair, the marks on his hands—they had vanished. He looked normal again, like nothing had happened.
"Rynan!"
The voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He turned to see his mother sitting beside him, her face full of worry.
"Are you alright? What happened yesterday?" Linia's hands gripped his arm tightly, as if afraid he might slip away again.
"I'm fine, Mom," Rynan muttered, sitting up. The movement sent a sharp jolt of pain through his side.
"Gagh!"
He winced, clutching the right side of his head.
Linia's eyes widened in alarm. "Rynan, are you okay?!"
Forle, who had been standing behind her, stepped forward, his expression grim. "Rynan, tell us what happened."
"I..." Rynan hesitated, his mind racing. He couldn't tell them the truth—not yet. Not when he didn't fully understand it himself. He needed more time.
"I had an Eon exhaustion," he said, forcing his voice to sound steady.
Linia frowned, clearly confused. "Exhaustion? But how? You were sleeping."
Rynan nodded quickly, trying to make the lie convincing. "It must've been something I ate or... or maybe I overused my mana during training yesterday."
Forle's eyes narrowed slightly. He didn't look convinced. "Rynan, we're your parents. You can trust us. What really happened?"
Rynan avoided his father's gaze, his hands clenching the blanket on his bed.
'Should I tell them? No... it's too soon. They won't understand.'
Taking a deep breath, he finally said, "I... I don't know how to explain this, but..." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "Last night, I awakened a powerful Sub-Element. One that isn't in any of the books."
Both Linia and Forle froze, their eyes widening in shock.
"A Sub-Element?!" they exclaimed in unison.
Rynan nodded slowly. "Yeah. It was... overwhelming. That's why I collapsed."
Forle rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his expression shifting from confusion to pride. He looked at Linia, his eyes shining. "Our son is a genius!"
Linia's face lit up, and she clasped her hands together. "Yes! A genius! Our Rynan awakened a new Sub-Element!"
Rynan blinked, staring at his parents in disbelief. 'What...?'
He had braced himself for questions, doubts, maybe even fear. Instead, they were celebrating.
Forle patted Rynan on the back, his pride evident. "You've exceeded all expectations, my boy! A new Sub-Element... that's unheard of!"
"Yes! You're amazing, Rynan!" Linia chimed in, her smile wide.
Standing in the doorway, Andrea, Rynan's younger sister, held a tray with his breakfast. She tilted her head, confused by the scene unfolding in front of her. "What's going on?"
Rynan shrugged helplessly, mouthing, "I don't know."
Andrea walked into the room, setting the tray on the bedside table. She glanced at her parents, who were still beaming with pride, and then at Rynan, who looked like he wanted to disappear.
"Here's your breakfast," she said, giving him a small, knowing smile before leaving the room.
The moment she was gone, Linia turned her attention back to Rynan. "So, what is it?"
Rynan blinked. "What is what?"
"Your Sub-Element, of course!" Linia said eagerly. "What's it called?"
Rynan's heart sank. He hadn't thought that far ahead. 'Oh no. What do I say? I can't just make something up... can I?'
"I-I..." He hesitated, his mind scrambling for an answer. "I don't really know," he finally admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
Linia and Forle exchanged surprised looks.
"You don't know?" Forle asked, his brow furrowed.
"I hate to say it, but... yeah. I don't," Rynan said, his voice steady despite the tension rising in his chest.
Forle rubbed the back of his neck, his brow furrowing as he looked to Linia for some kind of guidance. "Well, that's... concerning," he muttered. Then he turned to his wife. "What do you think, darling? This is all new territory."
Linia's expression softened into something more pensive, though worry still clouded her features. She shook her head slightly. "I don't know either," she admitted, her voice quiet. "I've never heard of anyone awakening a Sub-Element like this. At least... not this way." She glanced briefly at Rynan, then dropped her gaze, her concern clear.
"Alright, Ryn. Just get some rest for now," Linia finally said, offering a faint smile in an attempt to ease the tension. She stepped toward the door, Forle following closely behind her. "We'll give you some time. We'll be right back, okay?"
Rynan nodded, staying silent as his parents left the room. The door clicked shut behind them. Only then did he let out a heavy breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. Relief washed over him like a wave, though it wasn't enough to drown out the guilt bubbling beneath it. He hated keeping secrets, especially from them. But this? This was too much to explain right now.
He leaned back against the headboard, running a hand through his hair. "Omni-State, huh...?" he muttered aloud. The words felt foreign, yet oddly familiar, like they'd always been there, just waiting for him to notice.
His gaze drifted to the faint light pouring in through the window, but his thoughts were elsewhere. 'Why do I have this power?' he wondered. He clenched his fists, trying to piece together the fragments of information that had been burned into his mind during the transformation. The knowledge still felt raw, almost overwhelming, but bits of it were starting to make sense. The Omni-State wasn't just a power—it was a responsibility. A dangerous one.
His eyes narrowed as he pushed himself off the bed, ignoring the dull ache in his muscles. 'I can't just sit around. I need to figure this out. If this power is as strong as it feels, I have to learn to control it.' He hesitated, glancing toward the door. His parents would be back soon. If they caught him experimenting with whatever this was, the questions would come pouring in again.
Rynan made up his mind. 'The backyard. It's secluded enough. I'll practice there. Just a little.'
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