It was dawn, and most people were just waking up from their sleep, while others were in the throes of their dreams, conquering lands and winning beauties. But in the estate of the Phoenix Flame Clan, things were anything but calm. The clan mistress was in labor, and the firstborn son, the heir of the Phoenix Clan, was about to be born.
Within the deepest parts of the estate stood a man. His figure was imposing, his fiery hair long but meticulously cared for. He had a face sculpted by the gods and a body so perfect that even the most devout nun might be tempted. This man was Aiden Phoenix, Head of the mighty Phoenix Clan. At this moment, his crimson eyes were fixed on a particular room, anxiety and anticipation etched on his handsome face. He was flanked by an older man who also bore the traits of fiery hair and crimson eyes. Nestled against that man was a woman with azure hair and deep blue eyes that made one feel as if they were staring at the sea.
She had a motherly aura around her, and her features were immaculate, as if time had no effect on her. She, who should have been in the labor room, had to stay outside to support her son and make sure he didn't faint, as it was his wife who was giving birth. She looked at her son, seeing the excitement, anticipation, and worry he felt. She couldn't help but feel that time indeed moves swiftly. It was only yesterday that she changed his diapers, and already he was becoming a father.
In the labor room, an excessively elaborate and luxurious space that would disgust the less privileged and fill them with so much envy, they might just explode, a woman lay on a luxurious and spacious bed. She was an extremely beautiful woman with golden knee-length hair, a face so attractive it would put goddesses to shame, and a figure that, even in pregnancy, was a sight to behold.
A midwife stayed close, gently encouraging, "Push, dear, push. You can do it." There was amusement etched on the midwife's face that she didn't bother to hide. The midwife continued, "Push, dearest, push. I pushed you out, the least you can do is push out my grandson for me. You can do that, can't you, dearest Lila?"
Lila's face scrunched not from the pain of childbirth but from her mother's attitude. Ah yes, the midwife was also Lila's mother, Amara. This was obvious, as they looked like twin sisters if one didn't consider the fact that Amara was an older version of her daughter. Lila looked at her mother with resentment but knew she could not do anything to her, so she did what most women in her situation would do: she blamed her husband and promised herself that she would make him pay for it later.
Outside the labor room, Aiden, unaware that his future was bleak, paced restlessly up and down the spacious corridor. His father shook his head and mocked him, "So the so-called strongest flame wielder, the living comet, is crumbling just because his wife is in labor? Where is your grit? Where is the mental fortitude you pride yourself on having?"
Aiden turned to face his father, staring daggers at him. "Shut up, old man. You act as if you are any better than me. I remember you almost turning into a crying mess when Mum was giving birth to Zander."
The woman, Zelda, chuckled, "Blaze, your son speaks true. You were quite the spectacle then."
"Zelda, don't encourage the boy. And you, Aiden, since when did you learn to talk back to your father? It seems it's been a long time since this old man exercised his arms and sticks on you. Do you think you can suddenly ascend the heavens? On account of the fact that my adorable grandson is being born, I will postpone the ass-whooping to two days later. By the time I'm done with you, even ghosts won't want to come near you," Blaze threatened.
Aiden looked at Zelda, his mother, his eyes turning pitiful, imploring her to do something about this crazy old man. Zelda, unable to ignore the plight of her son, turned to Blaze and slapped him on the back of his head. "You think you can do anything you want just because I've mellowed out? How dare you threaten my son in front of me."
Blaze could only awkwardly look away, adding this to one of the many things he was going to beat the living crap out of Aiden for. He proceeded to apologize profusely, constantly claiming he was only joking. As the atmosphere grew more harmonious, suddenly the mana in the air stilled. A golden light erupted, spreading hundreds of miles in all directions. The clouds began to rumble, and vortexes of mana formed as the mana of tens of miles gathered. An apparition of a man wreathed in fire with a fiery sword in his hand appeared in the sky. Before the man were the myriad races, all bowing before him, regarding him with utmost worship. Blaze and Aiden's eyes glowed with happiness as they realized the source of the phenomenon was the labor room—the newborn.
Within the labor room, a baby boy wrapped in an expensive-looking red cloth had a golden light coming out of his forehead. His body was covered with a multi-colored flame, though it did not harm him. He looked like those god-children heard of in fables. Lila held the boy in her arms as she observed the phenomena happening with a smile. She knew her child was special for a long time, as it took ten years before she could finally give birth to him. Amara, her mother, stood beside her in awe and shock at the magnitude of the phenomenon. She was extremely giddy when she thought about what the child's talent would be like.
She took the baby from Lila's weak arms as she realized the fledgling mother was reaching her limit, as she was really weak from the birth. As one could imagine, it was not easy giving birth to a genius of that caliber. He had taken a lot of her vitality. Had it not been for her strength and the resources afforded her, she might have died. Luckily, that didn't happen.
Meanwhile, outside the room, Blaze and Aiden turned to look at each other, noticing the shock and happiness in each other's eyes before proceeding to properly scan tens of miles around them using their perception. Aiden couldn't hold it in after witnessing the true magnitude of the phenomenon. He burst into uproarious laughter, "My son is a once-in-a-lifetime genius. A genius without compare! Hahahaha!"
He began ranting and raving in his happiness until his mother gave him a heavy smack on the head. Her stern eyes boring into him, she said, "Can't you see that the gathering mana is reaching saturation? When it's done, it's going to bore into my grandson. He does not yet possess a core, so if this amount of mana enters him, he is going to die. You better stop this madness and help my grandson block the mana if you don't want to see why they call me the Flame Tamer."
Aiden came back to his senses and immediately began moving his hands in esoteric ways. Before long, a giant flaming phoenix appeared in the sky, screeching as if to announce its presence. After which it dove down towards the estate, transforming into a giant ward and covering the whole estate. This was meant to allow no mana in the surrounding areas to penetrate it. After doing so, he turned to look at his mother again, and she gave him a nod of approval. He took a deep breath and entered the room.
When he entered, he was met with a weak Lila lying on the bed, trying to recover, and a weeping child in the hands of her mother, Amara. Amara raised her head, locking eyes with Aiden before quickly approaching him and handing the newborn to him. The moment he held him in his hands, Aiden felt a connection he never thought he could feel with anyone.
He felt his heart pound in his chest, his eyes beginning to get misty as he whispered, "My boy, my son." He knew then and there that he would go to hell and back to protect this little creature. He would allow no one, absolutely no one, to touch a hair on his head.
Aiden's father stood beside him, a smile on his face. He patted Aiden on the back, understanding the feelings going through him. He had felt the same way the first time he held all of his children, so he knew how precious and unforgettable the moment was. Even to this day, he could remember them like they were yesterday. Aiden took a deep breath, trying to control his emotions, but failed miserably tears falling from his eyes. He looked at his parents and then at his wife on the bed, who gave him a weak smile that conveyed all her feelings. He took a step and appeared beside her, kneeling next to the bed. "Our child, Lila, our child. Lila, thank you for loving me. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I don't know how to thank you properly. This gift you have given us—this child, our child—thank you, Lila."
Lila's eyes sparkled, glistening with tears. She wanted to hug her husband and child but was too weak to do so. Aiden, noticing this, placed the boy in her arms and proceeded to hug them both. They stayed in that position for a long time before Blaze, the brute he was, couldn't take the mushiness anymore and threw his son out of the way. He smiled at Lila, his eyes holding gratitude, appreciation, and fatherly love. Lila presented the baby to him, and he carefully took the boy out of her weak arms.
He looked at the baby in his arms. The baby had the traits of the Phoenix Clan—fiery hair, an extremely cute and handsome face, and those crimson eyes. Blaze felt the love literally pour out of his heart for this child. But before he could descend into his moment with the child, Zelda snatched the child out of his hands. Moving toward Amara, they all started playing with the baby.
After some time, Aiden finally recovered and came out of the wall he was stuck in. His father had not gone easy on him, but because he was a bigger person and not petty, he would let this matter go on account of his son. Yes, that was the reason. It definitely wasn't because he was afraid of his father.
He walked towards the grandmothers, his expression carrying a hint of seriousness. The women, noticing it, gave the child to Aiden, knowing the most important moment had come. Taking the boy into his hands, he lifted him towards the heavens. "From this day forth, you shall be known as Ryker, heir of the Phoenix Clan."