The immense energy in question could not be explained by the physician until the examination ended.
Little Zeion still wore the distinctive smile of a baby that would bring peace to any heart, but unfortunately, at the wrong time, his parents looked at him with fearful faces.
As he grew up, Zeion might reveal what could evoke intense fear in his parents. The tiny baby slowly closed his eyes and drifted into a deep sleep, his right thumb sucked contentedly.
Edmon and his wife Rosa exchanged looks, filled with great concern about what was happening.
This incident led this family to decide to restrict Zeion's activities. Since the age of 4, Zeion was often confined to a room, accompanied by several books.
Today was no different. He was sitting near the window of his room, reading some books about ancient wizards.
"These books are really enjoyable!" he said, unable to take his eyes off the lines of text.
An unusual sound reached his ears, originating from the open door.
"Enia!"
Enia smiled upon seeing Zeion's joyful face, followed by a warm embrace that he had longed for.
Enia, a young woman 20 years old, worked as Zeion's caretaker because she needed problematic. She was fortunate to be accepted into Edmon's wealthy family known for their trade in fabrics and clothing.
Although Edmon was not a nobleman, he was skilled enough in trading to be known to various nobles interested in the clothing he sold.
"What is Young Master doing?" Enia asked.
"I'm reading the wizard book that Enia gave me!" The child answered, pointing to the book.
Enia was pleased that her gift of books could comfort Zeion. However, she couldn't fathom why this seemingly normal child was placed in a somewhat remote building, far from Edmon's luxurious residence.
"Will I be free like those wizards someday?"
This question confused Enia. Their eyes met in silence. Enia had to find an answer quickly to dispel the growing ambiguity.
"Y-Yes, of course..." She accidentally blurted out.
"Really..." That statement triggered a truly happy look in Zeion's eyes.
The child then turned away from her, gazing out the window where the sunlight happened to fall, creating a warm and majestic silhouette.
Guilt haunted Enia, knowing that her response was just a lie that might become a mistake in the future. However, she tried to muster a smile to alleviate this fear.
Days passed swiftly, and the presence of Zeion had been forgotten by Edmon and Rosa. Undeniably, they had a replacement for Zeion in the form of Emily, who was born five years ago – a little girl who became their new hope.
Now, at the age of 9, Zeion's existence remained unnoticed by everyone except Enia, who sat with him in his room.
They played and laughed, clapping hands and singing a birthday with candles and a cake adorned with a few fruits.
Pfft...
Zeion blew out the row of candles, followed by Enia's applause, which boosted his spirits. Next was the gift Enia gave to Zeion.
Wrapped in a white cloth box, his curiosity peaked as Zeion looked breathless.
"Please open it!"
Excitement prompted his hands to move swiftly, unveiling the neatly wrapped contents. One by one the coverings fell away, revealing an object Zeion had seen before – a book with a black cover adorned with a bird wing symbol.
"Wow..."
But Zeion's eyes didn't turn despondent or bored; this was the best gift he could receive from someone who cared about him.
"What's this book?" Zeion asked eagerly.
"I'm giving this book to Young Master. It's a book about magic and cultivation!"
Zeion's eyes widened a bit, and he tilted his head with innocence.
"Cultivation? What's that?"
"Oh..." Enia hurriedly covered her mouth, feeling foolish for mentioning something that shouldn't be said to children. "It's like magical techniques!"
"Magical techniques?" Whatever it was, everything he heard fueled excitement.
As the small birthday celebration ended, Enia naturally decided to leave. Zeion was left alone as usual.
He wasn't afraid; this was how it had always been. He found darkness and silence more comforting.
Thud...
The large book was placed half-open on the table, its thickness comparable to a grown man's fist. Zeion was eager to dive into its contents.
Unbeknownst to Zeion, Enia gave him the book that make her afraid until it become haunted by something of no sense. Before going too far, Enia glanced toward the building where Zeion was confined.
"Is it okay for me to give him a magic book like that?" She tried to dismiss her doubts, reminding herself that Zeion was only 9 years old.
Zeion was still full of excitement as he opened the cover of the thick book. He was confronted with a strange text that he couldn't understand, but it didn't bother him. Edmon's fear wasn't just information from the physician; it was also about Zeion's abnormal development.
Zeion had never learned to read ancient letters or anything related to artifacts, but here he easily grasped the meaning of the book's contents.
Cultivation and magic were contained within the book, as Enia had said. It was merely a learning tool, but she hadn't been cautious enough – the book was an advanced level text usually studied by a Level 3 or higher wizard.
The first sentence Zeion read in the book was large enough to fill an entire clean page.
"Let the Energy Unfold!"
Zeion's heartbeat raced; it resonated once but awakened something within him. His entire body seemed to come alive as if he had dwelled in this moment for a long time. His eyes felt like they were plummeting from a height of thousands of meters. It was a brief sensation before it subsided.
"What was that?" A voice echoed from someone who was cultivating at a high place, gazing at the stars on a dark night.
The energy that manifested itself was unrecognizable, yet it felt terrifying and powerful. Some even speculated that an event from over 700 years ago might occur again.
"Wow... what was that? I feel so light..." Zeion clenched his fist, his small muscles stood out, and he was filled with a mysterious presence. "This is truly extraordinary..."
__To Be Continued__
Enia didn't expect the magic book she had given would bring about such significant changes in Zeion. It had been 2 weeks since Zeion received the book. So many changes had occurred; the child now recited incantations that not even Enia herself could understand."Fire..."A flame the size of a small stone appeared in Zeion's hand, leaving Enia speechless as she pulled back in surprise."Young Master, how could you learn magic like this?" Enia asked, looking extremely worried."I learned it from the book you gave me. I never thought the book would be so helpful!"Enia should have been proud; without formal training, the child in front of her was able to use basic magic. However, Enia was concerned about Zeion's achievements surpassing her expectations.For a child in his age, Zeion had already demonstrated miracles. However, this might become a problem. The Edmon family wasn't descended from a line of high-level magic users. Edmon was just a regular merchant, and Rosa was a housewife. E
"Father?"Many of the attendees were surprised. This well-kept secret was about to be revealed to the public. The consequences could be dire for the Edmon family, particularly for the ongoing business endeavors."Guards, get rid of this insolent child and punish him for his actions!"Edmon's shout shattered a tiny hope within Zeion. His face once filled with hope, transformed into an unimaginable disappointment. He wondered why his father could say something like that?Not long, a guard arrived and roughly dragged Zeion's arm, forcefully pulling the young boy along.He wasn't oblivious to the fact that Zeion was Edmon's son, but as a guardian of that family, any command had to be obeyed."Ouch! Let me go..." Zeion struggled, attempting to break free, but he lacked the strength. Whispers and astonished glances surrounded him; he felt like discarded refuse.Indeed, in fear, Zeion turned to Rosa, seeking solace from the woman he thought might save him. Unfortunately, all he received was
Starting a new life, he said. That was a notion Zeion couldn't quite comprehend. They simply walked away from Edmon's residence with no clear destination, at least not for Zeion himself.Walking without stopping for thousands of meters was too much for a 10-year-old child. They never seemed to pause, except for brief moments of rest during the night.Arriving in a town, they found it bustling with people. Some look at Zeion with curiosity. How could they not? His clothing was so ragged, making him appear like an ordinary slave, a lowly being without significance. In this world, slaves were treated harshly and stripped of their dignity.The man with the prominent nose glanced at Zeion who seemed weary. "Hm... are you hungry?"Zeion looked at him, wary of how to respond.Gruu...But his stomach responded for him, confirming his hunger.With a small chuckle, the man found the child's demeanor quite amusing. Before long, they stumbled upon a street vendor offering various foods. Skewered
Zeion couldn't halt his heart's rapid beating. How could he? Before his heartbeat stopped, his life would surely be the first to vanish here.The blade of the man's sword couldn't be stopped. Zeion could only widen his eyes in fear and wince, covering his face.Tings...The sound of a heavy collision disrupted the atmosphere. The three of them were left baffled by the surge of energy enveloping Zeion. It was white and shimmered like the movement of calm water."Is this what's known as boundless energy?" asked the man with the prominent nose.Zeion was taken aback by his own action, continuously gazing at his clean unblemished hands."Why is this happening? What's going on?" he wondered, then looked up."What is this child doing? Why didn't my attack harm him?"The large-bodied man didn't stay still. He raised his sword again and swung it sideways.Tings...Just like before, a resounding collision echoed. The sharp blade was unable to touch Zeion's skin, instead it broke apart into pie
Everything was still swirling; that statement had heightened Zeion's alertness as he continued to advance.Finally, they arrived in front of an ancient building, its architecture so old that it looked distinctly different from the ordinary structures made of special marble.The scenery here was also beautiful, yet it held a potent energy. Zeion's hands had been tickling inexplicably for a while.On a stone before them sat a white-bearded man in a cross-legged position, a sturdy wooden staff in his hand. What set him apart was that his body didn't touch the stone at all; he hovered just a few centimeters above it, displaying his levitation."Lord Hander, I've returned!" The man with the prominent nose knelt sincerely before the old man.Hander slowly opened his eyes. Once his gaze fell upon what was before him, an aura of awe spread rapidly. It struck the bodies in front of him.For Zeion, experiencing this for the first time, sent shivers down his spine. It was immense for his small b
As promised the day before, Zeion was about to undergo training. However, this training would start on a vast field with several silent stones."What are we going to do here?" Zeion asked, confused.Lagyura glanced and explained, "Now, you will practice controlling the energy within your body! The energy you possess is still unstable, and your training will involve harnessing that energy to make it more stable."He began to step, stopping to sit on a stone in a cross-legged position, hands resting on his knees, palms open and calm.Upon closer observation, a mysterious energy flow emerged from within Lagyura's body, a powerful and enigmatic energy. The wind responded to this energy, stirring up dust and dry leaves, forming a vortex of gusty wind.Then everything vanished as Lagyura released the energy. Chaos ensued, yet calm was maintained."Wow... that's amazing..." The innocent face of the child was truly awed by this simple reaction."Now, you try to control the energy like I did.
The gazes of both individuals fixated on Zeion, chilling him. His body was covered in beads of sweat, his mind still grappling with the meaning of this occurrence."Lagyura, I want you to survey the entire area! Make sure there's no possibility of further attacks," Hander ordered."Alright!" Lagyura replied and departed without a glance, his steps firm and resolute.Only these two remained. Zeion's breath couldn't calm, especially under Hander's cold gaze."Child, you're probably wondering why this has to happen."Zeion didn't respond; fear had silenced him. He could only resign himself to the possibility of a much worse outcome."Hah..." Hander exhaled quickly, then fixed Zeion with a piercing and soul-penetrating look.His soul and body were immobilized, confusion clouding his thoughts. Zeion's eyes searched for assurance, but everything remained the same; nothing had changed except his inability to move.Dug...A strong push emanated from within his body, sounding like a drumbeat a
A tiring day, with much for Zeion to learn, yet much that remained incomprehensible to him.The training halted abruptly as Lagyura returned from his patrol. At that moment, Zeion was undergoing training with Hander, attempting to attune his cultivation energy within his body. Something unexpected occurred, causing the training to stop, and now he lay on the ground, his eyes filled with confusion."They were all talking about the pure energy within this body! What's really happening? Am I the only one who doesn't understand any of this?"On that same day, when night fell, a small discussion took place between Hander and Lagyura.Regarding today's events, it certainly wasn't a good sign. Ideally, Hander didn't want to reveal the existence of the pure energy within Zeion's body, giving them more time to control it.But, circumstances left them with no choice. The energy already held immense and untamed power; halting it was something they found extremely difficult."Have you surveyed al