Dawn broke, painting the sky with pale gold. Birds chirped softly in the quiet morning, their calls echoing through the moist, chilled air. Mist rolled lazily over the soaked ground as the last traces of the storm faded into distant rumbles.
Wahhh wahhh wahh.
"Mmm..." Elaine stirred from her sleep, her eyelids heavy as she heard the faint cries. The memories of last night flooded back into her mind, making her snap awake. She sat up quickly, feeling the rush of cool morning air against her skin, and reached for the baby lying beside her. As soon as she picked him up, the baby stopped crying and looked at her with calm, bright eyes that flickered with deep orange under the dawn light.
She let out a quiet sigh of relief and kissed his forehead gently. "It's alright… I'm here, little one."
Still holding him close, Elaine noticed Joren was not in the room. Frowning, she stood up, careful not to wake the baby again, and walked out towards the dining area.
There she saw him – Joren sat at the dining table, leaning his forehead against clasped hands, staring blankly at the golden ring placed right in front of him. Books lay scattered all over the table and floor, some with pages marked hastily, others flipped open to strange diagrams and scripts.
Elaine walked up to him slowly, feeling her chest tighten as she saw his bloodshot eyes and damp hair sticking to his forehead.
"Honey… don't tell me you didn't sleep all night…" she whispered softly.
Joren didn't respond. He was lost in thoughts so deep that her voice didn't even reach him.
"Honey!" she said again, louder.
Joren flinched slightly, snapping out of his trance, and looked up at her. His eyes were red and veins lined his temples as if he had been frowning the whole night. He took a shaky breath, staring at her and then at the baby in her arms.
"Did you… did you find anything? About the baby…?" Elaine asked, trying to keep her voice calm despite her pounding heart.
Joren sighed deeply and stood up, stretching his stiff back. He glanced at the baby and shook his head slightly, as if to gather his thoughts before speaking.
"Elaine… I'm sorry for zoning out just now, it's just that…" He paused, staring at the child in her arms with a mix of awe and fear. "This baby… we were right. He is not from the Middle Realm. This ring he had with him…" he gestured towards the golden ring lying on the table, "It is not just any ring. The books say… this was forged by the flames of the Celestial Spirit itself, the Solar Phoenix. This ring is proof of the Solar King's direct bloodline… Meaning… this boy is the son of the Solar King, Lord Helios Daystar. This boy… he is the true heir of the Heavenly Solar Clan."
Elaine's eyes widened, her knees weakening as she took a step back in disbelief. Her gaze dropped to the baby in her arms, his small fingers curled around her robe as his big orange eyes blinked up at her curiously. She still couldn't process the fact that this child… this tiny being… was what they address in middle realm as a 'God'.
Seeing her stunned silence, Joren continued, his voice heavy, "I don't know why this boy was sent here. But something is happening up there… in the Heavens. Something big enough for them to send away their heir. And if that is the case… then whoever forced them to do so will surely come looking for him."
Elaine swallowed hard, feeling fear creep up her throat like poison. The baby let out a small whimper, sensing her trembling arms. She quickly rocked him gently, whispering, "Shh… it's okay… it's okay… little one."
Joren walked towards the window and looked out at the misty forest beyond. The morning light spilled across the trees, illuminating droplets of rain clinging to every branch. For a moment, it almost looked peaceful.
"We can't tell anyone about him," he said firmly, without turning back. "Not a single soul. From today, he is our son. We will raise him here as a normal child of this realm… at least until he is old enough to know who he really is."
Elaine nodded slowly, tears welling up in her eyes as the baby cooed softly, gazing up at her with pure, innocent trust.
"What should we name him…?" she asked after a long silence.
Joren turned back to them and walked closer, placing a rough but gentle hand on the baby's tiny head. "This boy is the ruler of the sun, the brightest star we have ever witnessed..."
He paused for a moment, thinking deeply. The baby blinked up at him, his lips parting into a small smile.
"…Nova," Joren finally said. "We will call him Nova."
Elaine repeated softly, "Nova…" tasting the name on her lips as the baby giggled softly. Her heart warmed, even amidst her fear.
Joren nodded firmly. "I will go to the village later and buy him some clothes. For now… keep him close to you at all times. No one can know about the mark on his back. Cover it well."
Elaine nodded. She sat down by the fireplace with Nova in her arms, brushing his tiny strands of black hair aside. As she did, her mind wandered back to last night – the shock, the desperation to save his life, and the silent promise she felt blooming within her heart. 'No matter who you are… I will protect you as my own'.
Joren, meanwhile, began gathering the books strewn across the table and floor, stacking them neatly. He picked up the golden ring and held it up against the pale morning light streaming in through the window. The metal glowed faintly, radiating warmth that felt alive.
He placed it carefully in a small wooden box and locked it shut, then hid it under a loose floorboard beneath the table. He sat back down, his mind still restless with unanswered questions.
Suddenly, Nova started fussing again, his small face scrunching up as he let out hungry cries.
"He must be hungry," Joren said, looking at Elaine. She hesitated, biting her lip, but having no choice, she shifted her robe and let Nova feed. As he latched on, his tiny fingers clutched her clothes, and a warmth spread through her chest that made her eyes sting with tears. A bond deeper than blood was forming silently between them.
After feeding, Nova fell asleep quickly, his breathing soft and rhythmic. Elaine wiped away a silent tear, laid him down gently on their bedding, and sat staring at him for a while.
"Come to bed, Joren," she said softly. "You didn't sleep all night."
"I… I will come in a while," he replied, still staring into the dying embers of the fireplace.
Elaine sighed, stood up, and carried Nova to their bedroom. She laid him down carefully, flipped him over gently, and for a moment, her eyes lingered on the faint glowing symbol on his back – a radiant sun encircled by nine small stars. Its beauty felt divine, but its weight felt like chains tightening around her chest.
She sighed deeply, kissed his soft cheek, and lay down beside him, curling protectively around his tiny body as sleep slowly pulled her under.
Back in the other room, Joren sat alone, staring at the locked box on the table. His mind whirled with thoughts – the Solar Clan, the Celestial Spirits, the ancient prophecies he read about. His eyes burned with exhaustion and yet he couldn't get himself to sleep, as if it didn't feel right at the moment.
Hours passed silently. Birds chirped louder as dawn turned to morning. Joren fell asleep only to be awakened after a while by a dream of which he could only remember a woman in flames, with tears flowing down her face. She was looking at someone, a child whose face he couldn't remember.
Joren gulped, his throat dry. A drop of sweat rolled down his cheek and fell on the blanket as he stared ahead blankly. No matter how much Joren tried to deny it, he couldn't change the face the woman he saw in his dreams was Elaine...
"What… have we brought into our home…?"