Sophia froze the moment she saw him crumpled beside the tree. Cuts, bruises, and scuffed limbs—Kaelen's small body trembled faintly, unconscious, the dried remnants of magic circuits still glowing dimly beneath his clothes.
Sophia: "Kaelen!"
She rushed to his side, eyes wide in panic, immediately lifting him with surprising strength. Her usually calm expression was replaced with motherly fear.Within minutes, Kaelen lay in the estate's infirmary, his body being examined and healed with light magic. Nothing life-threatening, but the sheer number of injuries made it look like he had fought a beast.Lyra stood frozen at the doorway.
Lyra: "W-What happened to him...?"
Her eyes welled up. The thought of her younger brother being in so much pain while she slept peacefully made her heart twist.
When Kaelen woke up, the first face he saw was his mother—silent, composed, but clearly disappointed.
Kaelen: "...I was training. I need to get stronger."
Father Renaldor stepped in, arms crossed.
Renaldor: "Enough of this nonsense. You're a child, Kaelen. You expect me to believe you collapsed training alone with that many wounds? What were you really doing?"
Kaelen: "I'm telling the truth..."
Allaric looked conflicted but didn't press further. Lyra looked down at her hands, clearly believing some part of his story.
Mother: "You could have died. And for what? Power?"
Kaelen didn't reply.
Later that night, as the family argued about restricting his magic use, Kaelen quietly slipped back out. The words from the night before echoed in his heart.
"Too weak. Useless. Stay down."
He clenched his fists.
Kaelen: "I'll never be looked down on again."
He stood before the same spot in the woods, sketching the circle from memory—lines curved, symbols etched, focused purely with [Mystic Eye of Analysis]. His first few tries crumbled. The fourth burned his fingertips. The sixth misfired and opened a minor rift that collapsed in seconds.
But on the ninth attempt, the circle pulsed.
A golden storm of light and silver dust surged from the circle. Reality around him warped slightly—time slowed, wind silenced.
From the heart of the summoning circle emerged two majestic figures:
The first, elegant and glowing with radiant green-gold light, was Ramiris, but not the childlike fairy seen in books. Her adult form stood tall and graceful, with flowing hair, delicate facial features, and glowing spirit wings. She wore an ethereal gown interwoven with nature's colors—green, ivory, and gold. She was every bit the Queen of Spirits, yet her smile retained that playful spark.
The second, cloaked in time energy, wore a white-gold robe with shimmering glyphs shifting like clock hands. Her hair shimmered silver and lavender, eyes like twin hourglasses. She was the Great Holy Spirit of Time, a being whispered in legend. Calm, composed, and mysterious—like the stillness of time itself.
They floated above the circle, examining Kaelen.
Ramiris (Adult Form): "Oho~ It's been a while since someone this young summoned me successfully. And you—"
She turned toward the other spirit.
"—you were pulled in too?"
Spirit of Time: "It seems this boy has... a connection to something far beyond this world."
Kaelen, exhausted but unwavering, fell to his knees.
Kaelen: "Teach me. Help me get stronger."
After his request he fell forward drained of magicules
They looked at one another... and smiled.
Kaelen slowly stirred as his consciousness returned. He blinked away the haze and found himself not in his bed, but within a glowing white chamber. The air shimmered with mana so dense, it was like breathing magic itself. Before him stood two majestic beings—Ramiris, now in her adult form, wings beating gently, and beside her, a woman cloaked in flowing silver robes, her long hair a stream of pale gold. Time itself seemed to distort faintly around her.
Ramiris: "You're awake! Good! Took you long enough—seriously, kids these days passing out mid-summon..."
Kaelen sat up slowly, his muscles still sore. He met Ramiris' eyes, then looked to the other woman.
Kaelen: "...You're the Great Holy Spirit of Time?"
The spirit nodded. Her presence was calm, her voice like the ticking of a gentle clock.
Spirit: "I am Chrona. Time flows through me."
Ramiris folded her arms and hovered above him, still annoyed.
Ramiris: "And what were you thinking, huh? Drawing that much mana and trying body enhancement magic without any foundation? Honestly..."
Kaelen lowered his head slightly. Then, taking a deep breath, he looked up.
Kaelen: "I want to protect them—my family... the people here. I overheard the knights talking. There's a bandit camp nearby. They're planning an attack."
His fists clenched tightly.
Kaelen: "I'm weak now. But I don't want to stay that way. If danger comes, I want to be able to fight for everyone. I won't let anyone suffer because I wasn't strong enough."
Ramiris blinked, startled at his earnest declaration. Chrona's eyes softened.
Ramiris: "Tch... what a pain. Why do you have to sound like a real hero?"
Chrona stepped forward, raising her hand.
Chrona: "Your resolve echoes clearly through the threads of fate. Very well. I shall form a contract with you, Kaelen."
Ramiris: "And I guess I will too... but listen, kid. I'm... not doing great. Ever since Milim and Guy had that stupid clash near the spirit realm, my essence got caught in the aftermath. That corrupted aura—it's been eating away at me. Slowly, but surely."
She looked down, visibly frustrated.
Ramiris: "So, it's risky to summon me for now. For both of us. You need to be careful. If you ever truly need me, you'll find a way. There's a portal, hidden in the Great Tree Basin. It's tied to my spiritual signature."
Kaelen nodded silently, already understanding.
Kaelen: "I already knew something was wrong with your essence... but I didn't want to say anything unless you did."
Ramiris flinched.
Ramiris: "Wait, what?! How did you—?"
Chrona: "I noticed it too. But only one who peers into threads beyond time could sense it at that level... You really are unusual."
Kaelen smiled faintly.
Kaelen: "Let's just say... I have good instincts."
Ramiris sighed, then turned around with a wave.
Ramiris: "Well, I'm off before I collapse in your dream. Don't forget the portal info!"
With a flutter of wings and sparkles of green light, Ramiris vanished.Chrona remained. She stepped closer and placed her hand over Kaelen's chest. A pulse of divine magic surged through him, but it was calm—refined. Precise.
Chrona: "From our contract, you should gain few skills since we are ancient spirits "
As soon as she finished.
[Skill Gained: Mana Manipulation]
[Skill Gained: Molecular Manipulation]
[Skill Gained: Light Manipulation]
[Skill Gained: Holy Enchant]
[Skill Gained: Time Manipulation]
[Skill Gained: Future Attack Prediction]
[Skill Gained: Magic Sense]
[Skill Gained: Spirit Summon]
Kaelen shuddered as knowledge poured into his mind like an ancient river, overwhelming yet natural.
Chrona: "These powers will grow with your will. But power without understanding is destruction. I will teach you one spell—for now."
She stepped back, and time around her shifted slightly.
Chrona: "This is [Temporal Shift Arrow]—a time-anchored spell that sends an attack forward by several seconds. Currently, the delay is minor, but with mastery... it can strike from futures far ahead."
Kaelen's eyes lit up. His mind raced through possibilities.
Chrona: "And this—"
She touched his temple.
Chrona: "—is how you use [Future Attack Prediction]. By reading micro-signals, mana fluctuations, and behavior patterns, you can glimpse seconds ahead. Think of it as sharpening your instinct into near-precognition."
Kaelen could feel it. A whisper of the next movement... a flicker of potential futures. It was small now—but it was real.Chrona gave him a final look.
Chrona: "Train well. Time is your ally... and your test."
With that, the chamber began to dissolve. Light consumed everything.