The world twisted back into focus, and in an instant, the duo stood once again in the same cavern where Three's dreams had shattered.The pond—now dull and still—reflected the faint shimmer of the runes carved into the cave walls. The same runes that had once blazed with hope now looked cold and mocking.
Three blinked, his small hands trembling slightly.He forced a grin, trying to sound light-hearted."I still can't get used to that feeling of teleporting. It's… it's amazing, Grandpa. I wish—"
His voice caught mid-sentence.The words died before they could leave his lips.
That wish—that innocent, childish spark—crumbled under the heavy truth that settled in his chest like lead.He wasn't going to be like his father.
He wasn't going to be like his grandfather.
He wasn't going to be anyone special at all.
In a world where power defined worth, where the sky itself bent for those who commanded the elements and the stars, Three was… nothing.
He lowered his gaze to his hands. They were shaking—not from cold, but from the realization that no amount of training, no amount of trying, could awaken something that wasn't there. His lips quivered as he tried to swallow the lump in his throat, but the pain kept rising, raw and heavy.
His grandfather, Lucas—the man known as the Star Emperor, of the Starborn clan, the strongest of his era—stood silently behind him. His silver hair glowed faintly in the dim light, his presence calm yet vast.Three could feel his gaze, warm and steady, and somehow… that only made it worse.
"Grandpa…" Three's voice broke.He turned around, tears welling despite his efforts to hold them back. "Why me? Why couldn't I awaken anything? Did I do something wrong? I thought… I thought I'd be like you. Or at least like Dad." His small fists clenched tightly. "I just wanted to be strong enough so no one could laugh at me—or pity me!"
The tears broke through. Hot streaks ran down his cheeks, spilling freely as he hit his grandfather's chest with his fists—soft, harmless, desperate."Why can't you fix it? You can do everything! You're the strongest person in the world, Grandpa! Why can't you just—just make me awaken? Please!"
Each word cut deeper, not because of anger, but because of heartbreak. The dream he had built in his mind—the admiration of his family, the pride in their eyes—had collapsed. All that was left was silence, broken only by his choked sobs echoing against the stone walls.
Lucas didn't speak.He didn't stop him.He simply stood there, letting the blows land softly against his chest, each one a reflection of the boy's pain.
After a while, Three's punches slowed, the sobs turning into quiet huffs. He looked so small then—barefoot, eyes red, face wet and trembling. His shoulders shook as he whispered, barely audible,"Am I really that useless…?"
Only then did Lucas move.The old man knelt and gently pulled his grandson into his arms. His embrace was firm but tender, his voice a low rumble filled with warmth."No, child. You are not useless. You are not a mistake. The world is vast, and even the brightest stars are born from darkness. Power isn't everything, Three. It never was."
As he spoke, a soft emerald glow spread from Lucas's palms, wrapping around Three like a gentle warmth. The light seeped into the boy's skin, soothing his trembling body, calming his breath.
He understood that pain all too well. He had once seen it before — in his own brother, who had failed to awaken and died still human.That memory still haunted him.
When at last Three's small body relaxed, the old man whispered, almost to himself,"You may not have awakened now… but the threads of fate are strange things, my boy. Perhaps they've merely tangled for a while."
Minutes passed. The storm within the cave faded into silence, leaving only the sound of their breathing , one steady and strong, the other fragile and tired.
Lucas let another wave of energy course gently through Three's body, washing away the fatigue that had settled in from all his crying. Warmth spread through his limbs, lightening the heaviness in his chest.
"Actually," Lucas began softly, his tone calm yet firm, "the reason I brought you here wasn't to remind you of your failure, but to show you something far more important."
He placed a hand on Three's shoulder. "Tell me, Three, have you ever wondered why the Starborns are the most powerful clan in existence? Why we remain a clan while others have long merged, faded, or fractured? And have you ever questioned why I stand as the strongest man in the world, as did my father before me… and as your father will one day?"
Three looked up, his curiosity briefly pushing aside the sadness.
"Well," Lucas said, his gaze sweeping over the ancient cave walls, "the answer lies here. This place, this very cave, holds everything. It is where we awaken… and where we ascend. It nurtures our bloodline and connects us to the source of our strength."
He paused, letting the words sink in. "It may not make much sense to you now, but one day, it will."
Then Lucas's tone shifted, gentle, yet heavy with unspoken meaning. "The real reason I brought you here is because… I'll be leaving soon. Next week, to be exact."
Three blinked. "Leaving? What do you mean?"
Lucas sighed, his eyes softening. "This world can no longer hold me, child. I've reached the limit of what this realm can offer. For years now, I've felt a voice calling to me from beyond, a whisper urging me toward a higher path. I've held it back for fifty years, suppressing my breakthrough, but the time has finally come. I must answer it."
The boy's heart sank. A few minutes ago, he had been crying about his failure. Now, he was being told his grandfather, the one person who made him feel safe, was about to vanish from his world.
"Do you… have to go?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly despite his effort to sound composed. "Can't you wait a little longer? Maybe twenty years? You're strong enough to suppress it, right?"
Lucas smiled faintly, almost sadly. "Ah, if only it were that simple." He crouched down so his eyes met Three's. "Tell me, do you know how old I am?"
Three shook his head.
"I am two hundred years old," Lucas said quietly. "I reached the peak of cultivation a hundred years ago. I may not look it, but the past century I've spent strengthening my foundation, hoping to find a way to advance further without leaving. And though I succeeded fifty years ago, the call has only grown stronger. Suppressing it now would only destroy me."
He placed a hand on the boy's cheek. "Every generation must walk their own path, Three. Mine is simply coming to an end in this world."
" Even though I am leaving, I am carrying a huge burden in me knowing that what I have left behind will be destroyed after I leave." Lucas said, as the mood in the cave suddenly became a bit more cold.