Eldric and Thalira were sitting on a couch near a fireplace, in a room furnished with imperial décor. The flames illuminated the room, casting warm flickers across the walls.
On the table in front of them, a letter lay squished and pinned down beneath a wine glass.
Eldric took a sip of wine and turned toward her. "So, what do you think we should do?"
Thalira sat opposite him, holding her own glass. She sighed. "Let's see what the Lio—"
Suddenly, the door burst open. Both flinched in shock, and Eldric's glass slipped from his hand, shattering on the floor. They turned toward the door. Liora stood there, breath ragged. "I found out… many… things."
Eldric grabbed a towel from the table, dabbing his clothes, his voice edged with irritation. "Why didn't you come calmly, like always?"
She ignored him, her gaze fixed on Thalira. "I've found something amazing, from that kid's body examination."
She strode inside and sat on the couch. Her eyes flicked to the letter, and she picked it up, reading it quickly. "Oh, so it's what I thought."
Both Eldric and Thalira looked at her, questions sharp in their eyes. Liora stretched. "So, the thing is, when I examined the kid's body, there were marks, as if a large amount of mana had flowed into him and created a new mana network."
Eldric leaned forward, hand on his chin. "It's possible that it was the effect of a mana rampage."
She shook her head. "That's not possible. The pathways are randomly generated, not the same as those of a normal human."
Thalira leaned closer. "So what about that different mana source inside the kid?"
"It's not his own," Liora answered, turning toward her. "It belongs to someone else. It must be the same child Alric mentioned in the letter."
Eldric set his empty glass on the table. "But how is that even possible?"
Her eyes lifted to the ceiling. "Magic used by demons can do that."
Thalira's voice grew serious. "And what do you think of this power? He blew up the city and evaporated half of it."
Liora lowered her gaze. "His mana level is high, the level of a superior mage. He has water-type magic, but I suspect his abilities are abnormally strong too. They might have transferred into him as well."
Eldric's jaw tightened. "So he might pose a threat to us."
She shook her head. "No. He can't access mana for a long time because of his destroyed pathways. And even if they heal, his nature must resonate fully with the original user of that mana source."
Thalira sipped her wine. "How is that even possible?"
"It's like two souls inside one body. Only when both share the same nature and make the same decision will he be able to use that power."
Eldric rubbed his head irritably. "Why are things always so complicated?"
Thalira smirked. "Because you're an idiot. A barbarian." She turned to Liora. "So, do we report this to the king? If we tell him the destruction was caused by a child, he'll be executed for sure."
Both Liora and Eldric nodded. Eldric said, "We'll claim it was a demon attack, and that it was slain."
Thalira sighed. "I'll report it to the king. I'll also tell him Alric found slaves in that crater, so this boy was one of them."
Eldric rose to his feet. "We should take care of this child from now on. For now, I'm going to sleep."
The other two yawned and stood as well, leaving the room. The fire in the hearth kept burning.
Far away, another fire flickered at a camp. A boy sat wrapped in a blanket, staring at the flames.
From behind, a man called out. "Kid, it's time to go. Sir Alric wants to meet you."
The boy pushed the blanket off. It was Edric, his body wrapped in bandages. "Ok, let's go." He stood and followed the man.
They passed the survivors of the battle some huddled around the fire, others asleep in tents. They stopped in front of a large tent and stepped inside.
Alric sat at his desk, staring straight at him. The man saluted and left. Edric's heart pounded. 'What could he be planning to say?'
Alric leaned forward. "It's good to see you're well. Your friends are still healing. My doctors will tend to them."
Edric bowed. "Thank you so much, sir."
"Now tell me. What happened inside the cave? How was it destroyed? I've asked others, but they said you were closest."
Edric's expression flickered, but he steeled himself. 'I can't let them know about Ren.' He drew in a breath. "It was a demon, sir. It descended into the cave and destroyed the city."
Alric rose and approached a table covered with cloth. He pulled it away. "And what about this boy?"
Beneath the cloth lay Fin's body, stiff and lifeless.
Edric gasped. "This was one of the slaves. He was going to be sold to another country, since he was as strong as a superior knight."
Alric's brows lifted. "Incredible, at such a young age."
"But he tried to fight the demon… and died by its hands."
Alric nodded and placed a hand on Edric's head. "Thank you, child. Go rest now. Tomorrow is the big day."
Edric nodded and left the tent, smiling faintly.
When he was gone, Alric returned to his desk. His eyes shifted between Fin's body and the letter lying before him. 'What should I do now? The king entrusted me with this mission.'
He leaned back, staring at the lifeless boy. 'I should write a letter to Thalira with the information I got from the kid first.'
Meanwhile, Edric slipped into his own tent. His eyes fell on the soft bed, and he ran his hand across it. 'This bed is too soft.' His face twisted, and tears spilled freely.
He lay down, wrapped in warmth and comfort. For the first time in years, he cried himself to sleep drifting into dreams.