Lara stood at the edge of the training chamber.
"Your magic will be unlocked today," she said softly. Then she added, "You're still planning to join the academy next year, right?"
John let out a slow sigh.
"I wasn't planning on it," he said. "Everyone else didn't have their magic sealed like me. Not to mention, my body's grown weaker because of it." His gaze sharpened slightly. "And some of them have already learned how to use their Bloodline Authorities."
He turned toward Cassian.
"It would be different if you could unlock my authorities—"
"You know very well that can't be done."
Cassian's voice cut through the air, firm and unyielding.
"If we unlock your authorities, the seal would have to be undone completely," he continued. "And we cannot do that."
He paused, then his tone softened.
"Going to the academy is important. Not only will it help you grow stronger, but it's a part of life you shouldn't miss out on." A faint smirk tugged at his lips. "Besides, I'm worried you'll end up alone. I met your mother at the academy, you know."
Both Lara and John sighed at the same time.
John lowered himself onto the cold stone floor of the training chamber and sat cross-legged, steadying his breathing.
"Let's get this over with," he said.
Cassian moved behind him and knelt. Even before he touched him, John felt his presence. When Cassian's palm pressed against his back, it was warm—grounding.
"If it pains," Cassian said quietly, "endure it for a bit. I won't push too far."
John nodded once.
The runes carved into the floor responded immediately, glowing with a muted light. Thin streams of mana gathered, guided by Cassian's will, threading carefully into John's body.
At first, it was only pressure.
Then it deepened.
John's breath hitched despite his effort to remain calm. It felt like something long restrained was being forced to stretch—not violently, but insistently, like muscles awakening after years of disuse.
His fingers curled against the stone.
Cassian felt it instantly.
He adjusted the flow, refining it with precision. Sweat formed at his temple, his jaw tightening.
"Easy," he murmured, more to himself than to John.
Lara stood frozen at the edge of the chamber, hands clasped tightly together. Her eyes never left her son. When John's shoulders tensed, she stepped forward sharply.
"Cassian," she said, voice strained.
"I see it," he replied immediately. "He's holding."
John exhaled slowly, forcing his breathing into rhythm. The pressure spread through his chest and limbs—heavy, uncomfortable, but bearable.
It hurt.
Not sharply. Not enough to scream.
But enough that his teeth clenched. Enough that his knuckles whitened.
Cassian reduced the flow again, careful and deliberate.
"This is the limit," he said. "Any further and it'll do more harm than good."
Gradually, the pressure eased. The mana settled—not pushing outward anymore, but resting, contained and stable.
Cassian removed his hand.
The light in the chamber dimmed.
For several seconds, no one spoke.
John remained seated, his shoulders rising and falling as he caught his breath. His hair had come loose, dark strands clinging to his forehead. When he finally opened his eyes, they were clearer—sharper.
Lara rushed forward at once and knelt in front of him.
"John," she said softly, searching his face. "Are you alright?"
He nodded. "Yeah. Just… tired."
Cassian stood slowly, studying him—not as a hero or a warrior, but as a father.
"That's as much as I can unlock for now," he said. "Your body needs time to adapt."
John looked up at him.
"…That wasn't everything, was it?"
Cassian hesitated, then shook his head. "No. But it's enough. Now that you can use magic, you can unlock the rest yourself."
John accepted that—for now.
He placed his hands on the floor and pushed himself to his feet, a thoughtful expression crossing his face.
"Alright," he said calmly. "I'll work with what I have."
Cassian and Lara exchanged a glance.
Relief.
And a quiet, shared worry.