Chapter 14: Recovery and the Rune
"No, don't do that!" the old man cried, stepping forward to stop his grandson.
Cassian turned, his eyes fixed calmly on the old man.
"He's not swallowing it! Don't you know what happens to someone who directly ingests a Mythril Crystal?" the old man demanded.
"I know more than anyone what this crystal is capable of, but in this case, it's different," Cassian countered.
"How?" the old man asked, his voice shaking.
"It's true that when someone ingests a Mythril Crystal, the energy instantly disperses throughout the body, causing an overwhelming surge that kills the person," Cassian explained. The old man's expression grew even more distressed.
"That happens because the mana channels, or Mana Veins, in an adult can't handle the massive energy output," Cassian continued, his tone clinical. "They are fully grown and steady, with no more room for expansion or improvement. But your grandson is still so young. His Mana Veins are yet to be fully developed; they are flexible and still growing. His body should handle the surge and incorporate the crystal just fine."
The old man was astonished by Cassian's specialized knowledge, but his fear remained.
"I could just give the crystal to you," Cassian said, prompting a shocked look from the old man.
"However, that is the only way to protect him. You know as well as I do how valuable this crystal is. Kings, power-hungry knights, and entire guilds would kill just to get their hands on infinite power. Mythril Crystal is so rare, only a handful of people have ever seen it. If word gets out that your grandson possesses it, you and he will be in serious danger."
"The only way for him to be safe is for him to swallow it," Cassian concluded. "It will heal him from the inside and bond with him, becoming undetectable to anyone who tries to sense it externally."The old man's shoulders slumped. Everything Cassian said was correct. His desire to keep his grandson healthy and safe finally outweighed his fear.
"Alright," the old man conceded, tears of relief and worry flowing freely.
Cassian turned back to the little boy, but his eyes widened in shock before he could speak.
"Where is it?" he asked, his voice sharp with surprise.
The little boy, looking up at them, blinked innocently.
"What happened? Did you eat it?" the old man asked, equally bewildered.
The boy slowly nodded his head.
Cassian immediately fell silent, waiting for the crystal within the child to take effect.
Suddenly, the boy violently arched his head back. Thin, white, lightning-shaped lines appeared across his neck and began to trace upward, converging on his left eye. Tears streamed down his face as he screamed in agony, feeling a burning, stabbing pain behind his eye.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
The old man quickly grabbed his grandson's hand, his expression tormented, but he knew he couldn't stop it now.
"Don't give up! Fight it!" the old man urged, holding the child tight.
Cassian watched the crystal's effect unfold. He had never seen this internal integration before, but the violent reaction confirmed the power surge was happening. He calculated the boy's chances: if the surge didn't immediately kill him, the boy would survive.
Cassian then noticed a peculiar shape slowly forming within the boy's left eye. It was an intricate pattern, a rune of some kind, manifesting in his iris.
The pain eventually began to ease, and the boy's screams subsided into short, hectic gasps. The old man sagged with relief.
The little boy slowly turned to Cassian, noticing the mage's shocked gaze fixed on him. He then looked at his grandpa, who was equally stunned. The boy didn't understand the fuss, but then his stomach let out a thunderous
RUMBLE.
For the first time since his birth, he was truly, deeply hungry.
The little boy sat inside the small, empty sitting room, savoring his meal. The intricate cross-shaped rune on his dark blue left pupil glowed faintly as he ate. Such a cute boy, now full of life and happily planning all the simple things he never got the chance to do.
As the child devoured his food, Cassian and his grandpa stood outside their home, entering into a private chat.