Chapter 14: A Moment
Chapter 14: A Moment
The quiet bedroom was drenched in moonlight, no crystals lit the desk as usual. Darius lay in bed, the silken sheets crumpled around him, staring out of the window.
The echo of tonight's dinner conversation lingered in his mind. His parents were nothing short of monumental in the society they inhabited. Jarek, the lightning Steel Knight, and Amara, the water Inceptor Mage.
Their questions to Darius's revelation, however, weren't as diverse as one might expect considering their distinctive roles. It was as if Darius had uncovered an ancient secret, one that shouldn't be dived into too deeply.
The worry that creased their brows and the anticipation that flashed in their eyes were not borne merely out of parental concern. Instead, it symbolized their understanding of the major change that Darius's arcane discovery could bring about.
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Amara's voice wavered as she spoke. "I've gone through those books myself, even last month, I read A Treatise on Elemental Arcana."
Her emerald eyes, usually so full of life, had lost their spark, now shadowed by doubt. Sweat clung to her forehead, stray droplets tracing paths through her silver hair.
Her fingers gripped the tablecloth tighter with each word, bunching the fabric beneath her touch, as if holding on for stability. "How... you're so young."
Jarek paced the room, a restless figure. His movements, though measured, spoke of a storm brewing within. His expression, worn with lines of worry and astonishment, conveyed the weight of what he faced. "This... This is no small feat. Mages would surrender their towers for this knowledge."
He stopped, the significance of his statement hanging in the air. His gaze fixed on his son with an intensity both formidable and proud, "Since the Age of Twilight, no one... no one has achieved what you have."
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As Darius stared at the stars, he felt a stirring within. He was setting forth on a path thought impossible—wielding mana without towers or knights, aiming to revolutionize their world's foundations.
'Just as the first mages of Sellador built the initial Tower, I am creating a new path to defining ascension. They established human dominance in a mana-driven world; now, it's my turn.'
He reached out towards a twinkling star above, his mind ticking over. 'Crystals from mana-beasts were pivotal to them.'
'The power that can be harvested tipped the scales. As humanity rose, the ancient realms crumbled... it's too bad really, I would have liked to have seen them.'
Human ambition sparked the War of Tears, a brutal clash with the Elder races. Amidst the prolonged conflict, mages devised the Manaforged Knight System, turning knights into elemental warriors who eventually subdued their enemies. This innovation heralded the end of the Age of Twilight and ushered in the Age of Wonders.
During this new era, human civilization thrived. Mage Towers, symbols of immense power, spearheaded technological advancements, enhancing life's efficiency and prosperity across human domains.
Now, in the year 1996 of the Age of Wonders, the Mage Towers' influence pervades all aspects of human society, dictating the fate of Gaia. Even with the emergence of the Penitent Knights Union, a realm governed by manaforged knights, the Mage Towers sustain their supremacy through exclusive control over spells and technology.
The Sun Sovereign Church stands as the only other significant entity, a religious sect with no aspirations for dominance, thus not perceived as a threat. They lack a mana system or any hierarchical structure to challenge the dominion of mages and knights. However, what Darius planned could disrupt this balance, marking him as a target to be hunted.
Gazing at the ceiling, his resolve solidified. He was set on developing an Arcane Cultivation Technique, blending elements of his past and present. It was a revolutionary path, promising both immense power and profound peril. Yet, his choice was clear, driven by a desire for knowledge, growth, and validation—both to his family and himself.
Darius's reflections were cut short by a flicker at the edge of his vision. He turned toward the window, drawn to a strangely shifting constellation. Suddenly, his eyes went wide as a burst of ghostly fire seemed to rush at his face.
"Haku!"
Finding himself eye-to-eye with the panting ember-fox, it's triumphant yip filled the room as it stood firmly on Darius's chest. "Quite the lively greeting, isn't it?"
Haku answered with a series of playful squeaks, his tongue flicking out, peppering Darius's face with eager licks. This warm, familiar welcome sparked a chuckle from Darius as he reached up to stroke the fox's soft fur, dotted with specks of white.
"All right, that's enough," Darius chuckled, pushing the fox off of him. The room, usually so solemn, seemed to lighten with the animal's infectious energy.
Shifting his attention, Darius eyed the drawer of his desk, a mischievous glint in his eye. Recognizing the look, Haku perked up in anticipation, familiar with their little game.
Darius pulled open the drawer to reveal Haku's favorite treat: a piece of jerky. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed it, silence enveloping the room as the treat spun. Haku leapt, snagging it mid-air, his fur catching the moonlight as he landed.
A smile tugged at Darius's lips. "Well-trained, indeed," his voice rich with amusement and a touch of irony.
Haku jumped atop the bed and began to happily crunch on his reward. The ghost-fire that enveloped his paws radiated a mix of dark blue and black, a harmless yet beautiful sight particular to his kind.
Darius moved to sit beside him, his eyes tracing the constellation on Haku's bushy tail. A fleeting moment of guilt washed over him - an all too familiar echo of the tragic incident from their past, the day he'd killed Haku's mother. He still harbored remorse for the act, a wound that time had failed to heal completely.
But as quickly as the wave of regret came, it subsided, replaced by the comfort that Haku's presence ignited in him. To the Grand Elder, it was a strange sensation, having someone whom you can tell anything, with no judgment or consequence.
"I told them, Haku. I told them about what I've been doing." The ember-fox stopped chewing for a moment, his ears perking up. "They took it better than I expected," he continued, a soft sigh escaping him. "I think this is the right path, not just for me, but for everyone."
"They looked really happy today."
His gaze drifted back to the window, the stars a brilliant display against the night's sky. As Darius watched the infinite expanse, his mind entertained the boundless possibilities that lay before him.