i want magic...

Raze's resolve to defy fate was unwavering. No matter what, he would not fail in this life.

Yet, even the strongest of resolves can be tempered further, and fate had plans to push his beyond its limits.

It began as an ordinary day.

Nyx was strolling through the village, cradling Raze in her arms, humming softly as the sun cast golden streaks across the sky. The gentle chatter of villagers filled the air, blending with the distant sound of livestock grazing peacefully in the fields. Everything was calm. Everything was normal.

Until it wasn't.

Suddenly—a deafening roar tore through the silence.

The sound was monstrous, raw, and utterly inhuman. It reverberated through the air, sending flocks of birds screeching into the sky.

BA-BAA!

The sheep in the nearby fields bolted in terror, trampling over each other as they rushed back to their pens. Cows let out terrified moos, and even the horses tied near the village gates neighed in distress, yanking at their reins.

Then—the horn blew.

PUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!

A loud, urgent sound that sent shivers down Raze's spine. It was the warning call—one he had never heard before, but instinctually understood.

The villagers froze.

A dead silence followed.

Then—pure chaos erupted.

Women screamed as they grabbed their children and ran toward their homes. Merchants abandoned their stalls, knocking over baskets of fresh fruit and spilling sacks of grain onto the dirt roads. Even the men, the strongest and bravest of the village, paled as they rushed to shut their doors and windows, barricading themselves inside.

The ground trembled.

A low, ominous rumble built up beneath them, each vibration growing stronger until the very earth seemed to shake with dread.

Then, from behind the colossal trees that surrounded the village—it emerged.

A creature of nightmares.

A monstrosity so horrifying that Raze's tiny body froze with primal fear.

He had seen monsters in movies, in stories. None of them compared.

This… this was real.

The creature was massive, as tall as a two-story building. Its body was a grotesque blend of molten rock and searing lava, pulsing and shifting like a living volcano. Cracks in its jagged skin glowed a fiery red, and each step it took scorched the ground beneath it, leaving trails of smoke and embers.

Then—it roared again.

The very air shook. Windows cracked from the sheer force of its voice. The trees behind it bent backward, their leaves igniting as the beast's searing breath passed over them.

And yet—Nyx stood there, completely unmoved.

Raze, on the other hand, was losing his mind.

"Mom! MOVE! That thing will kill us!"

But all that came out of his tiny mouth was:"Gagagugu!"

The beast was getting closer.

Fifty meters.

Raze thrashed in Nyx's arms."Mom, please—PLEASE—MOVE!""I don't want to die right after being born!"

But Nyx's expression never wavered.

Her gaze was steady, unshaken, as if she was merely watching a mundane event, not facing a literal walking catastrophe.

Then—a blur shot across the sky.

The royal guards had arrived.

Dressed in gleaming armor and flowing robes, they descended like streaks of light. Their mere presence electrified the air, and in that moment, Raze felt something he never had before—

Magic.

The air around them hummed with raw energy. Ripples of mana distorted the sky. The very fabric of reality seemed to bend in their wake.

Raze's eyes widened in awe.

"Is this the kind of magic I'll be missing out on?!"

Frustration boiled inside him.

*"F#k you, fate! It's like being handicapped in an amusement park… or being deaf at a concert!"

The captain of the guard stepped forward, his presence like an unmovable force. His golden cloak fluttered behind him as he raised a single hand.

"Formation!"

The guards moved in unison.

—Water Rays! A surge of liquid twisted through the air, slamming against the creature's molten skin. Steam exploded upon impact.

—Earth Spikes! Jagged pillars erupted from the ground, piercing through the beast's legs. It let out a guttural snarl, but barely faltered.

—Wind Whip! The air itself coiled into razor-sharp tendrils, slicing against the monster's hardened hide.

The creature roared and reared back.

That's when the captain raised his other hand.

A massive fireball began forming above his palm—a swirling mass of pure destruction.

Raze's breath caught.

The fireball was as big as their entire house.

Then—BOOM!

The searing orb shot forward, crashing into the creature with a deafening explosion. Flames erupted, engulfing the beast in an inferno of destruction. Smoke and embers spiraled into the sky.

The guards didn't stop. Spell after spell rained down, an endless barrage of magic pounding into the beast's flesh.

And then—it turned and fled.

The monster let out a furious, wounded screech before stumbling back into the forest, vanishing into the shadows.

Silence fell over the village.

The fight had lasted only minutes, but to Raze, it had felt like an eternity.

His tiny hands clenched.

His heart pounded.

He had never seen anything like this. The power. The sheer force of magic.

He wanted it.

He wanted all of it.

Even if fate had denied him magic—he would take it.

"I will tear my body apart if I have to. I will achieve it. No matter the cost."

For the first time in this life, his cold purple eyes burned with a new, vibrant light.

The captain of the guard finally turned to Nyx, lowering his hand."Are you well, Lady Nyx?"

Nyx barely spared him a glance."I am fine."

Raze froze.

"Wait. Why does my mom talk to the most powerful guard in the kingdom… like an equal?"

The captain's gaze softened. "If your husband were still alive, there would have been no need for us to step in."

Nyx's voice was cool. "You forget whose blood runs through their veins."

Raze's mind spun with questions.

"My father… who was he?"

The captain walked toward him.

Raze, seeing an opportunity, lifted his tiny hands.

"Come on, old man. Look at how cute I am. Teach me how to fly!"

But instead of picking him up—the captain reached for Kael.

He studied the newborn's features before murmuring, "This one… has potential. I can tell."

Nyx's eyes narrowed.

"They both do."

Raze gritted his teeth.

"I'll prove it. Just wait."

This was just the beginning.

His journey had just begun.