The President leaned back in his chair, his eyes calm yet unyielding, and allowed the silence to stretch for a moment. It was a silence that seemed to draw the chamber into itself, a pause that reminded Ren's parents of the gravity of what they were about to hear.
"The world is not as it appears to most citizens of Elaris," he began. His hands rested lightly on the desk, fingers intertwined. "There are four continents, each with its own hierarchy of power and its own guardians. The First Continent, Solara, is home to the sunlit cities, academies, and merchant empires. Magic there is regulated, bound by strict codes. Their elemental magicians are trained from birth to serve the state."
He paused to let them visualize it. His words painted the map of a living, breathing world.
"The Second Continent, Noctis, is darker, more secretive. Its practitioners specialize in forbidden arts, shadow, decay, and the manipulation of elements most would consider too dangerous to touch. Its rulers value power above morality. They have long regarded our continent with suspicion, sometimes hostility."
Ren's father swallowed hard. His fingers twitched in his lap, gripping the edge of the chair.
"The Third Continent, Ventara, floats among the skies. Islands drift in the clouds, connected by bridges of wind and mana currents. Their magicians specialize in air, lightning, and mobility magic. They rarely involve themselves in continental politics, yet their allegiance can tip the scales of war. Finally, the Fourth Continent, Terranox, is vast and untamed, a land where monsters, wild mana, and rogue magicians roam freely. Few have the strength to establish control there, and those who do are feared across all continents."
His gaze swept the room. "Each continent maintains its own balance, and the nations within each are intertwined through treaties, alliances, and rivalries. The moment a singular power rises beyond expectation, every other power notices."
Ren's mother's hands clutched one another, knuckles white. "Are you… saying our son has become one of those powers?"
The President's nod was almost imperceptible. "Yes. And worse, his awakening is not of ordinary elements. He has become a dark-elemental magician. There is no precedent in living memory for one of his caliber. Darkness is not merely an element. It is an anomaly. It unsettles nature, law, and politics alike. It draws attention from forces that do not differentiate between friend or foe."
He let the words sink. The parents felt as though the floor had dropped beneath them.
"You have seen the magnitude of his power yourself," the President continued. "You were there. You witnessed the battle, even if only partially. That display was not a spectacle, it was an alarm. Every nation, every faction, every hidden order has taken notice. If you imagine for one moment that he could remain a child under your protection, you would be mistaken."
Ren's father clenched his jaw, trying to steady himself. "So… what happens if we refuse?"
The President's eyes, calm yet unrelenting, met his. "Refusal is not a choice that will protect him. Governments and organizations do not wait for consent when they perceive a threat or an opportunity. They act according to power and probability. And your son… is now a probability that cannot be ignored."
Ren's mother pressed her lips together. "But… he's still our son."
"Yes," the President said quietly. "And you will always see him as such. But to the world, he is already more than a son. He is a force that could alter the course of continents."
He leaned forward, his voice firm. "Now you understand why I have summoned you. I will not merely contain him. I will train him. Guide him. Show him the paths of discipline, control, and purpose. In my care, he will not be a weapon, nor will he be left to chance. You must place him in the hands of a system capable of shaping power on a scale that even you cannot fathom."
Ren's father's stomach tightened. "And if we… agree?"
The President allowed a thin, almost imperceptible smile. "Then you will see him flourish. You will see him safe. He will remain your son, even as he grows into what he is destined to become. You will not regret this decision, provided you understand the stakes."
He paused, letting the room absorb the weight of his words.
"The world," he continued, voice steady and almost somber, "does not tolerate anomalies. They are destroyed, captured, or manipulated. Your son is neither weak nor ordinary. To leave him unprepared would be… catastrophic."
Ren's mother exhaled, trembling. "And you… promise to protect him?"
"I promise to train him, to guide him, and to shield him from what cannot be shielded by ordinary means. But make no mistake, protection alone is not enough. He must learn to wield his darkness, to control it, and to understand the responsibilities it carries. That is why I ask you, now: will you hand him to me?"
The question hung in the chamber like the final chord of a symphony.
Ren's father's gaze drifted to the window. The city of Elaris stretched beyond, lights twinkling faintly as evening fell. It was a city he had called home for decades. And yet, in that moment, he realized that the world outside their small sphere was far larger, far more dangerous, and far less forgiving than he had ever imagined.
He turned back to the President. His voice was low but steady. "We… understand. The world cannot be… unaware of him."
The President inclined his head once. "Good. You have already taken the first step in ensuring not only his survival but the survival of the balance itself. Tomorrow, arrangements will be made. He will join those capable of training him, and you will be kept informed, though… you must understand that there are limits to the information I can provide."
Ren's mother swallowed, nodding slowly. The weight of choice pressed on her chest, yet she felt a thread of relief. For all the uncertainty, for all the danger, her son would not be left to the chaos of the world unprepared.
The President's gaze softened for the briefest instant. "You are not surrendering your son. You are entrusting him to a path he must walk. The world has no other option for one like him. And this… is the only way forward."
The couple sat in silence, the enormity of the moment pressing in from every direction. Outside, the city of Elaris continued its life, unaware of the storm that had just begun to revolve around a young boy and the fate of nations.