Xavier Lanpar's POV
The sky was clear—cruelly beautiful—allowing sunlight to bathe the kingdom I once swore to protect with my life.
I rested my elbows on the edge of the balcony railing. The wood was cold, though not as cold as my thoughts.
From there, I watched the soldiers train relentlessly: swords slicing through the air, synchronized steps, bodies drenched in sweat and resolve.
Every strike was a premature echo of their end.
Guilt settled in my chest with unbearable weight. I knew all that effort would be pointless. I knew how this would end. I knew how their lives would be cut short.
"I see you're still deep in thought."
Luis's voice came from behind me, pulling me—just barely—from that silent abyss. He stepped beside me with a worn smile, the kind that exists purely out of habit.
"The soldiers seem more spirited than ever today," he added, nudging me lightly with his elbow.
I didn't respond right away. I brought my hands to my face and rubbed it hard, as if the gesture could ease the crushing weight inside me.
"I don't know what I'm going to do, Luis," I murmured, still hiding behind my hands. "This… this wasn't supposed to end like this."
The silence stretched on. My mind shut down, trapped in a state where even reacting felt like a monumental effort.
I always told myself that being king meant carrying everyone's suffering. That it was the price of the crown.
But the truth was simpler—and far crueler:
I couldn't bear it anymore.
"You know… when I first met your father, I saw something in him I never found in other kings," he finally said.
I felt his hand rest on my shoulder. With the other, he gently pulled my hands away from my face, forcing me back into the light.
When my eyes adjusted, I saw his expression. Though he was my father-in-law, I had always thought of him as a father.
"Your father was remarkable," he continued, offering me a sincere smile. "He possessed something I've only seen twice in my entire life."
He placed a hand over my chest before continuing.
"Purity in his actions. Something most leaders never learn."
He paused.
"And you have that too."
I clenched my fist tightly. My nails dug into my skin, leaving red marks that burned.
It was hard to carry the same name as someone who vanished from your life without a trace.
I don't blame my father for his choices. I don't even know if he's still alive.
But I do know one thing:
I cannot allow myself to be weak.
"Hey! Look, everyone! It's King Xavier!"
The shout from below cut through the air.
I lifted my gaze with determination. The metallic sound of armor echoed as the soldiers knelt before me in unison.
"It is an honor to share this battle with you," I shouted, gathering every ounce of strength I had left. "But today, I am not here as your king."
I inhaled deeply and looked up at the sky. Colorful birds soared through the blue with a freedom that was painful to witness.
"Like you, I am only mortal," I continued, letting a faint smile escape. "And that does not make me weak."
A tingling sensation ran through my right hand.
I didn't need to look to know.
The air began to swirl above my palm, condensing until it took shape. A sword was born from nothing, forged by invisible currents.
Astral magic surged through my veins.
It boiled my blood.
It reignited the fire of duty and the pride of being who I am.
"I think I'll go have a little fun," I said as I stepped forward. "I want to see how willing my brothers and sisters are to defend what's theirs."
I climbed onto the railing and jumped.
For an instant, the world stood still.
Then gravity claimed me. I landed hard. The ground trembled. Shards of rock rose beneath my feet.
"Who wants to be first?" I asked with a sharp smile.
No one hesitated.
From the sea of steel, a young man stepped forward. The hilt of his sword trembled slightly in his grasp.
His eyes were filled with fear.
And determination.
That was what shattered me. It reminded me of Kael.
This was what I meant by carrying too much weight. I still felt as though I had sold my own son for the sake of the kingdom.
I had the final word that day.
And when I looked into his eyes and realized his decision was not born of naivety, I knew he understood exactly what he was doing.
"En garde," I ordered, raising my sword.
The young man mirrored the motion and stepped forward. Our gazes met in that fleeting instant that defines an entire lifetime.
When a dry leaf fell from a tree and touched the ground, I lunged at him. The clash of our blades forced him back.
My son… I hope I made the right choice. You must grow stronger. I trust you to protect your mother and your sisters.
Kael Lanpar's POV
I felt the damp earth soak into my trousers as I struggled to keep my footing beneath the weight of Soka's sword pressing down on mine.
Sparks born from grinding metal danced through the air like impossible stars, giving our clash a beauty as dangerous as it was hypnotic.
For some reason, it felt as though this had stopped being a friendly duel.
It was a test.
A silent measure of how much I had improved over time.
My body burned. Sweat slid down my skin, but I refused to let my mind fall into desperation. I was determined to end this battle with only one man still standing.
I twisted my wrist slightly and tightened my grip on the buffalo-leather-wrapped hilt of my sword, preparing for a counterattack.
"What exactly are you planning?" Soka asked, raising an eyebrow.
In response, I offered him nothing but a sly smile.
Soka growled and tried to overpower the clash, attempting to bend my body with a brutal strike. But in his effort, he focused all his strength into a single point.
That was his mistake.
I seized the moment. I bent my knees and allowed his offensive to drive my feet even deeper into the earth.
"Looks like you're going to lose," he said confidently. "You're too naïve."
"I'm not naïve," I replied. "I'm just creative."
I felt my astral magic awaken.
My body reacted instantly. Blood surged harder through my veins, just like the cascade of mana unleashed within me.
My heart hammered against my chest when I finally acted.
"Gale Step," I whispered.
In a single motion, I vanished, leaving behind a cloud of dust that erupted where I once stood, plunging Soka into confusion.
I gathered elemental mana, and the nearby lake answered.
Gigantic masses of water rose into the air, warping as they took the shape of compressed bullets spinning at impossible speeds.
Soka had his sword embedded in the ground. Realizing he wouldn't have time to free it, he let go and braced himself to receive the attack with near-superhuman focus.
"Do you think Soka is going to lose?" Emira asked from a distance. "How is it possible that Kael has this level of control at his age?"
"It all depends on what he does next," Aiza replied, sitting atop a fallen log. "As for the rest… you'll have to ask him."
She paused, curious.
"Almost nothing is known about Kael's past."
When silence returned, I wasted no time.
With a subtle movement of my fingers, the water bullets shot forward.
The impacts shook the ground violently, ripping trees out by the roots and forcing birds to flee in an explosion of wings and cries.
Everything was unfolding exactly as planned.
I sheathed my sword and crouched down, plunging my hand into the soil. The earth answered my call, raising massive walls that began to close in around Soka.
"I can't lose…" I whispered.
The breeze caressed my skin like a lullaby. My breathing steadied.
This was the final moment.
The sweet scent of flowers filled my lungs, and when I was ready, sparks of electricity burst from my palms with a thunderous crack that sent chills across my skin.
Soka's eyes widened when, in the blink of an eye, I appeared right in front of him, leaving behind a cloud of dust that clouded his vision.
I slowly raised my fist, gathering all my strength.
This time, I wouldn't fail.
Or so I thought.
Before I could react, I felt Soka's hand clamp around my wrist. I didn't have time to think.
The world spun, and suddenly I was slammed into the ground, kissing the cold mud.
"For a moment… I thought I was going to lose," he said between heavy breaths.
With my face buried in the dirt, I heard his voice before he let go.
I turned with effort, ending up on my back. Tears of frustration streamed down my cheeks before I could stop them.
"Don't feel bad, kid."
Aiza's face appeared above me, a hand extended.
I took it without hesitation, only to end up sitting with my knees pulled to my chest.
"You fought really well, Kael," she said, rubbing my head with unexpected affection. "For someone at Ranked level, you were just one step away from defeating a superior mage."
"That just means I'm still not strong enough to be considered a Roamer," I murmured weakly, my gaze fixed on the ground.
I felt Aiza take my chin and force me to lift my head.
Her smile was enormous.
And then she burst out laughing.
"Actually, you already are a Roamer," she said between laughs. "You were at a clear disadvantage in that fight."
I blinked, confused.
"Kael, you're still a child," she continued, her tone now more serious, "but even so, you stood your ground against someone who isn't like the others."
Her words pierced straight through me.
I didn't understand what she meant, but I felt something stir in my chest.
I placed a hand on my knee and pushed myself up with effort, curiosity throbbing like an open wound.
"W-what… what did you just say?" I asked, scratching my head, unable to hide my shock.
"That idiot has an insignia," Emira spat, grabbing Soka by the collar. "Something that completely sets him apart from ordinary mages… something that makes him someone to fear."
"That's not how it is, little Brother."
Emira's gaze sharpened even further. Soka couldn't bear to hold it; he lowered his head in visible irritation, as if the silence weighed on him more than any insult ever could.
I, on the other hand, still didn't fully understand what they meant by that insignia.
No matter how deeply I searched my memory, I couldn't recall reading anything like it in the royal libraries of either castle.
It was as if that knowledge had been torn from history itself.
I stepped forward until I stood before the two siblings. They flinched slightly when they saw my face.
My dull eyes showed no emotion, and my lips remained still. Yet in Emira's pupils, something akin to concern was reflected… a concern even I couldn't quite understand.
"How could I have an insignia?" I asked, my voice as steady as I could manage.
I didn't know if it was because my tone still sounded childish, or because my attempt to appear mature was simply pathetic.
I only saw them both burst into uncontrolled laughter, and helplessness tightened around my chest.
I felt a faint sting on my lips—an involuntary, bitter smile.
"Do you really think an insignia is something you can get just by asking?" Soka said, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes.
"Kael would have to be born a couple more times just to get close to one," he added, this time seriously.
I stood still, chewing on his words, until I finally understood what they meant.
"His break is over," Aiza ordered, turning away. "Hurry up. The sun is about to set."
Without arguing, the siblings walked toward her, one on each side, regaining their composure as if nothing had happened.
It was harder for me to follow. I didn't want to.
But even so, I forced my legs to move—one step… then another.
"Congratulations, boy. It seems you've grown stronger."
Vastiar's voice echoed inside my mind, pulling me from my thoughts.
I didn't answer right away. I simply listened to the crunch of dry leaves beneath my feet, searching for strength where little remained.
"I know how you feel, Kael," his voice returned, distant and close at the same time. "You don't have to say anything. Just accept your progress."
I let out a heavy sigh and nodded in silence. I knew I wasn't in a state to think clearly.
After walking for a long while, surrounded by the muted songs of birds and the whisper of the breeze, we reached a devastated place.
I froze.
Large sections of the forest were gone. Trees ripped out by the roots lay scattered across the ground, as if a precise and merciless force had torn them away without effort.
"What are you supposed to be doing here?" Zeitra said.
My blood ran cold as I realized he was responsible for the destruction.
From where I stood, I could see steam rising from his body.
It was unsettling to see the bare torso of someone so young covered in scars… marks that did not belong to a normal life.
Still stunned, I flinched when I felt a hand rest on my shoulder. I turned quickly and found Aiza's serious expression staring back at me.
"You say you want to have an insignia…"
She paused, letting out a strained breath before continuing.
"Those who are born with abilities beyond the ordinary are called monsters, madmen, demons. Beings that do not belong in this world."
My eyes widened as I saw her jaw tremble under the pressure she was holding—as if she were containing a hatred long buried and barely restrained.
I felt curious, but I didn't ask. Some truths are not meant to be forced.
When the entire squad had gathered, we set out immediately toward the heart of Astas.
As we crossed the massive gates of white gold, the chaos became undeniable. Soldiers rushed past with steady hands gripping their weapons, as if something invisible were about to descend upon us.
Even the usually indifferent, drunken adventurers were organizing their squads, faces tense and eyes heavy with fear.
"What's going on?" Soka asked.
"Pay no attention to it," Aiza replied with an unsettling seriousness. "Focus on the mission."
"Today is our first adventure as a group. We cannot fail."
She approached the mission envoy while the others spoke among themselves.
I turned once more, watching the disorder continue to swell.
A bad feeling burned in my chest, like an open wound that refused to close.
Through the haze, I heard the magical loudspeakers embedded in the walls come to life.
A female voice rose… and confirmed the inevitable.
Attention to all adventurer teams.
Our kingdom, along with those of other races, is facing an as-yet-unidentified threat. All available teams are to return to their respective capitals until further notice.
Armonios and Kronos divisions, report to your assigned posts.
If you can fight, then fight.
Defend your families… and die for the cause of protecting life.
For glory.
For Mayora.