Like any other day, it was time for dinner. The family was small , just the father, the mother, and their only son. But despite being small in number, they were wealthy. Wherever Sylas went, he was treated with respect.
As the sole heir of the Morvain family, prestigious schools begged him to join them. His peers admired him, and at just ten years old Sylas already believed that the world was his to take.
Cars, private jets, you name it ,Sylas had been in them all, and probably owned them too.
"Son…" His father's voice broke the calm as the family of three dined together.
Sylas lifted his eyes while chewing his food.
Around them, maids attended to their needs. This mansion had almost one hundred maids to attend to the family and outside its walls Primoris users though weaker ones were stationed to protect the family.
In this world, possessing a Primoris meant you had evolved—become something more than human.
"There are some things I have to tell you…" his father began, his voice deep and commanding. Even the maids straightened their postures.
On the table were dishes that carried mouthwatering scents, as though the best chefs had been summoned to prepare a royal feast. Sylas was already used to such luxuries.
His parents were striking. His father, muscular with a sharp chin and piercing eyes. His mother, with her porcelain skin, oval face, and a smile that could melt hearts. Surely Sylas would grow into a handsome man.
For Sylas, it was rare for his father to speak to him like this. He sensed the weight of the moment and carefully set down his cutlery, sitting up straighter.
His father rested his chin on folded arms, his gaze fixed directly on Sylas.
For a moment, Sylas felt a crushing pressure descend upon him. The already silent mansion grew unnaturally quiet. Lightning flashed, thunder roared, and the boy's focus slipped from the delicious aromas to the suffocating tension.
"Fa…father…" Sylas muttered, his heart skipping a beat.
It lasted only seconds before his father burst into laughter, joined by his mother.
Sylas' face flushed crimson. He had been deceived again. How could he fall for the same trick over and over?
"Mom, now you're joining Dad too?" Sylas asked, glaring at his mother with mock resentment.
She laughed softly and winked at him. He shook his head helplessly.
"Rascal, can't take a joke, huh?" his father chuckled, cutting a neat slice of meat and putting it into his mouth.
Some of the maids stifled giggles, though even they knew better than to forget their place.
Sylas pouted, but inside he was relieved. He had thought he was in trouble, only to realize it was another of his father's tricks.
"Baby, don't mind your father. I'm sorry for the joke. Come here, cutie." His mother opened her arms. Sylas narrowed his eyes but gave in, hugging her.
As they embraced, Aria's smile faltered. She glanced at her husband with a frown, but Darian looked away.
Dinner passed quickly, and soon Sylas was laid in bed, drifting into sleep.
Everything seemed calm and perfect in the mansion. But inside his parents' room, it was anything but.
"Why didn't you tell him?" Aria demanded, her voice rising.
A deep sigh was her answer. Darian walked to the window, staring at the moon climbing toward its peak. The closer it drew to the center of the sky, the heavier his heart became.
"Tell him, Aria? Did you see how fragile that boy was? We spoiled him too much," Darian said, shaking his head.
"He's our son, the only one we have. We can spoil him all we want, but he deserves the truth," Aria argued.
"The truth?" Darian spun around. "Do you want me to tell him that his parents are going to die tonight at midnight?"
"Yes," Aria replied firmly.
"Oh? Should I also tell him the reason why we're dying?" Darian shot back. Aria froze.
Her silence only deepened his frustration.
"I know your plan, Aria. You want him to hate them and seek revenge. But what can he do? Even with all our wealth, we could only hire weak Primoris users. Without awakening one himself, our boy is nothing but a bug in their eyes."
"I know," Aria whispered, sitting on the bed, the cushion bouncing slightly beneath her. "But I don't want to die like this. And what about what we gave him? Sylas might actually become a Primoris user."
"Might, Aria. Might. No one knows if it will work. But even if it does, I don't want my son growing up with hatred and anger festering in his heart. That's why I've already prepared a place for him. After we're gone, an old friend of mine will take care of him," Darian said, sitting beside her.
The two locked eyes. Though their methods differed, they understood one another.
But their quiet moment shattered with a scream.
"AAARGH!"
A flash of purple light lit up the night. Darian's heart skipped a beat.
"They're here," he whispered. Aria clutched him tightly.
*********
Meanwhile, in Sylas' room…
On his bed, his body jerked as though trapped in a nightmare.
"Mom…"
Sylas' eyes snapped open. He sat up, drenched in sweat, gasping for breath. His vision blurred as he stumbled to his feet. A thick metallic scent hit his nose — familiar, yet dreadful.
His body trembled. The scent was everywhere, suffocating. Blood.
Panic gripped Sylas as he bolted down the hall toward his parents' room.
"Mom! Dad!" he called, but no one answered.
The mansion, usually filled with the footsteps and chatter of a hundred maids, was silent. Too silent. Eerily silent.
His heart pounded faster with every step. Finally, he stood before his parents' door.
His hand trembled as it reached for the knob. The pounding of his heartbeat was all he could hear.
He gulped and turned it slowly.
Click.
The door wasn't open wide, yet the stench of blood was already thick, invading his nostrils.
What his eyes saw was far worse.
His parents lay motionless on the floor, their bodies drenched in their own blood.
Sylas froze.
His mind drifted somewhere far away, his body refusing to move as he stared—first at the lifeless forms of his parents, then at the three figures responsible.
Among them, one stood out. The leader.
The being noticed Sylas and suddenly laughed.
"Kid… I killed your parents," he said, crouching down so Sylas could see his face clearly.
"Remember this face, and come find me in the future. By then, you'll know who your parents truly were."
And just like that, the three figures vanished—gone as if they had never been there.
Only his parents' bodies remained.
"Mom…"
"Dad!!!"
Sylas screamed, collapsing to the ground before darkness claimed him.
************
Outside, three figures stood together. One of them turned to their leader and asked,
"Why did you reveal your face to the boy?"
The second, standing on the right, nodded in agreement and added,
"Not only that… but you told him to come find you in the future? Why?" he asked, puzzled.
The leader chuckled softly, his gaze shifting between the two.
"Some things are better left unspoken. But that boy…" his eyes narrowed, a faint smile curling his lips, "he's a valuable pawn for the High Fathers."
The moment those words left his mouth, the other two froze. Just hearing the name High Fathers sent a shiver down their spines, stripping away any will to ask further questions.
"Good… grow quickly, boy. I can't wait to see what you become," the leader thought with a low laugh as he and his group vanished into the night once more.
**********************************************************