Chapter 18 – The First Heir
The forest was silent that night.
No owls hooted, no insects chirped.
It was as if the world itself held its breath, waiting for an event that would alter the fate of the elves.
Inside the wooden pavilion at the heart of the settlement, Sylwen lay upon a long bed. Her face was pale, her black hair clung to her cheeks, soaked with sweat. Her breaths came ragged, her body trembling with each wave of pain.
Healers surrounded her, preparing herbal mixtures, hot water, and protective wards.
At the corner of the chamber, Queen Serenea sat tall on her carved chair. Her expression was stern, commanding, yet the tension in her clenched fists betrayed her unease.
Valdyn stood beside the bed, holding Sylwen's hand tight. His emerald eyes shone with tension, but his body remained steady. He knew: this night was not just about birth. It was the test of the Thalorian bloodline.
---
"Breathe deeply… exhale… once more!"
The eldest healer instructed, though his own voice wavered.
Sylwen gritted her teeth, her face contorted, sweat dripping down her temples.
"Valdyn…"
"I'm here," he whispered, lowering his head closer. "You're strong. The ancestors are with us."
[System Notice: Passive Skill 'Reproduction' Activated]
[Effect: Multi-Birth Confirmed]
Number of births: 2 (determined by the purity of the mother's blood).
Valdyn's eyes flickered. Two…? His heart pounded. Elves had never birthed twins—not in any recorded history.
A piercing scream shattered the silence.
Moments later, a newborn's cry filled the chamber.
"A boy!" one healer exclaimed, raising a small child with wet black hair. His lungs were strong, his voice loud.
Tears welled in Sylwen's eyes. Valdyn felt his chest tighten, something deep and primal stirring within him. Kaelen… The name rose in his mind, whispered from the depths of his blood.
But the moment did not end there.
"Wait… there's another!" the healer shouted.
Chaos rippled through the room. Sylwen screamed again, her body convulsing in another surge of agony.
Minutes later, another cry rang out—softer, but no less real.
"A girl!"
The healer lifted a tiny infant, her hair silver like moonlight, her cry delicate yet clear.
The chamber fell into stunned silence.
Even Queen Serenea rose from her chair, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"Two…? Elves… giving birth to twins?"
---
Valdyn stared at the two infants, his heart trembling with awe and recognition.
The healers muttered among themselves, shaken, some even kneeling in reverence.
Queen Serenea stepped forward, her robe whispering across the floor. She fixed her gaze on Valdyn.
"Is this also… the whisper of the ancestors?"
Valdyn's expression steadied. "Yes. They revealed to me that my blood would break the old limits of our race. This… is the proof."
The Queen's eyes narrowed, then softened with a strange mixture of fear and hope.
"Perhaps the prophecy is true… The golden-haired child will restore the elves. And now, he has sired twin heirs."
---
The system's cold voice etched into Valdyn's mind:
[DING! Quest Complete: First Heir.]
Reward:
+25 Magic
+25 Vitality
[Children Registered:]
Kaelen Thalorian (Male)
Age: 0 (Expected Lifespan: 420 years)
Attack: 5
Vitality: 10
Magic: 12
Intelligence: 9
Endurance: 6
Magic Resistance: 7
Affinity: Nature + Forest
Talent: Keen Sight (B), Mana Sensitivity (B)
Occupation: None
Lyraine Thalorian (Female)
Age: 0 (Expected Lifespan: 380 years)
Attack: 4
Vitality: 8
Magic: 14
Intelligence: 11
Endurance: 5
Magic Resistance: 6
Affinity: Nature + Forest
Talent: Grace of Light (A), Keen Instinct (B)
Occupation: None
[Bloodline Effect Activated]
– Lifespan gained: ¼ × 420 = +105 (Kaelen)
– Lifespan gained: ¼ × 380 = +95 (Lyraine)
Total Lifespan Added: +200 years
---
Updated Status
Name: Valdyn Thalorian
Age: 17 (920)
Attack: 120
Vitality: 190 → 215 (+25)
Magic: 260 → 285 (+25)
Intelligence: 180
Endurance: 110
Magic Resistance: 130
Occupation: Arcane Archer
Passive Skills:
Reproduction (S)
Nature Magic (A)
Forest Affinity (B) (from Sylwen)
Keen Sight (B) (from Sylwen)
Active Skills:
Windpiercing Arrow
Flameburst Shot
Stonebind
Triple Volley
---
Valdyn reached out, pressing a finger gently to Kaelen's brow, then to Lyraine's.
A warm current surged through him, the undeniable resonance of shared blood.
His throat tightened, though his voice stayed firm.
"From this moment, I swear—I will protect them. And with every child born, our people will rise again."
Sylwen, exhausted but smiling faintly, cradled the twins against her chest. Her silver eyes shimmered with tears. "They are your future… our future."
---
News of the twin birth spread swiftly through the settlement.
Elders gathered outside the pavilion, their voices hushed yet urgent.
"If this bloodline truly breaks the old laws, then it cannot be left unchecked. Political marriage must be arranged—immediately."
Inside, Valdyn sat beside Sylwen, his eyes fixed on the fragile forms of Kaelen and Lyraine.
But in his emerald gaze, a fire far greater blazed—burning not just for his children, but for the destiny of an entire race.
This is only the beginning.
---
For the first time in recorded elven history, twins were born.
The impossible had become real.
Valdyn was no longer just a prince.
He was now the father of heirs—the foundation of the elves' revival.
#wanD48