Chapter 8: I am Proud of You.
The night had a strange, heavy silence to it. In the village of Aldia, on the quiet edge of town, there stood a house missing its roof. The roof was completely gone, blown apart.
Jonathan stood in the middle of the garden, arms crossed tightly over his chest. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts he could barely sort through.
The images from last night played over and over behind his eyes: his son floating in the air, the room destroyed around him, the blinding light, the explosion, and finally, that sharp gust of wind from Aiden's small hand.
He had seen many things in his life as a mage—battles, magical beasts, storms of pure energy, and the incredible things mana could do.
But he had never heard of, never read about, never even imagined a child creating a Mana Heart at seven years old. It was supposed to be impossible. A firm law of nature that no one had ever broken.
And yet… Aiden had done it.
Jonathan's brow was deeply furrowed. *How is this even possible?*
Aiden was only seven. Children that young didn't have stable mana pathways. Their bodies weren't ready. The youngest prodigy ever recorded in any kingdom's history was twelve.
But his son had just conjured a wind spell. That was proof. Solid, undeniable proof. Jonathan's fingers twitched as he remembered the clean, sharp *crack* of the training dummy splitting. The wind hadn't been wild or messy. It was focused. Controlled. Like the spell of someone who had been practicing for years.
For a moment, he wondered if he was trapped in some powerful illusion. But that thought died quickly. As a Stage Four dual-element mage of Fire and Water, his spiritual senses were strong. It would take an Illusion Mage of Stage Five to fool him, and there was no one like that in this quiet, countryside village.
No. This was real. His son was truly a mana cultivator.
After several long minutes of silent thinking, Jonathan let out a deep, slow breath. He turned to look at Aiden, who was standing quietly before him. The boy had his small hands clasped together, and his eyes still shone with the wonder of what he had just done.
"You really have become a mana cultivator," Jonathan finally said, his voice low but steady.
Aiden nodded. "Yes, Dad. I can feel it—the mana flowing from my heart through my veins. It moves with my breathing, just like the book said. And I can feel its color. It's… light green."
Jonathan's expression softened just a little. *Light green. So it really is a Mana Heart.*
He gave a small nod. "Alright. Starting tomorrow, I'll begin teaching you about the stages of cultivation and the different elements a mage can use."
He turned toward Sara. She still hadn't moved from her spot. Her face was pale, frozen in disbelief. Her silver hair shimmered faintly in the moonlight, as if it, too, was trembling.
Jonathan reached out and tapped her shoulder gently, pulling her from her daze. "Sara," he said softly. "Our son really has become a mana cultivator."
Sara blinked, her eyes slowly focusing on his face. When she spoke, her voice was full of confusion. "But… how is that possible? No one under twelve has ever formed a Mana Heart. It's not supposed to be possible."
Jonathan met her gaze, calm but firm. "I know. But we can't deny what's right in front of us. Our son has done the impossible. What we saw was real." He looked back at Aiden, who stood with his head slightly bowed, unaware of the storm of awe and fear he had caused in his parents' hearts.
Jonathan sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Alright. Let's fix the house before any of the villagers notice. We'll talk more about all of this in the morning."
They sent Aiden to their own bedroom to get some rest. As soon as he was gone, Jonathan and Sara got to work.
With a wave of Jonathan's hand, streams of clear, cool water flowed through the air. They washed over the scorched walls and floor, cleaning away the soot and ash. Sara followed, her hands glowing with a soft, white light.
Thin, glowing threads of light extended from her fingers. She used them like invisible hands, carefully guiding broken pieces of wood back into place.
She then used her healing magic on the house itself, mending the burnt wood until it was smooth and whole again, as if it had never been damaged.
By the time they finished, the moon was beginning to sink behind the dark line of the forest. A deep silence had returned to Aldia Village.
And so, the night passed.
Morning arrived, soft and golden.
Aiden woke up to sunlight streaming through his window. He blinked and sat up. The memories of last night flickered in his mind, feeling distant, like the end of a dream. For a second, he wondered if it had all been a dream.
Then he placed a hand on his chest.
He felt it. That steady, gentle pulse. The warm flow of mana moves quietly through his body.
He smiled a small, private smile. *It's real.*
He got out of bed, stretched his arms and legs, and walked to the window. His eyes widened in surprise. His house was completely fixed. The walls were smooth. The roof was whole.
There was not a single mark or burn to show what had happened. What surprised him even more was the quiet outside. No villagers were gathered around, pointing and whispering. No one had come to ask about the loud explosion. It was as if the entire event had never happened.
Aiden frowned. *That's strange… such a loud noise, and no one noticed?* He shook his head. *Maybe Mom and Dad did something to keep it a secret.*
He got dressed, washed his face, and walked to the kitchen.
Sara was already there, her back to him as she stood by the stove. The air was filled with the wonderful smell of freshly baked bread and frying eggs. Her silver hair was tied up neatly, and her simple white dress swayed lightly as she moved.
"Good morning, Mom," Aiden said softly.
Sara turned. Her face lit up the moment she saw him. "Good morning, dear. Come, sit down. Breakfast is ready."
Aiden smiled and sat at the wooden table. Sara placed the food in front of him—warm bread with butter, a bowl of savory stew, and a small clay jug of fresh milk. The quiet clinking of spoons and plates was the only sound as they began to eat.
After a few moments, Sara glanced at him. "Are you feeling alright?" she asked gently.
Aiden nodded. "Yes, Mom. I'm fine." Then, after a short pause, he looked down at his bowl. His voice was quiet. "I'm sorry, Mom… for putting you and Dad in danger last night. I didn't mean to. I just… wanted to be strong. Like you."
Sara stopped eating. Her hand, holding a piece of bread, froze halfway to her mouth. She sighed softly and put the bread down. "Dear, you don't have to apologize," she said, her voice warm. "It was our fault, in a way, for showing you our magic so openly. Children your age are naturally curious. I should have known you'd want to learn."
Her expression softened into a gentle smile. "I was scared and angry last night, but now… I'm really proud. You've done something no one has ever done. You've become the youngest mana cultivator in all of history. That's not something to be sorry for, Aiden. It's something truly amazing."
Aiden's eyes brightened as he listened. "So… you're not angry anymore?"
Sara chuckled softly and shook her head. "No, dear. I don't think I can stay angry with you."
Aiden grinned. "Thank you, Mom. I'll make you even prouder."
They ate in peaceful quiet for a while. Then Aiden tilted his head. "Mom, where's Dad? He didn't come for breakfast. Is he… still upset with me?"
Sara's smile grew, her eyes full of affection. "No, dear. Your father isn't upset at all. In fact, he's even prouder than I am. He spent half the night bragging about how his son became a cultivator so young."
Aiden felt a jolt of surprise. "Really?"
"Really," Sara said, her smile widening. "He left early this morning, long before sunrise. He went to the capital—to Elfis—to get a special instrument. It's called an affinity meter. He wants to test and see what other elements you might have, besides wind."
Aiden blinked, stunned. "Dad went to the capital… for me?"
Sara nodded. "Yes. He was so excited he couldn't wait for dawn. As soon as we finished fixing the house, he packed a small bag and left."
Aiden was speechless for a moment. "Dad was… that happy?"
Sara's voice was gentle. "He might act tough most of the time, but when it comes to his family, he can't hide how he feels." Aiden had pretended to be a child for his parents' sake.
The morning passed slowly and peacefully after that. For the rest of the day, Sara taught Aiden basic things about how mana flows in the body, about the geography of the different kingdoms, and some of the old stories about where Mana Hearts came from. Aiden listened with bright, curious eyes, soaking up every word.
When evening came, he helped his mother prepare dinner. He chopped vegetables clumsily but with great effort, while Sara guided his hands with patience and soft laughter.
They ate together under the warm, golden light of the oil lamp. For the first time in what felt like a very long time, the house was filled with a quiet, deep happiness.
That night, when Aiden went to his room, he sat by the window for a long time. He looked up at the stars scattered across the dark sky like tiny diamonds. He placed a hand on his chest, over the steady, faint pulse.
*Light green,* he thought again. *A Mana Heart… but why couldn't Mom sense it?*
He frowned slightly, but soon his eyelids began to feel heavy. He didn't practice that night. He didn't meditate or pull in mana. He simply lay down in his bed, listening to the soft sound of the night breeze rustling the leaves outside his window.
And as he drifted into sleep, a very faint, almost silent heartbeat seemed to echo in the room. It was steady and rhythmic. But it wasn't coming from his own chest.
It pulsed from somewhere deeper.
Somewhere far below the house.
Somewhere underground.
Author's Note: The strange heartbeat echoes inside Aiden's room, but no one can detect or hear it. Give a guess in the comment about what that heartbeat is.