Kael and Zephyros sat side by side in the carriage, leaving behind the majestic scenery of the Eastern Kingdom as they headed toward the quiet village of Kael's childhood. The creaking of the wheels mingled with the clamor of questions in Kael's mind.
"Uncle," Kael said, breaking the silence. "What exactly was that spell you used while fighting the demon? I've never seen power like that before."
Zephyros smiled faintly from beneath his bandages. "That is my signature spell, kid. You could call it a dangerous combination of 'Wind Overdrive' and the Art of Wind."
Kael's eyes sparkled. "Master Pyros told me about signature spells, but I've never heard of the 'Art of Wind' from him."
Zephyros nodded wisely. "Every spell has its own unique Art, Kael. These arts are mostly passed down through bloodlines—inherited by lineage. The Krowell family is an ancient house that has passed down the noble Art of Wind for generations."
"Krowell..." Kael was hearing the name for the first time. "Is that our surname? My mother never mentioned it to me."
The smile on Zephyros's face faded slightly. He let out a sigh. "When Nerya left her family, she chose to leave behind her past, her name, and all her memories. You'll have to ask her yourself why she made such a decision, lad."
Knowing his uncle didn't like prying into these matters, Kael didn't press further. But his curiosity wasn't sated. "But the Art of Wind... it seems to take a heavy toll on the body. Why use such a dangerous technique?"
"It wasn't the Art of Wind that damaged my body; it was my signature spell, Wind Overdrive," Zephyros explained. "Look, Kael, we both produce mana and gather it from our surroundings. However, the human body sets an automatic mana limit to protect itself. Just as our bodies develop defense mechanisms against bacteria when we're sick, they also limit the mana intake to prevent us from burning out from an overload. My spell, however, is a technique that forcibly shoves the surrounding mana into the body. This allows me to briefly surpass my natural limits and cast far more powerful spells."
He took a deep breath and added, "Normally, a single use wouldn't put such a strain on the body. But our opponent wasn't an ordinary enemy. I had to triple the limit; naturally, my body couldn't hold out."
The puzzle pieces in Kael's mind were falling into place. "Master Pyros never mentioned these dangerous techniques to me."
"I suppose Pyros only taught you what was safe," Zephyros said, his tone turning serious. "The road is long; since you want to learn, let me tell you about Forbidden Magic. Listen well, Kael... In our world, there are unbreakable laws of nature like life, death, and time. Every living being must submit to this cycle. There are beings responsible for these powers—we call them 'Deities'; in short, you can call them Gods. It is said that before the world existed, these prohibitions were established by them to maintain balance. This means if you attempt to resurrect someone with forbidden magic, the deity responsible for that power will find and punish you."
Kael stood frozen at these words. "Uncle... you're not joking, are you? Are there really such powerful beings, actual Gods, in this world?"
"The universe is much larger than you think, Kael. What you've seen is just the tip of the iceberg. Even the demon we fought was a small part of this balance. In short, if you cast a spell that affects space-time, life, or death, you will face divine retribution. You have a right to know these things because the foundations of all the magic we use were brought to our world by them. But do not ever try to research or use forbidden magic."
"And you... have you ever seen a deity?"
Zephyros laughed, but this time his laughter was somewhat timid. "Ha ha! I hope I never do. I don't think a human could remain standing before a deity. While we humans have only seen up to 10 Magic Circles, they are said to possess thousands."
Kael shivered as he looked out the window. "They sound terrifying."
"As long as we don't upset the balance of the universe, we have nothing to fear," Zephyros said as the carriage approached the village.
At the end of the long journey, the carriage stopped in front of Nerya's house. As soon as Kael stepped down, he found his mother standing before him. Nerya hugged her son so tightly it was as if she would never let him go again.
"My son! Are you okay? Did anything happen to you? I haven't slept a wink for days out of worry!"
"Mother, I'm fine, really. I'm sorry for worrying you," Kael said sheepishly.
Nerya was about to say, "Zephyros had entrusted you to—" but she stopped. Her breath caught as she saw her brother stepping out of the carriage, his body covered in bandages, moving with great difficulty. "Brother? You... what is this state you're in?"
Terror gripped Nerya. She knew how powerful Zephyros was as a 7th Circle Mage. What kind of monster could have wounded him this severely?
"Let's go inside," Nerya said in a trembling voice. "Don't stay out here."
Once seated at the table, Nerya served them fresh herbal tea. As Kael inhaled the aroma, he thought, My mother's tea... how I've missed this scent over the past year.
"Zephyros," Nerya said earnestly. "Are you going to tell me what happened?"
Zephyros gave a teasing smile. "Calm down, Nerya. We just arrived. Let me enjoy the tea for a moment."
"Mother," Kael interrupted. "It was a demon that attacked us. I don't know how he found me or how he knows me, but they knew my father. I have questions for you too... Do you know the name Abaddon?"
The room suddenly turned ice cold. The cup in Nerya's hand trembled slightly; the color drained from her face. "Wh-where did you hear that name?"
"The demons who attacked us called me 'the son of Lord Abaddon'."
Nerya looked as if she had seen a ghost, as if the dark shadow she had been fleeing for years had finally caught up to her. Zephyros set his cup on the table and stood up. "Nerya, Kael isn't a child anymore. He's nearly a grown man. I don't want to interfere in family matters, but don't keep secrets from him any longer. I'm going to go get some fresh village air; I don't visit these parts often, after all. You two talk, mother and son."
When Zephyros stepped outside, a heavy silence dominated the room. Kael took his mother's hands. "Mother, if you don't want to talk, I understand. We all have secrets we want to keep."
Nerya took Kael's face in her palms, her eyes filling with tears. "Oh, my son... how much you've grown. The days you were crawling are still so fresh in my mind. I wish we could have continued living a quiet life like those days... But the time has come. I will tell you everything about your father and our family. No more secrets."