There was no more darkness…
but something deeper than darkness.
A dense stillness pressed on the air itself, making every breath feel heavy, as if space had shrunk around the stone palace of the Shattered Star Clan.
Just moments ago…
light had bent.
Space had cracked.
And that black hole appeared in the sky — not spinning, not devouring… only watching.
Then it vanished.
But its trace remained.
Inside the birth hall, no one dared to speak.
Even heartbeats could be heard clearly.
The ancestors — those who had never bowed to any force — stood in silence, their ancient eyes fixed on the stone cradle.
There…
Ares lay.
A newborn who did not scream.
Did not cry.
Did not move randomly like any infant.
He was looking.
Two small eyes… but within them was an unnatural depth, as if they did not reflect the world — but swallowed it.
At that moment…
a voice rang inside his awareness.
"Birth process complete."
"Host integration with the remnants of the black hole source complete."
"Warning: surrounding entities are emitting unknown energy signals… estimation: unmeasurable danger."
He did not understand the words.
But something inside him… understood the meaning.
The system continued:
"Unknown language… analyzing."
"Attempting decryption…"
"Attempting decryption…"
A tall man approached the cradle.
His steps were steady, but they carried the weight of a commander used to moving armies with a signal of his hand.
It was Ares's father.
When he lifted the child, his body did not tremble… but his eyes trembled for a moment.
He whispered in a low voice, rarely heard from him:
— So… you are the one who tore the sky.
The mother stepped closer. Her features were still pale from childbirth, but in her eyes burned something older than pain — the instinct of a mother who knows her child is not like the others.
She asked with quiet tension:
— Is… it over?
One of the ancestors answered, his voice rough like ancient stone:
— Nothing ends after an appearance like this… things only begin.
Silence returned.
Then the father suddenly said:
— Now that we are assured of the newborn's health… we must leave immediately.
His wife turned toward him slowly.
It was not anger…
but a wound.
— Leave?… I have not stayed with him even for a minute.
The father sighed, as if the decision was heavier than his pride allowed him to show.
— You know what happened will not pass without a response. If we delay… we may bring danger to him.
She looked at the child.
Her fingers trembled before touching his forehead.
— What danger… could be greater than a mother leaving her child after birth?
For a moment…
the father found no answer.
He stepped closer and placed his hand on her shoulder.
— We will return. I swear it.
One of the ancestors intervened, his eyes shining with a strange glimmer:
— This child… will not be alone even if the whole world leaves him.
The mother bent down, kissed Ares's forehead, and whispered:
— Forgive me, little one… your mother will return before you even learn how to cry.
Ares only… looked at her.
With frightening calm.
"Decryption: 3%…"
Before the atmosphere could settle…
the ground trembled.
Many footsteps approached.
The hall doors burst open, and a group from the clan's elite entered.
But the moment their eyes fell on the ancestors…
they froze.
Then they bowed deeply.
— Greetings to the ancestors!
One of them stepped forward, sweat shining on his forehead despite his obvious strength.
— We did not know you were here… may we ask… were you the cause of the phenomenon that split the sky?
The eldest ancestor answered without hesitation:
— Yes.
One word…
but it fell like thunder.
The men's breathing rose.
The ancestor continued:
— We will depart shortly. This newborn… is under your protection now.
They exchanged glances.
Then one of them asked in a nearly choked voice:
— A newborn… whose child?
The father said with deadly calm:
— My son.
At that moment…
the men felt as if gravity had doubled.
One of them swallowed.
— Congratulations… young lord…
But the father showed no pride.
He only said:
— Inform the ancestors and the patriarchs… to take good care of him.
The mother added, despite her exhaustion:
— And my clan will come as well. This child… will not belong to one bloodline alone.
Suddenly…
the crowd parted.
A middle-aged man entered, his presence alone enough to force the strong to step back.
He bowed first to the ancestors.
Then to the father.
— I hope I am not late.
The father looked at him for a long moment…
then handed Ares to him.
A rare moment.
A moment of absolute trust.
He said:
— I place in your hands the most precious thing I possess.
The man replied without hesitation:
— Until my last breath… no harm will touch him.
Then…
the ancestor raised his hand.
Space cracked.
Not metaphorically…
literally.
The air tore like fabric, and a massive gate appeared, inside it spirals of dark light that the eye could not comprehend.
The ground knelt under its pressure.
Before crossing…
the father turned one last time.
A brief look.
But it carried the promise of an entire war.
Then they disappeared into the gate.
And it closed…
as if it had never existed.
Silence returned.
But this time…
it was not the silence of peace.
It was the silence of waiting.
The man holding Ares looked at the child…
And for the first time in his life…
he felt fear.
As for Ares…
He looked at the sky.
"Decryption: 9%…"
"Beginning perception synchronization…"
The void was reflected in his eyes…
As if the black hole had never vanished.
It had only moved…
inside him.