As soon as Aratha named both Ashora and Ikshita , the royal court erupted into thunderous applause. Ministers and nobles offered their congratulations to the royal family and the army commander. But amid the celebration, a murmur began to rise among the ranks of the nobility.
"Now who will be the next king or empress?" one whispered.
"Perhaps they'll try to kill each other for the throne," another muttered darkly.
Aratha sat in silence, his expression unreadable, until the weight of their words could no longer be borne. Rising to his full height, his voice thundered through the court.
"The Meaders bloodline is not so feeble that the heirs of this kingdom must kill each other for power!" His tone carried authority that shook the very marble of the palace floor. "They will work together. And together, they will make this kingdom great—regardless of who wears the crown."
His piercing gaze swept across the hall, silencing every whisper. "Both will become powerful Awakeners. And who knows what blessings await them in the Sacred Ceremony."
Just then, a small voice rose above the silence.
"Yes! Grandmaster is right. I will be with my brother forever," said three-year-old Leona.
Aratha's expression softened as he knelt to her level. His voice, though gentle, still carried the strength of command. "Yes, little one. You both will be great rulers one day. But above all, you must protect each other from every danger that may come."
Leona nodded firmly, her golden eyes bright with resolve. "I promise you there will be no battle for the throne. We'll both do our best, and in the end, the one who is truly capable will be the next ruler."
Those present were stunned. It was hard to believe such clarity and conviction could come from a child so young.
Leona blinked away her tears and broke into a radiant smile. "I promise you, Grandmaster," she said again, her voice small but resolute.
As her words faded into silence, the air around her began to shimmer.
A crimson aura unfurled from her tiny frame, swirling like living flame. Behind her, a glowing red lotus materialized—its petals vibrant, pulsating with power. The earth beneath her feet trembled, rising to encase her in a cocoon of stone and light. A thunderous crack echoed through the palace as the ceiling above split apart.
"Protect everyone!" Androcottus roared, his voice cutting through the chaos like a blade.
The Stage 5 Awakener raised his arm, summoning a barrier of force that shielded the ministers and nobles. Stone rained from the shattered ceiling as the sky outside turned a violent shade of violet. Lightning streaked across the heavens, striking the red lotus with divine intensity—each bolt resonating with an otherworldly power.
Amid the storm, an ethereal image appeared within the lotus: a lady cloaked in crimson light, her hand wielding red lightning. The sight left everyone in awe, their fear giving way to reverence.
When the phenomenon subsided, silence fell over the court. Leona lay unconscious, her small body cradled by the remnants of the earth cocoon. Androcottus rushed to her side, his movements both urgent and tender. He lifted his granddaughter into his arms, his face alight with joy.
She has awakened," Androcottus declared, his voice trembling with pride. "Leona is now a Stage 1 Awakener. Her attribute is lightning… and she can also control the element of earth."
The hall fell silent.
Androcottus knelt beside her small form, inspecting her carefully. His gaze sharpened as he sensed the formation of an energy core near her cervix—a clear sign of her newly awakened abilities. His heart swelled with pride. The potential within her was unlike anything he had seen before.
Moments later, Leona stirred. Her large eyes blinked open, dazed and full of confusion. Before she could speak, her father, Amitrochates, rushed to her side after ensuring the safety of his wife and newborn child
"Leona!" he called anxiously, gently checking her fragile body.
"Dad… Grandpa… my body hurts," she whispered, her small voice trembling.
Amitrochates' face paled. "Priests!
The high priest arrived swiftly, kneeling beside Leona. Placing his glowing hands over her body, he channeled divine power to relieve her pain. A warm golden light spread through her, and within moments, the tension in her body eased. Her eyes fluttered shut again as she fainted, her tiny frame finally giving in to exhaustion.
Androcottus stood slowly, turning toward the ministers, nobles, and servants present. His expression darkened as he released a surge of raw energy. The pressure was immense.
All normal humans in the hall dropped to their knees, gasping under the weight. Even the strong among them struggled to stand. Only Amitrochates and Aratha remained standing, their expressions grim.
"You will forget everything that happened here," Androcottus said coldly. "No word of this must leave these walls. You saw nothing. You remember nothing."
"Yes, Your Majesty," the court answered in unison, their voices shaken.
Leona had become an Awakener at the age of three. In the entire known history of the world, the youngest before her had awakened at nine. If this truth were to spread, her life would be in grave danger.
With grim urgency, Androcottus lifted Leona into his arms. Aratha followed, and the three of them left the hall in silence.
Amitrochates turned back to the court. "This meeting is over," he declared. "And let this be my first and final warning—forget everything you saw today."
he then left with tisya oshborne and his wife. ashora and ikshita were in their mother hand amitrochates has put them on sleep
Later that evening, Leona awoke to find herself in bed, her grandfather, father, mother, and Aratha at her side. She blinked groggily, then looked up at them.
"What happened to me?" she asked softly.
Androcottus leaned forward, brushing a hand through her hair. "You became an Awakener
Her eyes lit up. "Really?" she beamed. She laughed—and as she did, a spark of lightning cracked from her fingertips.
Androcottus reacted instantly, raising his hand to absorb the bolt before it could strike anyone. "You have no control over your power yet," he said gently, but firmly.
He turned to Amitrochates and Tisya. "From this day on, she must remain in isolation until she can control her awakening."
Leona's joy faded. Tears welled in her eyes. "Why? I don't want to be locked away…"
"You must," Androcottus replied, his voice full of sorrow. "If you can't control it, you'll hurt others without meaning to. We can't take that risk—not for you, not for them."
Her cries echoed through the room, but there was nothing anyone could do. All she could do now… was try.
after that amitrochates called a mage and putted a high level barrier around Leona room and put a braclate on Leona hand which can stop her from going Berserk
seeing their daughter like this both tisya and amitrochates were very sad but all they are doing is for her own good
The next morning, Androcottus entered Leona's room. His stern demeanor softened the moment he saw her.
"From today onward," he said, kneeling before her, "I will train you myself. You will learn to control your powers,
Leona wiped her tears, nodding slowly.
Androcottus was deeply fond of his granddaughter—more than he let on. One of the reasons was the uncanny resemblance she bore to his late wife, Helen.
Long ago, when Androcottus had become king, Aratha used to poisoned his food to build his resistance against assassination attempts. But one day, the nobles who opposed Androcottus swapped the food—meant for the king—with that of his pregnant wife.
Helen, eight months along with their son Amitrochates, sensed something was wrong the moment she tasted it. Realizing it was poisoned, she made a choice no one could have imagined. She cut open her own stomach, saving her unborn child at the cost of her own life.
Leona looked exactly like Helen.
And so, to both Androcottus and Amitrochates, she was very precious