Erik Fors
Sometimes it's hard to believe that eleven years have gone by.
For me, it feels like time simply stopped. The world kept moving, people changed, places changed, but not this room. It's as if everything outside aged and grew, while I stayed behind, caught somewhere in between what was and what is.
Through the window, I could see soldiers training in the courtyard below. Their shouts carried with the wind, full of life and purpose. Faces I didn't recognize, uniforms slightly different, even the rhythm of drills wasn't the same. Everything was new, and yet… nothing in this room had changed. Not the desk, not the bookshelves, not the faint scratch on the window frame I'd made as a boy.
A knock pulled me back.
"Erik, are you ready?"
Ma's voice.
"I am," I said, straightening up.
The door opened, and she stepped in with that same warm smile that could make any room feel brighter. Her eyes ran from my hair to my boots. "You look smart."
I let out a dry laugh. "It's not exactly my style."
My gaze drifted down to the clothes she'd picked. A long blue coat with gold embroidery that shimmered in the light, a ruffled white shirt under a tan vest, stockings, and shoes that probably cost more than the entire outfit I used to wear in a year.
"It must've been costly," I said.
"Today's important," she said, brushing imaginary dust from my shoulder. "You're stepping outside for the first time in years. It's your re-debut to the world. It should be memorable."
Re-debut… She really said that like I was some noble prince. Had we gotten that rich in eleven years? Given Sis's position, it wasn't completely surprising, but still, these clothes had actual gold stitched into them. Now that I think about it, that child, Siegfried, is always dressed like royalty too. Right… I'm an uncle now.
"What are you thinking?" Ma's voice broke through again. "Something bothering you?"
I forced a small smile. "Just thinking it's still hard to believe Sis is a mother now. I can't imagine her raising a child… she used to be a wild beast."
"Nothing has changed in her," Ma said with a soft laugh. "And I'm the one doing most of the raising anyway. That's why our Sieg turned out a genius." She looked so proud saying it.
That word again—Genius. I'd been hearing it non-stop since I came back. When Pa visited, it was Sieg this, Sieg that. When Ma brought dinner, she spent the whole time talking about Sieg's magic or alchemy. And when Sis came… she didn't even ask how I was doing. Just bragged about "Her Great Sieg."
I crossed my arms. "I was great too as a child, Ma."
She chuckled, her hand brushing my arm. "Yes, you were. But you'll understand once you see him."
I sighed but nodded. "Alright, let's go."
We stepped out into the hall. Servants bowed as we passed, some faces familiar, others new. The scent of polished wood and blooming lilies lingered in the air, mixing with faint traces of sunlight streaming through the tall windows. After nine days of being confined to that room, it felt good just to move freely again, to feel the floor beneath my boots and the quiet life of the manor around me.
We entered the dining room. A few maids were already waiting, hands folded neatly in front of them.
"Where are the others?" Ma asked.
One of the maids bowed her head politely. "Lord Fors, Lady Valka, and the young lord finished lunch early and went to the arena. Young Lord James went to the library."
James, huh? From what I've heard, that boy is quite diligent. And to think that timid Lark and quiet Clara actually ended up together... They'd liked each other for so long but never had the courage to say it. It still makes me laugh a little thinking how it finally happened.
"Those three are really excited these days," Ma said, shaking her head with a tired little smile. "Bring the food." She moved to take her seat.
I followed, pulling out the chair beside her. "So, Sis, Pa, and Siegfried are doing something together?"
She nodded as she settled down. "Remember how Sieg reached the Gamma stage of Soul Crucible? Now that he's unlocked his elements, your father and sister have been teaching him how to use Force magic."
Force magic. That brought back memories. When I first awakened my Soul Crucible, Father had trained me in the same thing, with Sis joining in, though she mostly sent me flying halfway across the training yard. Painful days, but I missed them, when life wasn't complicated like an adult's.
As I sat reminiscing, the maids returned with the food. One carried a tray of roasted river fish glazed with lemon butter, the skin crisp and golden. Another placed a bowl of seasoned grain porridge mixed with herbs and diced vegetables. There were small plates of pickled radish, fresh bread still steaming, and a pot of thick mushroom stew whose aroma filled the room.
Ma looked at the spread with a content hum. "It's been a while since we've eaten together like this."
I smiled faintly. "Yeah… feels like home again."
We ate together, talking about old times and how things had changed around the barony. The food tasted better than I remembered, simple, warm, and familiar. But what truly made it whole was Ma sitting beside me, her presence filling that quiet space with the comfort I had missed for so long. If only Pa and… Sis could be here too, it would have been perfect.
When we finished, the maids came and quietly carried the plates away. The faint clinking of dishes was the only sound left in the room.
"Was it to your liking?" Ma asked gently.
"Yes," I said with a small smile. "It tasted really good."
She nodded, a soft glow of satisfaction in her eyes. "Your favorites will be prepared tonight."
"There's no need to go to such lengths," I said, scratching the back of my neck. "You're already treating me too well… it feels strange."
Ma took my hand between hers. Her touch was warm, trembling slightly. "Please… let us do it. It eases our hearts."
Her voice wavered at the end, and she looked down, as if hiding the tears threatening to fall. I turned my gaze aside, feeling my own eyes sting.
Ma… just how much did you all go through while I was gone? This love, this pain, she still carries all of it.
"Ma…" I tried to speak, but the words caught in my throat. Somehow, I managed to force out, "Thank you." The words carried everything I couldn't say.
There were a few seconds of silence between us, it wasn't awkward, it felt healing.
"Ah, look at what we're doing…" She hurriedly wiped her tears with her sleeve, trying to regain her smile.
Then she stood, straightening herself. "Let's leave all these sad things behind and be happy from now on."
I quickly brushed my own eyes dry and stood beside her. "Yes, let's be happy."
We both nodded, smiling through the remnants of our tears.
"Now, let's go and show you to your father," she said with a bright smile.
"I'm sure even he'll think these clothes are a little too much," I replied, tugging lightly at the golden embroidery on my coat.
Ma chuckled. "After all, you and your father are the same."
"Oh? Did you start thinking that's a bad thing now? Looks like my ma has changed," I said with a grin.
"Ha, as if! People know me for my stubbornness. Did my dear son forget about his ma? How it breaks my heart…" She pressed a hand to her chest dramatically, pretending to look hurt.
I couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, that's Ma's best quality."
"Glad to know," she said, laughing softly.
Talking and laughing, we stepped out through the back door, the air outside fresh and cool. The scent of soil and the distant sound of clashing swords filled the space around us. Soldiers greeted and bowed as we passed through the training fields. Ma returned each nod with a polite smile, while I just gave them a wave, it always felt strange, being treated with such respect.
As we reached the arena, my steps slowed.
It still looked the same. The stone walls, the faded scars on the walls, the open sky above, it was all there, untouched by time. I remembered the stories Pa used to tell me, how Grandfather had built the whole place with his own hands, carrying massive stone blocks and fitting them together one by one.
Standing there now, I could almost see that image—his broad back, his determined figure, the pride he must've felt when it was done.
"What are you doing? Let's go in," Ma said, gently nudging me.
We walked through the hall and reached the seating area. The seats were all empty. The only people visible were down in the arena. In the middle stood Siegfried. A short distance from him, scarecrows were planted in a circle, with a few boxes scattered between them. On the right side of the arena wall stood Pa and Sis.
Siegfried raised his hand, a wand gleaming in his grasp. Even from this distance, his chanting was clear and strong: "...By the edict of converging spheres, I summon the center that none escape. Threads of motion, heed my call, All paths lead to one! Attract Bind!"
To my shock, the scarecrows were instantly ripped from the ground with unbelievable speed and slammed into each other, breaking apart and falling in front of him.
My mouth parted on instinct. That—that was a Tier Three Verse-ranked spell, used perfectly by a child?
"Ma, how old did you say he was again?" I asked, my voice slightly unsteady, unable to believe what I just saw.
"That's a question I hear a lot. He turned eight on the second month of this year," Ma said with a chuckle, clearly enjoying my reaction.
Eight... Only eight.
Siegfried once again raised his wand. The boxes around him lifted into the air, moving in a perfect, slow revolution above his head.
"...And how long has he been practicing Force Magic for?" I asked, my eyes fixed on the revolving boxes.
"Since the very next day you returned."
Unbelievable! This much control in just nine days? It went beyond absurd. It took me months before I could do any of this!
He pointed his wand forward, and the boxes broke away from their revolution one by one, flying toward Sis and Pa. Both of them caught the boxes, putting them down easily.
Just by watching that simple exchange, something swelled in my chest, a rush of pure excitement went through me, and I couldn't help but smile.
What amazing control!
"Ma, you were right. He really is something else," I said, smiling without meaning to, my gaze never leaving the boy in the arena.
"I know. Even your father and sister were taken aback by how fast Sieg started progressing once he learned the basic spells."
That was the thing. Mastering the basic push and pull of attraction and repulsion was the most difficult hurdle in Force Magic. It had taken me three to four months to completely learn to control it. It had taken even Sis weeks. The child really was a genius.
I watched him lower his wand, the faint shimmer of mana fading around him. His eyes lifted toward Pa and Sis, and a small, proud smile appeared.
Pa cracked his knuckles as he stepped forward, that easy grin on his face never leaving. In response, Siegfried shifted his weight from one leg to another, stretching his arms. The air between them changed.
Then, Siegfried lifted his wand. Dozens of glowing points appeared around him, floating in the air like scattered stars. Their sheer number made my skin prickle.
A sharp whistle cut through the air as they all shot forward. Pa didn't even flinch, standing there with his arms crossed. At the last moment, the projectiles twisted midair, curving away from him and crashing into the ground, kicking up a storm of dust.
I could feel the heaviness in the air. Pa had increased the gravity. Even from here, it was strong enough to make the ground creak. But Siegfried didn't falter.
A bow of pure mana formed in his hands. He pulled back the string, murmuring words I could barely catch. The arrow that followed tore through the air, piercing Pa's field of gravity as if it were nothing.
Pa raised one palm, catching it easily. The arrow dissolved against his hand, fading like smoke.
Siegfried's face tensed, his brows furrowing in frustration. Pa, however, just smiled. "Is that it, Sieg?"
Before I could even think, a ball of mana shot up from Siegfried's wand, bursting into a blinding flash. Instinctively, I turned my face away, but when my vision cleared, he was already there, right in front of Pa, suspended in midair, his fist pulled back.
The punch came fast, but Pa caught it with one hand.
"Nice try," Pa said, then swung his arm, tossing Siegfried in the air.
Siegfried twisted midair, landing neatly on the edge of the audience stands. His mana flared again, rippling through the air. He thrust his wand downward, creating an attraction point beneath Pa, and used it to pull himself toward him at incredible speed.
A beam of condensed mana shot from his hand. Pa easily backhands it away. Siegfried didn't stop, he cloaked himself in mana, streaking forward with both fists drawn forward before slamming straight into Pa's chest.
The sound of the collision echoed throughout the arena.
Pa didn't even flinch. Instead, he laughed softly and wrapped his arms around the boy, pulling him into a tight hug.
"You've gotten so strong," Pa said, his voice filled with pride.
But even as Pa laughed, I saw the frown still on Siegfried's face. He was scowling, frustrated, like victory was the only thing he could see.
"He's really improved," Ma said beside me, her eyes glimmering with joy.
Improved? That felt like the smallest word in the world. Watching him just now... I didn't know what he was like before, but right now, I doubted even seasoned mages at the Gamma stage could match him.
"Elara. Erik."
Pa's voice echoed from the arena below as he waved at us. Ma waved back.
"We'll be there," Pa said, and all three of them, he, Sis, and Siegfried, started walking up toward us. As they drew closer, I caught Sis leaning down, whispering something to Siegfried.
She was smiling when she looked at me, that mischievous spark already in her eyes.
Sis gave me a once-over and grinned. "Wow, that outfit's doing you no favors."
"Hmph." I crossed my arms. "Good thing I'm not trying to impress you."
She mirrored me instantly, crossing her own arms. "Please, even if you tried, you couldn't."
Before I could come up with a comeback, Pa stepped right between us, wearing that calm but slightly amused look of his. "Now, now, you two," he said, glancing at me from head to toe. "Though, I think we can all agree… that outfit is a little too much."
That did it—Sis started laughing, Pa chuckled, even Ma let out a small snort. I couldn't help it either; soon we were all laughing together.
All except one.
Siegfried was just staring at me, his gaze moving slowly up and down, quiet and thoughtful.
Does he think my clothes are weird too?
It couldn't be that. His own outfit looked far more regal than mine, embroidered cuffs, polished boots, and that proud little stance of his.
I leaned closer, lowering my voice. "What do you think, Siegfried?"
He tilted his head slightly, meeting my eyes for a moment before saying, "Nothing. I just thought you would be taller."
My smile twitched as the boy's gaze flicked toward Pa.
This little brat… He went straight for my weakest point. The one thing I could never beat Pa at—Height.
Sis burst out laughing so hard she had to hold her stomach. "Nice one, Sieg."
I forced a smile. "Ha-ha, very funny. As if you can talk."
The little boy slightly tilted his head and answered in a matter-of-fact tone, "Oh, I'm just worried I'll end up like you."
"What—seriously?" I looked at everyone before my eyes landed back on the brat. "What's with him?"
All that awe I'd felt earlier, watching him perform magic like a prodigy… slipping away, second by second.
Sis was laughing again, Ma was giggling behind her hand, clearly enjoying this too much.
"Sieg," Pa said finally, leaning toward him with that gentle tone of his. "You shouldn't talk to your elders like that."
Yes, tell him, Pa. Teach this kid some manners.
Sieg looked up at Pa, then looked at me for a second before looking back at Pa. His face was as calm as ever when he said, "But I was being serious."
I just stared at him. Even Pa's mouth fell slightly open.
Pa cleared his throat, looking between us like he wasn't sure what to say. "… He's a child. Don't take it to heart."
"Seriously?" I said, still in disbelief.
"Anyways, will we be continuing training?" Siegfried asked, completely ignoring me and turning to Sis as if I didn't even exist.
"Let's call it a day," Sis said with a smile. "Tomorrow's a big day, after all."
Tomorrow? Ah… right. His Evaluation Ritual. The one that decides his first official recognition as a Mage.
"James is in the library. You should go," Ma added gently.
Siegfried's expression dimmed a little. "He hasn't seemed interested in playing with me lately, and I've already promised Aifa I would practice archery with her."
"Be careful with the strings, then," Ma said with a fond smile.
He nodded and turned away, leaving through the exit in that unhurried, confident stride of his.
The moment he was gone, I felt something grab the back of my collar and lift me off the ground.
"Come with me," Sis said as she lifted me into the air.
"Where?" I craned my neck to look up at her.
"We're heading to the Time Dungeon the day after tomorrow. You should warm up a little."
Warm up… with her? I could already feel my ribs aching at the thought.
My eyes darted to Ma and Pa, silently begging for rescue.
"Come back in time for dinner," Ma said with a smile that didn't help at all.
"Don't push yourself too much," Pa added, far too calmly.
And just like that, I knew unbearable pain would be coming soon.