Back in their small village, Nerya was busy with her daily chores. As she was hanging the laundry, she suddenly noticed the seal on her left hand flickering violently. Her heart skipped a beat. In a moment of panic, she dropped the basket, letting the wet clothes fall into the dirt.
"Kael!" she groaned, her voice trembling. Before sending her son away with his uncle, Nerya had cast a vital-monitoring charm on herself. The flickering of the spell on her hand meant only one thing: something had gone terribly wrong.
"My son..." she whispered, her eyes filling with tears. "He was supposed to be safe with his uncle. What happened to him? Oh, I can't even step foot outside this village with this sickly body... Zephyros, I beg of you, protect him. Please, both of you, be safe."
At the manor's training grounds, the atmosphere grew heavy once again. A new figure descended from the sky, radiating a pressure far more intense than any demon before. The voice of the newcomer was authoritative and deep enough to silence the wind itself:
"Malphas!"
The call was not just a name; it was a command that shook the very soul. Hearing that voice, Malphas cast aside his previous arrogance and began to tremble. Turning toward the other demon hovering in the air, he stammered:
"S-Sir Zagan? What wind brings you here? I was just... finishing up my business before returning to the Demon Realm."
Zagan turned his icy gaze first to Malphas, then to Kael, who lay in a pool of blood. "This dark aura... Is this boy the Lord's son? Malphas! What on earth have you done, you fool!" he roared.
Zagan descended rapidly. Looking at Kael's blood-stained body, he extended his hands. A dark yet healing mantra flowed from his lips:
"Mercy of the Abyss, quell the cry of the blood. Recall the life hidden in darkness! Demon Art: Dark Regeneration!"
Pitch-black smoke erupted from Zagan's hands, enveloping Kael's body. When Kael slowly opened his eyes, he saw Zagan, far more imposing and powerful, standing behind Malphas. He could feel his wounds closing, but having used every last drop of his mana, he couldn't even move a finger.
Zagan turned back to Malphas with loathing. "How dare you wound the Lord's son? His life is worth more than a thousand of yours!"
Malphas bowed his head in guilt. "Z-Zagan... I was only testing the boy's strength. These humans irritated me, and I couldn't hold back. You're not going to be mad at me for killing a few humans, are you?"
"You idiot!" Zagan barked, grabbing Malphas by the scruff of his neck. "You'd better prepare yourself for Lord Abaddon's wrath when we return to the castle. He will be the one to deliver your punishment!"
Kael spoke up in a cracked, weak voice, "My uncle... Heal my uncle too, please..."
Despite being a demon, Zagan was more dignified and humble than other noble demons. He sighed at the boy's condition. "Demon Art only heals our kind, child. It will have no effect on your uncle, I'm afraid."
Gripping Malphas by the neck like a ragdoll, Zagan unfurled his massive wings and vanished into the sky. His strength and mana completely spent, Kael took one last look at his uncle before surrendering to the darkness. His wings faded away. As his eyes closed, he heard Elias's distant cry:
"Master Zephyros! I've sent word! Hang on!"
When Elias arrived at the manor, he froze at the sight before him. Kael, Varkas, and Zephyros were lying in pools of blood. The garden and the surrounding manor looked as if a natural disaster had struck.
"Master Lucian!" Elias shouted, looking back. "Kael, Zephyros, and Varkas... We need emergency healing magic, please help!"
Elias rushed to Zephyros's side. He called out, but there was no response. When he placed his head against Zephyros's chest and heard the faint beat of his heart, a wave of relief washed over him.
Master Lucian first went to Kael. He was surprised to find no trace of wounds beneath the blood-stained clothes. Aiming his staff at Kael, he used light magic only to replenish his mana. Then, he moved quickly to Zephyros. Seeing Zephyros's state, he frowned. "Zephyros... What could have battered you this badly?"
"Master Lucian, please hurry!" Elias pleaded.
Lucian realized that a simple spell wouldn't be enough for Zephyros's wounds. Raising his staff, he initiated a 6th-circle spell:
"Seven Mercies of Holy Light: Grand Restoration!"
As Lucian finished the final healing spell and wiped the sweat from his brow, Zephyros took a deep breath and opened his eyes. His vision was still blurred, but he immediately recognized the glowing staff and the familiar face.
"Lucian..." Zephyros whispered, his voice barely audible. "You again? Do you have to appear every time I'm about to die?"
Lucian chuckled softly, but his eyes remained grave. "As long as you don't stop looking for trouble, I won't stop saving you, old friend."
Zephyros tried to sit up with difficulty, but Lucian stopped him with a hand. "Kael..." Zephyros said anxiously. "Is he alright?"
"The boy is fine. His wounds are healed, but I can't say the same for his soul," Lucian said, looking out at the ruins through the window. "Zephyros, even I felt the aura in that child. As a 7th-circle light mage, I'm telling you; every time Kael's seal breaks, there won't always be someone there to stop him. You can't keep him hidden in this manor anymore."
Zephyros looked away. "I know. But sending him to the academy is like throwing a lamb into a wolf's den. If his identity is revealed, not only the demons but the kingdom itself will hunt him down."
Lucian gripped his staff. "What you feared has already happened. The demons found him. Now, his only chance is to learn to control that power. Otherwise, he will stop being Nerya's son and turn into a monster in his father's shadow. The decision is yours, but time is running out."
Zephyros fell into a long silence. Lucian was right. "Lucian... If things get out of hand, or if something happens to me... Can you protect him?"
Lucian paused as he walked toward the door, looking back over his shoulder at Zephyros. "I serve the light, Zephyros. If he tries to use his power for other ends, I will stand against him with all my might. But for now, in my eyes, he is just a child. Rest easy."
When Kael slowly opened his eyes in his room, he saw Master Lucian before him. He tried to bolt upright, but his body ached, and he collapsed back down.
"Easy, Kael. Your wounds are healed, but your body is still exhausted. Don't move suddenly," Lucian said in a calm voice.
Kael remembered the horrific battle. "My uncle... Master, how is my uncle?"
"Zephyros is fine, Kael. He's resting in his own room. You're lucky I arrived in time to heal your wounds. Though you were in much better shape than your uncle. Zephyros's wounds were so deep that I had to use light magic for hours to close them. It will likely take him a week or two to recover his mana."
Kael took a deep breath. "Ah, thank God... What was your name, Master? I've never seen you before."
"I am Lucian, an old friend of your uncle. Your uncle sensed the situation early and sent Elias to the kingdom's cathedral. I came as fast as I could."
Kael was surprised. "My uncle never mentioned you..."
Lucian smiled faintly. "Zephyros isn't fond of clergymen. Yet, at the end of the day, he found himself in need of us again."
"Master Lucian, I can't thank you enough. I am grateful to you for saving my uncle."
"It's nothing, lad. I will pray for your recovery."
Kael suddenly remembered the shattered seal ring. In a panic, he looked at his hand, but the ring was intact on his finger. Seeing Kael's reaction, Lucian lowered his voice. "By the way... I know your little secret."
Kael froze. "I..."
"The fact that you emerged from that battle without a scratch already showed that something was abnormal. When I asked Zephyros, he explained everything in detail. Don't worry, even if he didn't tell you about me, we are very close friends. Your secret is safe with me. Wow... I've never seen a real demon this up close before."
Kael swallowed hard. "U-umm Master Lucian... I'm human. Could you have mistaken me for someone else?"
Lucian gave a wise smile. "Theoretically, yes, you are considered half-human. But that doesn't change the fact that your other half is a demon, lad."
Malphas's terrifying words echoed in Kael's mind. Holding his aching head, he spoke: "All these years I lived thinking I was human... then I found out my father was a demon and we were almost killed by his men. I don't know what to do with this power. I can't even control it properly."
Lucian placed a hand on Kael's shoulder. "Listen, lad. Darkness or light, demon or human... it doesn't matter. You are what you are on the inside. You are the one who will decide whether to use your power for good or for evil. Don't let the fate you're bound to chain you. Create your own future."
Lucian's words were etched into Kael's mind like letters of gold. Just then, there was a light knock on the door, and Master Girm and Pyros entered...