TBATE: Black Will

It had been several days since I found myself in this home. I spent my time with my new mother, Saria, and May, in this world unfamiliar to me, observing the quiet fading of the entire family.

Saria's face revealed her exhaustion, with deep bags under her eyes, evidence of sleepless nights. She tried to hold herself together, but every night I heard muffled sobs coming from her room. This whole situation was unbearably hard for her.

Every time I wanted to approach her or Aleya, I felt as though my presence only deepened their sorrow. The only comfort in this situation came from my conversations with Aunt May. She was our only maid and had worked in our home for some time. She shared interesting stories about me and our family.

One day, I decided to visit Alya, knocked on her door, but received no response. I stood before the door, feeling as much like a stranger as I did on the first day.

Saria, my mother, constantly cared for me, but her persistent sadness made our interactions awkward. Alea, on the other hand, completely refused to talk to me, feeling betrayed.

"Maybe they just need time," I thought as I stepped away from the door. I decided not to push, not to interfere in their personal grief. After all, to them, I was merely a reminder of the past, which they perhaps didn't want to face. To them, I wasn't the same Lucius — I was a problem, a stranger in their son's body.

My thoughts often returned to my first day in this house. I felt their pain, their loss, but how could I help when I remembered nothing from this boy's previous life?

Sitting at the table, I listened to Mother's stories about who I used to be. She spoke of my favorite foods, training sessions with Father, and our adventures together. But the more I listened, the more foreign these memories felt to me. For her, these were cherished moments, but for me, they were empty fragments that stirred no emotions.

Afternoon settled in, and the house fell into a quiet routine. Mother stayed home, engrossed in household duties, while Alea spent most of her day training with a tutor, returning only late in the evening. All this time, I tried to help Saria, to at least ease her sorrow a bit by cleaning and performing simple tasks around the house, despite having our maid. I couldn't just sit idly by and watch this woman, burdened by grief, manage everything alongside May.

I was sweeping the room, gathering dust that had accumulated in the corners. With each movement of the broom, the room grew cleaner. A fleeting sense of satisfaction flashed for a moment but quickly dissolved into the house's somber atmosphere. I wanted to smile, but it felt inappropriate.

"Thank you, son," Mother suddenly broke the silence with her voice. Her gratitude sounded genuine and warm, yet her eyes still held that impenetrable shadow of sorrow.

I nodded in response, unsure of what to say.

"I've finished the other rooms, madam," May said, entering the room.

A few more minutes passed before I finished sweeping and set the broom aside. I couldn't just sit around doing nothing. The thought that I should be helping more — with something that truly mattered — spun in my head.

"Mom," I began, mustering the courage to speak. "I know this is hard, but you don't have to carry it all alone. I'll try to help however I can."

"Madam, your son is right. Please trust us and let us lighten the burden on your shoulders."

She paused for a moment, then offered a sad smile.

"You both are already doing more than I could ask for, Lucius and May. Thank you for the support. I know it's hard on you too, Lucius. All of this…" she hesitated, searching for words, "…All of this isn't easy for you. You don't have to—"

"I have to," I interrupted her. "Maybe I don't remember my past, but… I can't just stand by. I may not be the same person as before, but I am still… your son."

Mother shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes again, though this time she held them back. Her hand gently touched mine, and something new appeared in her gaze — acknowledgment.

"You are my son, Lucius. You always will be, whether you remember or not," she squeezed my hand, as if affirming it for herself as well.

We sat in that silence, and it was clear that words were only a small part of what bound us. The rest remained unspoken, in this delicate thread that tied us together as a family despite all the changes.

At that moment, the door abruptly slammed, and I heard Alea return home. She said nothing and immediately went to her room.

"She came home early today," I remarked aloud. Mother nodded, casting a quick glance towards the door.

"These last few days: yesterday and today, she's been coming home earlier," she replied quietly, her voice tinged with sadness. "I think she needs time to process everything."

I pondered, realizing that each day the tension in the house only grew. Alea barely spoke to me, avoided encounters, as if it was as hard for her as it was for me to accept what had happened. She showed none of the joy I saw on the first day of our "reunion."

"Maybe I should talk to her?" I suggested, though deep down, I doubted it would change anything.

Mother turned to me, her face thoughtful.

"Perhaps, but not today," she replied after a long pause. "She needs to be ready for it herself. You know her — she's as stubborn as her father was."

Her gaze darkened again, and I realized that any mention of Father was still too painful for her.

"This atmosphere is so oppressive," I thought, heading for the exit, hoping a walk would distract me from the stifling atmosphere of the house and allow me to focus on other, equally important issues besides my family's despair. Mother didn't object when she learned I was going to the palace.

As soon as I left the house, a cool breeze touched my face, bringing a momentary relief. But thoughts about the beast's will and mana core quickly returned. The pain in the core had become more intense since the day before.

Sudden pangs caused spasms of pain in my chest, as though the beast's will was growing stronger and the wall I previously erected was no longer enough to contain its power. I had to pour nearly all my mana to reinforce the wall.

My reserves were quickly depleted. Meditation took up considerable time, and I needed to try and solve this problem. When the war comes, I won't have time for prolonged meditation. I needed to learn to absorb mana while moving, as this could greatly benefit me in battle.

Reaching the royal family's quarters, I was spotted by guards who seemed about to say something, but Tessia appeared, and they froze.

"Hey, Tess!" I greeted her with a slight smile. Tessia puffed her cheeks and gave me a gentle push in the chest.

"Idiot! You haven't come by even once these past days or even written!" she complained, crossing her arms, though her eyes still showed happiness at my presence.

I sheepishly scratched the back of my head, trying to find the right words.

"Sorry, Tess. I was… trying to sort some things out that happened. I didn't mean to upset you."

Tessia kept her angry gaze on me, though understanding flickered in her eyes.

"Fine," she said, not entirely relinquishing her grudge, but in a softer tone. "Come on, Grandfather is already waiting for us."

She pulled me along with her to her quarters, and we walked through the inner courtyard where Virion was supposed to be waiting for us. But he was nowhere to be seen.

"Um, where…?" the elf looked around, as if she'd just seen him there. "Maybe he went to the bathroom?"

Before I could answer, I felt danger. In an instant, I saw a faint gleam of an arrow aimed at Tessia. I swiftly pushed the princess aside and caught the arrow with my mana-infused hand. Tessia gasped and fell on her back.

I immediately noticed a swift figure in black moving behind me. My heart raced. I directed a sharp stream of mana to my right leg, spun around, and kicked at the opponent, but hit only air. Pain suddenly pierced my side, and I was thrown back a meter, hitting the ground.

When I saw the familiar elderly figure, my face contorted in pain.

"What are you doing?" I growled.

The old man, with his usual impartial smile, extended a hand to help me up.

"Good reaction, but not enough. Always be prepared for sudden attacks!" he lectured. "If this were real, I would have killed you in seconds." 

I glanced at his face, realizing he no longer treated me like a child. After our arrival in Elenoir, we'd had a brief conversation, and he immediately detected the beast's will in me, which surprised me. However, the quick revelation worked in my favor since I didn't have to persuade him.

My gaze returned to Tessia, who was looking at us with a fearful expression.

"Was that… a test?" I asked, still feeling the pain in my side and trying to catch my breath.

"Yes," the old man nodded. "I had to see if you're worthy of becoming my disciple, as we discussed before. Remember, in real combat, seconds like these can be decisive. Train yourself and learn to adapt to the unexpected."

I nodded, remembering our conversation before my mother arrived. Tessia, who had mostly recovered, stood up and ran over to me, her face filled with concern.

"Are you okay?" she asked, looking me over worriedly.

I reassured her, despite the discomfort. Tess then approached her grandfather and pinched him firmly.

"Grandpa, you're too hard on him! You could go a bit easier!"

"Ouch, that hurts, little one!" the old man exclaimed.

Smiling, Tessia pinched him even harder before heading off to her parents. Left alone with Virion, we looked at each other.

"Kid! You can be proud; from this day forward, I'll be training you! I'll unlock your potential in every area!" the old man said with a smug grin. But his smile quickly faded, and he continued seriously, "So, which beast passed on its will to you?"

I shook my head. 

"I'm not sure. I have a hunch it might be the monster I encountered during my awakening, but I don't have solid proof. I woke up already possessing this will."

The old man frowned, clearly disappointed by my answer.

"I see. Perhaps the will was transferred to you before you fully regained consciousness. This complicates things, but don't worry, we'll figure it out. What's important is that you learn to control it and use it to your advantage."

I nodded, understanding that serious work lay ahead. Noticing my silence, Virion smiled again.

"Don't be discouraged. Soon, you'll be able to use this will to its fullest, just like I can. Your beast is clearly of a higher class than my shadow panther since I can't even sense its power limits."

With that, he started explaining how our training would proceed, and despite the challenges that awaited, I felt that I had a real chance to become stronger.

"From this day forward, you should also call me 'Grandfather.' My first student has earned that right. Who knows, maybe one day I'll truly become your grandfather," he joked, laughing at his own remark. "Who would've thought my personal assistant was hiding such a genius? The youngest elf to awaken at five years old and already at the light-red stage, and a beast tamer, no less. Great things await you, kid. That's for sure."

I blushed at his praise, scratching my cheek in embarrassment.

"Go home, kid. Tomorrow's your day off. Come back in three days."

Don't forget to give a power stone