Heir of the Lost Wish

The sunlight gently caressed Lucian's face. He woke up yawning, rubbing his tired eyelids.

"I couldn't get a wink of sleep last night…" he thought with a sigh.

Despite his return to the dormitory, his mind remained torn by a multitude of questions. The events of the previous night kept playing over and over in his head, every detail, every word spoken echoing like a troubling reverberation.

He sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the floor, lost in thought. *This city… that night… something felt wrong.*

His gaze fell upon the sword resting by his bedside, his troubled eyes sliding over the now-dim engravings. In a low voice, almost to himself, he murmured:

"Today, I need to investigate."

It was a day of rest for all the Academy's students, a rare break given only once a week. Most took the opportunity to relax, sleep, or head out into the city, but for Lucian, rest was not an option.

Something was afoot, and he was determined to find out what.

Leaving the dormitory, Lucian stopped at a small local restaurant for lunch. The Academy provided students with enough of an allowance to live comfortably in the city. Most didn't need it, coming from wealthy and influential families, but for Lucian, it was a blessing.

Sitting near the window, Lucian observed the bustling street. Merchants touted their goods, Academy students laughed among themselves, and the locals went about their daily routines. Everything was full of life and energy.

He thought back to the previous night. The contrast was striking. As evening fell, the same city turned into a silent desert, where every sound seemed to echo infinitely. An almost oppressive emptiness settled in, as if something lurked in the shadows, dictating a heavy silence.

Lucian tapped his fingers on the table, his eyes lost in the crowd.

*How could a place be so alive during the day… and so dead at night?*

After finishing his meal, Lucian decided to check something. He entered a weapons shop, where countless weapons and armors were on display. Most seemed incredibly expensive, some even radiating a magical aura.

Behind the counter, a young man with a friendly expression looked up and exclaimed:

"Welcome!"

"Hello," Lucian replied as he approached.

He unhooked his sword from his side and placed it on the counter. The armorer raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Nice blade. Want to have it repaired, improved, or traded?"

Lucian shook his head slightly.

"I just want to know what you think of it."

The armorer placed his hands on the counter and leaned in, inspecting the sword from various angles.

"Hmm… It's well-made, a work of craftsmanship. But it's quite old, the blade is dull, and the engravings on it are the crest of the King's soldiers. What do you want to know about it?"

Lucian stared at it for a moment, then, in a calm tone, asked:

"Who forged it?"

The armorer shrugged, looking thoughtful.

"I'm not a blacksmith, so I can't say for sure, but… you might want to ask the Ironharts. They're the greatest blacksmiths in the country, and they run a renowned forge. If anyone knows something about this sword, it's them."

Lucian nodded, thanking the armorer. He left a silver coin on the counter, and the armorer smiled gratefully.

"Thank you for your visit, young man. If you have any other questions, don't hesitate."

Lucian turned and left the shop.

After walking for a long while towards the eastern part of the city, Lucian spotted a huge sign. Strange coils of black smoke billowed from the roof of a massive building. Next to it, a sign above the door read "Ironhart Forge." Lucian decided to enter directly through the building where the smoke was coming from, preferring to meet the blacksmiths themselves rather than going through the front sign.

Upon entering, he was greeted by stifling heat. The metallic sound of steel being struck rang in the air, mingling with the clamor of hammers. In the distance, a bare-chested man, covered in sweat, sat by a huge burning furnace. He was hammering a ruby blade of deep red. Though unfinished, the power emanating from the blade struck Lucian to his core. He could feel an incredible force, far beyond anything he had imagined.

The blacksmith, noticing Lucian's presence, stopped his work. He grabbed a towel, draped it around his neck, and stood up. Lucian's eyes widened. The man was huge, standing well over two meters tall, a true giant. His muscles were swollen, his body hardened by years of labor. He had short brown hair and a face marked by years of forging.

When he stood in front of Lucian, the size difference was intimidating. The blacksmith studied him for a long moment, his stern gaze falling on Lucian's uniform. When the blacksmith recognized the uniform, his face suddenly softened. A broad smile spread across his face, followed by a loud laugh.

"Ah, you're a friend of my son! Came to see him, huh? Sorry, he's not here. I sent him out for some errands."

Lucian, a little taken aback by the warm reception, was about to correct him, saying that he wasn't actually his son's friend, but before he could speak, the man, still smiling but with a stern expression, said:

"It's rare to meet one of my son's friends. I thought he didn't have any! Ah, kids grow up fast!"

As he spoke, he gave Lucian's back a hearty pat. The force of his gesture nearly knocked Lucian off balance, and he had to steady himself. The blacksmith continued laughing cheerfully.

"You can wait over there if you like. He'll be back soon."

Lucian, still recovering from the surprise, calmly replied:

"Actually, I came to ask if you're the one who forged this sword."

The blacksmith grabbed Lucian's sword, unsheathed it, and examined it from all angles.

"Ah, this sword… It's made at the royal forge. Why? All the awakened in the King's service get one, even if they don't use swords to fight. It's a sort of gift. I have one myself, being an awakened. The King is generous, isn't he?"

He finished with a hearty laugh.

Lucian thought inwardly, A sort of gift… Then he looked up and asked, a bit more urgently:

"Why do the engravings shine? What triggers them?"

The blacksmith, unhurried, answered simply, as if it were obvious:

"The engravings shine when they come into contact with people blessed by the King."

Saying this, he turned the sword, holding it so that Lucian could see the engravings. There, before him, the engravings gleamed brighter than ever.

Lucian's eyes widened, his thoughts began to race. He repeated to himself:

"People blessed by the King…"

A wave of confusion swept over him, then a doubt settled in. *Did I worry for nothing?*

Lucian thanked the blacksmith, took his sword back, and turned toward the door.

"I have to go," he said respectfully.

The towering blacksmith, Drakar, extended his hand for a handshake.

"My name's Drakar. It's a pleasure to meet a friend of my son. He may seem rebellious at first, but he's a good kid. Take care of him."

Lucian, a bit uncomfortable but grateful, simply shook his hand and replied:

"I will."

With that, he left the forge. He was slightly disappointed. Since his childhood, he had loved mysteries, and he had expected to uncover something much grander. But in the end, it was just a blessing from the King, a simple custom for certain people of his people.

Lucian knew that the King was incredibly powerful, probably a Sage — a rare being whose powers were beyond human comprehension. Yet, the thought that all of this was just a blessing left him feeling unsatisfied.

As he walked through the streets, he suddenly stopped, struck by a thought.

*And what about the statue? Did he bless the statue from a millennium ago? That doesn't make sense. Why would he do that ?*

Lucian realized that something was off, but he was the only one who seemed to notice. Why was he the only one doubting, when the capital was filled with hundreds of thousands of people? He finally resigned himself.

*Well, there's no point in thinking about it. I need to focus on creating my Nexus, I'm almost there…*

As he continued walking through the city, his steps led him once again in front of the mysterious house he had seen the night before. He paused, hesitant, before knocking on the door. He remembered the woman from last night and dreaded this encounter.

Suddenly, the door opened. In front of him stood a woman with long black hair, and Lucian immediately recognized her. It was the same woman, but something was different. Her eyes no longer carried the signs of madness he had seen the night before.

*How is this possible?*

The woman smiled warmly and gently took his hand.

"You're the young man from the other night, aren't you? I'm sorry to have disturbed you, I wasn't in my usual state."

Lucian stood still for a moment, unsure of how to respond. He wondered how she could have changed so much in such a short time.

Lucian gazed at her for a moment before asking the question that troubled him the most:

"Did you really lose your daughter?"

The woman nodded with a serene smile.

"Yes, she disappeared for a few hours during the night, but she came back shortly after. Nothing serious."

Lucian raised an eyebrow, intrigued. *Nothing serious?* he thought. *Your daughter disappears in the middle of the night, and you think that's nothing? Is she still mad?*

Without a word, he slightly unsheathed his sword and handed it to her.

"Can you hold this?" he asked, his tone curious.

The woman took the sword without hesitation.

"Of course, but why?"

As soon as her fingers brushed the hilt, the engravings glowed softly. Lucian felt his heart tighten.

*I can understand why the guard and the stranger with blond hair were blessed… but why her too? Just yesterday, she wasn't blessed…*

Lost in thought, he didn't immediately hear the woman's voice.

"Young man?"

Lucian jolted slightly, then gave a soft smile to hide his unease.

"Thank you, madam. I must go, take care of yourself and your daughter."

He bowed slightly before turning to leave.

"Goodbye," she replied with a kind smile.

As he walked away, a shiver ran down his spine.

*Something's not right… Maybe I'm overthinking, but why have some people received this blessing and others haven't?*

Despite the peaceful explanations from the great blacksmith Drakar, Lucian couldn't shake the doubt weighing on his heart. An oppressive, indefinable feeling clung to him like a persistent shadow. His instincts screamed at him to flee the city, to distance himself from the growing mysteries surrounding him.

Why?

He didn't know.

Everything seemed normal. The King was a respected Sage, his blessings well known, and the city lived in apparent peace. But something was off, a piece of the puzzle refused to fit. Every detail he uncovered only deepened the unease within him.

Not long after, Lucian returned to his dormitory. He sat cross-legged on his bed and tried to clear his mind through meditation. Slowly, his confused thoughts faded, and with them, the weight of his worries. He was close to his goal. His core was almost fully formed. Soon, he would be able to store mana and awaken his power.

*What will it be? he thought, perplexed. Incredible speed? Overwhelming strength? Mastery of light?*

The concepts of awakening were vast and unpredictable. Some gained classic elemental affinities, others developed unique abilities, like supernatural physical strength or more abstract gifts. And as one reached the second and third ranks of awakening, those powers could evolve, transform, revealing unforeseen aspects.

Lucian collapsed onto his bed, his head resting as he stared at the ceiling.

*One more week… and I'll finally be an awakened one.*

Two months had passed since his arrival at the Academy. He measured the progress he had made. His learning pace exceeded expectations. He knew it.

A fleeting smile brushed his lips.

In the silence of the night, as his eyelids grew heavy, he softly murmured:

"Are you proud of me, Dad…?"