Chapter 7: The Ripple Effect

The sun cast its warm glow on the tip of a majestic castle. Flags stirred along the cobblestoned walls as tall windows stood ajar, spilling light over gilded interiors.

“Good morning, Sir. Your bath is ready.”

A man clothed in a cotton—like robe, stirred awake at the polite mention of his name.

His silver hair fell to his shoulders as he sat up groggily, revealing his aged face that retained the beauty of time past.

Looking round his heavily furnished room with uninterested eyes that reflected the golden furniture, he focused on the maid that stood at his bedside with a neutral expression.

“Has my message been passed across?”

The maid nodded.

He wordlessly grabbed the edge of his large bed, a golden ring reflected the sunlight that filtered through the long curtains.

“Tell the head of the royal guards I want to see him,” he ordered. “In the courtyard.”

The maid bowed and left the room after placing a silver tray that held different colored pills on the table.

Casting a fleeting glance at the table, he walked into the bathroom.

Dressed in a fitting doublet adorned with gold at the hems, he walked out his room and a row of maids lined his path to the living room.

With controlled steps, his blue eyes passed through every maid, sending shivers down their spines.

A man dressed in semi–millitary attire sat upright on the cushioned seat, his legs bouncing rhythmically on the red fur rug.

He nearly jumped upright as he spotted Redwyn’s figure.

“Good morning, Sir. Redwyn. How are you doing?”

Redwyn’s eyes scanned the bulky figure that stood before him, gave a quick nod and walked past him.

“Walk with me.”

With a rushed bow, the man trailed behind Redwyn.

As he walked through the courtyards laden with beautiful plants, Redwyn stopped in front of a purple flower as he spoke:

“Do you know why I called you here, Ceredic?”

Ceredic nodded stiffly.

A satisfied hum left Redwyn’s lips.

“Then let’s not waste anytime. Where is it?”

Ceredic gulped audibly at the ambiguous question.

“There was a small issue, Sir. Redwyn,” he replied, apprehension filling his expression.

Redwyn’s expression didn’t change, neither did his eyes leave the flower.

Taking the silence as an opening to explain, Ceredic whispered:

“His body wasn’t found at the location the assassination was staged…”

Redwyn’s hand began plucking at the petals of the flower.

“And what of the ring?” He asked.

Bowing, Ceredic answered, “I’ve let you down…”

Redwyn’s eyes finally left the now empty flower, and his hands retreated behind his broad back with practiced elegance.

“I don’t normally tolerate incompetence, but considering the fragility of this situation and your track record, I shall give you one more chance.”

Ceredic’s face glowed. “I won’t dissapoint—”

Before he could finish, Redwyn had already appeared next to him, his lips close to his ear.

“If you fail me, your family—and anyone you care for—will be wiped off the face of the earth.”

Ceredic’s face paled immediately, his knees buckled and knelt on the grassy lands.

“I—i won’t fail you….I promise…”

Not sparing him another glance, Redwyn walked back to the manor, the soft clicking of his boots announcing his presence.

At the dining table, two beautiful, young women sat at either side of it’s length, their chests barely giving them enough space to have their meal.

“Hi, daddy!” One of them greeted, her yellow hair falling off her shoulder as she jumped towards her father.

Redwyn’s expression softened noticeably as he patted his daughter’s head. “Did you enjoy your meal?”

“Mhm! Aunty Mirelda made my favorite!” Her expression was of pure glee as she guided her father to his seat.

Gone was the cold and unfeeling entity that promised eradication with unnerving ease a few moments ago.

“Dad?” The other girl spoke, her hands fiddling with her yellow dress. “Do you think I should change?”

Chewing on the piece of meat that his first daughter fed him, Redwyn blinked as he studied his second.

“You look beautiful dear. I’m sure your sister, Miruam has told you that multiple times.”

“Yes, I did! But Mirelda said my sense of fashion was no different from a rock!” Miriam pouted.

Mirelda stuck her tongue out with a defiant expression.

“Well, since dad likes it, your sense of fashion is no longer rock level,” she consoled, a chuckle leaving her pink lips.

“Like I care!” Miriam rebutted.

With an adoring smile on his face, his large hands patted both of his daughter’s heads, causing a surge of warmth of flow through their hearts.

After his meal, Redwyn saw his daughters off to the carriage that would take them to the Phoenix Academy.

As they left for the most prestigious academy in the kingdom of Solstice, Redwyn’s mind drifted back to the “talk” he had with the head of the royal guards.

’There’s no way he survived. I personally watched his soul core shatter….’

His fingers caressed his chin absentmindedly as he walked to his office, the gears in his mind turning non–stop.

’Unless….no, it’s not possible.’

Ridding his mind of whatever thought that flashed through it, he sat at his desk with a calm expression, but something flickered beneath his eyes.

***

Aden’s eyes slowly opened, his fingers twitched and his expression twisted slightly as he came to.

“Urgh…” He moaned.

The scent of fried meat wafted through his nostrils, but he had no appetite to eat anything, especially not from…him.

“Rest. Your body hasn’t healed yet,” his master advised as he turned a piece of meat on the fire.

Aden’s eyebrows furrowed in anger. With clenched teeth, he sat up on the log of wood.

“….How are you feeling?” His master asked, after a moment of silence.

Aden didn’t respond.

His master placed a piece of meat on a wide leaf and handed it to him.

Aden didn’t accept it.

Scratching his hair, he dropped the meat at his feet and returned to the stump he sat upon.

“It’s been four days…”

Aden’s ears perked up at those words.

“You weren’t responding to my healing spells so I decided to leave you be.”

“Why…”

Aden finally spoke. His voice cracked, heavy, sad.

His master pushed a piece of wood deeper into the flames, his expression unreadable.

“I—”

The words died in his throat. For some reason, he couldn’t say the words he had spent so many nights practicing.

How his Adaptive Resonance defied the world’s rules—its potential, and the cost it might exact from his body.

Watching his student’s glassy blue eyes and quietly clenched fists, he didn’t know what to say, except—

“I’m sorry…”

The moment those words left his mouth, Aden burst into tears. His shoulders shook uncontrollably and his head buried in his hands.

“It..was… so scary…” Aden choked. “You… left… me all alone….”

Stifled sobs filled the air as tears slipped through his fingers and darkened the soil below.

A massive discomfort grew within him as he watched his student cry and he finally understood one thing.

Despite whatever potential he had, he was still a kid.

’This is all my fault..’

His body moved on its own. With slow, almost unsure steps, he stood in front of his student.

Aden didn’t uncover his face from the safety of his hands, but he sensed his imposing presence loom over him.

But in the next moment, he felt a rather familiar sensation enclose his body.

The calming scent of sage and meat passed through his nose, the soft sensation of a fur coat pampered his head and a warmth enveloped his entirety.

Aden’s heart stopped for a solid second.

The quiet tightening of his master’s arms around his body brought him out of his shock.

“I’m sorry I put you through all of that. It’s all my fault.”

Those words coupled with the warm embrace caused tears to flow from Aden’s eyes with renewed intensity.

The birds chirped happily as they returned to their nests with the sun set, the trees waved in the direction of the cool wind that blew past them.

After a while, Aden sniffled and pulled away from his master, his hands awkwardly pressing the fur coat he wore in hopes of drying it of his tears.

A pure, unrestrained smile bloomed on his master’s face as he patted his head.

Aden turned his head upwards to meet his master’s eyes.

’They seem….lighter,’ his master noted, his finger flicking Aden’s forehead lightly.

“Ow…” He mumbled.

With a wide smile on his face, Aden jumped to his feet, his back facing his master.

“Would you look at that! The sun has set and we have no place to sleep! I’ll fetch us some leaves and sticks!”

Before his master could say anything, Aden ran into the jungle with a certain bounce to his steps.

“…But I already made us a tent.”

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