Hidden Pond
[The Whispering Woods - Hidden Pond]
"Young master of the wind, a nearby presence has been felt within this forest!"
The boy in the brown cloak unveiled his hood, his piercing emerald eyes turning towards the Low-grade spirit beast before him.
"What seems to be the issue?" the boy inquired.
"There's an ancient spirit rejoicing..."
"An ancient spirit?"
"Yes, I fear a Great Spirit has awakened due to this event."
"Could it be?"
BOOOOOOOM!
A massive shockwave of sound rippled through the forest, causing monsters to flee past the boy in the brown cloak. Even as they ignored him, spirits flew and rushed towards the source of the chaos.
Across the pond that the boy observed, countless spirits emerged from tree branches, rose from the ground, and soared through the air.
For, unlike any other occurrence, this was a unique phenomenon.
Uiiiii...
"Mother and Father never mentioned a monster living in the village," the boy thought, but his mind could only focus for a fleeting moment.
The pond before him rippled gently, yet twisted unnaturally.
Uiii...
The boy blinked, and a fairy-like creature materialized before his eyes, a presence unlike anything he had ever seen.
"...!"
"Are you him?"
The boy, shaken by this spirit, realized who it was. The moment he knew, he fell to his knees, bowing before the spirit.
"Great Spirit Eurus... I-it is a pleasure to be in your presence..."
Eurus, the great spirit, simply gazed at the boy's blonde hair, studying him without much expression.
"I see. It's been a long slumber since I've seen the last Ventus heir."
The boy flinched at the mention of his family name.
"You are the descendant of that traitorous wretch."
"...?"
"Traitor?"
WOOOOOOOOOM...
Eurus looked down, her gaze radiating absolute pressure.
The forest and the pond seemed to tremble in her presence.
"Indeed, but your appearance is far different from his, more than a millennium ago."
"Did my ancestor betray you?"
"Not quite. But I'll never forgive him for that day."
"Could—"
"No, I won't tell you."
The boy gulped and nervously looked up to see Eurus's full appearance.
Though Eurus appeared small, she took the form of a girl.
With long white hair and emerald eyes, she appeared divine in every way.
"Perhaps the past can be forgiven since the one who should have been the heir did ultimately reach the pinnacle... May I ask your name?"
The boy looked up once more and told Eurus his name.
"E-Ezekiel... Aslan... Ryan... Ventus, O' Great Spirit..."
"He must have done it then." Eurus shrugged with a nod.
"Then I shall overlook my hatred towards your ancestor. Since that man's putrid blood isn't a part of you, it is of no concern to me."
"Thank you," Ezekiel murmured, keeping his head bowed in gratitude.
RUSTLE...RUSTLES...RUSTLE...
- "I told you to bring him to the pond!"
- "Shoosh you low-grade beast! This boy is the one that awoken the great Spirit!"
- "Hurry now before the wind smites us."
Ezekiel quickly pulled his brown cloak's hood back over his head as a rustling noise echoed from across the pond.
A moment later, a boy's voice, small but curious, called out, "Hello?"
Ezekiel peered through the foliage to see a boy about his own age emerge from the trees.
The sight was unexpected, but even more peculiar was the entourage that surrounded the boy.
A multitude of spirits and spirit beasts danced around him, their ethereal forms flickering in the dappled sunlight.
They seemed to be guiding him, leading him directly towards Eurus.
The boy's black hair and crimson eyes were striking, but there was something else about him that piqued Ezekiel's interest.
Despite the magical creatures swirling around him, the boy himself didn't seem to exude any noticeable aura of power.
To Ezekiel's trained senses, he appeared...ordinary.
Eurus, who had been observing the scene with a thoughtful expression, suddenly gasped, her voice filled with disbelief and wonder.
"I can't believe it..." she whispered, her gaze fixed on the boy who now stood before Ezekiel.
"After all these years..."
Her words trailed off, leaving Ezekiel utterly perplexed.
He had no idea who this boy was or why his presence elicited such a strong reaction from the Great Spirit.
But as he watched the boy ignore all the spirits around him, a sudden realization dawned upon Ezekiel's mind.
This must be the one responsible for the disturbance in the forest, the source of the magical surge that had drawn so many creatures to this hidden pond.
But who was he, and why was he so important to Eurus?
"Speak to that boy,"
Eurus said, her voice a gentle whisper that carried across the pond.
"I'd like to know his name."
Ezekiel blinked, a puzzled expression crossing his face.
"But surely he can see you, Great Spirit," he replied, gesturing towards the multitude of spirits still swirling around Julian. "Everyone has the eyes to sense, or at least glimpse, the presence of spirits."
Eurus turned back to him, her ethereal features tinged with a hint of sorrow.
"Unfortunately, that is not the case for this boy," she said softly.
"He cannot see the spirits."
In that moment, Ezekiel saw something in Eurus's eyes that he had never witnessed before: grief.
It was a fleeting emotion, quickly masked by her usual serene composure, but it was enough to spark a wave of curiosity within him.
He must have no magical sense at all, Ezekiel thought.
He had heard stories of individuals born without the ability to perceive mana or interact with spirits, but he had never encountered one himself.
Such a condition was considered a rare and unfortunate affliction, often leading to a life of isolation and hardship.
Yet, here was this boy, seemingly oblivious to the magical energies swirling around him, surrounded by spirits who clearly adored him.
What was so special about this seemingly ordinary child?
Ezekiel couldn't deny the growing intrigue he felt.
He had been sent to Aethel for a reason, and perhaps this boy was part of that greater purpose.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone