Twelve years had passed since Euryale was reborn, and the village nestled between the green valleys and glittering sea had become his whole world. Peace defined their lives, colored with the gentle rhythm of seasons, meals shared at sunset, and laughter echoing from the fields. He was now twelve—a boy on the cusp of transformation, though he didn't yet know how deep the change would go.
Their home was filled with warmth. Salah continued his work by the sea, and Xena, though once frail, had become strong again, raising their three children with gentle wisdom. Silas was eight, full of energy and always asking questions, while little Lyra, five, was already trying to match her brothers step for step. Euryale loved them with a heart that had long forgotten other lives, other names. To him, Salah and Xena were his parents. That truth lived in his bones.
Today was special. The village buzzed with excitement. Every four years, people from faraway realms arrived for the qualification event—a ceremony where children who had reached the age of twelve could awaken their Mana Core. With it, they would gain access to magic and the path to becoming a student of the greater disciplines taught beyond their world. For many, it was the first step toward a destiny far larger than the village.
Euryale stood on a hill above the village, gazing down at the rows of colorful tents and banners fluttering in the wind. Representatives from distant realms had come—some cloaked in shimmering robes, others in garments stitched with strange symbols. Magic vibrated in the air like a silent song.
"Are you nervous?" Silas asked, running up beside him.
Euryale smiled faintly. "A little."
"I bet you'll get a super rare affinity! Like spirit, or void, or sound!" Silas declared.
He chuckled, ruffling his brother's hair. "I just hope I awaken something. That's enough."
They returned home for breakfast, where Xena was already setting the table. Her hands moved with practiced ease, her smile never fading. She looked at Euryale and touched his cheek. "You're growing so fast. I swear you were just a toddler yesterday."
Salah entered, his boots damp with sea spray. "Big day today," he said with pride. "Your mother and I will be there, watching."
The testing ground was set in the heart of the village, surrounded by flags from the outer realms. Children stood in a wide circle, each called one by one to place their hand on a crystal spire. When their mana was drawn forth, the crystal would reveal whether they had a Mana Core and display their elemental affinity.
Euryale stepped forward when his name was called. Silence fell.
He placed his palm on the crystal. For a moment, nothing happened. Then the air shifted. A low hum filled the space, the sky above stirring gently.
A single light glowed within the crystal—a deep black core, just like all others at the start. But then, a swirl of color shimmered beside it. Symbols emerged faintly, glowing and fading like embers in the dark.
Water. Spirit. And something older—subtle, hard to place, like the quiet pulse of the ocean floor.
The observers whispered among themselves.
"Three affinities?" one of the judges murmured.
"One of them… might be void or spirit. Hard to say."
Euryale stepped back, his heart racing. He didn't understand what any of it meant, but he felt something stir deep within—a connection, an old instinct reawakening.
Xena clutched Salah's hand, tears welling in her eyes.
He looked over at them, smiling brightly.
Later that night, the family sat by the fire. Lyra curled up in Xena's lap, Silas bouncing with excitement.
"You had three affinities! That's amazing! I don't even know anyone with two!" Silas said.
Xena stroked Euryale's hair. "I'm proud of you. No matter what you awaken, you'll always be our son."
Euryale nodded, but something stirred deep within him. The test had awakened more than magic. In the space between his heartbeats, he felt the edge of something familiar... but it slipped away.
He looked around at his family. This was his world. Whatever came next, he knew he would protect it.
Outside, the stars began to gather overhead. The next journey was beginning, but for now, they were together—whole, peaceful, and bright with promise.