Lucas continued his training, focused, his face beaded with sweat. The sets followed one after another: a hundred push-ups, a hundred pull-ups, a hundred squats. Numbers that should have broken him. But... no. On the contrary. A strange feeling came over him.
Every movement strengthened his body. He could feel it. Literally. As if his muscles were instantly assimilating the effort.
The expected exhaustion didn't come. He was sweating, yes, but he wasn't on the verge of collapse. His arms, his legs... his whole being seemed to be adapting.
-"That's enough for today, Lucas. Drink some water and recover." Eric's deep, calm voice rang out.
Lucas nodded, grabbed his water bottle and sat down on the ground, deep in thought. He looked at his arms, then his legs. This wasn't normal. Or rather... it wasn't humanly normal.
A little further away, Séraphine frowned, her arms crossed over her chest, her eyes fixed on her son.
Far from her usual extroverted liveliness, she was serious.
-"You noticed, didn't you?" she whispered to Eric. "His ability to adapt is incredible. His body is assimilating the effort at an abnormal rate. We'll have to keep a close eye on that."
Eric nodded silently, his gaze still fixed on Lucas.
Lucas, meanwhile, was lost in thought.
Why am I not tired? I should be, shouldn't I? Yet... it's as if my body is getting stronger with every repetition. And not tomorrow or in a week. Right now.
A smile appeared on his lips, discreet but intense.
That means... I can train more. Go further. Become stronger than the others, faster. It's an incredible opportunity.
He slowly straightened up, his muscles still tense but pain-free. He knew, at that moment, that something in him was different. And that this was only the beginning.
As Lucas finished his stretches, three figures watched the scene from a distance, leaning against a large tree. They had been there for a while, silent, following every movement, every breath.
One of them stepped forward casually. He was a man with bright blond hair and eyes as green as emeralds.
His massive physique was impressive, and an imposing axe hung from his back. He glanced sideways at Eric, a smirk on his lips.
-"Hey, boss... aren't you going to introduce us to your little friend? It's the first time we've seen him. He's cute, this kid."
Eric, who hadn't noticed them at first, turned around, visibly surprised.
-"Where have you been again?" he sighed. "All right... Lucas, come here."
Lucas obeyed, intrigued. He approached slowly, a little tense. He had never met these people before.
-"Lucas," said Eric in a calm voice, "these are the people I work with at the Guild. They're my mission partners... and my friends. You can trust them."
He pointed first to the blond man.
-"This is Max. He's a bit loud sometimes, but he's an outstanding warrior. He wields that axe like no one else."
Max puffed out his chest, a proud smile on his face.
-"Nice to meet you, kid. Hope you're as tough as your old man."
Lucas nodded politely.
-"And this is Lucinda," Eric continued. "Strategist and support mage. Don't be fooled by her smile, she can knock you out in a second."
Lucinda was tall and slender, with long, wavy black hair framing a strikingly beautiful face. She had a voluptuous figure and natural elegance... but her eyes hid a very real mischievousness.
She tilted her head slightly towards Lucas, a tender smile on her lips.
-"He's adorable. He has your hair, boss. But I'd say he looks mostly like his mother... who is absolutely gorgeous."
Séraphine, standing a little behind, smiled softly.
-"Thank you, Lucinda. That's kind of you."
-"And finally," concluded Eric, pointing to the last member of the group, "this is Érian. He's more discreet, but formidable. His brain is a weapon in itself."
The young man stepped forward, frail compared to Max, with metal-rimmed glasses, discreet scars above his eyes, and an observant air.
-"Hello, Lucas,' he said simply in a calm voice. "Welcome among us."
Lucas looked at them one by one. They all had something special about them.
A warmth, a power, an invisible bond... And for a reason he didn't yet understand, he felt at ease. As if he had just met a family... a little different, but just as precious.
Lucas watched them one by one, silently. He didn't smile, but his eyes sparkled with curiosity and analysis.
Since his awakening, something had changed. He could now perceive the particles of mana with almost instinctive ease, as if the world were speaking to him in a new language that he understood without ever having learned it. Everything around him vibrated, breathed, and the people... the people also had colours, flows, signatures.
And these three... were anything but ordinary.
They are powerful... very powerful.
That was the first thing he felt. His breath almost caught in his throat at the intensity of their presence. An invisible wave emanated from them, like a gravitational field. A dense, sharp, living mana.
He then remembered a detail that had troubled him when he awoke. He had never felt anything coming from his parents. No flow, no presence. Nothing. Like a perfect void. As if they didn't exist on this frequency. At the time, he had believed that everyone was like that. He thought that a monarch's mana naturally receded. But when he saw Max, Lucinda and Érian...
No. It wasn't the same.
Max was glowing. Literally. His flaming aura was like a bright, friendly flame, almost warm. The mana that enveloped him vibrated like a forge in full swing. Powerful, but stable. And, to his surprise... welcoming. Like an outstretched hand.
He wants us to trust him, Lucas understood instinctively. He has nothing to hide.
Lucinda, on the other hand, was all contrast. Her mana was a deep purple, almost black in places. It was frighteningly dense. It exuded a deadly elegance, like a blade hidden behind a smile. Focused, formidable. And slightly sinister.
She's dangerous... but she knows exactly what she's doing, Lucas thought, shivering.
As for Érian...
He blinked.
Nothing.
Not a particle, not a breath.
Huh?
Lucas frowned. It was exactly like with his parents. Érian gave nothing away. As if he wasn't there. But he knew he was. And that... made his blood run cold.
He's hiding. Or rather, he has perfect control over his mana. He's like them...
Lucas felt his heart beat faster.
This realisation struck him like a bolt of lightning. He wasn't sure. But their power, their aura, their stability... everything about them screamed that they were far beyond mere humans.
And yet they smiled. They talked. They breathed.
Lucas took a deep breath.
I want to be like that... he thought, clenching his fists discreetly.
And as he looked up at Max, a small smile formed on his lips. He didn't know him yet. But he had already decided to trust him.
Lucas calmly walked towards the three people. His gaze was curious but serene. With a sincere smile, he bowed slightly, as he had been taught.
-"Hello. My name is Lucas. Pleased to meet you.
I'm very happy to meet you."
Max burst out laughing, his broad chest vibrating like a shaking mountain.
-"Hahaha! Your kid is really cute, boss."He turned to Lucas with a bright look. "We saw you training earlier... Honestly, you're giving it your all. That's good, keep it up!"
He bent his arms and flexed his impressive muscles, showing them off proudly.
"Work hard, kid! That's what it takes to be a real warrior! You'll see, with time, you'll be as strong as me."
Lucas smiled shyly, impressed.
Next to him, Érian remained silent.
He stared at Lucas for a long time, without animosity but with an intensity that could make him uncomfortable. Finally, he simply nodded without a word.
Lucinda approached him gently. Her eyes sparkled with a mixture of affection and mischief. She leaned slightly towards Lucas, her hands on her hips.
-"Isn't he adorable? Ah, I would have loved to have a child like you. So kind, so polite... and so promising. You really take after your father."
Lucas lowered his eyes slightly, a little embarrassed but touched by her words. His smile widened without him realising.
But Érian, without looking away, addressed Éric.
-"It's a shame you didn't introduce him to us sooner. He's already awakened his power, hasn't he? How did that happen?"
Lucas opened his mouth to reply, but Eric calmly beat him to it:
-"Don't worry, Érian. Everything went well. He showed great talent, and above all... he awakened two intermediate elements."
A slight shiver ran through the group. This was no small feat. Even Max stopped smiling for a moment.
-"Two intermediate elements, huh?" Lucinda whispered, visibly intrigued.
But Eric cut her off.
-"Right. As you can see, we're going to resume training. We'll meet later to discuss the next mission."
Max nodded.
-"Sounds good, boss. See you later, Lucas!"
-"See you soon, kid," said Lucinda with a wink.
Érian, however, frowned slightly. He hadn't liked being interrupted.
But Eric placed a hand on his shoulder with a calm smile.
-"Don't worry. You'll have a chance to talk to him later."
Érian remained silent for a moment, then sighed.
-"All right. See you later, then."
The three left quietly, each lost in their own thoughts... while Lucas turned back to his father, his eyes shining with excitement.
Lucas wasn't an ordinary child. And he knew it. He didn't just listen to words — he weighed them. He observed gestures, glances, silences. Everything about him was analysed. He understood one thing: the relationship between his father and Érian was much deeper than they showed. He could feel it. Something implicit circulated between them. A silent respect. Perhaps a shared past. But Lucas, as always, refrained from commenting.
He knew how to play his role perfectly: that of a polite, bright but still naive child. It wasn't yet time to reveal everything he understood.
So he calmly followed his parents, walking home at a measured pace. The sun was beginning to set, gilding the rooftops and lengthening the shadows on the road.
As they walked, Eric said in a calm, almost neutral tone:
-"You probably noticed my reaction to Érian... You must think I don't trust him, right?"
Lucas, without stopping, replied simply:
-"No. I think you trust him. But you don't want the other two to know. Not entirely."
Eric stopped dead in his tracks.
He looked at his son, surprised by the accuracy of his response... then a slight, almost imperceptible smile formed on his lips.
-"Exactly. Well spotted."
He resumed walking alongside him.
-"I trust Érian. But some truths... are not to be shared in public. Not yet. I'll explain later, when you're ready. For now... you're still young. And there are things you need to learn for yourself first."Lucas nodded, accepting the answer. He didn't press the matter. But he took in every word, every nuance. One day, he would understand everything.
Once they got home and took off their coats, Lucas turned to his father.
-'Father..."
Is it normal that I'm adapting so quickly to training? I mean... I can feel my muscles reacting, progressing... as if I were made for it.
Eric smiled. He sat down in an armchair, looking thoughtful.
-"That's exactly what I wanted to talk to you about."
He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees.
"Your body is special, Lucas. Much more than you realise. This ability to adapt is a blessing... but also a responsibility."
He sat up straight and crossed his arms.
-"I'm going to have to rethink your entire training programme. We can't follow a traditional pattern anymore. If you're picking things up this quickly, then I need to adjust every phase, every goal."
He stood up.
-"At this rate, we won't even need to bring you to the Guild for training. I'll design a programme just for you. Tailor-made."
He looked at Séraphine, then at Lucas.
-"In the meantime, stay with your mother. She'll teach you the basics of mana manipulation and some fundamental techniques. As for me... I have to discuss a project with my colleagues."
He placed his hand on Lucas's shoulder.
-"I'll be back this evening. Then I'll teach you the way I learned myself."
Lucas nodded calmly, but inside he was bubbling with impatience. He wanted to learn. He wanted to grow. He wanted to understand.
Eric headed for the door. Séraphine watched him walk away, then said with a slight smile:
-"We'll wait for you for dinner. But you know, that boy... he's going to surpass us soon."
Eric smiled without turning around.
-"That's the idea."
And the door closed.