Chapter 1: The Devil Child Favored by the Heavens
"Your Majesties… the heavens have spoken."
The royal astrologer knelt before the Emperor and Empress, robes whispering against the marble floor. Outside, storm clouds churned violently, lightning splitting the sky into jagged silver streaks. Candlelight flickered, illuminating anxious, awed faces.
Eryndor was a kingdom of cultivation, where power flowed like a river through nobles, scholars, and warriors alike. Some could sense spiritual energy and manipulate the elements; others glimpsed threads of fate. The Emperor's aura shimmered with quiet authority, his mastery of foresight and qi subtle yet undeniable. The Empress radiated calm energy, her presence weaving protective threads through the court, her intuition sharp enough to sense the tiniest disturbance in the kingdom's spiritual currents.
The court held its breath, every whisper carried by the palace's flowing qi, anticipating the prophecy that had stirred the hearts of the people.
"A child is coming — a crown prince unlike any other," the astrologer said, voice calm yet powerful, resonating like a bell of judgment. "He will carry strength, wisdom, and spiritual clarity beyond our understanding. The just will find hope in him; the wicked will tremble at his presence. His path will be extraordinary."
The Emperor's jaw tightened, fingers brushing the hilt of a ceremonial sword, his aura subtly rippling as he considered the weight of such a destiny. "A child so extraordinary… can we guide him? Can we prepare him?"
The astrologer's eyes shone like stars. "No, Your Majesty. He is favored by the heavens. Only time will reveal the full measure of his power. He is… the Devil Child of legend."
Whispers rustled like wind through the chamber. Courtiers bowed low, some crossing themselves. Others exchanged glances, sensing the faint stirring of energy in the room. The Empress's lips curved into a soft, radiant smile, her aura glowing faintly, warm and protective. A legend had been declared — the first spark of awe and wonder ignited.
Months passed, and the palace seemed alive with spiritual energy. Storms rolled across the city, lightning crackling with unusual brilliance, reflecting off the polished shields of palace guards. The stars themselves seemed to shimmer with spiritual threads. Birds flew in arcs, riding currents invisible to the eye. Even the palace walls seemed to hum as the prophecy drew near.
Servants whispered in corridors, "The child… is coming… the heavens favor him."
The Emperor watched the Empress with quiet reverence. Her hands rested gently on her belly, glowing faintly with protective qi. Her aura radiated serenity, weaving through the room and calming everyone present. Even the faintest smile on her lips seemed to make the candlelight brighter.
At night, the astrologer climbed the palace towers, scanning the restless constellations, muttering prayers under his breath. "The heavens stir… soon, he will come."
Finally, the day arrived. The palace moved like a living organism. Torches flickered along the halls. Attendants ran with urgent messages, their own qi stirring in nervous anticipation. Guards assumed their positions, every movement precise, their presence rippling faintly in response to the spiritual energy thickening in the air.
"Your Majesty! The Empress is about to give birth!" a maid cried, breathless.
The Emperor strode through the corridors, heart hammering with pride and excitement. Outside, lightning crackled, thunder rolling like the kingdom itself exhaling.
Inside the birthing chamber, incense smoke curled like ethereal ribbons in the air, mingling with protective qi from the attendants. The Empress lay upon embroidered silk, her face flushed but radiant. Attendants moved with urgent grace, their subtle energies weaving a lattice of protection around her and the child to come.
She gripped their hands, voice trembling with joy. "I can feel it… something incredible is coming."
And then — a cry.
It cut through the chamber like a lightning strike, clear and commanding. The Empress's lips curved into a radiant, astonished smile. Her hands trembled with delight as she leaned closer.
Tiny fists clenched instinctively. Eyes wide and bright, the infant's aura pulsed faintly but powerfully. Energy flowed through him like a living river, pure, unyielding, yet calm. Even at birth, he radiated authority, subtle yet undeniable, pressing on the air around him without malice.
"My… my son," the Empress whispered, tears glistening. "So small… yet… magnificent."
The astrologer stepped forward, bowing low, his voice reverent. "The prophecy unfolds. The heavens favor him."
The Emperor knelt beside the cradle, brushing the newborn's tiny fingers with awe. His aura intertwined subtly with the child's, already sensing potential far beyond comprehension. "Mykel Cassian Voss," he murmured, "crown prince… the child favored by the heavens."
The chamber fell into sacred hush. Outside, the storm softened to a gentle rain, each drop striking the palace roof like soft applause. Guards, attendants, and courtiers whispered quietly, hearts racing, sensing the faint hum of spiritual energy around the newborn. The air itself seemed to bend subtly toward him, acknowledging the arrival of someone extraordinary.
Years passed. Mykel grew faster and sharper than any child the palace had known. By his fifth year, he could sense fluctuations in spiritual energy that baffled seasoned scholars. He solved riddles that had confounded tutors for decades. Strategy games became effortless, each move calculated with uncanny foresight. Even the palace guards, trained for years, moved instinctively as though guided by his aura.
One morning, the Emperor observed Mykel directing a group of guards in a mock drill. Every gesture, every command, precise, deliberate. His aura subtly guided the movements of those around him, shaping the flow of energy like a silent conductor.
The chief tutor whispered, astonished, "Your Majesty… his mind… his energy… it surpasses anything we have ever seen."
The Emperor's eyes softened with pride. "Mykel," he said, voice steady, warm, commanding, "your skill, wisdom, and spiritual presence grow faster than any child before you. To honor your promise to the kingdom, and to show the people the greatness to come…" He gestured to the attendants and guards. "I bestow upon you the lands of the northern provinces and twenty attendants to serve your household. Let all witness that the heavens favor you."
Mykel looked up, solemn, absorbing every detail. Courtiers and attendants murmured quietly, sensing his aura even if they could not fully comprehend it.
Even the astrologer bowed his head, reverent and proud. Mykel's legend was no longer a promise — it was already taking shape before every eye in the palace.
From his first breath to his earliest displays of brilliance, the story of Mykel Cassian Voss — crown prince, future leader, the Devil Child favored by the heavens — had begun. The kingdom itself thrummed with anticipation, aware that one day, this child would shape its destiny.