Lucas' words hung in the air like a blade poised to strike. His mother stood frozen, her face pale, her hands trembling at her sides. For a moment, silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken truths.
Lucas swallowed hard, his voice more desperate this time. "Mom, please. I want to go to the academy. There's nothing for me here in this forest. I want to see the world, experience new things, grow stronger."
His mother's eyes darkened with something between fear and sorrow. And then, suddenly, she snapped.
"Don't say that!" she cried, her voice laced with panic. "You don't understand, Lucas! We can't leave this forest. If you step beyond these trees, they will kill you!"
Lucas flinched at the sheer terror in her voice. He had never seen her like this before. The woman who always smiled at him, who always seemed so warm and kind, now looked as if she were desperate—as if she were clutching at something that was already slipping through her fingers.
His jaw tightened. "Why? Why are you so afraid?" His voice rose, frustration boiling over. "Why do we have to hide like cowards? Why do you want to trap me here, living the same life over and over, pretending this is enough?"
His mother's voice trembled as she shook her head. "Lucas… we are safe here. We have a home. We have peace. Isn't that enough?"
Lucas clenched his fists so tightly his nails dug into his palms. His body trembled with barely contained anger.
"No!" he shouted. "This isn't my place, Mom! Maybe it is for you, but not for me! I want more than this—I need more than this! I want to explore, I want to learn, I want to be strong enough to stand on my own!"
His mother reached out toward him, her voice cracking with desperation. "Lucas, please. Just listen to me—"
But Lucas had already turned away. His footsteps were heavy, his heart pounding as he stormed toward his room. "You can stay here if you want," he said, voice laced with finality. "But I'm leaving. I will go to the academy, no matter what."
His mother's breath hitched. Panic gripped her chest.
"Stop, Lucas!" she pleaded, her voice breaking as he reached his room. "Please, don't do this! Come back!"
But Lucas didn't stop. He slammed the door behind him with a loud thud, the sound echoing through the small house like a gunshot.
His mother stood there, staring at the closed door, her body trembling. And then, as if the strength had been ripped from her, she collapsed onto the ground.
Tears streamed down her face as she whispered into the empty space, her voice barely above a breath.
"How do I tell you…?" she choked out. "They're still looking for us. And the day they find you… they will not spare your life."
A cold wind rustled through the trees outside, but inside the house, all that remained was silence—thick, heavy, suffocating.
Inside his dimly lit room, Lucas sat on the edge of his bed, his hands clenched into fists. His mind raced with turmoil, guilt gnawing at his chest like an unrelenting storm.
"Why am I so weak emotionally?" he wondered, staring at his trembling hands. "I have my old mind… but this body, this heart—they're young, fragile. I keep losing control. I said too much to Mom… I hurt her."
His gaze drifted toward the worn-out book lying beside him. He reached for it, running his fingers over its cover. His voice came out in a whisper, barely audible over the silence of the night.
"I have to train. I need to become stronger. She has to accept the truth—I'm not a normal child. One day, I will leave… so she won't suffer because of me anymore."
As those thoughts settled into his heart, he lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Moonlight streamed through the window, casting a pale glow across the room, illuminating his troubled face. The world outside was silent, but somewhere beyond the veil of reality, unseen eyes watched him struggle—eyes filled with cruel amusement.
In a vast, ethereal domain where time itself bent to the will of its rulers, a goddess stood upon a floating platform of obsidian and silver, her golden eyes locked onto Lucas. She watched his turmoil with an eerie smile, her delicate fingers dancing in the air, weaving invisible threads of fate around him.
"How entertaining," she murmured, her voice dripping with amusement. "His suffering… his desperation… I wonder how far he will go before he breaks?"
The goddess chuckled, but her enjoyment was short-lived.
A thunderous voice echoed behind her, its divine power shaking the entire domain.
"Sister. Stop this nonsense at once."
Her smirk faltered, and she slowly turned. A towering figure stood behind her, draped in an ornate golden robe that shimmered like the sun. His long emerald-green hair cascaded over his broad shoulders, his piercing gaze filled with quiet authority.
"Otherwise," he continued, his tone edged with warning, "if Father learns of this… he will never forgive you for meddling with the destined future."
The goddess tilted her head, feigning innocence, though mischief still sparkled in her eyes.
"Oh, dear brother… you wound me." She placed a hand on her chest dramatically. "I'm not 'meddling'—I'm simply… exploring alternative possibilities. Wouldn't you agree that I should have the right to test fate? It is, after all, an experience in itself."
A flick of her wrist, and suddenly, hundreds of shimmering crystals materialized behind her, floating like tiny stars. Each crystal held a different fragment of fate, alternate paths she had twisted and shaped in secret.
She spread her arms wide, smirking.
"All of this? It's mine. My creation. So tell me, dear brother… who will stop me? You?"
Her brother's expression darkened. He stepped forward, the ground beneath him pulsing with divine energy.
"You're playing a dangerous game, Sister." His voice was low, but beneath it, anger simmered. "This time, I will walk away. But mark my words—if you continue down this path, next time… it won't be me standing here. It will be Father himself. Let's see how well you handle your 'experience' when he comes for you."
With that final warning, he turned and soared into the heavens, disappearing in a flash of golden light.
The goddess remained still for a moment, her smirk slowly fading.
Then, she exhaled, tilting her head toward the mortal realm once more.
"Father, huh?" she whispered. "We'll see."