Nathan felt it as the manual's mana passed into him. A golden ray of light that pierced into his head, directly ignoring his mental defenses. Nathan let it, he could feel that it did not have any ill intentions. The light spread through his mind, and then trembled. Nathan felt it go through his memories.

Like a recording orb, he felt his memories flash before his eyes. The moment he met Vanessa. The times he spent in the Fae caravan. The day they tried to escape and had his face burnt off. The day his mother helped him escape successfully. The time he and Vanessa spent on the run. The day he first met the Countess.

In the span of a few seconds, he felt his entire life pass through his eyes. The golden light faded and left his mind, leaving reeling.

Nathan opened his eyes and looked towards the book. The book had the same glow as before, there did not seem to be any reaction. A failure. In the end, the manual did not acknowledge him. A sigh escaped his lips as he turned around.

A mistake.

As he turned around, his wings turned with him, touching the book.

The Marshal and the Prince let out cries, the Emperor rushing towards him. But Nathan could not hear it. Golden light spilled into his body from the book, pouring into him like a river intent on destroying everything in its path.

The golden mana headed directly for his core. Black mana rose in reply, coming from somewhere unknown. But the previously dominant mana was weaker here, suppressed by the sheer power of the golden mana.

Nathan found himself unable to move as the golden mana suppressed his own, heading towards his core. This was not the same mana as before. This mana had ill intent. An arrogant will that seemed to be telling him that he was inferior. A will that was angry that he had dared to touch it.

As if reading his thoughts, the mana pressed forward, flinging his mana away as it marched forward. Nathan tried to fight back, willing the mana away, but the golden mana refused to listen to him. No, it disdained him. The image of the Marquis' banquet appeared in his head unbidden. Lady Astor screaming at the waiter.

"How dare you give me that cur's food!"

The image changed, shifting to the disdainful glances when he entered the Empire. How people turned away from him, fanning themselves because he smelt bad.

Then even further back. Nathan felt his face being burnt off, his 'relatives' yelling expletives.

The memories jumbled, appearing in no particular order.

The beatings because he could not clean well.

The other children scorning him because…he did not even know why they scorned him. But their pushes, and the scars he had gained from falling, remained.

The information brokers kicking him out, presuming he would not have any money. The embarrassment he felt when he realized they were right.

The disappointedlook on his father’s face whenever he saw him.

The strange glances he got even from others like him, and his own inability to speak with them.

The golden mana circled his core, swatting his mana away. Nathan could hear it’s laughter. Even the mana thought he was a joke.

A headache beat against his temples as the voices melded.

Mongrel. Cur. Half-breed.

A symphony of insults that defined his existence.

Even his own father did not want to spend time with him. Of course, he would want to teach Vanessa instead. After all, he was just a talentless idiot that could not even control his own power. Nathan felt himself fall to his knees. If the Emperor wanted to save him, then he could have by now. But as usual, no one came to save him.

The golden mana gained speed, circling his core as it devoured the last of Nathan's mana. The golden light circled his core as his headache intensified.

The voices kept repeating over and over, drowning any other thought he had.

Why was he like this?

Why would no one help him?

Why did his father not like him?

Why couldn't he even control his mana?

Why did his mother never tell him who she was?

Perhaps if he had known how to use his power, he would-a flash of golden mana split his vision, and the golden mana finally jumped into his core.

And he could not think anymore.

----------------------------------------

Althea

"How are the preparations going?" she asked.

"The fleet is ready to leave." Elder Bel said, staring down at the rows of ships spread across the port. "I believe they are waiting only for me to step onto the ship for it to leave."

"That is good." Althea replied. "Are you satisfied with the preparations? The ships-"

"The ships are fine, your grace." Elder Bel interrupted. "I sailed the Elven Expanse with three ships far less equipped than this. There is no need to worry."

"How can I not? If any harm befalls you or this expedition, then it is my responsibility."

Elder Bel laughed. "I must say, you are a strange one. If it were any other noble, then they would be pushing the responsibility onto me."

"I am not any random noble." Althea replied, shaking her head. There was no need to worry, she knew that. But for some reason, she kept worrying. Perhaps it was because there was so much on stake with the fleet, but she had a nervous feeling about it.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"Are you sure you want to go yourself? I am sure that any other person in the Eastern Isles will take your place." Althea said, observing the Elder's expression.

"That is exactly why I have to go on it." the Elder looked towards the port, a sad smile. When she saw the Elder smiling like this, her feeling intensified. Why would a person smile like this if they were going on a safe trip?

The way he acted made it seem like he wouldn't be returning from this trip. The Elder had met every one of his many disciples, giving them advice, further intensifying the teary-eyed atmosphere.

The loyalty his people showed him was far more than she had expected. There was more than one petition to replace the Elder's place in the fleet, and quite a few rude messages.

"The honorable Elder has sacrificed himself for us. Can't you at least let him die in peace?" Althea said. "I am grateful for all you have done, your grace, but please leave the Elder alone."

The Elder looked at her, his confusion apparent on his face

"I got quite a few messages like that. The half-elves really don't want to see you leave, Elder. That is why I ask, are you really sure that you want to leave? There are many that will miss you."

"I know." the Elder said. "The leaving ceremony is starting. The two of us should head out."

Althea nodded, noticing that he did not reply to her question. Was he having second thoughts? That would delay the expedition, but it was better than having someone as great as him sacrificing himself. Refusing him would also do more ill than good. The Elder clearly cared for his people, and he would dislike it if she put someone else at risk in his place.

The two of them headed down the stairs, walking towards the port, where a huge crowd was waiting to say goodbye to their beloved Elder. There was no sun in the cavern, but the ceiling seemed to glitter exceptionally bright today. Was there something special today?

"A cavern like this does not form normally." the Elder said, pulling Althea out of her thoughts.

"What?"

"The water should have emerged into the cavern, filling it up. But it hasn't. Mana is also strange here.

Althea nodded, feeling her surroundings. There was a strangeness to the mana here. A calmness that sun mana did not usually have.

"Is it dangerous?" she asked.

"On the contrary. I expect it will be a great aid in the future." the Elder answered. "A place like-"

Althea suddenly felt dizzy as her vision flashed pink. The feeling of dizziness overwhelmed her, taking away her ability to hear. Althea fell as she lost consciousness, her senses fading as she wondered what was happening.

A pinkish-purple gas hovered around her as she floated in some kind of space. Had she been poisoned? Was she hallucinating? Or was this an attack? An illusion?

Althea attempted to call on her mana, but there seemed to be none around. This had to be the work of a very powerful mage.

"What's happening?" Pulsie's voice echoed around her.

'I am in some kind of chamber-"

"I can see that. Why is your mana so out of control?" Pulsie asked.

"What do you mean? I can't call on my mana at all."

There was a silence at the other end, and for a second Althea wondered if she had lost her connection to Pulsie.

"Althea…you are in your mind. The gas is your mana."

What?

Althea attempted to reach out to the gas, trying to control it. But as expected, it did not respond.

"That can't-"

"I can feel you drawing on my mana. This is only supposed to happen when you overexert yourself in some spell. What were you doing before you came here?"

"I was talking with Elder Bel. Then I suddenly traveled here."

"Try walking."

Althea had already started walking in a random direction. But her surroundings did not change at all. If she hadn't been moving her legs, she wouldn't have thought she was walking. What an utterly strange place. What was happening? What spell was she doing that made her overexert herself?

How in the world was this even possible?

The fog continued as she walked, remaining the same. Pulsie did not talk to her again, but an uneasy feeling crept up in her stomach. A feeling that only increased as she walked. What in the world was going on? Why was she having this feeling?

"I think I know what is happening." Pulsie said.

"What?"

"That book you got from the vault, about the Grandmaster council, it talks about this. At times when a Druid's vassals are in danger, a Druid's power will allow them to travel into their mind." Pulsie said. "I think Nathan is in danger. Vanessa is still in the Emperor’s palace, Elder Bel confirms that Isa is safe. That only leaves Nathan."

But Nathan was in the Solerian ancestral cave, how did he encounter danger? Was there an attack? Wat how did Pulsie read that book? The book was in the vault-

"I can access the vault with my magic. I am your familiar you know, I get certain privileges. Now, I would recommend you hurry. Don't want your 'friend' dying on you, do we?"

Althea started running faster, hoping that she was actually moving instead of just staying in one place. Dealing with Pulsie could wait. Ten minutes passed like this, and she felt the sense of crisis get increasingly urgent.

But there was a change. The pinkish-purple fog had started to give way to golden light. The light was piercing, burning against her skin as she walked. The fog slowly gave way, her surroundings fading in a painfully slow manner.

"What an imbecile." she heard a voice suddenly say as she seemed to be reaching the end of the fog.

"What is going on? Why am I here?" Nathan’s voice replied. Althea breathed a sigh of relief. At least he was alive.

"Oh, so you aren't even going to answer me? After you touched me with your filthy wings?" the voice from before replied.

What? There was no chance that Nathan touched this guy with bad intentions. There was only one way that he had touched him, and that was by accident.

Why was there someone in the cave that hated Fae enough to try killing because wings touched him? The wings won't kill you, you idiot! The Emperor should have stopped this. Where was he? Where was this to begin with?

"I apologize for that." Nathan said. There was a resignation in his tone that she did not like. Why was it that he could only be aggressive when someone close to him was threatened? The first time she met him, he was so protective of Vanessa, now…he had mellowed down.

"An apology won't do. A filthy thing like you shouldn't exist. The Solerian family has gone too soft, letting a mongrel like you live. And worse, druids have gone ahead and given you their protection." the voice turned into a growl that made her think if this person was an animal.

"Tell me, how is it that you went so far to betray your family? Was letting you live not enough?"

The fog finally cleared enough for us to see a white tiger hovering over Nathan.

The tiger stepped forward, a paw striking towards Nathan.

The boy did not even resist, just letting the tiger strike him. For the first time, the fog moved, rushing in to protect Nathan.

The tiger turned towards her, growling at her.

"So you're here." it said. "A lot younger than I expected. Tell me, what do you want."

"How about you stop attacking my friend." she replied. There was no mana for her to call, but she couldn't step back. Nathan was in danger, and she had promised to protect him.

"A friend?" the tiger began laughing, its laughter sounding more like growls as it walked towards her.

"The druids have gotten ridiculous. Making friends with filthy Fae instead of staying loyal to the treaty of the three. Tell me, how did you sneak this idiot into the ancestral cave? Or have you destroyed that too?" the tiger was growling, as if presuming that she had insulted it somehow.

"I am not the one at fault here." Althea said. "Nathan entered the cave with permission from the head of Law, and he has every right to be here."

The tiger roared. "What nonsense! There is no Fae in this world that can gain the recognition of the Solerian family. I care not what tricks you used to conceive him, but I will kill every one of you filthy Fae lovers."

Althea felt her body shudder as the tiger raised its paws. Not a single part of her body would move. The tiger had utterly frozen her in the path of its paw. A paw that clearly wanted to kill her.