The sun was setting over the village, casting the sky in vibrant shades of orange and purple. Kael, a nearly nine-year-old boy with dark blonde hair and amber eyes, walked back from the woods, his arms full of firewood. As he approached the clearing near the edge of the forest, he spotted two young children sitting on a log, talking excitedly.

"Mine's a Lumimite!" Lila said, bouncing on the log. "It lets me make glowing orbs. They float around me and change colors!"

Tomas grinned. "Mine's a Ferrokin. I can control metal! Yesterday, I made a little shield. It's not big, but it's getting stronger!"

Kael's eyes lit up. "They've already got theirs?"

Lila nodded enthusiastically. "Yep, we did it yesterday! It's so cool."

Tomas added, "Everyone gets their Soul Parasite when they turn seven. But we're happy to help you if you don't have one yet."

Kael blinked, his face full of confusion. "UHH, Grandpa just won't take me." He threw his arms up in the air, frustrated. "Why does he keep saying 'not now'?"

Lila and Tomas exchanged glances but didn't say anything more, letting Kael go. He grumbled to himself as he walked home, fuming quietly.

Two millennia ago, the first Soul Parasites bonded with two individuals, marking the dawn of a new era. These beings granted them supernatural abilities beyond anyone's imagination, leading to rapid modernization. With these powers, humanity expanded, colonizing multiple planets and uncovering new realms.

Now, every person merged their soul with a Soul Parasite, an ethereal entity existing in form of pure energy form in another world. This bond not only bestowed unique abilities reflecting one's essence but also connected them to the deeper mysteries of the universe. Kael felt a surge of excitement and impatience, knowing that his turn to bond with a Soul Parasite would unlock a world of possibilities.

With the discovery of soul parasites many old myths that had been proven right—tales of gods wielding thunder, splitting the earth, and performing feats that now made more sense. Perhaps the altars used to bond with Soul Parasites had existed long ago, only to be rediscovered in modern times.

Kael arrived at his grandpa's cottage, he stormed inside, slamming the door behind him. Grandpa Elric, who had been sitting by the fire, looked up calmly.

Grandpa Elric sat in his old rocking chair by the fire, his silver beard and wrinkled face glowing softly in the warm light. His eyes, tired yet kind, peered over his glasses, lost in thought. He wore a faded robe, and his hands rested gently on the arms of the chair, steady and worn from years of work. Despite his age, there was a quiet strength in his stillness, as if he carried the weight of many years in silence.

"There you are, Kael. Got enough wood for tonight?"

Kael huffed. "Grandpa, why won't you take me to bond with a Soul Parasite?"

Grandpa Elric didn't look surprised by the question. He gave Kael a steady look. "You're still not ready."

"But I am!" Kael protested, crossing his arms. "I'm practically nine! And I've been waiting for forever! I'm ready now!"

Grandpa Elric sighed. "It's not the right time, Kael. When the time comes, you'll know."

Kael flopped onto the couch dramatically. "But why not now? Why can't I go today?" He sat up and gazed at his grandfather with eyes full of pleading and charm. "Please?"

"No," Grandpa said firmly. "Not yet."

Kael groaned. "But I really, really want to! Why can't we just go now?"

Grandpa Elric smiled a little. "I'm telling you, it's not time yet. You'll have your moment. But you need to be patient."

Kael squirmed in his seat. "But Grandpa! Why are you holding out on me? Is it some big secret?"

Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

"No secret," Grandpa said, his voice warm but firm. "It's about timing. The ritual will be ready when it's ready."

Kael squinted at him. "You keep saying that! How do you know it's not already ready?"

"Because," Grandpa Elric said, with a wink, "I know you. You need to calm down a bit before we go."

Kael slumped back in the chair, feeling a little defeated but not giving up. "Fine, but I'm not going to stop asking! I want to go now. I'll ask every day if I have to."

Grandpa chuckled. "I'll give you credit for persistence, Kael. But not today."

Days passed, and Kael's frustration only grew. He couldn't help but feel a little impatient. He stopped by his grandpa every day, pestering him without fail.

"Grandpa! Let's go now!" Kael burst into the cottage one morning. "You said it's not time yet, but I think it is time!"

Grandpa looked over his book, raising an eyebrow. "I told you before, Kael. The ritual isn't something you rush."

"I'm ready! I know it's time! Please?" Kael begged, giving his grandpa a hopeful look.

"No," Grandpa Elric said, shaking his head with a smile. "Not today."

Kael crossed his arms. "Well, if I don't get my Soul Parasite soon, I might just turn into a fireball of impatience!"

Grandpa laughed. "Oh? A fireball, huh? You might want to work on that temper of yours, Kael. I'll take you when it's right."

This time, Kael didn't storm out. He just sighed deeply and gave Grandpa a look of dramatic frustration. "You're impossible. But fine. I'll be here again tomorrow asking for it!"

Grandpa Elric chuckled, shaking his head. "I know you will, Kael."

Kael tossed and turned in his bed, the moonlight filtering through the small window of the cottage. His mind was restless, filled with thoughts of the ritual and the Soul Parasite he so desperately wanted to bond with. He had asked Grandpa once again, for what felt like the hundredth time that week, but Grandpa had only shaken his head, repeating his usual words: "Not yet, Kael. You're not ready."

Kael didn't know it, but Grandpa Elric sat in his rocking chair beside the fire, the faint crackling of the flames the only sound in the quiet room. His eyes were soft, filled with a deep, knowing sadness as he looked at his sleeping grandson.

"He's not ready," Grandpa Elric murmured to himself, his voice low and filled with quiet sorrow. "his spiritual body... It's weaker than it should be. I've seen it for years now. His power is less than average, and the ritual requires much more than what he was born with."

His wrinkled hand tightened on the arm of the rocking chair. "I've been pushing him, making him stronger, testing his limits—forcing his body to grow, to match the minimum requirement. Every day, I've been helping him build his strength, both physically and spiritually. He might feel down to know why I keep delaying the ritual. I've had to do it this way... for his own sake."

He paused, his eyes glistening with the weight of the secret he had kept from Kael. "The bond with a Soul Parasite isn't just about willpower or desire. It's a delicate balance, Kael. The ritual demands more than just a desire to bond; it demands a certain level of spiritual power, a level that's been hard for you to reach. But... soon."

Grandpa Elric leaned back, his gaze softening as he looked at Kael's peaceful face. "Soon, you'll be ready. Your spiritual power is growing, Kael. Just a little more time... and you'll have your Soul Parasite, and it will be as you've always wanted."

He took a deep breath and whispered to the sleeping boy, his voice barely a whisper. "Patience, my boy. Just a little more patience."

Kael's eyes flickered open as he heard his Grandpa's voice. He lifted his head off the pillow and blinked, his gaze falling on Grandpa who was sitting in the rocking chair, lost in thought. Kael gave him a funny look, one eyebrow raised. "Well, well... so that's what you've been hiding from me?"

Grandpa Elric was startled, his eyes widening as he realized Kael was awake. "Kael? How long have you been awake?" His voice betrayed his surprise.

Kael grinned mischievously, sitting up in bed. "Not long enough to overhear anything... serious, right?" He gave a playful wink. "Come on, Grandpa, keeping secrets like that? Do you think I wouldn't catch that? You know, you could've just told me about the whole 'waiting until I'm ready' thing. It sounds pretty simple."

Grandpa Elric was momentarily taken aback, his hand rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "I... uh... I didn't think you'd—"

Kael interrupted with a smirk, "Yeah, you thought I wouldn't get it, huh? But I know why you've been holding me back. It's because I'm not my body is spiritually not strong enough yet, right? I get it, Grandpa. I don't understand it completely but I understand it enough to know why you are making me wait."

Grandpa's face softened with relief, and a small smile appeared on his lips. "You understand, then?" He met Kael's gaze, his voice now gentler. "I've been trying to build you up, Kael. It's not that I want to keep you from bonding with a Soul Parasite. But I want you to be ready, truly ready. That's all."

Kael nodded, his playful grin fading into a more thoughtful expression. "I get it, Grandpa. You're just looking out for me. I won't rush it. I'll wait until I'm ready."

He yawned and stretched, then laid back down, pulling the blanket up to his chin. "Just... don't wait too long, alright? I'm getting impatient!"

Grandpa Elric chuckled softly, a weight lifting off his chest. "I promise, Kael. Soon. Just a little more time."

Kael gave a small nod, already drifting back to sleep. "Patience, right? I can do patience." His voice trailed off as he sank into slumber once more, the soft glow of the fire casting a warm light over the room.

Grandpa Elric held up a small family heirloom in his hand, a pendant passed down through the generations. The faint blue glow in the pendant reflected in his eyes as he whispered, "Soon Kael. Soon."