As time gently slipped away, days seamlessly merged into weeks, and before the Stark family could fathom it, a month had passed since they welcomed a Divine Being—or what humans might deem a monster—into their midst as a child. Seated on a plush white couch in a spacious living room adorned with sleek furniture and surrounded by glass walls, Danielle wore a sweet smile while nurturing the Divine she had named Daniel.
Her husband had no influence on the matter, preoccupied as he was with finding a solution to the impending issue hanging over them like the sword of Damascus.
A melodic tune suddenly filled the air, prompting Danielle to lower her gaze to her beautiful child, whose hair cascaded as if submerged in water. His eyes gleamed softly, twinkling like stars, and his skin bore a fair and delicate hue.
"I won't let the world discover you, my little Star. And you're not a monster either," she whispered, playfully poking his cheeks before reaching for the slim rectangular device on a rollable stool.
The moment her fingers brushed the sleek black surface, it sprung to life, projecting a colorful hologram featuring her hunter friends.
"Hello, everyone. Daniel, say hello!" With a radiant smile gracing her beautiful face, Danielle seated Daniel as he tilted his head, regarding the expectant group with innocent curiosity.
"Da!" he exclaimed, waving both arms. To Daniel, the people on the hologram were of little consequence, but they erupted into cheers, lauding him as a smart kid.
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"Okay, inform David about the call."
"I will," Danielle responded, and the hologram winked out, prompting her to release a relieved exhale.
Since that day, she had predominantly chosen hoods for Daniel, especially during moments like this. Despite her trust in her companions, a Divine Being was as precious as rare juicy meat or a multi-million credit cheque.
Ding!
The sound of the elevator made her turn, and her husband emerged, reaching for Daniel from her hands and cradling him.
"How's my boy doing?" he chortled, and Daniel responded with a giggle, displaying his gums.
Sighing, Danielle lifted her head, locking eyes with her husband as she opened her mouth. "He's alright, but they called. Sooner or later, they're going to figure out something is wrong. And I... I don't want my companions to turn against my child."
"Is that so?" David said deeply, winking at Daniel, who then looked at the ground. It was an unrelated action since a baby couldn't embarrass his father, yet Danielle burst into laughter.
"Ahem!... Well, our search finally bore fruit. I've discovered something significant, Honey, and it has been right here with us since the beginning."
The excitement in David's tone lifted his wife's mood and made her painfully curious. "Huh, how's that possible?" she said, stretching her arms to take Daniel, but David took a swift step back.
"He's OUR son... sometimes I feel you forget that," he warned with narrowed eyes, and Danielle pouted.
"I believe that diary belongs to a Divine. Apart from chronicling his adventures, he also noted a special formula at the end. This formula has the power to disguise a Divine's jewel, making it appear human."
"W… what?" Danielle exclaimed, blinking twice in astonishment.
"I know, had that same expression… but I've gathered the ingredients and had a mage create a batch of inhalers. He only needs to inhale once every day… unless he reveals it, and then he has to take another one," David explained, effortlessly retrieving his bag with a single hand.
Danielle quickly unzipped it and brought out a neatly packed batch of pitch-black inhalers, resembling those used by people with asthma.
"C… can he take it at this age?"
"Ummm, the diary states it can be used by all ages, as long as they are awakened. However, the effect will continuously grow weaker on an Eternal. But we both know there's no way Daniel can grow to be one of those frightening beings," David replied.
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"Hey, little Star, I have something for you…" Danielle said with a sweet tone while waving the inhaler before Daniel.
Tilting his tiny head, an invisible force forced the inhaler into the air, floating toward him, leaving his parents stunned.
"What's happening?!" Danielle exclaimed, her lips parting.
"Is it a divine gift?" She asked again, turning to her husband for answers but he shook his head.
"We named our powers, gifts, but it should just be called ability for Divine. But what kind of ability it this?" David asked, addressing no one in particular while staring at his child, who giggled while playing with the inhaler.
Several months later, a baby with otherworldly charm opened his eyes. He realized he had dozed off while watching a cartoon, and a sudden thirst led him on a quest to find his mother.
"Mama!" His tiny voice rang but the sound of the TV was much louder, provoking a certain rage in Daniel.
"Mama!" His tiny voice echoed, but the TV's volume drowned it out, sparking a certain rage in Daniel.
He turned to the TV, scowling deeply. In that moment, the TV crumpled in on itself, transforming into a scrap ball of metal, plastic, and glass.
The sound made his parents rush over and David's eyes widened while his wife gasped.
"D… Daniel…!"
"Mama!" Daniel extended his cherubic hands toward her, and a radiant smile illuminated her face. However, she soon discerned that his wide-eyed gaze was fixed on her bosom.
"Already spoiled at such a tender age!" David chortled, eliciting a gentle chuckle from Danielle.
Yet, her serene moment was abruptly interrupted as her watch emitted a melodious beep, projecting a hologram. Alarmed, she gracefully retreated to her private chamber.
On the holographic screen appeared her boss, a woman with a chic bob cut and an assertive demeanor. "This afternoon, I'll be venturing into a stronghold, and I'll need your formidable protection, Olympus."
"I'll be there, Lady Emerald," Danielle responded with unwavering assurance.
As the hologram of Lady Emerald, the Mayor's wife, disconnected, Danielle hurriedly exited the room, burdened by the guilt that she had inadvertently deprived her child.
Emerging from her sanctuary, Danielle observed David captivating Daniel's attention by tossing objects into the air for him to suspend. "Well done!" David bellowed, and Daniel responded with gleeful claps.
"Little star, mommy is here," Danielle whispered, but Daniel remained absorbed in the captivating spectacle, unaware that this enthralling trick was unknowingly his doing.
Despite being dubbed Olympus, an Elementalist with earth spells of unparalleled potency even among other Threat level B's, Danielle's eyes welled with emotion as her precious baby innocently overlooked her presence.
Could this be the commencement of a pattern? Would he persist in overlooking her from this point onward?
Gracefully cradling her cherished child, Danielle swiftly produced something to remind him of his hunger. As he latched onto her bosom with eager hunger, Danielle, after flashing a triumphant smile at her husband, walked toward the room.
"What's this? Are we now competing for his attention?" David shook his head at his wife's endearing antics. "Wait, you forgot his inhaler!" he bellowed, seizing the black inhaler and heading for the room.
The passage of time witnessed Daniel's robust growth, yet his joyful personality endured, as did his mother's possessive love. His escalating strength left the couple astounded.
As the days unfolded, Danielle found herself testing the limits of water temperature that a typical human child could endure before Daniel sensed the heat. They also had to replace numerous household appliances, for Daniel had a penchant for inadvertently breaking everything he touched.
There was even an incident where he tumbled down the stairs, inducing panic in his parents. To their bewilderment, not a single bruise adorned him.
"Rise and shine, my little star. It's your first day, so be cautious not to reveal your powers, even to your future best friend," Danielle whispered, gazing at the disheveled five-year-old nestled in bed, with groggy eyes and tousled hair.
"What best friend?... Wait, SCHOOL!"
****
A few years later:
A child emerged from a bathroom into a lengthy corridor, sparsely populated by kids of various ages.
His raven hair, covering his right eye, contrasted with the black inhaler clenched in his right fist.
Nine years had passed since his mother handed him his first inhaler, and remarkably, the one in his hands remained the very first.
His once-space-like moving hair lost its gleam, and his otherworldly appearance now reflected a sense of averageness. Yet, to ensure the powers of any Divine remained intact, the creator took precautions.
'A troublesome bunch,' Daniel grumbled, biting his lower lip as he made his way to the classroom.
Upon entering, an unusual hush enveloped the room, and diverse expressions stared back at him. His sharp eyes quickly detected his lunchbox placed in a different spot.
'No! Not again!' Daniel felt control slipping away, and as he opened the lunchbox to find it filled with dirt, his face contorted.
This marked the third time that week he had been deprived of a meal. Determined not to let some foolish child consume the food his mother lovingly prepared, Daniel's face tightened.
"Who ate it?" he asked softly, prompting some to chuckle while others covered their mouths. "Daniel, sit down," the teacher instructed as he entered the white classroom with floor-to-ceiling glass walls.
"But someone here ate my lunch!" Daniel retorted, earning a frown from the teacher. "First, sit!" the teacher hissed.
Crack!
Daniel glanced at the plastic inhaler, unintentionally crushed. His obsidian irises flashed, and electronic devices around him floated. "W... what's going on? Is there an outbreak?" The teacher turned to switch on the TV, but his eyes widened at the solid glass walls cracking under intense pressure.
Whoosh!
A fierce gale swept in, causing screams as everyone was helplessly tossed around, including the teacher.
The jewel in the middle of Daniel's temples turned red as his gaze fixed on a blonde-haired kid who admitted, "I…I ate it and filled the box with dirt!"
Boom!
The glass wall to his left shattered as Daniel launched the kid through it with a wave of his hands. "Is that...!" The teacher's eyes narrowed, catching the gleam of red.