Preface:

In the Human Kingdom

“Hows my wife doing?”a haggard looking man asked a nurse who was coming out of the delivery room.

“She’s doing fine sir, please just go sit down.”The nurse curtly replied as she filled out some papers

“But she’s been in there for hours.” the man almost shouted at the nurse in frustration.

“Everything is fine there were just some minor complications with the delivery, if you would just wait I am sure the doctor will be done in minute now.” She said as she walked away to go and complete her rounds, leaving the haggard man by himself in the waiting room.

The minutes ticked by as the man waited almost bursting with worry when a doctor came out of the delivery room and came up to him.

“Are you Lord Ignatius?” the doctor asked the nervous man.

“Yes that’s me, how is my wife doing?”

“She and your son are just fine my lord.”

“Can I go see them.?”

“Yes, right this way my lord.”

The doctor lead Mr. Ignatius through the glistening white hallways of the maternity ward to a room set off in the far corner.

“Right in here.” The doctor said as he opened the door.

When Mr. Ignatius entered the room he saw his wife holding a screaming baby in her arms.

“Milton, look at our beautiful son, what should we call him?”

“I think we should name him after his grandfather.”

“So, Ethan Ignatius, yes thats a good name.”She said as she smiled blessfully at her son.

“Excuse me Mr. and Mrs. Ignatius but would you like to do the test now or later?” the doctor asked as he brought in a strange instrument that had ancient runes scattered across it.   

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

“Yes, let's do the test now and see if he lives up to the Ignatius name.” Mr. Ignatius laughed heartily knowing that his soon would have a strong fire element.

The doctor nodded his head and took the baby from Mrs. Ignatius arms. He then placed it near the strange machine and uttered a quick cantation

“ostendis potentiam tuam”

After he spoke those three words, the runes on the machine began to glow a bright blue as the swirled around the baby, but after a few seconds, they faded and became dull again.

The doctor turned towards the expectant parents with a grim look on his face.

“I am sorry to inform you but your son lacks the capacity for Mana.”

“What! How can this be! Is he at least able to use Ki?” Mr. Ignatius shouted angrily.

“No he also has no potential for Ki cultivation and does not show any sign of being a psyker”

“So, you are telling me he is a powerless.”

“Yes, I am sorry my lord.”

With that, the doctor bowed and left so that the two parents could let the information sink in.

“How could this be?” asked Mrs. Ignatius, on the verge of tears.

“I don’t know but it seems the gods have forsaken this child.”

“What should we do, if the other noble houses find out we will be the laughing stalk of the Kingdom.”

“I know, just let me think.”

Mr. Ignatius stood there for almost half an hour before he had an idea.

“Didn’t that demon maid's son die of an illness?”

“Yes I do believe so. she asked for a month off to grieve but that was the same month that the pope was coming so you denied her that time off.”

“Good then, I know just what to do.”

“Oh and what's that dear?”

“We will give that boy to the demoness and let her raise him in place of her son. This way none of the noble houses will know about him.”

“Yes but what about the hospital records here.’

“We will bribe the doctor in changing the records saying that than was born a still born.”

“Yes, this just might save our family.”

Over the next week, Mr. Ignatius bribed all the people that were necessary in covering up his third son’s existence. At that time his wife and son were ready to come home. Once they arrived he immediately called the Demoness maid to his study.

“Excuse me master but you called for me?” she asked timidly

Mr. Ignatius looked her up and down. She had long crimson hair that was a few shades darker than her skin. She also had pure black eyes and a set of small horns growing out of her forehead. Other than that, she looked like a normal human.

“Yes, I have in important job for you.”

“What is that master.”

“I heard that your son died recently.”

“Yes he did.” The demoness looked to be on the verge of tears remembering her lost child.

“Well, good then, I have a proposition for you but you must kept it a secret on pain of death.”

“Anything master.”

“As you know my wife gave birth to a third child, the problem is that this child was born without powers.”

The demoness gasped slightly. For many magical creatures like her too be born without magic was the worst possible curse.

“For that reason he can not be allowed to join our family so we have chosen to give him to you to replace your lost child.”

The demoness was overwhelmed by what she heard. At first she was sad remembering her son's death, but then she became angry because the lord believed that his child could so easily replace the one she had lost. Then, she felt revenge begin to burn in her breast and she began to plot out what she would do. She would cause as much pain as possible to befall this child in place of his family.

“I would be honored my lord.”

“Very good, Mary please bring in the maid’s son.”

Mrs. Ignatius walked into the study carrying the child. When she came up to the demoness, she practically threw the child at her. The Demoness did all she could to not drop the baby.

“There you go. Have fun raising that wretch of a child.” with that, she and her husband left the demoness alone with the baby not looking back.

The demoness looked at the tiny babe she held in her arms. She couldn’t help as the feeling of burning revenge she had faded away as she looked into the child’s eyes. They reminded her of her lost son.

“Hello little one. My name is Sanguine Serkan, and I am your mother.” she said as she smiled faintly at her new son.