Felix slowly stretched his tired legs.

Ow.

Ever since Felix had gotten his Resurgence, his aunt had trained him past the point of exhaustion. Of course, since back then he was only 1 year old, it had been light, with Felix only having to slowly learn to strengthen his muscles.

But now?

Although Felix was only 5 years old, he was undergoing training that even adults struggled with.

‘What are they trying to make me into? A monster?’

Once again, the tingling feeling started within his Resurgence, and he scratched at his wrist with absence.

At least Felix was going to finally be able to touch the Stone of the Divine. He had waited 5 years for this day. With the new power, he would be able to come back to his old world and get his revenge against his father.

Although it had already been 5 years since the betrayal, Felix’s hate was still fresh as the day five years ago.

He slowly stood up, stretching his aching legs.

“Are you finished resting?” His aunt asked, casually leaning against her training sword.

“Yeah,” Felix said, gripping his training sword. The smooth wooden grip was dented with his strong grip.

They were in a private training gym, located in the Monarch of Lednia’s mansion/apartment. The first time Felix had met his grandfather he was afraid that he was going to be some cold, heartless figure. However, Felix would have never been more wrong.

The Monarch was so loud and energetic that it was scary.

Well, of course, only around Felix. When the Monarch was speaking in his multiple meetings, he always had this cold and serious aura about him.

“Felix!”

Ah. Speak of the devil.

Felix turned around, attempting to block his arms in an X shape so that his ribs would be safe, but it was already too late. His grandfather charged at him, hugging him so tight that Felix could swear that he heard his ribs creak.

“Sto- PLEASE! I’M DYIN-” Felix shouted, trying to utilize the martial arts move his aunt had taught him on how to escape from a tight grasp.

However, it was no use. His grandfather’s grasp was like iron. All Felix could do was hold his breath until the torture ended.

After his grandfather finally released him, Felix fell gasping for breath. ‘How does such an old man have so much power?!’

The Monarch peered down at him. “Felix? Are you all right?”

‘No, I’m not! Because of you!’ Felix thought, scrambling to his feet, scowling as he saw his aunt trying to hold back laughter in the corner of his vision.

“No, I’ 'm fine,” Felix said, wincing as he rubbed his sore ribs.

“Well, that's good! C’mon! The ceremonies today!”

Instantly, Felix’s pain vanished. It finally was time.

“Alright, I’ll get ready,” Felix replied, running past his grandfather to get his clothes.

As Felix hastily pulled on his clothes, he looked at the mirror. With dark blonde hair and eyes as bright as the sky, and muscles from his continuous training, Felix was beginning to slowly grow out of babyhood.

He quickly ran back to his grandfather, snatching up a towel and wiping off his sweat.

“Alright, let's go!” Felix said, bouncing on the balls of his feet as he was so excited.

His grandfather chuckled. “Alright, c’mon.” He grabbed Felix by his shoulder and transported both of them.

Just like always, Felix and his grandfather entered the shimmering world of the Mirror Realm. Quickly, a mirror appeared in front of them and both crashed through it, appearing in an auditorium full of other families and children.

Although children were supposed to be tested if they could touch the Stone as soon as they turned five years old in public facilities, Felix had been personally tested by his grandfather and had passed with flying colors.

Therefore, his grandfather warned him that there might be criticism and jealousy about Felix. However, Felix didn't mind. After all, was he supposed to be scared about a bunch of babies?

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Felix stepped forward and walked towards a chair.

“See you, Felix! Good luck!” His grandfather called out, transporting me back home through the Realm.

Felix waved back, his attention already being diverted by an insistent tugging of his sleeve.

Rolling his eyes, he turned to see who it was.

It was a small boy with the famous brown hair that all people part of the Hihtun Cadre seemed to have. However, the most noticeable appearance was that while one eye was blue, the classic color, the other eye was bright crimson.

“Hey?” Felix asked. “What?”

“Uhm… ywhur hwair. It’s bwunhde.” He replied shyly, looking down at his feet.

“Yeah, it’s blonde. So?” Felix was getting a bit annoyed by the classic 5-year-old stuttering. Like, he couldn't honestly understand a thing.

“Nwuthing. Can I sit here?”

Felix sighed. “Yeah, sure.”

“Thank you!” The boy’s face broke into a wide grin. He hopped into the seat beside Felix and immediately opened a book.

“Look! This is ‘The Blood Moon Hunter!” He said, showing Felix a picture of a man with dark red hair and maddened eyes.

“They say he kwills his enemwies with his Moon mwagic and dwrinks their blood. SO cwool right?!”

“...”

‘Where did this kid’s innocence go?’

“What’s your name, by the way?”

“Brian! Brian Robona.”

***

After a whole hour of waiting and having to listen to Brian chattering off about his favorite villains that got steadily more disturbing, the people coming into the auditorium finally ended.

Suddenly with a crack of breaking glass, a man transported in front of the audience, holding a pure crystal ball that was positioned carefully on a velvet pillow.

“Hello! Thank you for joining us today. You have had the great luck of being chosen from a great multitude of examinees.”

He motioned to the crystal ball, which he set on a pure black table.

“Now, I will make this quick! I will call for the names of the children to touch the Stone.”

“First, Kailyn Anderson!”

A girl of small stature rigidly stood up and crossed the distance to the Stone. Felix couldn't help but feel sorry for her. He could visibly see her legs shaking from this far.

“Please touch the Stone.” The announcer said, helping her get on the stage.

With visibly trembling hands, Kailyn slowly touched the Stone. Immediately, the Stone turned black, and then red.

“You have been gifted the elements of Darkness and Fire! Congratulations!”

Nodding, Kailyn slowly made her way back to her seat. For some reason, her legs weren’t shaking. She also seemed to walk much more confidently.

After that, the announcer slowly ticked off the names of people.

Until…

“Felix Elris!”

Felix slowly stood up. He cautiously approached the stage. Although Felix had been anticipating this moment for a long time, he still felt nervous.

He soon reached the stage and reached out a hand.

Felix looked at the pure surface of the Stone. It looked like it was beckoning at him, telling him to reach out and hold it.

And so, Felix complied.

He touched it.

WOOSHH

***

Felix slowly opened his eyes. What?

Where…

Oh no.

He…

Was back in the void.

Panic instantly gripped him.

“No, no, no!”

Felix frantically looked around. All he could see was darkness, which seemed to be taunting him.

And soon…

He felt the gaze.

Felix felt the gaze searching across his entire being. It felt like it knew everything. Like it was omniscient and omnipotent.

A God.

And then across the void, Felix saw an eye appear.

It was huge, massing miles of the void. And the pupils were trained in the one living being there.

Felix.

And then the eye’s pupils changed into a color. However, Felix had never seen this color before. And he could bet that no mortal being had ever seen it either.

And then Felix felt fear like never before.

It..

Was indescribable.

That… was the only way to describe it.

Felix felt like he was being ripped apart by the feeling of this… fear.

Could the word fear even describe it? Could a single word portray what Felix was feeling in this moment?

Sweat poured down his face and Felix started hyperventilating.

“NO! HELPPPP-”

His voice was instantly cut off as the fear increased. He began choking on his tongue, which seemed like it was curling back into his throat.

Tears began to stream down Felix’s face, but when he lifted his trembling hands to wipe them away, he saw to his horror that it was blood instead.

‘NOOO!’ Felix desperately tried to run away, but his legs wouldn't move. ‘NOO-’

Soon, however, even his rational thought process stopped as his brain was overloaded with fear.

He shrieked, the sound echoing across the void.

His bladders emptied, bringing the awful stench of urine into the air.

Soon, he started frothing at the mouth, laughing out strangled laughs as he slowly lost his mind.

And then Felix’s eyes rolled back.

And he soon fell into a deep, unsettling sleep.

***

“AHHHHH!”

Felix woke up with a blood-chilling scream. He grabbed at his chest, sweat pouring down his face.

“Hah.. hah..” He breathed out gasps as he struggled to control his mental being.

Spasms echoed throughout his body, causing his body to shake at weird intervals.

His hands also couldn't stop trembling.

Eventually, after what felt like hours, the spasms ceased and Felix just sat there, eyes dim, no strength in his body.

Wearily, he looked around.

‘Where am I?’

Judging from the white covers, Felix could assume that this was a hospital.

Leaning back, he closed his eyes.

He was so tired.

And a dreamless sleep came once more over him.

***

Announcer’s (Alrn Ord) POV

“Felix Elris.” I announced, reading the list of names in front of me.

‘Oh? An Elris? Didn’t his father reach Prince rank at age 30? I wonder what element he’ll get.’ I thought as I spotted him walking down the aisle.

Blue eyes clear as the sky and with dark blonde hair, he carried himself with a confidence that didn't seem like a 5-year-old.

‘Is he confident? Or is he just arrogant?’ I wondered as he approached me.

He stopped in front of me, raising his hand to touch the Stone.

But when he touched it…

The Stone began warping before my very eyes.

And the pressure I felt…

It was immense.

I quickly activated a barrier for the 5-year-olds, some of who were already fainting.

“What the fuc-” I quickly activated a summoning spell and summoned my spear.

The Stone began to quake and then shake. And then it slowly began to change color.

But it didn't turn into the classic red, or green, or even the rarest, purple.

It turned into the color of space.

Inside the Stone’s depths, I could see stars and comets, and in the middle of it, a color I couldn't recognize.

And then it suddenly blanked out, reverting to the Stone’s regular form.

I quickly ran forward and caught the boy in my arms as he fell backward.

‘What…’

‘What the shit was that?!’