Being grounded is… boring. A whole week confined to the yard and house. Helping Mom at the clinic is the usual routine, but the "extra chores" with Borin mostly involve moving heavy stuff (he does the lifting while I "supervise") and listening to his endless tales of tavern brawls and his hopeless romance with the baker's daughter. At least Lyra, with her serene, mystical calm, has me practice watching the birds in the garden, and Kael—well, he keeps me sharp with riddle games using stones of various sizes.
Still, even as I learn from all of them, my mind keeps drifting back to that cliff, to the treasure hidden in that remote place. The old woman's urgent "soon" and the image of those gold eggs—and that multicolored diamond egg—won't let me concentrate fully.
A couple of days after my grounding ends, while I'm "helping" Dad stack firewood near the guard post (he stacks, and I hand him the tiniest twigs), I see a familiar figure approaching. It's Pietro, his glasses slipping down his nose and a hefty book tucked under his arm.
"Captain Garen," he says with a slight bow. "Lexo," he greets me in his trademark slow, formal tone, adjusting his glasses with his right index finger. It seems his visit to his grandmother has been extended.
"Pietro," Dad replies with a smile. "Another law book?"
"Natural history this time, Captain. Specifically, regional avifauna and their anomalous nesting habits," Pietro responds, giving me a knowing look.
I catch his drift. Dad, oblivious to our secret, lets us chat while he finishes with the firewood.
"Pietro," I begin quietly, "did you find out… anything?"
He nods and flips open his heavy encyclopedia to a page featuring a detailed drawing of that monstrous bird that nearly snatched Lila a few days ago. "The Corvus Nocturnus Giganteus, or Shadow Bird. As I suspected, they don't build elaborate nests. They're aerial predators that temporarily occupy high, secluded places to lie in wait. The nest you found…" He adjusts his glasses again and continues, "…likely belonged to another creature. That Shadow Bird was an intruder—it probably scared off or devoured the original owners and then used the nest as a base." He points to a diagram showing typical sighting areas, which don't match where we were intercepted by the bird.
Then, studying a more detailed image of the creature's anatomy, he frowns. "What surprises me is that you managed to scare it off. These beasts are classified at least as Rank B–." He explains patiently, as if lecturing: "The monster ranking system is similar to that for adventurers (from F up to SS Legendary), though on a different scale. A Rank C monster usually requires a coordinated group of Rank C adventurers, or ideally a Rank B, to be safely defeated. A B– like that Shadow Bird is a deadly threat even for seasoned Rank C fighters. That you survived and actually scared it away…" He studies me with a scientific curiosity that makes me a bit uneasy. "…is statistically improbable."
"I got lucky," I murmur nervously, looking away—I can't exactly tell him the truth.
Pietro doesn't push the matter further, but I know his analytical mind is whirring. He adjusts his glasses again. "As for the eggs… Solid gold in nature is extremely rare—perhaps from a lesser drake or griffin—but the multicolored diamond egg… I can't find any clear references. It might be unique… even legendary."
We chat a while longer. Despite his know-it-all air, Pietro has a noble side. He's indignant at the idea that the Shadow Bird stole the nest. "Natural justice has been disrupted," he declares solemnly. With his scholarly attire—a brown vest, high-necked shirt, and cloth trousers—and ambidextrous gestures, he speaks slowly and carefully, each word weighed.
"My family has an extensive library at home," he adds suddenly. "Here in town, my access is limited. If you want, you could visit sometime—we could investigate further."
"Your house?" I ask, surprised. I know his family is wealthy and from the city, but I hadn't realized they had a place here, even just for visits.
"Yes, a small villa near the river," he shrugs. "My parents hardly use it, but the library is well-stocked—at least in biology."
The mention of his family makes me hesitate. "Pietro," I say, "your family doesn't have magic, right?"
He sighs, an unusual softness on his usually stoic face. "No. Not a spark in generations. We are scholars, merchants, diplomats—but no mages." There's a note of resignation in his tone.
Then, an idea—crazy, almost like a reincarnated epiphany—suddenly forms in my mind, fueled by my own anomalous Awakening and Eos's visit. Mom said my case was rare, but… what if potential is dormant in more people than we think? What if it just needs… a push?
"Pietro," I say impulsively, "do you trust me?"
He blinks, surprised. "Trust you? I suppose so, Lexo. Even though we're the same age, you're the only one, even among adults, who truly understands the complexity of my language—and you did save Lila from a Rank B– predator. Against all odds, you seem… capable."
I smile. "I've got an idea. Something I learned… well, something I felt. Maybe I can help you—awaken something."
Pietro's eyes widen behind his glasses. "Awaken? Magic? But my lineage…"
"Forget lineage. Let's just try it—an experiment," I propose.
He hesitates, biting his lip. Logic says it's impossible, but the possibility of defying his family's fate is too tempting. "Alright, Lexo. As an experiment."
We move a little further away, under the shade of an old oak. "Sit down. Close your eyes. Try to feel… if there's anything inside you. Like warm dust motes floating about," I instruct, recalling my own pre-Awakening experience.
Pietro complies, his face serious and intent. A few seconds pass. "No… I don't feel anything, Lexo. Just my lunch."
"Okay," I say. "Now stay perfectly still." I stand behind him and place my hands on his back, where his core would be if he had one. I close my eyes and focus on my own sternum, overflowing with MP. I remember the warmth of Mom's energy, Eos's words—I don't want to overwhelm him, just… stir things a bit. I release a fine, controlled stream of pure, un-elemental mana, directing it toward him, imagining it searching for dormant motes, giving them a gentle nudge.
I feel a slight tug on my mana. Pietro shudders. "Hey! What…?" he begins, then falls silent. "What is that? I feel… warmth. A tingling."
I maintain the flow for a few more seconds before cutting it off and removing my hands. "And now? What do you feel?" I ask, holding my breath.
Pietro opens his eyes, his expression one of sheer astonishment. He touches his chest. "The tingling is gone… but there's a faint warmth still there. It's subtle, but it's there. Inside." His eyes shine with something beyond mere curiosity. "Lexo… what did you do?"
"Just… a little push," I say with a smile. "Maybe you need to practice feeling it—like meditation."
He nods slowly, processing. "Incredible…" Then he shakes his head, returning to reality. "Thank you, Lexo. Truly. I'll investigate the eggs more thoroughly. And you're right—they're too conspicuous. You should hide them well. Bury them near where you found them, but outside the nest."
I promise to do just that, mimicking a solemn gesture as if removing my hat with my hands. Pietro, a bit bewildered by my theatrics, says goodbye, still touching his chest thoughtfully before heading toward his family's villa by the river. For my part, I check on the eggs. It took painstaking effort to bring them back one by one, avoiding the adults so no one would suspect a thing—but it was worth it.
And then, as I start to head home, I feel an odd, inexplicable chill run down my spine—a feeling that something isn't right.
(Pietro's Point of View)
Warmth. I feel a strange residual warmth emanating from deep within my chest—a sensation that seems to come from the very core of my being. It's illogical. It's improbable. My family has no magic. I'm Pietro, the future scholar, the brain of the family—meant to compensate for our lack of arcane power with encyclopedic knowledge. And yet… I feel something.
Lexo. That kid is an enigma wrapped in mystery. Everyone in town knows he's special—the son of Captain Garen and Great Mage Elara. Whispers of his Awakening years ago still circulate, the incident in the forest that led the Four Greats to become his personal guardians. I saw the look in my grandmother's eyes when she spoke of Lady Elara—a mix of reverence and fear. Lexo isn't just "special." If I'm considered a prodigy for my reading and retention, he belongs to an entirely different category—a genius, perhaps.
And now, this warmth. This feeling of… untapped potential. Could Lexo really, with a mere touch, awaken something that has been dormant in my bloodline for generations? The idea is both fascinating and terrifying. What kind of power does that child wield beneath his innocent exterior? I feel oddly privileged, as if I've been entrusted with a monumental secret. Investigating those eggs is no longer just academic curiosity—it's a debt of gratitude. Gold, a multicolored diamond… something tells me the old seer wasn't exaggerating when she called it "treasure."
I'm almost at the villa when an unseasonable chill runs down my spine—cold, unexpected. I stop. There's someone else here. I didn't hear anyone approach.
A shadow detaches itself from the darkness beneath an old weeping willow along the path. It's a hooded figure, features obscured, only darkness visible under the brim of a black hood.
"Pietro, third generation of House Varrone," the voice whispers—neutral, neither young nor old, sounding as if it comes from everywhere and nowhere at once. It knows my name, my family, my place in our lineage. I freeze, my analytical mind clashing with a primal terror. "The eggs your friend found… they are not mere treasure. They are artifacts of ancient power—legendary. Their presence here disturbs the balance."
My heart races. How does it know about the eggs? Was it watching?
"They must be returned," the voice continues flatly. "Returned to the forest, to the earth. Hidden once more under nature's watchful gaze." The figure takes a barely perceptible step closer. "Make your friend return them—before night's end. If not… consequences will follow. The moon on the horizon will bring retribution."
Without waiting for a reply, the figure retreats, melting back into the darkness beneath the willow, disappearing as quickly as it appeared.
I stand alone on the path, the warm energy in my chest now mingling with a sudden icy dread. Return the eggs? Tonight? What dire consequences does that portend? I have to find Lexo—now!