After a good nap, Elyon slowly woke up, blinking his eyes open as the soft rays of light filtered through the small cracks in the wooden walls. The room was quiet, peaceful, and still, just as it had been when he fell asleep. He stretched his little limbs, yawning, and then, with a sigh, he stared up at the ceiling.
Everything around him was exactly as it was before, the same plain wooden cradle, the simple but cozy room, and the comforting warmth of the sunlight that streamed in from the window. The walls, unadorned and humble, seemed almost to blend into the atmosphere of the room itself—quiet and unremarkable. The cradle, worn from use yet still sturdy, held Elyon in its gentle embrace, offering a sense of security in a world that was, for now, both familiar and confining. It was the kind of room that felt timeless, where the days could drift past unnoticed, as if caught in an endless loop of calm.
"Ah, there's nothing to do," Elyon thought, his small mind trying to grasp the concept of boredom. "I mean, can a baby even do anything besides grow up? Time isn't flying by any faster. It's just... well... so slow." His tiny fingers curled into the blanket, feeling the texture of the fabric beneath him. The thought of endless hours stretching ahead made him restless, and yet, his infant body lacked the means to chase away that feeling of stagnation.
He stared out the window at the pale sky, the sunlight casting soft patterns on the floor, but the beauty of the moment seemed muted, even distant. He tugged at the soft blankets around him, adjusting them around his small form. His mind wandered to other places, other thoughts. Even though everything around him seemed unchanging, something inside Elyon longed for more—more adventure, more discovery, more of whatever it was that made life feel... fuller.
"Why can't I do something?" he wondered. "Why can't I make time go by faster, or even just... have something to look forward to?" His gaze returned to the ceiling again, a dull sense of frustration lingering in his chest. He sighed once more, the room's silence pressing in on him like a weight.
The silence seemed almost suffocating. It was peaceful, yes, but it felt endless—like being trapped in a moment with no way to move forward. Everything in this room was so familiar, so routine. The same plain wooden cradle, the same simple walls, the same comforting warmth of the sunlight. It was all so... constant, and yet, everything seemed so far away from his true desire for something more. More than the same view, the same feeling of time dragging on slowly. There had to be something more than just waiting.
Suddenly, as if struck by a lightning bolt of inspiration, a thought sparked in Elyon's mind. Essence… Elyon thought. Maybe I can try awakening my essence.
The idea caught him by surprise, but in that moment, it felt like the perfect answer to the longing stirring deep within him. Elren had told him about essence, the very core of a person's power and potential. If he could awaken it, perhaps he could break free from the slow passage of time. Perhaps it was the key to unlocking something beyond the mundane. Perhaps it was the very thing that would allow him to break free of the endless monotony.
His small body wiggled as he adjusted himself in the cradle, his thoughts swirling like a whirlwind. The concept of essence had always intrigued him, ever since Elren had first mentioned it. He had been told that everyone had an essence, an energy that made them unique—an inherent power that could be awakened with focus and intention. He didn't really understand it, not fully, but he knew one thing: Elren said it was possible. And if Elren believed it, then Elyon would believe it too. He could feel the pull of curiosity, the desire to see what was possible. His little hands gripped the soft fabric of the blanket tighter as he set his mind on the task.
With a determined look on his face, Elyon sat up in the cradle. His tiny body, though not yet fully developed, seemed to take on an air of purpose, a kind of resolve that didn't quite match his age. He took a deep breath, straightened his posture, and then spoke, his voice soft but firm in the quiet room.
"Elren."
In an instant, the air around him shimmered slightly, and Elren appeared in front of him. The familiar figure materialized in the space before Elyon, as if stepping from the very air itself. Elren's tall, imposing form seemed to fill the room, his gentle but knowing gaze focused entirely on Elyon. He had a calm, unhurried presence that was almost like a steady anchor, grounding Elyon's fluttering thoughts.
"Is there anything you need?" Elren asked, his voice carrying the same steady warmth it always did. There was no surprise or impatience in his tone. He had likely known this moment would come—Elyon was ready to learn.
Elyon nodded, his expression serious as he looked up at Elren, his young mind focused. "Yes. Tell me... how do I awaken my essence?"
Elren's gaze softened, and he nodded in understanding. His voice became gentler as he spoke, his tone both reassuring and instructive. "If you wish to awaken your essence, there is a step-by-step process. Follow it carefully, and you will be able to access it."
Elyon's tiny hands tightened around the blanket, a surge of determination rising within him. "Okay, then. Tell me."
Elren's eyes met his with a quiet intensity, and his voice became softer, almost like a whisper, as if sharing a secret meant only for Elyon's ears. "First, you must sit down and rest. Clear your mind of any thought, and envision yourself in a black void. The void will be empty, but as you focus, you will see a color. That color represents your essence type. Each person's essence has its own unique color, and that will guide you."
Elyon's eyes widened in curiosity. He had heard of this before, but to actually experience it for himself? The thought made his heart race in anticipation. "What happens next?" he asked eagerly, his small voice barely above a whisper.
Elren's gaze remained steady, calm as always. "Once you see the color, you must allow it to envelop you, to connect with you. The color is the gateway to your essence, and by embracing it, you will unlock its power. Your essence will begin to stir, and you will know it. You will feel it inside you, like a force that has always been there, waiting for you to awaken it. Trust yourself. Trust your own strength."
Elyon's mind raced with possibilities. He imagined the black void, the color that might appear before him, and the sense of power that would follow. His little hands clenched in excitement as he prepared to try it, to awaken this hidden power within him. He could feel the shift inside him, the surge of anticipation and excitement mingling with a tinge of nervousness.
"I'm ready," he whispered, his eyes determined as he stared at Elren.
Elren nodded, his expression softening further, and with a small, encouraging smile, he stepped back. "Remember, Elyon. Essence is not something that can be forced. Let it come to you when you are ready. Trust yourself."
With Elren's words echoing in his mind, Elyon closed his eyes. The quiet of the room seemed to stretch around him, filling every corner, every inch of space. Slowly, he sank into a state of stillness, his tiny body relaxed in the cradle. He cleared his mind, trying to focus on nothing. The room's quiet hum faded away, and soon, he found himself in the imagined black void Elren had described.
For a moment, there was nothing but darkness, an infinite emptiness that stretched out in all directions. Elyon focused, his thoughts centered on the task at hand. Slowly, as Elren had said, a color began to appear before him, faint at first but growing clearer as he concentrated. A gentle, shimmering blue flickered into existence, swirling in the void around him. The color was soft, almost like the glow of a distant star, and it seemed to hum with a quiet power, resonating in the very core of his being.
Elyon's heart quickened as the blue light grew brighter, more tangible. He reached out, his small hands trembling as they approached the color. The moment his fingers touched it, a surge of warmth and energy flooded through him, filling him from the inside out. It was like a connection had been made, something deep and unspoken, yet unmistakable.
He knew, in that instant, that his essence was awakened. The color—his essence—was a part of him now, and it would guide him forward.
As his fingers brushed against the light, the color splashed onto the ground beneath him like water spilling from a bowl, forming a pool that shimmered with a gentle, rippling movement. Elyon gasped in amazement as the light spread, forming a shimmering, translucent pond beneath him, its surface rippling gently with the light blue-purple hue. The sight was almost too beautiful to comprehend, and Elyon reached out once more, eager to touch it.
Before he could reach the pool again, though, something unexpected happened. He felt a sudden, gentle pull, like being caught by a breeze, as though the very fabric of the void was shifting around him. The blackness around him began to fade, and the ethereal color began to recede. Elyon tried to grasp it, to hold onto the moment, but it was as if he were being lifted, drawn away from the void itself. The world around him blurred and spun, and he was no longer in the place of calm and wonder he had just inhabited.
With a jolt, Elyon found himself gently cradled in someone's arms. His eyes blinked open, confused for a moment. The sudden shift left him feeling dazed and disoriented, but as his senses sharpened, he realized who was holding him.
It was Lenea, his mother.
Her gentle arms wrapped around him, pulling him close to her chest as her warm presence settled around him like a comforting blanket. Elyon relaxed into her embrace, the disorientation slowly fading away. He let out a soft sigh, realizing that the pull he had felt earlier must have been her grabbing him, pulling him out of the void and back to the safety of the real world.
Lenea looked down at him, a soft smile playing on her lips, her eyes filled with warmth and affection. Elyon's body went limp in her arms, the sudden change in environment leaving him feeling small and vulnerable. Yet there was comfort in her presence, a deep reassurance that everything was okay. His little heart still raced from the experience, but in her arms, the excitement was tempered by a gentle calm.
Meanwhile, outside the house, Richard had been busy chopping firewood. He paused for a moment, taking a breath of fresh air and wiping sweat from his brow. His voice rang out through the stillness, calling to Lenea from a distance.
"Is Elyon awake?" Richard asked, his tone carrying through the open window.
Lenea, hearing his voice, glanced at the cradle where Elyon had been resting just moments before. She furrowed her brow slightly, realizing that Elyon was no longer where she had left him. "I'm not sure, let me check," she replied, her voice filled with a hint of curiosity. She gently laid Elyon down in her arms, carefully supporting him as she made her way to his room.
As she peeked inside, Lenea's heart melted. There, in the middle of the room, sat Elyon—still as a stone, his tiny face set in concentration. His eyes were closed, and his little body was relaxed, but his posture was firm, as though he were deep in thought. He looked so serious, so intent on whatever he was doing. It was a sight that would have warmed any mother's heart.
Lenea chuckled softly to herself. So cute… she thought, her heart swelling with affection. She shook her head, amused by the way her son was carrying himself at such a young age.
Lenea stepped back outside to Richard, holding Elyon gently in her arms. "Honey, come look at what Elyon is doing," she said, her voice laced with gentle amusement.
Richard, curious, stopped chopping wood and walked over to her. "What's going on? What is he doing?"
Lenea smiled, glancing down at their son, who now looked calm and satisfied in her arms. "You'll see for yourself," she said, her eyes sparkling with fondness.
Richard's eyes followed Lenea's gaze, and there, nestled in her arms, was Elyon, the little boy who had once seemed so still and serious, but now wore a serene expression as if he had just unlocked some great mystery of the universe. His face was calm, his breathing steady, and a quiet satisfaction radiated from him. The quiet presence of his essence seemed to settle over him like a second skin, and for a moment, everything felt peaceful, as if all was exactly as it should be.