**Four years later — Leo's 1st actual birthday**
The house smelled like honey cake and woodsmoke. Lanterns bobbed from the rafters, throwing gold on everyone's faces. Caden had Lia on his shoulders, making airplane noises; Selene laughed so hard she snorted. Lyra folded paper cranes like a machine. Leo leaned on the windowsill, moonlight on his cheeks, pretending to watch the stars.
*Can't tell them. Not Void Reclaim. Not the future flashes. They'd freak.*
"Leo, quit brooding," Selene called. "Cake's getting cold."
He slid in beside Lyra. She elbowed him. "Ten. Practically ancient."
"Still taller than you."
"By a hair."
Caden barked a laugh. "Same bickering, different year."
---
Later, when Lia was down and the lanterns dimmed, Selene crouched in front of Leo.
"Ready?"
"For what?"
She tapped his chest. "Awakening. Everyone does it at ten."
Caden, Lyra, even Lia in her crib—everyone leaned in.
Leo swallowed. *Act surprised. Yellow ball, white glow. Easy.*
He closed his eyes, let mana pool in his palm. Yellow at first—then he nudged it, forced the shift. The orb flared pure white, dust motes drifting like snow.
Selene's breath caught. "A-rank. Echoes of Forgotten."
Lyra squeaked. Caden ruffled Leo's hair. "Future detective?"
"Adventurer," Leo corrected, grinning like it was news.
---
**Next morning — capital run**
Selene kissed them both at the gate. Lia waved a sticky fist: "Buh-bye!"
Hoofbeats behind—Lyra, red-faced, sprinting. "Don't die out there!"
Leo waved till she was a speck.
The road was all new smells: dust, horse sweat, baking bread from passing carts. Leo kept waiting for smoke that never came.
Caden nudged him. "Capital gates. Eyes up."
The city hit like a slap—shouts, clanging steel, a dwarf arguing with a fruit vendor. Leo's mouth hung open.
They pushed into the Adventurer's Guild. Whispers rippled.
"That's Caden?"
"No way he's alive—"
Door slammed. Guild Master stormed out, beard first. "Who's making all this—CAYDEN, YOU BASTARD!"
Hugs, back slaps, spilled ale. Leo stood off to the side, half-smiling.
*Dad's a ghost story with a pulse.*
He rolled his shoulders. *My turn soon.*
The guild hall smelled like sweat, cheap ale, and old leather. Whispers turned to gasps when the back door slammed open.
"What the hell is—" The Guild Master froze. "Caden?"
"Hey, old man."
They crashed together like two drunk bears. Leo leaned against a pillar, half-smirking. *Dad's fan club is bigger than I thought.*
Guild Master spun to Leo. "This your kid?"
"Wants to adventure," Caden said, thumb hooked at him.
Receptionist—perky, ponytail bouncing—shoved a form forward. "Name?"
"Leo."
"Ten."
"Skills?"
Caden opened his mouth. Leo jumped in. "Echoes of Forgotten. And… ice."
Caden squinted. "Ice?"
"Practiced when you were snoring," Leo lied, cheeks hot.
Receptionist just scribbled. "Goblin hunt. Three ears. Jungle edge."
Leo took the parchment. Then realized. "Uh. No sword."
Caden barked a laugh. "Bare knuckles?"
Guild Master tossed him a beat-up short sword. "Don't lose it."
Leo tested the grip. "Heading out."
Caden ruffled his hair. "Sure you don't want me?"
"I got it."
Jungle smelled like wet socks and moss. Leo ghosted between trees, found the goblins squabbling over a mushroom.
One slash—head off. Second lunged; Leo sidestepped, gutted it. Third bolted; he threw a rock, tripped it, finished it.
Ears in a pouch. *No skills. Lame.*
He wiped the blade on his sleeve, stood—and sniffed.
Copper. Charcoal. *Burned hair.*
Smoke curled above the canopy, fat and black.
Leo's stomach dropped through his boots.
*Village.*
He ran.
Branches clawed his face. Roots snagged his ankles. Smoke got thicker, tasting like death.
*Please be a cookfire. Please.*
He burst from the trees.
The flower fence was kindling.
Houses gutted, roofs caved. Flames licked the sky like they were starving.
Bodies everywhere. Mrs. Garon—half her face gone, apron still tied. A kid's shoe, still smoking.
Leo's knees hit dirt. Sword clattered.
"Mom… Dad…"
His voice cracked. Smoke burned his throat.
A tiny cry—cut off.
*Lia.*
He bolted toward it, boots splashing through blood, the world shrinking to fire, ash, and the animal need to *find them.*