Chapter 49: Tragedy.
Aiden saw this as he shouted, "No, stop!" But before he could move, Sara suddenly placed her trembling hand over his mouth.
Her eyes glowed faintly as she began channeling her remaining mana, preparing to teleport Aiden away from this place to somewhere safe.
But before the spell could take form, a blinding beam of condensed light shot across the room — it pierced straight through Sara's chest. The crackling light pierced through flesh and bone, dispersing her mana instantly.
She groaned in unbearable pain as blood gushed from the wound — a dark crimson hole was now visible on the right side of her chest.
The attack didn't stop there; it grazed Aiden's legs, piercing through the flesh as pain surged through his body like fire.
Michael's movement suddenly halted. He turned his cold, mocking gaze toward Sara and Aiden. A sinister smile crept onto his lips as he said. "So you were trying to make sure he escapes, huh?" his tone dripping with amusement.
Then, shifting his gaze to Anna, he added with satisfaction, "Good job."
In the blink of an eye, Michael vanished — a ripple of lightning sparks followed his movement. He appeared beside Sara and kicked her mercilessly in the side.
Her body slammed against the wall with a dull, sickening thud. Before Aiden could react, Michael's hand shot forward, wrapping tightly around his throat as he lifted him up in the air.
Michael sneered, "How can I let your father die without feeling despair?" his grip tightened as Aiden struggled to breathe as he continued. "I'll kill you in front of him… so he can feel true despair."
Aiden, despite the suffocating pain, glared back at him with burning defiance. His young eyes shimmered with hatred and resolve.
Michael tilted his head, almost fascinated, and smiled. "You still have hope in your eyes," he whispered coldly. "Do you really think someone will save you now?"
He didn't wait for an answer as he disappeared. With a flicker of mana, he teleported again — reappearing before Jonathan, who was bound and restrained by Luke and Albert.
Michael still held Aiden by the throat like a broken doll. His cruel grin widened. "I'll first kill your son," he said softly, "and then I'll kill you."
Jonathan's expression turned ashen. His body trembled with helpless rage. He wanted to break free, to save his son — but his strength was nearly gone. "Michael," he said, his voice shrill, "it's between you and me. Why are you bringing a small child into this? Just kill me!"
Michael laughed — a low, mocking laugh that echoed through the room as he said. "Do you take me for a fool?" he continued. "Your son is a tri-elemental mana cultivator — at this age, and without living in a high-density mana zone. He is a true genius in every sense. If I let him live, he'll come for revenge when he grows stronger."
Luke, Albert, and Anna exchanged shocked glances. Even they hadn't realized the boy's potential. Aiden was a tri-elemental at such a young age — it was unheard of.
Even the youngest prodigy of the Draconia family, Michael's son, who had lived his entire life within a mana-rich zone, couldn't compare because he was older than Aiden.
Jonathan's lips trembled. He wanted to speak, to protect his son somehow — but when he met Aiden's gaze, he saw that his eyes were filled with hatred and rage. He understood at once: Aiden would return for revenge, no matter what.
Michael conjured a sword of crackling lightning. The weapon hummed with destructive energy as he lifted it before Jonathan's horrified eyes. "Watch closely," Michael said mockingly, "as your son is split in half." He swung the sword down toward Aiden's chest.
Jonathan screamed, "No, stop!"
Sara, who was on her knees, her body trembling, blood pooling beneath her, also cried out, "Please, brother! Stop this! Please spare him!"
But just as the sword was about to strike, it froze mid-air. Michael's grin remained — cruel and mocking — but he couldn't move. It felt like he had been frozen there. Luke, Albert, and Anna were frozen too; their expressions were still the same.
It was as if the world itself had been frozen.
Then, a faint sound echoed in the silent room. It was a heartbeat.
Thump… thump…
It reverberated through the silent air. Aiden felt it deep inside his chest, but it was not his heart. It felt like he had a connection with the heartbeat. He felt both fear and hope rising inside him. He knew… that the heart wanted him alive.
The sealed black heart inside the chest.
Aiden's eyes darted toward the ancient chest that held it. It was trembling violently, shaking as if something inside was struggling, desperate to be free.
Then, a whisper reached his ears. A voice — soft, otherworldly.
"Hurry, Aiden… escape from here. I can only hold them for a few seconds. Your parents are still conscious. Hurry… take me and escape."
Aiden's pulse raced. His mind was flooded with thoughts. He looked toward his father, who was staring around, still trying to understand what had just happened.
Aiden broke free from Michael's frozen grip, gasping for air. His voice was hoarse as he shouted, "Dad, hurry! The heart has trapped them in an illusion — this is our chance!"
Jonathan's eyes widened in realization. Summoning all his remaining strength, he broke free from Luke and Albert's grasp. He turned to the side, shouting, "Sara! Hurry and teleport him!"
Sara, barely conscious, forced herself upright as she stood back slowly. Her mana flickered weakly as she disappeared and reappeared beside the chest. With shaking hands, she lifted it.
Then she vanished again — appearing beside Aiden. She handed him the chest, her voice trembling.
"Aiden, listen carefully, you have to live a good life, okay?" she said, her tears falling freely. "I'll teleport you to the capital. There, you'll find the Magic Academy. Look for Professor Victor — he's your father's best friend. He'll help conceal your identity and get you enrolled in the academy."
She paused, her voice trembling. "Please, son… don't try to take revenge for us. Just… live a happy life."
Aiden's breath was caught in his throat. His heart clenched painfully as he refuted. "What are you talking about, Mom? You'll both come with me — we'll live a happy life together!"
Sara shook her head weakly as she said. "I'm sorry, son… we can't stay with you any longer. I don't have enough mana left to teleport three people. I can only teleport one."
Aiden's voice cracked with desperation as he shouted. "No, Mom! I don't want to live alone! I'd rather die with you both!" He turned toward Jonathan as he said. "Dad—"
But before he could say more, Jonathan's voice cut through, firm and commanding despite the tremor in it. "Aiden, listen to what your mom is saying."
Aiden clenched his fists, shaking his head. Then, the whisper echoed again.
"Hurry, Aiden. Escape. I can't hold them for long…"
Jonathan took a deep breath. His face hardened with resolve as he stepped toward Michael's frozen figure. A blade of molten lava began to form in his hands. "Don't worry, son," he said softly, "I'll not leave anyone behind for you to take revenge."
With burning determination, he swung the blade toward Michael's chest — the same deadly way that Michael had used to almost kill Aiden moments ago.
Michael's body twitched. His instincts screamed. His consciousness snapped back as he raised his hands defensively. The lava blade tore through his forearms, burning through flesh, melting his bones. His severed limbs fell to the ground, sizzling.
"AHHH! MY HANDS!" Michael screamed, his voice filled with agony.
Jonathan didn't hesitate. He swung again, aiming for Michael's neck — but Luke appeared in between them, blocking the strike. In the next instant, Jonathan felt a sharp pain pierce his back. A sword had run him through, straight into his heart.
He turned his head weakly and saw Albert behind him; his face was filled with cold indifference. Jonathan coughed, blood spilling from his lips.
He looked toward Aiden — his son — tears ran down his face, he said through the pain, "I'm sorry, son… that I couldn't be with you any longer. But remember this… I loved you more than anything in this world. And Sara… thank you… for living with me all this time."
Aiden's eyes widened, tears streaming down his face. For the first time in his life, he saw his father cry. "No… no, Dad! No! Please don't die!" he screamed, his voice filled with anguish.
Sara, barely standing, pulled a necklace from around her neck and placed it on Aiden's trembling body. It was the stage 5 illusionary mana artifact she had taken from Jonathan when they were rushing here.
Her fingers glowed faintly as she activated the teleportation spell. Aiden's body began to fade.
Michael, clutching his bleeding arms, screamed, "Stop him!"
Anna conjured another beam of condensed light and hurled it toward Aiden. But at that moment, Sara moved — throwing herself in front of her son. The light pierced her chest, straight through her heart.
Blood gushed from the wound. Her body trembled, then weakened.
She turned her head toward Aiden, whispering with her final breath, "I love you, dear… and Jonathan, thank you… for protecting me and making me feel happy."
She collapsed to the ground as Aiden screamed, "No! Mom! No! Stop it! This can't be happening!" His voice echoed through the burning hall as his body was almost vanished from sight.
Jonathan's trembling hand reached for the air. With his last ounce of strength, he ignited his own heart, his mana surging violently.
Michael's eyes widened in horror. "No—"
He conjured a lightning arm and a lightning sword in it as he slashed his sword toward Jonathan's neck. The blade struck — beheading him in one swift motion.
Aiden, still halfway through teleportation, saw it. He saw his father's head fall, his body ignite. Then he fully vanished.
Then — BOOM!
A colossal explosion erupted, engulfing everything in searing light and heat. The ground split, and the air burst outwards.
The blast consumed Michael, Anna, Luke, and Albert as their figures disappeared in blinding light. A five-kilometer radius around them was obliterated in seconds — the entire village and surrounding forest were reduced to ash.
The village of Aldia… had been erased from existence.
Author's Note: The cruel life of Aiden begins as his parents are brutally killed by Michael. From this moment on, his life will take different turn.