Delian glanced up at Cassandra, his small fingers tracing the edges of the grimoire. "Cassandra," he asked softly, "are you as strong as Dorathal?"
She tilted her head, a faint smile curling her lips. "Stronger," she said simply.
His eyes widened, that childish awe briefly breaking through the old soul within him. Cassandra had to bite back a laugh it was rare to see the young master look his age, and in that instant, he did.
"How… do I become strong like you?" he blurted, catching her off guard.
For a heartbeat, she just looked at him the earnestness in his gaze, the weight in his tiny voice. He wasn't asking like a child playing knights and dragons. He meant it.
Cassandra chuckled softly, kneeling down to his height. "To become strong…" she mused, "the only advice I can give you now is to work hard."
Delian lowered his eyes, his small hands tightening around the book. What if I do, he thought, and still stay divineless?
As if reading his thoughts, Cassandra's smile softened. "You know," she said, "it's strange nobles are the only ones obsessed with producing divine energy at one year old. But out there, beyond these walls… things are different. Common folk sometimes take five years, ten, even more. It's not about when, it's about why."
He looked up, curiosity flickering behind his tired eyes. "What do you mean?"
"It depends on who's willing to fight for it," she said gently. "Some people are born blessed, others have to carve their blessings out of the dirt. But when I look at you, young master…" she smiled, brushing a strand of hair from his face, "I can see it in your eyes. You'll get there. You just have to keep looking forward."
Divine energy was everywhere, Cassandra explained in the air, in the ground, in the faint hum of the world itself. Anyone deemed worthy by the world could wield it.
-----
"The world?" I asked, frowning.
"Yes," she said softly. "The world… as in Aetherion itself."
"So… not the gods?"
She smiled at that, the kind of smile that said I wasn't wrong just still too young to see the rest. "No, not really. The gods may bless, but it's Aetherion that decides. Anyone aligned with any god even the lesser ones can attain divine energy. When that happens, the world calls to them. They hear it… like a whisper, deep inside their soul."
I thought about that for a moment. "Then… you can use divine energy too, can't you?"
Cassandra's lips curved, a faint glimmer in her eyes. "You're finally asking the right question," she said as she stood.
Then, before I could say another word, she raised her hand and the world answered.
Light bloomed from her skin, soft at first, then swelling into a radiance so warm, so alive, it stole the breath from my lungs. The air shimmered, thick with warmth. The cold corners of the room seemed to fade, and with them, something inside me the doubt, the anger, the hollow ache I'd been carrying since that day.
It wasn't just light. It was life.
I stared, my thoughts collapsing under the weight of it. Every law, every logic I clung to all shattered before that golden glow.
Cassandra closed her eyes, and the light receded as gently as it came. The room dimmed again, but it felt different now. Cleaner.
"What… what was that?" I asked, stammering despite myself.
She chuckled softly. "A lesser spell," she said. "By using the divine energy of the world, I let my thoughts manifest into reality."
"It was… beautiful," I murmured.
That made her laugh the kind of laugh that filled the air as warmly as her magic had. And before I could react, she pulled me into a hug, squeezing me tight against her chest until I could barely breathe.
"If you thought that was extraordinary, young master," she teased, "you haven't seen anything yet."
Cassandra eventually pulled away, her laughter softening into a gentler, almost wistful smile. But then something in her eyes changed the warmth stayed, but a shadow crept in behind it.
Her voice dropped, quiet but firm. "Not everyone can use divine energy, young master. It isn't just about being worthy. It takes immense mental and physical strength to control it. The light may feel gentle, but it burns just as easily."
I blinked, the excitement draining from my chest. "Burns?"
She nodded. "If done haphazardly… it can take a heavy toll on the body."
"So… I might die?" I asked, the words slipping out before I could stop them.
Her eyes widened, genuine panic flashing across her face. "Yes," she admitted quickly, "if you're reckless. That's why-..." she knelt so we were eye level, her expression suddenly soft again, "-....please don't overdo it. I'd rather not see you get hurt."
For a moment, I just looked at her. Her worry was real almost too real. She wasn't saying that as a servant to a master. She said it like someone who… cared.
I gave her the best smile I could muster and said quietly, "I won't."
She didn't seem convinced, but she smiled back anyway the kind of smile that tried to hide fear under faith. She stood, brushed the dust from her uniform, and gave me one last gentle pat on the head before leaving.
When the door closed behind her, I looked down at the grimoire still resting in my hands. My reflection shimmered faintly on its golden letters.
Divine energy… burns those who can't control it.
I could still feel the warmth of Cassandra's light, the echo of her warning.
I climbed up the chair, my tiny legs wobbling with each step. It took some effort damn this body — but I managed to pull myself onto the seat. The grimoire sat heavy in front of me, its leather cover creaking like it was alive.
I opened it carefully. The first line shimmered faintly in gold:
Divine energy is a gift of the Gods. To wield it, one must prepare the body and mind to endure the burden of divinity.
I exhaled slowly. "Yeah, yeah… gift of the gods," I muttered, flipping the page.
Minutes passed as I read. The words were dense, but strangely clear as if the book itself wanted me to understand. When I finally leaned back, letting out a long breath, I couldn't help but smile a little.
Cassandra had been right. Mostly.
But there were details here she hadn't mentioned details that made divine energy sound far more complicated than just a "light of life."
First, concentration. The book said that to summon divine energy, the user must enter a complete state of focus body and spirit aligned perfectly. Any distraction could shatter the process, setting progress back days or even weeks.
Second, divine energy doesn't just grant light or blessings. It enhances everything strength, senses, reflexes, even thought. I let out a short, nervous chuckle. "If people on Earth had this…" I whispered, shaking my head. "Humanity would've wiped itself out before it even began. War would've looked like child's play."
Then again, maybe Aetherion wasn't so different either.
And the third the most important reason divine energy existed at all: Divine Skills.
The book explained that a person's will and belief shaped their connection to divine energy. The stronger their conviction, the more the gods would "align" with them, granting skills unique to their essence. That was how the blessings worked not gifts freely given, but power earned through belief.
I stared at that line for a long while. So that's how it works, huh? Faith and will. Not birthright, not blood. My hands clenched into tiny fists.
Then maybe I still have a chance.
I jumped down from the chair, the grimoire heavy in my arms. The floor felt cool under my bare feet as I placed the book carefully on the carpet.
"Alright," I muttered, flipping through the pages. "Where... where... where is it ah, here."
The section was titled Invocation for Beginners. Underneath, the text glowed faintly ancient script written in a language that felt both familiar and alien.
It said:
For those struggling to awaken divine energy, chant these words to call upon the world's will and align your essence with its flow.
I read it once. That was enough.
If anyone saw a one-year-old memorizing a divine chant after reading it once, they'd probably faint on the spot. Then again, people already whispered about me that strange child who did strange things. The "creepy" one.
Whatever. I folded my knees under me and straightened my back. Mind, body, and spirit as one. That's what the book said. I took a slow breath, closing my eyes until the silence in the room wrapped around me like a veil.
Then, I began.
"Oh will of Aetherion... if you hear my plea, I call to you. As your child, I open my being to your essence and request upon you to fill my empty soul."
My voice was soft almost like a whisper that didn't belong to this world. I repeated it again. And again. Time stretched.
Minutes passed. Maybe ten. Maybe fifteen. The air was still. The sunlight through the curtains shifted slightly, dust motes dancing lazily in its beam.
But nothing happened. No warmth. No light. No pull of power in my chest.
Just... nothing.
I opened my eyes slowly. Figures. The book said the world would respond to those worthy of its call. Guess that made it clear where I stood.
I didn't stop. Even after the first failure. Or the second. Or the tenth.
Every time I opened my eyes, I tried again. Every time I felt my focus slipping, I forced it back. I didn't know how long I sat there, muttering the same invocation until my throat felt dry and my chest ached from breathing too hard.
By the time I realized it, the sun had vanished and the moonlight had taken its place, spilling silver across the carpet. My body felt heavy, too heavy. My head drooped, my eyelids burned.
The last thing I remember was my fingers tracing the book's worn edges before the darkness took me.
When I opened my eyes again, I heard a soft voice.
"Delian," Cassandra said quietly.
I blinked and stirred. My body felt stiff from sleeping on the floor. She was standing by the doorway, her face lit gently by the moonlight, a small smile tugging at her lips.
I groaned, pushing myself up to sit. "I... fell asleep, huh?"
"You did," she said, chuckling softly. "You've been at it for hours."
I sighed, rubbing my temples. "And still nothing. Just like you said it won't be easy."
Cassandra knelt beside me, brushing some dust off my shoulder. "Maybe you're pushing your mind too hard," she said. "You should train your body too. Even the smallest flame needs something to burn, right? If you'd like, I can help you build your stamina first. But since youre just a year and half old we shouldn't over exert it."
I looked at her those calm, steady eyes that never wavered, even when everyone else treated me like a curse. Then I nodded. "Yeah... maybe that's for the best."
"Good." She smiled. "Whatever path you take, young master, you'll have my full support."
That made me look up and smile back. A real one this time. She stood and reached for the door, and I followed behind her. But just as we stepped out, something stopped me cold.
A feeling crept up my spine cold, thin, like invisible fingers brushing the back of my neck.
And then I heard it. A whisper. Barely audible."...Delian..."
My heart stopped.
I spun around immediately. "Did you hear that?" I asked. The curtains swayed. The moonlight poured across the floor.
Cassandra turned, puzzled. "Hear what, young master?" I stared at the empty room for a moment longer. The silence pressed down, thick and un-moving.
"...Nothing," I muttered finally, forcing a small laugh. "Guess I'm already losing my mind."
She tilted her head, confused, but said nothing. I closed the door behind us. But even as we walked away, I couldn't shake it that faint, echoing voice still curling in the back of my mind like smoke.