The sky over Veyrun shimmered faintly that evening, a warm, amber hue painting the rooftops and forest leaves.
Inside the Veyrun household, laughter filled the air.
"Gray, and Lysera… we got a gift for you."
"Really, Father!?"
Gray and Lysera spoke in unison, their eyes sparkling like twin stars.
Devon chuckled, his broad frame leaning against the doorway.
"Hold on now, Lysera. Your gift is with your mother."
Lysera's heart skipped. "Is it… what I think it is?"
Selera's lips curved into a soft smile. "Yes, Lysera. Let's go inside, it's time to awaken your Aetherion Eyes."
Her voice trembled slightly not with fear, but reverence. This was a rite no Veyrun woman had ever failed.
Lysera's blue eyes flickered with both pride and uncertainty.
Meanwhile, Devon turned toward Gray, kneeling as he drew a slender, twin bladed sword carved with obsidian ,from a silk cloth.
"And as for you," he said, presenting it with both hands. "I saw you practicing alone with double sticks… perfecting your form even when no one was watching. You've earned this."
Gray's lips parted in awe. "For me? A double sword… It's beautiful."
Devon smiled faintly. "Use it well, my son."
◆◇◆
Selera lit a candle within the ritual chamber. The scent of burning sage filled the air.
"Lysera," she began softly, "this practice has been passed down through generations in the Veyrun line. The sons have never been able to use it for reasons even I cannot explain. But the daughters… the daughters have always borne the Sight."
Lysera swallowed, her hands trembling slightly. "Will it hurt?"
Selera hesitated,then nodded.
"A lot. This power allows you to see the future, but the mind isn't meant to hold countless timelines at once. That's why the ritual must be done carefully."
She drew a shallow blade and placed it over her eyes. "There are two ways to pass the Sight. The first… is through death the power moves on when the bearer dies. The second… through this ritual."
Her voice wavered. "Blood from the predecessor's eyes is drawn… and placed into the eyes of the successor. Sometimes, only one eye awakens marked by a burning sigil."
Lysera bit her lip, but nodded firmly. "I'm ready, Mother."
Selera smiled sadly. "You've grown strong."
Then, without hesitation she pressed the ritual blade to her left eye.
A crimson drop fell. The moment it touched Lysera's iris
A scream tore through the room.
"Lysera!"
Selera held her trembling daughter as the girl writhed on the floor. Her right eye flared glowing white with a burning mark.
It hurts… it hurts so much
Visions flooded her mind, her mind was not yet ready to carry the weight of the things she saw
"Mother!" Lysera cried, clutching her head. "We're in danger! The village!"
Selera's heart froze. "What did you see!?"
"I… I saw"
Before she could finish, the door burst open.
Gray and Devon rushed in, alarmed.
"What happened!?" Devon demanded. "We heard a scream!"
Selera knelt beside Lysera, her hands glowing faintly with calming essence. "It's the ritual backlash… but something's wrong. She saw something terrible."
Lysera's breathing grew ragged. Her pupils dilated and then, with trembling lips, she spoke.
"We need to run…"
Devon's brows furrowed. "Run? From what, Lysera?"
"The village!"
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion rocked the air, shattering the tranquility. Flames burst through the window red and alive.
Devon froze. His instincts sharpened instantly.
"Gray, Lysera! Protect your mother and get to the shelter. Now!"
"Father!"
"Go!"Devon screamed
◆◇◆
Outside, the peaceful village of Veyrun had become a nightmare. The scent of smoke and blood suffocated the air. Children screamed. Houses burned. The sky, once gentle, now bled red.
Devon stepped into the chaos, his cloak whipping through the embers.
"Who did this…?"
His soldiers rushed past him, their bodies seriously injured .
"Lord Devon! Invaders they came from the west! We don't know how they"
But he wasn't listening anymore.
Devon's eyes trembled. On the ground before him the bodies of his people, the faces he swore to protect.
So this is what Lysera saw…but why didn't selyra saw it
The air around him began to howl as he released his status.
Wind surged as his status flared.
His sword shone a blade made of both steel and storm.
"Where is he!?" he roared. "WHERE IS HE!"
His soldiers hesitated. They had never seen him like this not even during the wars.
Devon swung his sword once.
A gust ripped through the battlefield, cutting through enemy soldiers in a single, dancing arc.
Heads rolled.
Ash fell like snow.
He raised his sword up
Way of the Sword, Dance of the Gale Art .
In an instant, everywhere was filled with silence.Then
A faint whistle.
Swuush
A sword flew from the darkness, spinning toward Devon. He deflected it mid air sparks scattering like fireflies.
From beyond the smoke, a voice emerged calm, cold, almost nostalgic.
"Impressive, as always. How long has it been? Twenty… thirty years?"
Devon froze. His grip tightened. "You… I knew it was you,
The silhouette stepped closer, blade dragging against the ground, eyes glimmering crimson beneath his hood.
"You shouldn't have left the capital, Devon. You had such promise. Now look at you wasting away in a forest. I heard you became a village chief"
Rage consumed him. Devon lunged, their swords clashing with a thunderous ring.
Shockwaves rippled through the village. The earth cracked.
Soldiers stumbled back, unable to interfere.
"W-we can't step in! Their aura it's suffocating!"
"Pull the survivors out!" the captain yelled. "Get them to the underground"
But before they could move, all three soldiers froze mid run.
Their bodies lifted off the ground, trembling violently caught by an invisible force.
"Telekinesis…" one gasped. "How? while fighting Lord Devon!?"
You three stay right there and wait for your deaths
Immediately they knew terrified
We are all going to die!
Swuush—!
Blades met again, Heavy wind gushing out of their blades, two people with almost the same sword style.
"You came rushing at me so recklessly," the man said, his tone laced with mockery.
"I didn't know you'd miss me this much… Brother!."
The man unleashed his status and
Devon's eyes widened. And for the first time in years,
Fear crept into his heart.
◆◇◆