"What happened, William?"
Anastasia asked the question with a puzzled expression as she watched the unusual tension settling across William's face.
Ever since she had returned safely from the summit, he had appeared strangely serious, and although he had not uttered a single alarming word, she knew her son well enough to recognize that something had immediately caught his attention.
William did not answer her question directly. Instead, his eyes remained fixed upon her as though he were carefully examining something that only he could perceive.
"Nothing," he finally replied in a calm voice. "I simply want you to keep looking at me no matter what happens."
As he spoke, one of his hands slowly rose before his chest.
"Sol – Invictus: First Form... Radiant Spark."
A tiny golden spark quietly bloomed above his fingertips, glowing no brighter than the flame of a small candle, yet despite its insignificant size, the surrounding mana immediately began responding to its existence.
