"Mama, Papa," he said softly, drawing their attention. Both parents looked at him, and he gave them a small, uncertain smile. "I'm sorry for causing trouble. But... I'm still me. I feel different, and I look different, but I'm still your son. That hasn't changed."
Lirien's eyes filled with tears again, but she was smiling through them. "Oh, sweetheart, of course you're still our son. We love you no matter what. Whether you're one month old or seven years old or a hundred years old—you're our Runar, and nothing will change that."
She pulled him into another fierce hug, and Jake joined them, wrapping his arms around both his wife and son.
They stayed like that for a long moment, a family anchoring themselves in each other amid impossible circumstances.
Two hours later
Elder Thorne arrived through the front door with the practiced ease of a family friend who'd visited countless times. He was an older man, perhaps eight hundred years old, with silver hair and kind eyes that had seen much in his long life. His cultivation base was substantial—Planetary Core realm, Stage 4—making him one of the stronger individuals in Velsinor City.
"Jake, Lirien," he greeted warmly, then his gaze fell on Runar and his expression shifted to professional interest. "And this must be the young man you called me about."
"Elder Thorne, thank you for coming so quickly," Jake said, gesturing to the living room. "And for agreeing to keep this confidential."
"Of course." The elder approached Runar, kneeling to be at eye level. "Hello, young one. I'm going to examine you, if that's alright. It won't hurt."
Runar nodded, playing the role of a slightly nervous but cooperative child.
Elder Thorne placed his palm on Runar's forehead, and his spiritual sense flooded through the boy's body. His expression remained professionally neutral, but Runar—with his enhanced perception—could see the minute reactions. The widening of eyes. The slight catch in breathing. The tightening of fingers.
The examination lasted nearly ten minutes, far longer than a normal check-up would take. Elder Thorne moved his hand to different points—the chest, the back, the wrist—each time delving deeper with his senses.
Finally, he withdrew his hand and sat back, his expression thoughtful.
"Well?" Lirien asked anxiously.
"He's healthy," Elder Thorne said slowly. "Remarkably healthy, actually. His body shows no signs of trauma, forced cultivation, external interference, or curse marks. No possession, no shapeshifting, no illusions. This is genuinely his body."
"And the cultivation base?" Jake pressed.
"Stardust Awakening realm." The elder's eyes flicked to Runar, studying him. "The stage is... difficult to determine precisely. The foundation is unusual. Very unusual. I've never seen meridians reinforced like this, or acupoints developed so perfectly. His organ meridians are fully activated, which even some Star Fusion cultivators don't achieve."
He paused, choosing his words carefully. "If I didn't know better, I'd say this was the foundation of someone who'd cultivated for decades using a Supreme-grade technique under the guidance of master teachers with unlimited resources."
'Old dude why are you almost accurate.'
Lirien's hand gripped Jake's arm. "Is that... is that bad?"
"Bad? No." Elder Thorne shook his head. "It's extraordinary. This kind of foundation is what every cultivator dreams of. It means his future potential is essentially limitless—he'll face far fewer bottlenecks than normal cultivators, his breakthroughs will be smoother, his combat power will be higher."
He looked at the parents seriously. "But it also means he's valuable. Very valuable. There are individuals and organizations who would do terrible things to study how this happened, or to claim ownership of whatever physique caused it."
Jake's jaw clenched. "We're aware of the risks."
"Good." Elder Thorne turned back to Runar, his expression softening. "Young man, do you feel any pain? Any discomfort?"
Runar shook his head. "No, Elder. I feel... good. Strong. Very Strong. Everything just feels easier than before."
"Hmm." The elder stood, addressing the parents. "My professional opinion: this appears to be a physique awakening. I can't identify the specific physique—it's not in any classification I'm familiar with—but the pattern matches. Sudden transformation, rapid aging, automatic cultivation advancement."
He held up a hand forestalling their questions. "However, I must stress that this is an educated guess. True identification would require specialized equipment that only major sects and academies possess. And I strongly advise against seeking such identification."
"Why?" Lirien asked.
"Because the moment you walk into a major institution with a child possessing an unknown physique this powerful, you lose control of the situation." Elder Thorne's voice was grave. "They'll study him, yes. They might even help him. But they'll also recruit him, control his development, and ultimately—whether intentionally or not—turn him into a tool for their organization."
He placed a hand on Jake's shoulder. "My recommendation: Keep this very quiet. Register a basic physique awakening with the city authorities—you have to, it's legally required for any unusual cultivation events. But minimize the details. Say it caused accelerated aging, that you've been monitoring him at home, and that he's stabilized now. Don't mention the cultivation realm. Don't mention the perfect foundation. Let people think it's a minor physique, something interesting but not extraordinary."
"And for Runar's development?" Jake asked.
"Let it proceed naturally. Don't force anything. His foundation is solid enough that he can essentially cultivate at will without risk of deviation. Get him some basic techniques appropriate for his apparent age—seven years old—and let him practice normally. The physique will do the rest."
Elder Thorne looked at Runar with something approaching awe. "In a few years, when he's stronger and has more ability to protect himself, you can reveal more. But for now, keep him safe by keeping him unremarkable."
He straightened, preparing to leave. "I'll submit the official report myself—'minor physique awakening, age acceleration, currently stable.' That should satisfy the authorities without drawing excessive attention."
"Thank you, Elder," Lirien said earnestly. "Truly. We don't know what we would have done without your guidance."
"I'm happy to help. And Runar—" the elder smiled at the boy, "—welcome to the world of cultivation. You have a remarkable journey ahead of you."
After Elder Thorne left, the family sat together in the living room, processing everything.
"So," Jake said finally, "we have a plan. We register the awakening, keep the details minimal, and present Runar as a seven-year-old with a minor physique that caused rapid aging. We tell people we've been keeping him home while things stabilized."
"What about friends?" Lirien asked. "Seraphina will want to visit soon. She saw Runar as a baby just yesterday."
Runar spoke up, his voice carrying a clarity that surprised even himself. "Tell them the truth—mostly. Say the physique awakened suddenly yesterday evening. That I aged overnight. That it was scary but I'm okay now. Seraphina's your oldest friend, mama. She'll understand. And Celestia..." he smiled slightly, "I think she'll just be excited to have a friend closer to her age."
Both parents stared at him.
"That's... remarkably mature thinking for a seven-year-old," Jake said slowly.
Runar shrugged, playing innocent. "I feel smarter than before. Like my brain got bigger with the rest of me. Is that normal for physiques?"
"Some physiques do enhance mental capabilities," Jake admitted. "It's possible yours is one of them."
If only you knew, Runar thought. If only you knew what I really am.
But outwardly, he just smiled and nodded, the perfect picture of a confused but adapting child.
"We'll manage this together," Lirien said firmly, gathering both her son and husband in her gaze. "As a family. Whatever comes next, we face it together."
"Together," Jake agreed.
"Together," Runar echoed, and meant it.
Late Afternoon - 4:15 PM
The hours had passed in a blur of adjustment. Lirien had gone through Runar's baby clothes and found, to her relief, that the system had thoughtfully provided a wardrobe appropriate for a seven-year-old in his inventory. Jake had spent time teaching Runar "basic" things a child his apparent age should know, though he was consistently surprised by how quickly his son grasped concepts.
The physique must enhance learning, Jake concluded, not knowing that Runar's HDCM was operating at full capacity, processing and retaining every scrap of information instantly.
They'd submitted the official report to the city registry. Elder Thorne had been true to his word—his documentation was minimal and clinical, noting only the essential facts without elaboration.
The house had settled into an uneasy new normal when the doorbell chimed.
All three family members froze.
"I'll get it," Lirien said, moving toward the door.
She opened it to find Seraphina and Celestia standing on the doorstep. Seraphina held a small package, while Celestia was practically bouncing with excitement, a large bag of what were presumably spirit candies clutched in her hands.
"Lirien!" Seraphina greeted warmly. "I hope we're not intruding. Celestia has been talking about baby Runar non-stop since yesterday. She insisted we bring these treats today instead of waiting." She laughed indulgently. "I swear she's more excited about your son than about our new house."
"Auntie Lirien!" Celestia chirped. "Can I see Baby Runar? Please? I brought the best starfruit essence candies and crystal sugar treats and—oh! And these cookies shaped like cultivation beasts! Can I give them to him? Can I can I can I?"
Lirien's expression must have shown something because Seraphina's smile faltered.
"Lirien? Is everything alright? Is Runar sick?"
"No, he's... he's fine. Healthy, actually." Lirien took a breath, steadying herself. "But something happened. Something... unexpected. Maybe you should come in."
Seraphina's expression shifted to concern immediately. "Of course."
They entered the living room where Jake and Runar were waiting. Celestia rushed ahead eagerly, then stopped dead in her tracks when she saw not a baby in a crib, but a boy about her age sitting on the couch.
She blinked. Looked around the room. Looked back at the boy.
"Um," Celestia said intelligently. "Where's Baby Runar?"
Runar stood up slowly, giving her a small, slightly shy smile.
"Hi, Celestia," he said. "I'm Runar."
Celestia's eyes went impossibly wide. Her mouth opened. Closed. Opened again.
"You... but you were... yesterday you were a baby," she finally managed, her voice climbing an octave with each word. "With tiny hands! And you couldn't talk! And you were THIS small—" she held her hands about a foot apart, "—and now you're... you're..."
"Big?" Runar supplied helpfully.
"BIG!" Celestia agreed, then turned to her mother. "Mama, what happened? Did somebody steal Baby Runar and replace him with this boy? Should we call the guards? Is this a shapeshifter? Do we need to fight?"
Her tiny cultivation base flared defensively, and Runar had to suppress a smile at the five-year-old trying to protect him from himself.
Seraphina, meanwhile, had gone pale. Her spiritual sense swept over Runar instinctively, and her expression shifted from confusion to shock.
"Lirien," she said quietly, "what happened?"