A boy, no older than five, with delicate features, his round face frad by a cascade of dark curls that bounced slightly with every step.
His large amber eyes, like his father’s, showed remnants of sleep but quickly sharpened with curiosity as he took in the tense atmosphere.
He looked at his parents, their expressions still weighed with grief, and without hesitation, he walked towards them.
"Mama? Papa?" he mumbled, his voice laced with confusion, "Why does everyone look sad?"
Seraphina imdiately crouched, opening her arms as Lucas ran into them. She held him tightly, running a soothing hand through his curls, "Grandpa left us a ssage, love. A very important one."
Lucas peered up at her, then at Bennet, then at Boy, then at the room. His small face scrunched up in deep thought and confusion as he spoke, "But grandpa isn’t here."
Just as he said this, his eyes then landed on the recording device. Curiosity sparked in his eyes as he reached out towards it with curious eyes.
Bennet, still silent, looked down at the newly appeared button. He exhaled slowly before turning to Lucas as he gave him a reassuring smile.
"This is for papa to take care of for now, okay?" he said gently.
Lucas’s small brows furrowed in slight disappointnt, his fingers twitching as if he wanted to press it himself. But after a mont, he gave a small nod, thought his pout lingered, "Okay, papa...but I want to see too."
Bennet nodded as he ruffled his son’s curl before he turned towards Seraphina, who gave him a small reassuring nod.
The room held its breath, anticipation thick in the air as they watched Bennet grab the device and press the button.
In the next mont, a holographic translucent scene materialised before the whole room, shimring into existence.
The warm glow of the chamber vanished, replaced by the cold winds and smoke-filled air of a battlefield.
Boy’s eyes widened as he found a mont back in ti appearing, the scene where Darius saved him and gave him the mission.
Darius was standing in the middle of the projected area, battle-worn, gripping a small recording crystal device.
Right next to him was Boy, who looked a lot worse for wear than he was now as blood was dripping from a deep wound in his belly which had now healed considerably.
And on the scene, there was another figure, a body. Near them, the body of Varian lay sprawled on the ground, his lifeless body a grim testant of the brutality of war. The erging general of Zavareth was only recognisable by the others through his head which had been cleanly severed from his shoulders, his right missing entirely.
Blood pooled beneath him, darkening the dirt as if the earth itself mourned his fall. Even in death, his expression was frozen in an eerie mix of confidence and fear.
As the scene of the holographic battlefield solidified, Lucas’s eyes widened.
Recognition flashed across his face and without a second thought, he broke into a sprint as joy erupted on his face.
"Grandpa!" he cried, his small feet carrying him toward the towering figure of Darius. But as he reached him, his outstretched hands passed straight through as he stumbled and fell over, not expecting to have his hands phase through his grandpa.
Confusion broke through his excitent. He spun around, looking back at his parents, his brows furrowing, "Mama...? Papa...? Why- why can’t I touch him?"
Bennet stepped forward, his voice calm but firm as he called Lucas back towards his side, "Lucas... this is just a mory, a ssage from the past. Grandpa isn’t really here, but he wanted to make sure we could hear his final words."
"Final words-" Lucas’s lower lip trembled slightly before his eyes dimly lit up in realisation, "Grandpa... is dead?"
His small hands tightened into trembling fists as his wide amber eyes darted between his parents, searching for reassurance, for so other explanation that would make this mont less real.
A shaky breath escaped him as the realisation settled in his tiny chest, heavy and suffocating...
"Grandpa... is really gone?" he whispered, his voice barely audible. His shoulders hunched, his body seeming smaller as though he was trying to shrink away from the painful truth.
But even as his vision blurred with unfallen tears, he sniffled and gave a small, hesitant nod, forcing himself to be strong- just like papa.
Just then, Darius exhaled sharply, his expression solemn and his voice unwavering despite the battle raging around them, "For my son, his wife, and for my grandson... If they are to hear my final words, let it be from my own voice. Deliver this to them. No matter what. Please."
The focus of this scene changed to Boy who was in front of Darius who had a complex surge of emotion appear in his eyes before nodding clearly.
Seeing this, a smile appeared on Darius’s face as his eyes filled with trust, "And one more thing... To my family, this summon is unlike any I have ever seen before. Treat him well, guide him, and he will make a great companion for little Lucas."
As the sounds of war roared around them, his voice grew softer, more deliberate, "Bennet, this summon is able to lead other summons."
With that, the projection began to fade, flickering multiple tis with each flicker causing less and less of the scene to be visible before dissolving into shimring particles that dissipated into the air.
The room was left in a heavy silence and the focus of the room unanimously switched to Boy.
There had been countless shocking news and revelations that had co in the last thirty minutes.
The ergence of a dragon, a summons that was only known in myths. And then Boy, the shadow hyena. A summon that seed to break the regular trend of summons as they had known.
"A summon capable of leading others...?" Master Fenwell muttered under his breath, shock and disbelief in his voice.
"Such a thing had never existed before..." Captain Voss comnted as he stared at the hyena, who seed visibly uncomfortable at being the main attention of the room.
Bennet inhaled sharply and turned toward Boy, who stared back at him, as if waiting- no, expecting sothing.
Darius’s words echoed in Bennet’s mind, a heavy revelation settling upon him as the phrase, ’a summon capable of leading others...’, seed to have a significant impact on him. And for the others in the room, this was unheard of and had it co from anyone else other than Darius, they would not have believed such news.
Even the soldiers in the party, including Raegan, were staring at Boy with newfound shock as during their journey, they had not seen Boy exhibit this trait. They had just seen him as a summon that displayed irregular levels of intelligence.
But now, it was clear that it was not just intelligence and sentience that made the hyena stand out from the rest.
Ding!
However, while this was happening, a notification sounded from the system.
[Mission Complete!
"Commander’s Final Wish", Unique Mission:
Get the final ssage of Commander Darius to his family (Not Completed)
Rewards: Trait upgrade x2, 50 stat points]
[Rewards gained]
However, during this silence, the sound of small footsteps once again broke the tense air. Lucas, still wiping the remnants of tears from his eyes, walked forward without hesitation. His gaze fixed on Boy as curiosity and sothing else- sothing deeper- shone in his amber eyes.
He stopped in front of Boy and tilted his head slightly as his amber eyes filled with childlike wonder rather than the unease the others displayed...
Boy’s ears perked up, his body stiff at first as he saw Lucas’s gaze. For a brief mont, it was as if he were looking at a reflection of himself when he was human.
Lucas showed nothing but innocent acceptance as he stepped closer and without hesitation, he wrapped his small arms around Boy’s neck.
"Thank you..." he whispered.
The embrace was soft, warm, completely devoid of fear or hesitation.
Despite the weight of everything he had just learned, the purity of the hug was untouched by the doubts of the adults around them.
Boy froze for a mont, his muscles locked in place. He had never been held like this before- not as a weapon, not as a summon, but as sothing more.
Slowly, the tension eased from his form as a foreign warmth settled in his chest, sothing he didn’t understand but didn’t resist either.
After a few seconds, Lucas pulled away, his small hands lingering for just a second before he smiled up at him.
"Do you have a na?" he asked, his voice soft but eager as the curiosity remained fixed on his face.
Boy blinked, the question catching him off guard. He had always been referred to as just ’Boy’, sothing that he had been called by Lady Elaria.
’Boy,’ he answered simply, his voice clearly entering the ears of Lucas only.
At this, Lucas’s eyes widened with amazent, turning excitedly to Bennet and Seraphina, he exclaid, "Papa! Mama! He can talk!"
His previous sorrow montarily forgotten in the thrill of discovery.
The gathered adults exchanged glances, the soldiers already aware of Boy’s sentience, while the advisors were once again shocked with astonishnt.
Lucas then turned back to Boy with a thoughtful expression before his face scrunched up in disapproval...
"Boy is a terrible na," he said matter-of-factly, crossing his arms as his fingers graced his chin, deep in thought, "you need a real na."
He paused for a few seconds before his face lit up with realisation.
"Ash!" he declared excitedly, "Grandpa wanted to na that, but papa and mama picked Lucas instead. So now, you can have it!"
The room fell into a brief silence, the weight of Lucas’s words settling over them.
Bennet inhaled sharply, exchanging another glance with Seraphina, whose eyes softened at the mory.
The na Ash held aning—it was sothing Darius had pushed very hard for when Lucas was about to be born as he had kept that na reserved from way before Bennet and Seraphina even got married.
The two of them didn’t say anything, a silent show of approval, and instead, they were left impressed at how Lucas was able to co up with a na.
Now, in a way, a part of him was being carried forward.
Boy felt sothing shift within him, ’Ash...’
It was more than just a na; it was recognition. A sense of self and belonging he had never possessed as soone had given them sothing that mattered to them.
He had seen the impact and influence that Darius had not just in the Valen family, not just in Westreach, but in the whole of Eldoria. And how he had been given sothing that ca from Darius.
The sense of belonging hit his head hard. His entire existence since young had been shaped by the expectations of others- used as a tool, a summon- but now, he had been given sothing that he felt was truly his and it did not co through expectation but through gratitude. Sothing he had not experienced before.
The warmth that had settled in his chest from Lucas’s embrace deepened, spreading through him like an ember catching fire. He was no longer just Boy.
He was Ash. And his gaze rose and he looked at Lucas before he nodded resolutely.
A great smile appeared on Lucas’s face as he jumped and hugged Boy once again. A quiet, knowing look reflected in his bright eyes as he spoke seriously but also softly, "Grandpa trusted you, and so do I."
Bennet let out a slow breath, watching the exchange unfold before him.
He glanced at Seraphina, who gave him an approving nod before turning towards Lucas, a soft smile gracing her lips.
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