Enemies and Families

"W-Wait, it seems like you misunderstood. I didn't underestimate you at all," I was struggling to free myself from Ikarius's grip.

"Silence," Ikarius snapped, unleashing a burst of fire from his hand directly into Eizan's abdomen.

Zdooommmmmm

Eizan was thrown several feet away, crashing into trees. His clothes were shredded from the fatal attack.

"Arghh..."

Eizan crawled through the dirt, which was stained with his blood, trying to escape.

Without delay, Ikarius, using his lightning element, appeared right in front of Eizan.

Before Eizan could react, he was kicked squarely in the face, sending him flying. Before he could hit the tree, Ikarius was already behind him, grabbing his face and slamming it into the ground.

Ikarius pounded Eizan's face with relentless blows. Eizan, weakened and lying on the ground, could only submit, unable to fight back. As Ikarius prepared to deliver the final blow, he gathered all his elemental power into a single clenched fist.

"This is the end for you. Die!!!" Ikarius roared.

Just as Ikarius was about to deliver the final punch, a white light descended from the sky, striking Ikarius.

"Arghhh!!"

Ikarius was thrown back by the light.

The white light landed, revealing the White Mage as the attacker.

After landing, the White Mage immediately used magic to lift Eizan and cast a healing spell on him.

"Hohoo... You're very unfortunate, child..." the White Mage's voice was faint to Eizan.

"K-Kyou..."

Eizan's vision began to fade as he started to lose consciousness.

"Rest now, child. You don't need to do anything. I'm here with you," the White Mage said. "Hohoo... I can clearly see how your future will unfold. You will carry a heavy burden. Be stronger before that day arrives."

The White Mage saw clearly what Eizan's future held.

"Until we meet again, my little friend. Fate will surely bring us together again."

"Oh, it seems the fireworks have started. Hoho...."

The White Mage watched as the fireworks lit up the night sky beautifully.

Hearing the White Mage's words, Eizan immediately lost consciousness.

When he awoke, it was morning. The sun shone brightly over Taeyang village. The first thing Eizan saw was Sophia sleeping soundly beside his bed.

Lizbeth entered with a cup of warm tea for Eizan as he was waking up. Upon seeing her child finally awake, Lizbeth couldn't hold back her tears. She rushed over and embraced Eizan tightly.

"Eizan...."

Lizbeth's tears flowed as she held her son.

"I-I Mom? Is that you?" Eizan asked softly.

"Yes, I'm here, Eizan. There's nothing to worry about anymore. I'm with you," Lizbeth reassured him.

Upon hearing this, Eizan began to cry as well.

Sophia, who had been asleep beside the bed, woke up to the voices of Eizan and Lizbeth. She was both surprised and relieved to see Eizan awake.

"Eizan... I'm so glad you're awake. I was so worried about you," Sophia said with tearful relief.

"I-I'm sorry, Sophia... I'm sorry for making you worry," Eizan said, his voice still weak.

"I should be the one apologizing. We shouldn't have left you alone that time. I'm truly sorry..." Sophia held Eizan's hand and bowed her head, feeling deeply remorseful for what had happened.

Duarrtr!!!

The door to the room was flung open with a loud bang.

A 13-year-old boy ran in, hugging his recently awakened sibling.

"Ugh, you idiot, I almost lost you..." Zayn cried as he embraced Eizan, sobbing heavily.

"D-Don't be silly. I wouldn't die from something trivial like this," Eizan said, trying to sound brave.

"Forgive me, Eizan... I feel so guilty for not being there with you last night," Zayn said, bowing his head in apology.

"It's okay, don't worry. Look at me now. I'm already looking pretty healthy, right?" Eizan reassured them, even though his body was covered in bandages from the previous night's injuries.

"You fool, if you were fine, you wouldn't be covered in so many bandages," Zayn remarked, looking at his brother's condition.

"Hahaha, it's so nice to see you all again," Eizan said with a happy smile, glad to have his family and friends around.

"I thought after experiencing what happened to me last night, I wouldn't see the next day, but here I am, still given a chance to see the beautiful sunrise."

The power was so immense; there was no way I could have defeated him at that moment. 'Grabbing a glass of water and drinking it.'

Someone saved me that night. Their voice sounded familiar, a voice I'd heard during the Coronation Ceremony. 'Putting the glass back on the table and standing up.'

It must have been the White Mage. I saw him vaguely because I was on the brink of unconsciousness at that time.

"Should I thank him?" I thought about finding him today, but I'm still too weak to walk far due to my broken legs from the attack.

Zayn and Sophia went out to get supplies for practice before the Coronation Ceremony. "What should I do while I'm alone in this house?"

I walked around the house, feeling a sense of boredom I had never experienced before. Eventually...

I noticed something on my mother's table. It looked like a potion, filled with a liquid that shone blue like a high-grade potion.

"I'm curious, what if I drink this? Will I turn into a dragon?" I picked up the bottle, opened it, and saw glowing particles inside. "It does seem like a high-grade potion."

Could my mother really make something like this? That's what I wondered as I examined the bottle closely. "Huff, why am I overthinking this? I'll just drink it."

Without further hesitation, I drank the potion in one gulp. "Hey, this tastes good. Did Mom mix a flavor into this potion?"

The potion had no immediate effect on me. "Do I need to say a prayer for it to work? Hmmm."

I felt my body, and it seemed the potion worked. The wounds under the bandages disappeared instantly, and my body felt like it was back to normal after drinking the potion Mom made.

"Wow, it really works. I didn't expect my mother to make such a powerful potion."