Pretense of a scared child

(Before we start I want to say the father's name is not Darius anymore, it is Killian. It seems to fit more in this world. I am still not sure about this change so you can give your opinions in the comment section on this paragraph.

With that out of the way, we can start!)

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"Happy birthday Amir!"

"Happy birthday Claire!"

'!…Oh.'

Me and Claire just came into the dinning room as we were bombarded by shouts of my mother and uncle. Father was there too, but he didn't shout, he just said it in his neutral voice.

We, of course, weren't expecting anything and ended up being surprised.

"W-What is this?" Asked my confused sister.

She wasn't befuddled by the concept of a birthday celebration, it's just that we, me and Claire, never had it till this day, so she most likely just assumed that we don't get to have one. While me, I was surprised because no one mentioned it this whole time, so I ended up forgetting about the date of our birth.

"This is your birthday celebration Claire. Now come here so we start eating! I can't wait to give you the gifts!" Mother responded.

As we arrived at the table, we noticed the amount of food on the table. It was so much food that it would probably keep an average family alive for at least 2 weeks.

"So what did you do today?" Mother asked both of us.

I didn't even have the chance to react as Claire began reciting our day. "We didn't do much. We mostly just played like always, we played tag, hide n' seek, and word chain when we were tired."(Word chain- A game where one says a word: 'armageddon', and the other has to follow with a word that starts with a letter that the last one ended with, in this case 'n'. You can add some other rules to the mix like: sticking to one theme, or something else.)

"It seems like you still had fun though." Mother rebutted.

We continued to talk throughout the meal, mother told stories of her childhood, uncle talked about his work at the adventurers guild. He was recently appointed as a vice-guild master of the branch so he has a lot of work to do, while father sometimes stepped into the conversation to add his snippets of experience but mostly just listened.

After dinner, mother presented Claire with a present, While I got a gift from father.

"These two gifts are from not only me and Azaria, but also from your uncle." He said stoically, as he first handed me a book. The book had a title- 'Beginners guide for the Privileged mage'.

"Thank you!" I really liked this gift. All I have on the basics is from stories and some snippets that were mentioned in the expert level books mother read to me. It will be good to confirm the information that I interpreted from them.

Next thing he handed me was a necklace. The necklace held a small crystal that was in the shape of an octagon, red in color.

"Claire has the same one." Right after that I looked beside me, Claire at the moment held a small wooden sword and a necklace, exactly the same as mine. I slowly walked to her and when I got her attention I said: "We match!" as I held up the necklace I already put around my neck.

"Yeah! Mom, can put it on me too please?" Claire started to jump around her mother. Mother put it on her neck, after that I put my arm around her shoulder and was about to ask how we look but I didn't realize that even though we develop much faster as babies here than in my past world, babies at our age still don't have good balance. So with me leaning onto Claire, she started to fall.

But luckily mother quickly reacted and caught us.

"Whoa there! Be careful, you can't just suddenly lean on your sister like that, Amir, that is dangerous." Mother reprimanded me.

"Yeah, I'm sorry mother… and sorry Claire." I said as I looked down.

"Don't worry! It's alright. I wasn't hurt so it's fine."

After properly apologizing we both looked at our family members and said at the same time:

"Thank you very much!"

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[Few months later]

"This is a decoration shop. Its items are acceptable by our family's standards so when you grow up, be ready to buy a lot of things from this shop."

"This is a clothes shop. They're clothes are acceptable by our family's standards so when you grow up, be ready to buy a lot of things from this shop."

"This is a blacksmith shop. The items being made here are acceptable by our family's standards so when you grow up, be ready to buy a lot of things from this shop."

'Today was amazing.'

That's what I thought as I changed into my pajamas and pulled myself under the warmth of a blanket.

I started playing with mana in my body as I recalled today.

Me, Claire, mother and father, our whole family except uncle, were today strolling through the Xyrus city.

Normally, father would not be able to do things like these, he would be too busy working. But he made time…

Just for us.

I'm really thankful for that. Little things like these always show how kind a person really is, so I can obviously see how much our father cares about us. Even though he sounds like a robot by this point with these repeated lines.

I… I feel like I haven't felt this kind of love in a while.

Parental love. You cannot feel it from anyone else but your mother and father.

As I was falling asleep I thought to myself:

'I'll be sure to treasure it.'

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'...Where am I?' I thought to myself as I looked around.

'It's the darkness. Why am I here again?'

"...S..ve…..som…e!.....Pl…se…!" What was that? I couldn't comprehend what the voice said.

"...Save us someone! Please!" Now I heard it. And I don't like what I hear.

'...Not this again, even here?'

I heard these voices before. But… Why are they here? I am not 'him' anymore!

'No… Get the fuck away from me! I'm not a hero anymore! I am now Amir!' These voices are here again, haunting me.

"Mom!" A scene started to play in the darkness. I knew this place. I immediately looked to the side. How could I *not* know.

After all… I failed this city.

When I looked back I saw a little girl wailing in front of her dead mother. She was crushed under a part of the building that came crashing down beforehand.

So, this death was most likely my fault too.

'I…I'm sorry, I can't save everyone.' I said this to myself many, *many* times. I can't save everyone.

I am not a god.

But I knew that was just a pathetic excuse. I killed her, and many more. That was a fact.

'But…

BUT IT'S NOT LIKE I CHOSE TO BE A HERO! I DIDN'T WANT TO BE ONE! I just… wanted the war to end…' I know all these were just excuses but, that is all I ever wanted. War took everything from me. My comrades, my parents, and even a lover.

I hate war.

By now I'm already a sobbing mess on the ground.

.

.

.

A Hero who yearned for happiness.

But a Hero who was swallowed by guilt.

A Hero who swore to end the war.

But a Hero who was just a boy.

A Hero who was loved by many.

But A Hero who hated himself.

A Hero to everyone.

But a murderer to himself.

That was Eden Verlice.

The tragic Hero of the Proudora kingdom.

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"Gah!" *Huff* *Huff*

"..." Silence

'…Bad dream again?' I can feel my tears coming down my face. This happens sometimes, every month or so. But why-

do I not remember anything again?

Every time I wake up crying I know I experience *something* but I don't remember what.

'I should change from my pajamas.' If I forgot about it, then it wasn't important in the first place.

Yeah. I should forget about it.

As I got off the bed, I looked at the window, the sun was already rising. I then put on my shoes, and walked into the bathroom to wash my face and teeth.

The bathroom was nothing extremely fancy, after all this was just one of many bathrooms that are in every bedroom. The main one downstairs is much bigger and fancier.

I came to the sink, started the water and washed my face, which properly woke me up. Then I reached for the toothbrush that I had in a cup, and this time…

I reached it.

'I am definitely taller.' Normally, I would need to take the little stool next to the door to reach it.

For some reason this brought a memory of my first walk. Walk in front of my parents more precisely. I still remember the first time I walked in front of my mother. She started to squeal on top of her lungs, it was so loud in fact, that my father came rushing in from his office to see what was happening.

I smirked as I began to brush my teeth. 'Yeah, I should do something like that again.'

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Today was the day we started our education.

But for some reason we got to know just today.

Currently, in front of me is standing a beautiful woman, who looks to be in her first early adulthood years, right now wearing a modest dark green dress that seems to match her radiant green eyes. She is also carrying a hefty bag over her right shoulder. Her blonde hair that reaches her back is tied into a ponytail, which makes her seem even more professional than what her expression already makes her out to be.

"Greetings, Lord and Lady Bladeheart. I am Zuriel Rose, a scholar mage who graduated from Xyrus academy, and your new tutor." said Zuriel, a person who was supposed to teach us literacy, arithmetics, etique, and later on even magic theory.

Basically, a person who will be meeting for a long time.

But Xyrus academy, huh? I remember my mother talking about it one time. She talked about it like it was some extremely prestigious school, which it most likely is. Need to ask mother about it later.

"Hello, Zuriel! I'm Claire!" My sister exclaimed.

"And I am Amir. Nice to meet you." I continued. I hope my impression of being more mature, but still a child is convincing enough. My vocabulary isn't supposed to be great, so this should do.

"Now that the introductions are over, we shall move onto our studies." As she said this she started moving to the direction of the library. We, of course, followed her.

After 2 minutes of walking, we arrived. We sat down at the closest table and Zuriel, from her bag, took out a portable chalkboard.

"Today, we are going to learn about…" That day I learned absolutely nothing.

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Today it will happen.

Today will be the day, the day I will awaken my core.

I am currently in our room, sitting in a lotus position(cross-legged sitting) connecting the last mana particles together.

While I was doing that I thought about something.

'What will happen if I awaken?'

If an augmenter durning awakening forms a pushing force while creating a barrier, and a conjurer creates a vacuum that sucks all the mana from one's surroundings to create said vacuum, then what will happen if I have the qualities of both?

Well, that is something I'll figure out today! This afternoon, more precisely. Why? Because I want my awakening to look natural, and to do that it has to look spontaneous. But I still don't want anything destroyed or anyone harmed, so It will happen in the backyard.

Alright, 20 particles or so remaining, let the show start!

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Amir is currently strolling through the garden with a book in his hand, right after his lunch with his family. And, like usual, there are no servants accompanying him. This started to become Amir's routine after he started getting homework from his teacher. His daily lessons with Claire happen in the morning, almost right after breakfast. So, when a teacher gets them homework, he goes to the gazebo right after lunch to finish it.

Sometimes he's accompanied by some of his family members, be it Claire, to finish the homework with him, mother or father, to check on how their children are coming along with their studies, or even Kaspian, who comes along mostly to just talk, be it about Amir's aspirations, or to just have some company while he works.

But today will be a little different.

While he was talking with his father, half the way there,

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*

An explosion happened, and at the epicenter was Amir.

Killian immediately protected himself by augmenting, as he was pushed back by the extreme force of the blast. Killian, right after the explosion stopped, didn't even wait for the smoke to clear as he burst into it. After a few seconds of searching he found his son.

He was floating. A vacuum surrounding him, Amir floated as he looked left and right, not sure what to do, he was extremely confused. But his father knew better, he knew what just happened. And because he knew he wasn't sure what he felt. Relief? Unquestionably. Happiness? Most certainly. Pride? By all means. Disbelief? Oh, he has that now in spades. Worry?... Yes.

"Father? What is happening?!" His precious son cried out, fear etched on his face.

"Do not worry Amir, it will all soon calm down." Killian responded as he looked around. The dust settled down already and what was once a beautiful garden has been turned into a giant crater, 25 meters of size. That's when Killian started to be sure of something.

Amir is a genius, a prodigy. Someone who will change the world.

And that is why he was worried.

"Killian! Where is Amir?! Is he okay?! " Someone shouted from a distance. It was Azaria, his wife, who was currently on the edge of the crater with her daughter in her arms, it seemed like she ran here as fast as possible. Her expression froze when she saw Amir, he was still floating. The only thing that was able to leave her mouth was: "H-How?"

Killian too shared the sentiment, he felt the same a minute ago. How? He was only 3! So How!?... But he had to accept it. With acceptance another question came: Should he make this public or not?

Logical answer would be a yes. It would secure great influence for his son, it would grant him greater protection than danger, and it would even increase the prestige of the Bladeheart family.

But then he remembered.

.

.

.

Everywhere he looked, there was blood.

It was not known whose it is, is it the blood of his enemy? or his allies? He didn't care.

He hated it.

"N-No, please spare me! I'll do anything! JUST PLEA-"

*Splurt*

A now headless elf fell onto the ground, another sacrifice to the battlefield.

But… he's gotten used to it by now… right?

Right?

.

.

.

He didn't want another child to grow up so quickly as he did just because of his "genius". So…

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[3 years later]

"Mii! Mii! Play with me today again!" Claire demanded as she handed me my small wooden sword.

We are currently in the garden. It was reconstructed last year, and now it is even more beautiful. The garden is in U like shape with the gazebo in the middle(in which we just had lunch), there are three roads that come to the gazebo, one from the middle, and the other two from the sides. All sorts of flowers are seeded in the circles, mainly red camellias, gladiolus flowers of all colors, and other flowers like white roses and much more. Near the gazebo you can see bushes of brooms as yellow as they can be.

I answered with an enthusiastic nod. "Sure! What are we going to do today?" Normally we just played hide 'n seek or tag, or more recently parkour but this time she for some reason gave me a sword. I already see where this is going.

"I challenge you to a duel!"

Heh. So i starts,

my training arc!

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[Word count: 2762]

Author's thoughts:

UGHHHHHHHHHHHHH, Let me start of with, and I apologize for the strong wording: F*CK THE BIRTHDAY SCENE! I hate it, for some reason I don't have the ability to properly write a bonding scene, and I hate it!... Alright! Venting over.

As I said in 'What to expect' chapter I decided to reread everything, novel *and* the manhwa, but… I couldn't handle the novel. I'm sorry but after a week of reading I was still only on the 15th chapter. So I made the decision to just read the manhwa with extra wiki searching on the side. I don't know if there are some extra scenes there, or extra information, so if I get something wrong just tell me alright? I didn't completely reread the manhwa either(currently on 102nd ch) because while I was in the middle of reading, I always just got an idea to implement into the fic so I got distracted.

Now, what are your thoughts on the chapter? Was it acceptable? Readable? Was there some mistake, be it logical or otherwise? Please put your thoughts right here→

I appreciate it!

Alright now, see ya! - Haedris

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Additions:

- Amir shares his room with Claire. This room is right next to their parents. Darius made this decision because he thought they should be more independent from a young age. Of course, that didn't stop Azaria from coming to their room every morning and evening to wake them up or play.

- Amir is extremely proficient at multitasking, the same goes for his mana manipulation because of his past experience(explanation for this in the future). Because of this he has learned to play with his mana/form his mana core even while doing things like running, talking, or even while doing chores(showering, eating, …).

- Zuriel Rose is related to Angela Rose.