The Truth

The man tried to grab Lila, but before he could touch her, he felt a sudden jolt of electricity. He jerked back and dropped his sword. He looked at his hand and saw sparks flying from his fingers. He looked up and saw Lila staring at him, with a fierce expression on her face.

She raised her hand and pointed it at him. Lila had never used magic before. She didn't know she was capable of such. Her mana core had become dormant due to her lack of training.

However, in the face of danger, her survival instincts pushed her body. She felt a surge of power in her chest and a glow on her forehead.

A ball of fire manifested from her hand. She shot it towards the man. It hit the man in the chest and sent him flying back and crashing into the wall. He slumped to the floor and stopped moving. He died.

Lila gasped and dropped her hand. She began to shake. She had just killed a person.

She looked at Leo and felt a panic and a pang of guilt. He was still alive, but barely. He was still bleeding, and unconscious.

She ran to him and knelt by his side. She took his hand and pressed it to her chest. Tears blurred her vision as she whispered his name, a desperate plea for him to awaken.

"Leo..."

The clamor of approaching footsteps snapped her back to the present. More masked men were coming, drawn by the commotion and the pyrotechnic display. They found their leader charred, their eyes now fixated on Lila with a blend of rage and avarice.

"For Sol! For glory!" they bellowed, charging towards her with weapons brandished.

They encircled her, spears poised to strike from every direction. Yet, as they lunged, an invisible force repelled their attacks. Another surge of power radiated from Lila, and a brilliant ring of flames erupted around her. The men's cries of agony filled the air as the fire consumed them.

Amidst the chaos, a gentle touch caressed Lila's cheek. She looked down to find Leo, his eyes barely open, urging her to flee.

"R... Run," he rasped. "Don't worry about me... More are coming... Just run."

"No!" Lila's scream tore through the night. "How could I leave you after you've protected me?"

A tender smile graced Leo's face. "You truly are a sunflower," he murmured.

"Lila... Please let me protect you... to the end," he whispered, his voice fading as darkness claimed his consciousness.

With a heart-wrenching cry, Lila knew she had to make a choice. Time was slipping away, and her pursuers would soon be upon her. Reluctantly, she rose to her feet and fled into the night, her breath ragged with terror.

She burst through the gates, not daring to slow her pace as she plunged into the forest. Before long, the familiar sight of her home emerged through the trees. She stumbled inside, collapsing against the door with sobs wracking her body.

"What the hell was that!" she screamed, clutching at her chest. "Who were they? Why did this happen today?"

Her cries gradually subsided to quiet whimpers as exhaustion overtook her, and she drifted into a fitful sleep.

When her parents returned, they found their daughter slumped at the entrance, seemingly awaiting their arrival.

"I guess she's been waiting for us..." her mother said, a soft smile tinged with sorrow.

"Yeah. Our little baby..." her father added, his voice echoing the same melancholic note.

They carried her to the couch, where the aroma of roast meat soon roused her from slumber.

"Happy Birthday!" they exclaimed in unison, as Lila's eyes fluttered open to the warmth of her family's love.

Lila's smile blossomed as her parents' embrace wrapped her in a cocoon of warmth. The comforting scent of roast meat, rich and inviting, permeated the dining room as they settled at the table. Lila savored each bite, the tender meat falling apart effortlessly, its flavors dancing on her tongue.

"Honey, we have a surprise for you," her mother's voice was soft yet filled with excitement, her eyes sharing a secret glance with Lila's father.

The kitchen door creaked slightly as her mother returned, balancing a small cake decorated with a hand-drawn unicorn, Lila's cherished magic beast. The candle atop flickered, casting playful shadows and bathing the room in a soft, golden hue.

"I had it custom-made for you," her father's voice was warm, his eyes crinkling with a smile that reached them.

"Thanks, Mum. Thanks, Dad!" Lila's words were a melody of gratitude, her heart swelling with happiness.

Her parents watched her with eager eyes. "Come on, make a wish. Any wish," they whispered, their breaths tickling her ears.

As Lila leaned forward, the candle's light danced in her eyes. But the glow from the flame was soon overshadowed by the shadow of the day's events, dimming the light in her eyes.

"I wish you guys would tell me the truth," she whispered, her voice a delicate murmur that hung heavy in the air.

The smiles on her parents' faces wavered, transforming into expressions tinged with unease.

"What do you mean?" her mother's voice trembled, barely holding onto the facade of a smile.

Lila's eyes, now pools of uncertainty, remained fixed on the cake as she unleashed the questions that had been simmering in her heart.

"Why don't you let me outside? What's this mark on my forehead? Why were those people after me today?"

Her mother's eyes widened, a gasp slipping through her lips. "You went to town today?"

"I told you to stay home, Lila!" Her mother's voice cracked, tears streaming down her face like silent rivers of fear.

"Who are they?!" Lila demanded, her voice steady despite the turmoil within.

Her father stood, his presence a comforting fortress as he enveloped them both in a protective hug.

"I see... That's why they suddenly came to town today, after such a long time."

"It's okay. We'll tell you everything," he assured, his voice a soothing balm.

"You weren't hurt today, were you?" His words were laced with concern.

"No, Dad. I'm fine," Lila replied, her voice a whisper of relief.

Her father retrieved an old, dusty book from the other room, its leather cover worn over time. He placed it gently on the table. Lila's mother stayed close, her hand a reassuring presence in Lila's own.

He looked at Lila and exhaled heavily before opening the book he placed on the table.

"The sun god, Sol, is a powerful being possessing massive destructive power," he began his explanation.

"He's capable of wielding an ethereal force called Aether. Something only divine beings are capable of..."

"According to tales, his magic power exudes so much brightness and heat, it could be likened to that of the sun."

"Hence, earning him his title as the sun god..."

"So where do I belong in this?" Lila interrupted her father.

He raised his head and met Lila's gaze. "Patience, Lila, Patience..."

"The sun god wasn't originally involved with this world," he said as he flipped through the pages gently.

"But one day, suddenly he appeared to humans. That was the first time humans laid their eyes on him."

"And he came with a warning..."

He paused a bit and looked at Layla with a gentle expression, "Lila, what do you think a powerful being fears the most?"

"What do you think a supreme being would be wary of?"

Lila stared at the table, spaced out, trying to figure out an answer to her father's question but nothing seemed to come to mind.

Her father then continued, providing an answer to his question, "Loss of their supremacy, Lila."

"The first time Sol, appeared to humans, it was to address a threat with a threat of his own."

"Ragnarok..."

"The destruction of the world," he added.

"He threatened to destroy our world if we don't sacrifice that which posed a potential danger to his supremacy"

"That threat, Lila..." He paused a bit and took a glance at Lila's mother who was still holding her hand. He shifted his gaze back to Lila, giving her an unwavering stare.

"That threat is you..."

Lila's eyes widened. They became a stream encompassing both surprise and confusion. Questions began to race through her mind.

"Was that why I was able to use magic?" She thought to herself after hearing her father's words.

"Was that why I was so strong even though it was my first time using magic?"

"Wait... How..."

Her father noticed his daughter's mind was already filled with conflict. Her mother finally released her grip on Lila's hand. She got up and took a sit beside her husband.

"You see... It wasn't so bad was it?" Her husband said, poking her with his finger.

"You haven't gotten to that part yet," Lila's mother replied. Her mood had lightened up a bit, but the aura around her still gave a hint of unease.

Lila's father shifted his attention back to Lila who was still trying to answer different questions in her mind.

"Lila..." He called her name, bringing her back to their room

"The reason why Sol wants you so much is because you possess magic harmful to him."

"And on top of that, you're one of the rare humans capable of using Aether," he added.

"You're a god slayer..."