2 months later

Two months had slipped by like grains of sand through an hourglass. The season had shifted, and the world outside Eritrea had transformed. Yet, for Raphael, the days blurred into a monotonous continuum. And so, it went—days folding into weeks, weeks into months.

He woke up each morning to the same pale light filtering through the curtains, casting a muted glow on the worn wooden floor. He now knew every corner of his room intimately, a testament to the time he had spent in it. He spent his days meditating, searching for that breakthrough into the last stage of the saint rank, which he easily found. A suffocating pressure descended upon the elven city during Raphael's 3rd week. It lasted merely seconds, hence most brushed it off as a natural occurrence, but they all felt it. The strongest of the elven hegemon knew and felt the birth of a powerhouse, some even thought maybe their ruler had had a breakthrough. The man in question though, was well aware of the source.

'He just broke into the peak of the saint rank!' excitement welled up inside of Aelarion 'It's only a matter of time before he breaks into the demi-god ranks, a decade perhaps?' 

The whole notion sounded ridiculous to him, but he stood witness as a Stage 10 saint rank was born and thought 'perhaps I will get to see a miracle soon, show me more Raphael!' he urged. 

Aelarion was currently in a council meeting, excitement evident on his face. Once he came out of his stupor, he found dumbfounded looks on the faces of his advisors. Realising his mistake, Aelarion cleared his throat and went back to listening to the grumblings of his council.

In all likelihood, Aelarion could have never guessed what he would witnessed just 2 months after Raphael started Living in the elven kingdom.

After their first encounter, he had regularly monitored Raph as he roamed around Eritrea for the first few days. He found that once Raphael started his closed-door meditation, and after his earlier breakthrough, Raphael had not stopped meditating ever since then, not even stepping out of his room. Aelarion assumed he was stabilizing his foundation after a breakthrough. Never in his wildest dreams could he have ever imagined what happened next.

on the second month of Raphael's stay, the mana in Eritrea coalesced around his room, and in one fell swoop, he absorbed it all.

Raphael slowly opened his golden eyes; a frown marred his features. 

"Hm... not nearly enough" his voice teetered on the edge of corporeal and incorporeal. in that instant, he vanished from the royal palace, reappearing in the hidden throne room back in the hidden cave. "Much better, the mana here is denser, perfect for breaking into the Demi-god realms."

Thats right, Raphael was breaking through into the Demi-god rank!!

*

Back in Eritrea

Raphael's breakthrough did not go unnoticed by Aelarion. He realised what was happening as soon as mana started to coalesce in the castle. It all happened so fast; he hadn't even collected his thoughts yet. His mind was still trying to comprehend what he had just seen, trying to find a possible, reasonable explanation to what had just happened. 

it was only after Raphael vanished that he collected himself. Thankfully, he was alone in his throne room this time

"Could it be?" Was all he could say

*

Raphael walked to the throne at the end of the ancient hall. He bit into his thumb, drawing blood, and placed it onto the throne.

The ancient chamber around him pulsed with energy; its walls etched with glowing arcane symbols. Raphael stood in front of the throne, his breath ragged in anticipation, eyes fixed on the crystal orb that had seemingly appeared out of thin air hovering before him. It radiated a kaleidoscope of colors—violet, azure, and gold, every color possible—each hue representing a different aspect of mana.

The Esper crystal, believed to have been lost during the war in recent times was said to amplify magical energies. Tonight, Raphael would harness that power, and break through.

He closed his eyes, palms outstretched. The air thickened, charged with anticipation. The first tendrils of mana brushed against his skin, like silk against raw nerves. Raphael's heartbeat quickened.

His mind reached out, seeking the ley lines—the invisible threads that wove through the world, connecting all living things. He visualized them as shimmering rivers, and he was the thirsty traveller, cupping his hands to drink.

The crystal orb responded. It pulsed faster, matching his heartbeat. Raphael's veins burned as mana surged through him. He recalled the teachings of his late father: "To ascend into the demi-god ranks, one must become a vessel—a conduit for the very essence of magic."

He focused on the elemental affinities he'd mastered—the fiery wrath of the dragons, the freezing cold of the frost giants, the nature loving woodwose, the nocturnal goddess Asteria and the personification of light Sol. Each element merged within him, swirling like a tempest. The world sang—a symphony of wind, water, and fire. His lungs expanded, inhaling stardust; his limbs elongated, reaching for celestial heights.

And then, he went a step further, Raphael dared to touch the forbidden—the Void. It was the abyss beyond elements, the chaos that birthed creation. The pull threatened to tear him apart, but, then it seemed to encompass him, enclosing him in a warm dome. like a mother cradling her baby. The void loved him. a testament to his all-elemental affinity. 

The chamber trembled. He gasped, blood mixing with mana. His body convulsed, bones cracking, reforming. His body had begun reconstructing. Making him attuned to mana. His whole body pulsed with mana, the very essence of the world coursing through his veins. His bones—once brittle—reformed, each joint aligning with cosmic precision. Blood surged, not crimson but iridescent, weaving a tapestry of life and purpose, anchoring him to the core of existence. His brows furrowed in pain as he everything popped into place.

He opened his eyes, once so simply gold, now seemed to hold galaxies within swirling in a hypnotizing vortex—a kaleidoscope of memories, dreams, and forgotten truths. Nothing seemed to be able to escape gaze. His skin, kissed by starlight, shimmered like dew-kissed petals. The air hummed with anticipation as the world had shifted. Colours intensified, sounds sharpened. He felt the heartbeat of the earth, the pulse of distant stars. His limbs glowed with ethereal light as his ancient tattoos thrummed to life. He gripped his fist lightly and Space seemed to distort and crack around him.

And then, the final chord struck, a crescendo of unity. Raphael's essence merged with ley lines, ley lines with ley lines, until boundaries blurred. He was no longer mere mortal or God; he was both and neither. His laughter echoed through realms, a comet's tail of wonder. 

Raphael looked upward towards the roof and, "Roar!!!!...." A fierce roar pierced the world all around him. As more darkness painted the sky, Raphael spread his wings—a fusion of feather and shimmering scales. He soared out of the cave, blasting everything in the chamber apart, glimpsing at realms beyond.

"This is intoxicating," he muttered under his breath, releasing a short sigh, his breath imbued with an ethereal, amethyst hue as he flew through the skies.

Raphael smiled, the weight of the world around settling on his shoulders. On this night Raphael absorbed mana, reconstructed his very foundation and broke through the mortal veil, and became something more, becoming a demi-god.

*

In the hallowed throne chamber of the Elven King, where moonlight danced upon marble pillars, covered in natures' beauty, a rift in reality quivered—a seam torn by space magic. From that void stepped a human boy, his golden eyes alight and dancing with ancient runes.

King Aelarion, ancient and wise, regarded the intruder with a mix of curiosity and reverence. "You are bold, young one," he said, his voice, slightly amused, but his thoughts begged to differ 'How!?' He was screaming inwardly in his thoughts. He did not show any of that on his face, though he doubted the front he put on fooled Raphael. "To intrude on my abode at this hour."

"Oh? I thought the concept of time should be rather skewed in the eyes of demi-gods" Raphael spoke, a hint of amusement in his tone. "Forgive the intrusion," He spoke "I got rather excited when I thought of the little excursion, I will be going on soon. I come seeking details, I did not get the chance to do so after I started meditating on my ascension to the demi-god rank"

Aelarion brows shot up. "Demi-godhood, at your age?" he said calmly as he probed Raphael's rank, confirming his suspicion 'So, I was right then!" inwardly though, he was screaming to himself "Come, Raphael. Let us talk." He stood up and started walking to the rear of the throne room, using his long robe to hide the trembling in his hands.

Aelarion walked to the edge of the wall and held out his hand onto the wall and whispered, " Elore..."

The Elven King's throne room shimmered with opulence and they both vanished from the hall, reappearing in a bright room—crystal chandeliers, tapestries depicting forgotten battles, and a throne carved from the heartwood of an ancient oak. Sunlight streamed through stained glass, casting kaleidoscopic patterns on the marble floor.

Aelarion, stood at the threshold. His heart raced, for he was no mere visitor. This very place had called out to him when he first started his tenure as the new ruler of Eritrea, a sanctuary where the lost voices of elven kings, long forgotten spoke truths unspoken.

King Aelarion, approached a silver veil across him at the other end of the room and beckoned. "Step closer, Raphael," he said. "Beyond the veil lies our sanctuary, you may enter."

Raphael hesitated, then stepped into the veil. The interior looked no different from the one in the room they had just left. The major difference though, moonlight filtered through cracks on the roof, illuminating a circular pool at its centre. The water in the pool shimmered, in every color imaginable, shifting depending on the angle you viewed it from. Raphael felt an enigmatic pull from the pool, as if calling on him to enter.

Aelarion followed, his footsteps soundless. He approached the iridescent pool and, he kneeled on its bank and held out onto the green ivy plants surrounding the pool, "This room," he said, "holds echoes of every king who ruled before me. Their wisdom, their doubts—they linger." he spoke as he traced the ivy's tendrils.

"And what do they whisper?" Raphael asked, on impulse.

"Choices," Aelarion replied. "The past, the future—they converge here. Mortals and immortals alike seek answers."

Raphael's gaze settled on the pool. "What lies beneath?"

"Reflections," Aelarion said. "Not of faces, but of destinies. Now, why bring you here?" Aelarion asked, a question clearly written on Raph's face "to show you my sincerity, to show that to some extent, I am putting my trust in you though not entirely. You hide secrets, that, I will not ask for now"

Raphael's brows rose slightly "And why not?"

"As I said before, to show you, my sincerity. I would rather have you as an ally than an enemy to be honest." He said, chuckling lightly, "Now back, beyond the veil"

The duo went and sat back down to continue their talks.

As they spoke, Aelarion shared tales of elven lineage, of gods who danced among constellations. Of the ancient dragons, beings who once ruled the world, long forgotten with time, but their power forever engrained in memory and history. "What is it that you seek child" Aelarion suddenly asked

Raph met his gaze, and in that shared moment, they glimpsed eternity. "I seek purpose," he confessed. "To weave fate's tapestry anew."

Aelarion leaned on his seat. "And what of love, Raphael? my daughter, Freya, she is a worthy partner, no? Your being the same age is rather convenient don't you think?" He said, a light smile painting his features.

"Eeh..." Raphael was at a loss for words. At that point, Aelarion's smile looked more like the smirk of the devil to him.

O_O...................................🌟🌙🔮....................................O_O