Luca couldn't stop thinking about that strange scene, that moment suspended in time when the mysterious man had appeared... before disappearing into the shadows as if he had never existed. He had only had time to catch his piercing red gaze before his body melted into nothingness.
Standing in the absolute silence of the living room bathed in winter light, the man seemed unreal. An icy aura surrounded him. He had hard features, a sharp gaze, a jaw worthy of a novel's hero, and a beauty that was almost painful to look at. He had to admit it: this man... who seemed to be his wish, his other father, was handsome. Perhaps even more handsome than Brad Pitt himself.
His silhouette stood out against the purple curtains stretched across the large bay window. Everything in the room seemed to freeze, even Luca's breathing.
Suddenly, the door slammed open.
'Hello, my heart...
The voice, deep and trembling with tension, echoed through the room. Luca's real father had just burst in, as if guided by a sixth sense. His eyes scanned the room and immediately settled on the figure he had recognised instantly. His body tensed.
'I sensed an unpleasant presence. Are you okay?' he asked, placing a protective hand on Luca's shoulder, without taking his eyes off him.
Eric—for it was indeed him—nodded slowly, his gaze fixed on the man.
'Don't worry, my love. I'm fine... It was my brother.'
Luca felt a cold shiver run down his spine.
'They've tracked us down,' Eric continued. 'But for now, we're safe.'
A heavy silence fell. The man in the shadows had disappeared. Again. Like a ghost.
'I knew they'd find us eventually,' Luca's father whispered, his voice hoarse. 'But I didn't think it would be so soon...'
Luca's mother, who had been frozen in place, finally approached. She placed her hands around her son's face, forcing a smile that tried to push away the fear.
'It's okay...' she said softly. 'Let's try to raise our son. Prepare him... for what awaits him.'
Her eyes met her husband's. A glimmer of defiance, of courage. Then she looked at Luca, his face still frozen in shock.
And in that living room where light and shadow mingled, Luca's story had just taken a new turn.
Three years passed. Little by little, he discovered the laws that governed this world. It had all started with simple children's books. But thanks to a well-honoured combination of adorable whims, big, moist eyes and obvious intelligence, Séraphine eventually gave in.
He was getting to know his parents... and to love them. His father was clumsy but fiercely protective. His mother, lively, gentle and brilliant, exuded a reassuring warmth he had never known in his previous life.
And for the first time in a long time, he felt he had finally found his place,he felt like he belonged.
He then gained access to more serious works: ancient chronicles, founding tales, and political atlases.
This is how he discovered the immensity of this world.
This world was one of swords and magic. Very different from his old world, it lagged far behind in terms of science. However, this did not affect the comfort of life in any way.
Luminous crystals replaced lamps, lighting up the nights without fail. Enchanted objects regulated the temperature, like an air conditioning system, and thanks to magic, many everyday tasks became surprisingly simple.
The laws that governed this world were fundamentally different from those he had known in the past. But far from disturbing him, this strangeness piqued his curiosity.
It was made up of five major continents:
1. Arkanos, the continent of humans, five times the size of Asia. It was home to the great human royal families:
o Storm
o Ombris
o Paxcson
o Graveson
o Eldryn
It was in the remote lands of the Paxcson family, deep in Arkanos, that Lucas lived with his parents.
2. Éléria, the elven continent, similar in size to Arkanos. A refined kingdom ruled by the High Elves.
3. Khar'nok, dominated by dwarves, smaller but densely populated, structured by an ancient Ancestral Council.
4. Faerun, a wild territory, home to dragons, phoenixes and other mythical creatures.
A sacred and indomitable world, its lands are considered cursed by humans.
5. Finally, to the south, Obscurantis, the kingdom of demons. It was twice as large as all the other continents combined, covered in mist and darkness, ruled by a single mysterious Demon King.
Between the continents lay deep seas infested with gigantic creatures and primeval forests where mana accumulated to form distorted, unpredictable areas.
This world was dangerous, unstable and deeply political. And Lucas sensed that the balance was fragile.
His father, Erik, ran a small local guild, unassuming. A few hunters, some craftsmen, a discreet network of informants. Nothing heroic, but enough to live in safety.
Erik didn't like to talk about his former responsibilities, but Lucas sensed that his past was not so simple.
Unlike Séraphine, Erik was much easier to appease. One look, one tear, and he panicked.
Lucas noted this in the back of his mind.
But one thing still eluded him: magic.
And despite all his efforts, Séraphine refused to talk to him about it.
'Mum... please, tell me about magic. How do you do it?'
Twentieth attempt. Maybe more.
Lucas sat on a stool, his legs dangling, his eyes pleading.
He folded his hands on his knees, bowed his head, his eyes shining:
'I'm a big boy now, you know...'
'You want to try your "cute pose" again? You think I don't know what you're up to, you little fox?'
Lucas added a sulky pout, a tear in his eye, and a hand on his heart:
'Just the basics... I want to understand...'
Seraphine burst out laughing.
'What an actor... you're terrible. All right, fine. But just a little.'
She sat down next to him, more serious.
"Mana is the vital energy that permeates everything. To use it, you have to go through the awakening. It's a natural process that happens around the age of 7.
— On that day, your body will open up, and you will discover your affinities. You will feel the call of mana. You will then be able to circulate it and form your core.
— And then?
— The rest will come in time, she said tenderly, kissing him on the forehead.
But Lucas wasn't satisfied. He wanted more. And he had an easier target: his father.
The next day, Séraphine left for the neighbour's house.
Lucas jumped at the opportunity.
'Father... how do we connect to the mana?'
Erik stiffened.
'What? No, no, you're too young, and your mother... she'd kill me!'
Lucas frowned, put on a trembling voice, and feigned a mini-crisis:
'But I want to know...'
'Wait, no! Don't cry!' Erik panicked, standing up. 'Honey? HONEY?!'
Nothing.
« You can't get away from me, old man. Spill it. »
Erik sighed, resigned.
'Listen, you can't connect to mana without being awake. It's like... a closed door. When your mind is ready, it opens.'
'Can't we prepare? Force it a little?'
'No. Just practise feeling, observing... and waiting. You have to be patient.'
He ruffled her hair, feeling uncomfortable.
'But I'm sure you'll be ready, smarty pants.'
Lucas lay in his small wooden bed, staring at the starry ceiling painted by his mother, feeling his heart beat faster.
A vast world, mysteries, monsters, secrets... and a family.
He didn't yet know what his role in all this was,
but one thing was certain: he would do anything to be ready.
The years passed.
Lucas grew up in a fascinating world. He spent long hours in the family library, always hungry for knowledge. The shelves were overflowing with ancient grimoires, hand-drawn maps, enchanted tales... but what he loved most of all was teasing his father.
Erik, as clumsy as ever, reacted with disarming spontaneity. He jumped at the slightest trick question, stammered at every teasing remark, and often ended up tangled up in his own words, red with embarrassment. This made Lucas and his mother, Séraphine, burst out laughing.
This house, nestled in a remote corner of the Paxcson lands, was bathed in a fragile peace, a simple and sincere happiness. And it was in this suspended bubble that the big day arrived.