Olivia grabbed Michael by the arm, dragged him into the kitchen, and slammed the door shut, sealing their voices inside.
"We need to talk," she said.
Michael looked at her, confused. "About what?"
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"About Ryan… there's something wrong with him."
Michael frowned. He was rarely home most days were spent hunting, training with his sword, or gathering firewood in the snow covered forest. His image of his son was simple: a child with unusual talent for the blade.
"What do you mean, wrong?" he asked.
Olivia swallowed hard.
"An evil spirit may have possessed our son."
Michael gasped, then forced himself to calm down. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"If that's the case… shouldn't we confirm it?" he muttered, almost to himself.
"Did you say something?" Olivia asked.
"It's nothing," Michael replied quickly.
They both knew what confirmation meant.
If the church tested the child and found an evil spirit within him, Ryan would be taken immediately. Locked in a sealed chamber where evil forces were suppressed. Left there until death.
There were precedents.
The most infamous was Prince Oswald, the second prince of the Khaelis Kingdom.
If the church had shown no mercy to royalty, it would show none to a common child.
Michael trusted Olivia, but he didn't want to accept her conclusion without reason.
"I saw him," Olivia said firmly. "At seven months old… he was examining a world atlas. Not staring examining. As if he understood something."
Michael nodded slowly. "That alone doesn't prove possession."
"How natural is it," Olivia snapped, "for a baby who just learned how to crawl to read books?"
Then she told him everything.
How Ryan had asked to learn reading and writing.
How his eyes didn't look like a child's when he spoke.
Michael fell silent.
If there truly was something inside Ryan, ignoring it could doom both him and Olivia.
In a steady voice, he said, "Tomorrow, I'll take him to the church. I'm sure… there's nothing to worry about."
He left the kitchen quickly, passed Ryan with a painful look, and stepped outside.
Ryan hadn't understood their words but he saw the worry on his father's face.
Olivia emerged from the kitchen moments later, forcing a smile.
"Shall we start learning how to read and
write?" she asked softly.
Ryan answered instantly.
He had been waiting for this.
Nine Hours Later
Olivia sat frozen.
Ryan had learned to read and write.
In nine hours.
Her hands trembled.
This wasn't genius.
This was impossible.
"There is an evil spirit in my son…" she whispered.
Ryan didn't hear her clearly and didn't ask.
She wiped her tears before he could notice.
In truth, Ryan's speed came from familiarity. Latin structures, symbols, logic his former life as a scientist made this language feel recognizable.
Grinning proudly, he declared, "I'm a genius!"
Olivia didn't smile.
"My… smart boy," she said, her voice shaking.
Ryan felt it.
Something was wrong.
"Come on," Olivia said quickly. "It's late. Time for bed."
The Next Morning
Michael dressed in his brown monster-hide coat. Olivia wrapped Ryan in a blue jacket.
As they stepped outside, Ryan asked innocently, "Where are we going?"
"To the city," Michael replied. "To the church."
Ryan felt a flicker of excitement. The city center he had never seen it before.
But Michael remained silent the entire journey.
No monsters appeared on the road.
At the city gates, a guard stopped them. Michael whispered something into his ear.
The guard's face turned pale.
He rushed them inside.
The city was filled with towering buildings and steam powered machinery factories straight out of the 19th century.
Steampunk, Ryan thought.
By the time they reached the church, his small body was exhausted. Michael waited outside for twenty minutes, letting him rest.
Inside, a tall priest with blond hair and yellow eyes greeted them.
Michael whispered again.
The priest's expression darkened.
"Follow me."
They entered the Scanning Room.
A transparent sphere floated at its center.
"Touch it," the priest said.
Ryan placed his hand on the orb.
The room exploded into blood red light.
When it faded, Michael began to shake.
Paladins burst in.
Ryan felt pain then darkness.
"Please! Don't take my child!" Michael screamed.
The priest offered false comfort, smiling faintly.
Two Hours Later
Ryan awoke in darkness.
An iron door creaked open.
The blond priest stepped inside.
"What… are you doing?" Ryan asked shakily.
The priest laughed.
"Your family thinks a demon possessed you," he said.
"But do you want to know the truth?"
"What is your intention?!" Ryan shouted.
The priest's smile widened.
"We are going to sacrifice you."
Ryan's blood ran cold.
So this… was the meaning of the red light.