In a small green ship in the middle of the raging Nir Su Sea, a young Mesa woman was in the process of giving birth. She was beautiful, with green eyes and smooth brown skin, and her entire body was covered in perspiration as pain coursed through her.
At her left stood her husband, Edward. He had short hair, gray eyes, and a neatly trimmed stubble beard. He was dressed in black knight armor adorned with a phoenix insignia, a red gem set in the eye of the crest. Between Gabrielle's legs knelt his sister, Carol, a slender brown skinned woman with her hair tied in knots and large gray eyes. Still wearing her mercenary gear, Carol was the one helping her give birth.
Edward looked at his sister with worry.
"Is she supposed to be in so much pain, little sister?" he asked, his voice strained.
"Yes, she is. Now shut up, you idiot," Carol snapped before turning back to Gabrielle. "Come on, Gabby. You can do this. One last push."
"After all of this, we are never having sex again, Ed," Gabrielle screamed through clenched teeth. "Mmmhhh… uhhh!"
As Gabrielle pushed, none of them realized that the world outside had grown unnaturally quiet. It was as if the storm itself had passed. Had any of them stepped outside the cabin, they would have seen that the sea was completely still and time had stopped everywhere except within their small space.
"Yes, yes, Gabby, you did it…" Carol said, then suddenly paused.
Edward immediately noticed the problem. The baby was not crying.
That realization shattered Gabrielle. She burst into tears as Carol desperately spanked the newborn's backside, trying to make him cry. Nothing happened. With shaking hands, Carol wrapped the baby in a white cloth and began to weep.
"I am so sorry, Gabby."
Gabrielle buried her face in Edward's chest, sobbing uncontrollably. Edward held her tightly, tears slipping from his own eyes.
"This is not your fault, my love," he said softly. "If this is anyone's fault, it is the will of the gods."
As they mourned, something strange began to happen. Crimson patterns and symbols appeared across the baby's body, resembling ancient texts found in long forgotten temples. The markings spread from head to toe before seeping into his skin and disappearing without a trace.
The moment the phenomenon ended, thunder roared across the sky. Waves crashed violently into the ship as lightning flashed overhead, followed by a deafening boom. And then, as lightning split the sky once more, the baby let out a loud cry.
Everyone froze.
Carol gasped and quickly picked up the baby, rushing him to his mother. Tears of joy streamed down her face.
"Look, Gabby. He is alive. Why would you do that to your aunt, little fella?"
Gabrielle sat upright, wiping her tears as Carol handed her the child. She looked down at him and smiled.
"Isn't he beautiful, Ed?" she asked.
Edward stared in shock before smiling gently and stroking the baby's cheek.
"Yes," he said. "He is a handsome little fella, just like his old man."
Carol looked at Edward with mock disbelief, clearly wanting to argue, but stopped herself as Gabrielle turned to her.
"Thank you for helping us, Carrie. Thank you so much," Gabrielle said sincerely.
Carol was the type of person who would do anything for her family, no matter the cost. She took a drink from her water skin before replying.
"Since when do we thank each other for things like this? If I were in your place, you would have done the same. There is no need to thank me."
Edward burst out laughing, only to be silenced by the sharp looks from both women.
"Gabby is right, little sister. Thank you," Edward said, grinning. "But what do you mean if you were in the same situation? Who would ever get a crazy woman like you pregna—"
He stopped when Carol's dagger pressed against his throat. She smiled innocently.
"What was that, elder brother? I did not hear you clearly. Could you please say it again?"
Edward swallowed and forced a laugh as he slowly stepped back.
"Nothing."
"That is what I thought," Carol said, lowering her blade. "Now, what are you going to name him?"
"Timothy," Edward answered, looking at the child in Gabrielle's arms. "Timothy will be his first name."
"Since he was born during the storm, his second name shall be Mí'tûr, son of the storm," Gabrielle added.
They watched the baby sleep peacefully.
"Where do we go from here?" Edward asked.
"The Kingdom of Zebha," Gabrielle replied.
With the storm behind them, Edward and his family headed toward Zebha to begin a new life.
...
After arriving in Zebha, they traveled deep into the kingdom where their enemies would not be able to find them. They settled in the mountains near the city of Nâçiteñe'v. Edward built their home in the most secluded part of the mountain, surrounded only by wild beasts.
Carol joined a mercenary guild called the Black Hawks, while Edward became a calligrapher. Gabrielle devoted herself to caring for her son, who remained sickly throughout his first three years.
On Timothy's fourth birthday, something unusual happened while he was playing outside with a makeshift sword.
A man clad in pure white robes appeared before him, startling the boy. The man studied Timothy with an amused expression before kneeling.
"Do not be afraid, young one. I am not here to hurt you. You must be Edward's child. My name is Li. I am an old friend of your father. I also have a child your age. I hope you can be friends someday. Is your father home? Ah… here he comes."
Edward appeared between them.
"Mí'tûr, go to your mother."
Timothy ran off in confusion and fear, crying as he reached Gabrielle.
"You made the child cry," Li said mildly. "That was not nice."
Edward ignored the comment. "What do you want, Li?"
"You have not changed," Li chuckled. "Always so serious. Come, give me a hug."
Edward eventually returned the gesture. "Let us speak somewhere private."
They vanished and reappeared near a hidden waterfall deep in the mountains. Breaking the hug, Edward's expression hardened.
"Now tell me," he said evenly, "what made you seek me out, Li?"
Li turned toward the waterfall. A smile touched his lips, but it was strained, weighed down by pain and regret.
"The prophesied war is almost upon us. The Age of Konquerors is nearing its end. If we fail to find the Forsaken Son, the gods will abandon this universe. It will become a forgotten land—and every mortal will perish."
He exhaled slowly.
"We were the ones who ushered in the Age of Konquerors, and we will be the ones who watch it die. I want to back the Forsaken Son. I am tired of their rule. You and I… we are like this because one of them deceived us. Now we are nothing more than undying fools."
Li glanced at Edward.
"If it weren't for your breakthrough, we wouldn't even be capable of having offspring. I—"
Edward raised a hand, cutting him off.
"I've harbored the same thoughts," Edward said calmly. "But who can say this is truly the end? Destiny is treacherous. The divine threads woven by the hags are never predictable."
He paused, eyes distant.
"When the Age of Konquerors began, I believed we had made a grave mistake by spreading power across the world. In the end, I was both right and wrong. We gave the world a fighting chance. That, I believe, was the fallen deity's intention all along."
Edward's voice grew steadier.
"He planned to use us as pawns in the coming war—to deal with the gods themselves. I'm searching for a way for you and me to ascend. Have faith, Li. I believe we'll survive. And by we, I mean not just us—but the entire world."
Li studied him for a long moment, then let out a low chuckle.
"You may be right. Still, we must locate the Blood Empress's reincarnation and groom her properly. Sega continues to search for the Night Walker. Vlad informed me that the soul imprint he placed on her half-soul is resonating from Publius's kingdom. I'll dispatch my most trusted aides to investigate."
Edward nodded. His gaze drifted upward as he sighed.
Lilith Mendabich…
Your soul has returned to the world of the living once more.
After discussing a few final matters, Edward made his way home.
By the time he arrived, night had fully settled. His son was already asleep. Gabby approached and whispered, "I replaced today's memories. Try not to scare him like that again, Ed."
Edward nodded quickly. "Scare who?"
Carol stumbled into the room, clearly drunk.
"No one," Edward said through clenched teeth. "Now leave before you wake the boy."
Carol rolled her eyes and wandered to Timothy's bedside. She kissed his forehead and vanished.
Edward let out a heavy breath and smiled. "That was easy."
Gabby shook her head as she watched the exchange. "Totally hopeless."
"Huh?" Edward turned to her with a wide grin.
Gabby stared at him for a moment, then sighed.
Deep into the night, when all lay asleep, an ethereal figure clad in black robes stood silently in Timothy's room. His face was obscured. He bent down and placed a hand on the boy's forehead then withdrew it at once.
"I've locked your soul from awakening, old friend," the figure murmured. "Find your way back to yourself without losing your humanity. I've sent them to look for you, but they won't succeed."
His voice softened.
"Our plan rests on your shoulders. Farewell. We will meet again once the wars begin."
The room fell empty once more.
Everyone slept, unaware that someone had come and gone.
...
Years passed in the blink of an eye.
A decade later, Timothy had grown into a teenager obsessed with knighthood. It was his fifteenth birthday, yet celebration was the last thing on his mind. All he desired was the familiar rhythm of sword forms beside his father.
He rose from bed, slipped into a simple linen shirt, and headed to the stable—just as he did every morning.
After tending the horses, he carried his empty buckets toward the river. Nestled deep within the mountains, his home stood alone, guarded by creatures unseen. With a sword at his side, Timothy paused to take in the view as the city below slowly stirred to life.
Along the path, droplets of glowing blue liquid caught his attention, trailing toward the woods.
He followed them to a bush between two trees. Remembering his father's warnings about unanswered mysteries, Timothy hesitated—until he noticed a small blue handprint pressed against the bark.
Leaving his buckets behind, he drew his sword and pushed through the brush.
The trail continued deeper into the mountain. More handprints marked stone and wood, leading him to a massive tree with a wide hollow at its base.
Timothy hesitated.
Then stepped inside.
The interior was dark, faint light filtering through narrow cracks. His footsteps echoed, blending with soft, ethereal melodies. The glowing handprints guided him onward, each one pulling him closer to whatever awaited.
A gentle glow bloomed at the tree's heart.
A small figure emerged from the light—a little girl dressed in a white chemise.
Timothy froze.
She clutched her wounded side, eyes wide with fear and relief as she looked up at him. Without thinking, Timothy let his sword fall and stepped forward.
Their gazes met.
Meanwhile, near the river outside the mountain, two figures waited.
The girl paced anxiously, eyes fixed on the mountain path. "What if he doesn't come? It's his birthday, he's never late."
The boy smiled calmly. "What did you get him? Oh, right. Nothing. Your friendship is the gift, isn't it?"
She smacked him lightly on the head. "You're impossible."
He laughed, rubbing the spot. "You should go ahead. We're meeting at his house later anyway. I'll stay here and wait."
After a moment, she nodded and headed toward the city gates.
The boy settled down by the riverbank, watching the path patiently, certain his friend would appear.