Anastasia was meditating while her baby supposedly napped. The room, adorned in a sparkling white color, was filled with several gadgets of advanced technology.
Only a select few, including the Ravenstein family, had the privilege of accessing such high level tech.
As Anastasia sat in a cross-legged position, she steadied her breath and blanked out her mind as she sought to harness mana and enhance her abilities.
However, amidst the calm of the night, she suddenly sensed a surge of mana emanating from her son's room.
Startled, she exclaimed, "What on earth?" Without little thought, she sprang up, her movements a blur as she hurried out of the training room.
As she approached the door to his room, she had a foreboding of what she would find in her child's room. Her breaths came faster and shorter.
'What could have caused this surge of mana? Is Atticus in danger?' Her thoughts were out of control with countless scenarios and her heart pounded in her chest.
Anastasia's heart dropped as she took in what was before her. The once serene and tidy room had been turned upside down with her baby's things scattered across the floor, some hanging from the chandelier.
Where was Atticus?
She ran over to the cradle and was instantly relieved when she spotted him, safe and sound, in the midst of the wreckage. Bewildered, Anastasia rushed over to her son, scooping him up in her arms.
She examined him carefully, making sure he was unharmed despite the mess in the room.
A few seconds later, Avalon burst into the room, ready to squash any threat to his son's life.
He heaved a sigh of relief as he saw his wife cradle their son in the middle of the disorganised room, both unharmed.
"What the heck happened?" Avalon asked, wondering what had caused the surge of mana.
He noticed a ton of mana emanating from Atticus, but he just couldn't believe his 1 year old son caused it. It sounded so absurd that he killed the thought in his mind.
As if mocking his stupidity, Anastasia replied "Atticus awakened his core," she still couldn't believe it.
If the other families heard that a one year old had awakened his core, they would use everything at their disposal to make sure he didn't live to see the next day.
"This can't get out." Avalon whispered, realizing the gravity of the situation. "They'll go after him."
"The Obsidian order," she said gravely, her eyes darkening.
The Obsidian Order was a secret dark group, fueled by a fanatical devotion. Its members denounced their humanity and instead worshiped the Zorvans.
They firmly believed that these alien entities had been sent to bestow salvation upon Eldoralth.
Driven by their zealous convictions, the Obsidian Order had infiltrated not only the human race but other races as well. Their insidious reach extended across the globe.
'I have to make sure this doesn't get out,' Anastasia thought.
"Arya" she called for her Ravenblade immediately.
"Yes, my lady". Arya replied, with a bow.
"Make sure no one finds out about this. Start a rumor, make it seem like Atticus was attacked by assassins. Anything! I'm giving you this task."
"As you wish, my lady" Arya replied, vanishing into the shadows.
The estate where they lived was home to many other people. Anyone possessing even a modicum of strength would have sensed the powerful surge of mana.
If unaddressed, they would be left to their own imaginations which has proven dangerous time and again, ideas of which would eventually come back to Atticus being special. To avoid a scandal and the problems that would follow, it was wiser to divert their minds from the obvious.
Ayra who has just left was as bewildered as Anastasia. No one expected a one year old to awaken. She had always sensed the mana around him, but had assumed he was absorbing it subconsciously. She never thought that he Atticus would awaken his core so young.
There were two ways to awaken: wait to awaken naturally at around 10-12 as their core would have absorbed enough mana naturally.
Or you could absorb mana in a sealed room, with a high mana density as most children from noble families, who could afford it, do.
And even then, it would take a month or two to awaken.
"I'll protect him no matter what" she vowed, determined to protect Atticus.
She had been Anastasia's Ravenblade for two years when she married into the Ravenstein family.
From a young age, Arya displayed exceptional talent for combat and stealth, making her a perfect candidate for the role of a personal bodyguard.
Ravenblades were raised as assassins from a young age, and acted as the bodyguards of a privileged few in the Ravenstein family.
Arya's loyalty and dedication to Anastasia were unwavering. She was sworn as her human shield and would go to lengths for her at no cost.
From the first day she saw Atticus, something within her stirred, and she felt an overwhelming desire to protect him like her own.
Despite her ruthless upbringing, Arya's had a soft side that she reserved for people she was loyal to.
After Arya left, Anastasia turned to her husband with concern. "What do we do? His life will be in danger if anyone finds out," she said. Her lips were quivering and her hands shook. Her husband took her hands in his and held them.
"Don't worry, Anna. No one will find out" Avalon assured affectionately and kissed his wife on her forehead. He disguised his worry under a mask of confidence as he had never imagined the baby would have so much potential even when he had tested him not long ago.
***
As Atticus slept, Anastasia stood by his cradle, lost in thoughts.
Once a force to be reckoned with, she had left her life of warfare behind when she became pregnant with Atticus.
"I won't let anything happen to you". Anastasia said quietly as she didn't want to wake him. Then she kissed Atticus on his forehead and left the room.
A few minutes after Anastasia left the room, Atticus opened his eyes. He had been pretendinhg to sleep.
'I thought she'd never leave,' he thought. He had pretended to fall asleep when Anastasia was around just so she would leave quickly. It was stressful holding still for so long, while waiting.
'I remember seeing some kind of system interface before mom came into my room,' he pondered.
'Reminds me of those novels I read on Earth.' Out of nowhere, a recollection emerged in his consciousness, giving him an idea, 'Status!' Atticus exclaimed silently.
In an instant, a lightof light glimmered in his peripheral vision. Captivated, he imagined it would be much more convenient if it materialized before him, and to his amazement, a holographic system interface appeared before his very eyes.
Character Profile:
------------------------
Username: Atticus Ravenstein
Age: 1
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Attributes:
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Strength: 1
Agility: 1
Endurance: 1
Vitality: 3
Intelligence: 5
Charm: 3
Rank: Novice -
Talent: Mythical
Bloodline: Locked
Abilities:
------------------------
Innate Skills:
* Conceal [Grade: Mythical]
- The ability to conceal your power from anyone regardless of rank. You may choose what level you want to be shown.
'Dang! How did I not think to check if I had a system!' Atticus felt foolish at not having remembered this.
'It's basically Reincarnation 101. You get reborn, you get a supercharged system. It's like the standard package. Damn it, I've wasted a whole year!'
He had overlooked what was a fundamental part of his new life and he would never get that time wasted back.
Once his thoughts were gathered, he began to check out his system. The first thing he noticed was the skill and locked attribute.
'Hmm, locked, huh? Maybe I'll awaken my bloodline later? I hope,' he reasoned, his mind processing the information. 'Oh, I got a free skill. Nice! And it's pretty useful too,'
His thoughts then shifted to the absence of a guide. 'Hey, where's my quirky AI? Am I supposed to figure out this system myself?'
He recalled the tropes from novels he had read, where protagonists often had an Artificial Intelligence to assist them with their newfound abilities.
'He probably thought I wouldn't need one, that bastard. It does seem pretty straightforward, I guess,' he surmised.
'Well, at least it's better than nothing. It'll certainly help me to easily track my progress.'
Atticus focused on his attributes and was surprised to see the display explaining the meaning of the attributes he focused on.
Strength: This attribute measures the physical power and muscle capacity of an individual. It determines the ability to exert force, lift heavy objects, and engage in physically demanding tasks.
Agility: This attribute represents the speed, nimbleness, and coordination of an individual. It determines the ability to move quickly, react swiftly, and maintain balance in various situations.
Endurance: This attribute measures the stamina, resilience, and ability to sustain prolonged physical or mental effort. It determines the capacity to withstand fatigue, endure challenging conditions, and maintain performance over extended periods.
Vitality: This attribute reflects the overall health, energy, and vigor of an individual or system. It encompasses physical and mental well-being, including factors such as vitality, longevity, and overall vitality.
Intelligence: This attribute represents the cognitive abilities, problem-solving skills, and knowledge of an individual or system. It determines the capacity to learn, reason, analyse information, and make informed decisions.
Charm: This attribute measures the ability to attract, influence, and persuade others. It encompasses charisma, likability, and the power to captivate and engage people through interpersonal skills and magnetic personality.
Rank: This represents your rank on the power scale.
Abilities: This encompasses the abilities you learned, such as combat techniques, craftsmanship, or specialized knowledge.
Bloodline: This attribute that denotes the host's heritage or lineage, often associated with unique traits, powers, or abilities passed down through generations.
'Yep, i'm guessing The novice rank must be the first rank,' Atticus concluded. 'Good, now i know i can get stronger. I'll focus on increasing the volume of energy contained in this core for now. Now I don't know for sure how how people in this world train, but what i do know is; more is better.'
Atticus was more energized than he'd been before.
His new found abilities gave him energy. 'I wonder what my bloodline would be...' he thought while letting out a cute yawn.
'Damn this infant's body! I have to figure out a way to conserve energy…" his eyes shut as he drifted to sleep.
Unknown to Atticus, Arya's eagle eye was on him the whole time, observing his every move from the darkness.
She noticed a subtle shift in his aura, as if he was gathering mana into his core. With this she was even more convinced that she had to protect him from any potential harm.
Arya's remained fixed on him as he slept and she was prepared to do whatever it took to fulfill that duty.
Arya effortlessly merged into the darkness, this time driven by a clear objective.
***
Hey, fellow traveler of tales! 😏 Your presence here is a journey filled with surprises, like finding hidden treasures. 🎁📚 Isn't it fascinating how a little GOLDEN something can change everything?