The forest plunged into an oppressive silence, an unnatural stillness magnified by the violence recently unleashed. The Corina camp buzzed with grim purpose—guards carved the Chameleon Serpent’s iridescent corpse, its scales glinting like shattered mirrors, the stench of blood mingling with damp moss.

  Nerion lay gasping on the earth, blood streaking from burst capillaries around his eyes, his small frame trembling from forcing his Ocular Acupoints to spot the beast. Elisha rushed to his side, pale beneath the dirt, his power flaring with panic.

  “Nerion! What in AEON’s name were you thinking!?" Elisha’s voice was a low, firm chiding, barely concealing genuine panic as he pressed Nerion’s torn tunic to his eyes. “Forcing Acupoints like that? You could’ve died!”

  Nerion winced, his expression hardening. “I had to, Big Brother! I saw the snake’s weakness... You were too close! I didn’t want to lose you.” His voice cracked, raw with a child’s fear of loss, the orphanage’s warmth his only shield.

  “Fool,” Elisha said, softening. He pulled Nerion into a tight hug, heart hammering. “We’re your family now, runt. Me, Mikael, Myra and the rest. You don’t need to break yourself to prove anything. You yourself are enough.” Nerion buried his face in Elisha’s chest, his trembling easing.

  Julieta rushed over, her traveller’s silks rumpled, green eyes brimming. “Nerion, your eyes…” she whispered, kneeling. “I was so scared. Are you okay?” Her aristocratic edge was gone, her voice soft from their streamside truce.

  Nerion managed a weak grin. “Still prettier than you, Julieta.”

  She pouted, swatting his arm. “Not funny, beggar!” Her smile betrayed relief, their bond tightening.

  Manke approached and examined Nerion's raw, weeping eyes. He gently touched the small, broken veins. "Energy backlash," Manke murmured, his Arch-Magus knowledge immediately recognising the symptom. "He forced his Qi into the Ocular Acupoints—pathways meant for far higher cultivation. If he forces them again before they heal, he will surely go blind." Manke looked up, offering a small smile to the worried children. "However, the child is fortunate. Extremely fortunate. Is this fate?"

  Manke rose and strode directly to Captain Lykos, who was directing his remaining guards to gather the Serpent's spoils. Lykos, as the beast's executioner, had the right to most of the gains.

  "Captain," Manke stated formally. "The orphans, Elisha and Nerion, possess merit in this hunt. Nerion exposed the beast; Elisha delivered the disabling blow. We require the Serpent's Eyes as their reward."

  Lykos’s expression tightened with resentment. He wanted to deny the beggars anything, but the Legate had no sound reason to refuse. The Chameleon Serpent's Eyes, while valuable for specialised alchemy, were a minor prize compared to the nutrient-rich gallbladder and venom sack. Lykos grudgingly acquiesced.

  Manke took the cold, dark orbs back to the orphans. "These are the Chameleon Serpent's Eyes—the Eyes of the World," Manke announced, presenting them. "They will help save Nerion."

  "How?" Elisha asked, surprised.

  "Normally, they are simple alchemical materials. But the Chameleon Serpent is highly attuned to Natural Energy and Mana. Few know that its eyes are special, able to see through the world's energy fields. They also possess a small chance, about five percent, to force open an Acupoint. Nerion has already done the hard part: he briefly opened his Ocular Acupoints using brute Qi. The eyes will allow him to stabilise that opening without the damage." Manke paused, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "If my judgment is correct, then more surprises may be on the way."

  Elisha thanked Manke and gave the cold orbs to Nerion. Manke instructed him to hold them close to his eyelids. Nerion obeyed.

  A warm, gentle energy began to flow from the diminishing orbs, seeping into Nerion’s face. It was completely unlike the burning, aggressive Qi he was used to. This energy was milder, yet its strength felt identical.

  Suddenly, inside Nerion…

  BOOOM!

  It felt as if the ceiling of a vault had been blasted open. The Serpent's Eyes disappeared entirely. The incoming Mana pooled not in his muscles, but in a previously dormant chamber behind his glabella—his Mind Palace.

  "The Mana, now accumulated, surged through the paths of his just-opened Ocular Acupoints. His Mana rapidly increased all the way to Level 5, the amount of a normal adult."

  "I knew it," Manke whispered, a genuine smile replacing his usual reserve. "You have the talent to become an Adept, child”.

  Nerion opened his eyes, healed and radiant, their blue-green irises shimmering like the Woods’ streams. Julieta gasped, mesmerised. Elisha blinked, awed. “They’re… different.”

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Manke continued, “Normally, for a child, opening Acupoints is quite dangerous. However, the Acupoints on the head are a bit different, since Qi users rarely open them, so they know little about their specifics. These acupoints, when opened by Mana instead of Qi, will allow you, even at your tender age, to withstand the recoil. After you open a Heavenly Gate, you’ll also be able to make them link immediately. Still, even if they’re open, it would be wise not to force their use; it may be counterproductive."

  Both Elisha and Nerion thanked Manke profusely, the latter only telling them that it was their due prize. "If only I could give more," Manke murmured.

  The steward took Julieta away, leaving the brothers alone. Elisha immediately asked Nerion about his state. Nerion grinned, feeling lighter. “Big Brother, I’ve never felt better! Mana’s so soft, not like Qi’s fire. But it’s weird, they feel different, yet… the same, somehow…" Besides, Nerion lowered his voice, making sure only Elisha could hear him “I didn’t just open my Mind Palace. The eyes had something else. A memory of sorts. A special technique, I think… It’s a spell”.

  Elisha was pleasantly surprised. “You tell this to no one”, he ordered Nerion and took the latter back to the camp, where the guards were already preparing to move forward.

  As the guards prepared their packs, Elisha cornered Manke by the carriage.

  "Lord Manke," Elisha began, dropping his voice to a low, intense whisper. "I know Captain Lykos is arrogant, but his lack of discipline and the way he spoke of Lady Julieta's death as an inconvenience... it points to more than mere poor judgment."

  Manke sighed, running a tired hand over his face, the weight of years and countless political manoeuvres etched into his features. "Young Elisha," he began, his voice a gravelly murmur that nonetheless commanded attention, "I am well aware of the Captain's flaws. His arrogance, while certainly grating, is nothing strange in the Capital; one could even call it Ansem's custom, a lamentable but enduring characteristic of those who rise within those gilded walls. He is a fool, yes, but a loyal fool, I assure you."

  The steward paused, allowing his words to sink in before continuing, "His family has served House Corina for more than a decade, their loyalty a cornerstone of our influence. Captain Lykos himself has even proven more than once his commitment to the House with his own life. Accusing him of treason based on a misspoken word, a careless comment born of pride rather than malice, is dangerous. Your personal aversion to his arrogance, while understandable, is clouding your judgment and leading you down a path fraught with peril for us all."

  He leaned forward, his gaze piercing, "Consider the ramifications, Elisha. To openly condemn a loyal servant, even a flawed one, without irrefutable proof, is to invite instability. It is a luxury we cannot afford."

  "But the Boar attack! And even the recent snake's ambush! They were ready to die over their own arrogance!" Elisha argued, his voice tight with frustration. "And Kael's injury, it was too convenient. I don't trust them."

  "I believe you see danger everywhere, Praetorian, and that is admirable for one in a guardian position. Look, I am partial to you and your brother, Elisha. Truly," Manke said, placing a firm, but gentle hand on the young man's shoulder. "But you are mistaken in your target. Lykos will defend Lady Julieta with his life; that is a certainty I stake my own life on. Besides, you need to understand, it’s not without consequence to put a high-ranking guard of a Great House under suspicion because of a hunch; you risk alienating the rest of the guards and making them your enemies. Your focus on him is a distraction from the real dangers of this forest. Please, speak of this no more."

  Elisha felt a wave of cold frustration, his jaw tightening. He had noticed something was amiss; however, he could not accuse Captain Lykos without proper proof. Otherwise, not only his life and safety would be in jeopardy, but Nerion’s as well.

  He walked back towards the other guards, anger coiling in his gut. He thought his warning was accurate. He was sure Manke's loyalty was blind.

  Back in the camp, Manke called the remaining guards. After ruminating for some time, he had decided to expedite this last part of the journey and try to increase security. With a wave of his hand, a crystal-embedded ring gleamed for an instant. Many small, metallic round objects, with runic symbols on their surface, appeared on the ground. Elisha was surprised. He had heard about the artefact on Manke’s hand before, but had never seen one. It was a Spatial Ring, able to keep non-living objects in a separate space, a very rare and quite expensive artefact.

  “Mana Bombs everyone. Two for each guard. Do take care, you all know how dangerous they can be”, said Manke.

  “Mana Bombs?” asked Nerion curiously. “Yeah, runt, they’re a dangerous Rank 2 artefact. Don’t think that because they’re Rank 2, they’re weak; they can be quite deadly. Without proper care, they’ll explode in your face and blast you into smithereens. Perhaps only someone like Captain Lykos, his full Qi forming a barrier, might be able to leave somewhat unscathed. If you ever see one of those get used, stay as far away as possible,” warned Elisha.

  Elisha observed the distribution of the Mana Bombs. Lykos, Kael, and the surviving guards were preparing to move forward. He had failed to convince Manke, and the consequences of inaction were evident to him. As he looked at the remaining route, his mind began racing. Lykos and Kael were still leading the convoy toward the Green Crystal Flower. Elisha made his decision: he would bypass Manke and neutralise the Legate himself, using the only asset he had: tactical sacrifice.

  He drew Nerion close. "Pipsqueak, I have a task for you. The most important task of your life."

  Nerion's eyes went wide.

  "We’re getting close to the area where the Green Crystal Flower usually grows. It’s the small lake area you mentioned before, right? I want you to take us through the west of it", said Elisha, his tone firm.

  “The west? But, Big Brother, that’s close to the Shadow Macaques Nest, what are you…” Nerion tried to interject, but Elisha interrupted him.

  “This is important, Nerion. Really important. This may very well be the only way we can both live, and save Julieta…” He gave silent orders to Nerion, the boy could only nod, his heart growing heavy, a huge unease invading him.

  “Promise me, Nerion,” Elisha said, his voice barely a whisper, thick with unspoken fear. He gripped the boy’s shoulders, his hands shaking. “This is the only way we both make it out alive. Promise me, you’ll follow through, no matter what happens.”

  Nerion, seeing the deadly resolve in his brother's Praetorian eyes, nodded solemnly.