SYSTEM ASCENSION

”Elias...”

”Eliass...”

”Elias?”

A woman peeped under a little cave, her face barely fitting into the hole. Her golden eyes stared into the hole with a quiet confirmation.

”I know you’re in there. Come out.”

The leaves rustle inside the dark hole, sounding louder and louder. She pulled back and stood up. She brushed away the leaves from her golden hair.

Her face held a smile as she watched the hole. A second later, a face peeped out.

”What do you want?”

She beamed.

”My little young master.” She reached out and pulled Elias out of the hole. ”Why are you here again?”

He pouted, and looked away.

She carried him to a rock and let him sit.

”You’re turning five today. Stop sneaking around.” She brushed away leaves from his long hair.

”I don’t want to sit with those geezers!”

She laughed.

”Alright. You won’t sit with them,” she caressed his face. ”But that doesn’t mean you should go monster hunting on such a day.”

She glanced around the forest. At the corpses laying on the ground. And at the ones lurking in the shadows, wary of her.

”I told you before. You attract monsters like a plague whenever you release your aura. Did you hide because you couldn’t keep fighting?”

”I wasn’t hiding!” He shoved her away.

”Alright.” She patted his head. ”Watch your mother take care of all these monsters for you.”

He peeped at her.

”What?”

”Stay here and wait.”

She beamed and pulled back her hand. She turned around and began to walk away.

”Walking breakfast here! Come at me!”

All the monsters flared up at her voice. She bent her knee, and dashed off into the forest.

Screeches and thudding followed her immediately, and he was left sitting.

He stared at the space she had disappeared into, eyes wide and mouth parted. Occasionally, he tilted his head and glanced between the trees. The commotion was getting further away from him.

As minutes passed, his mouth closed and his expression dulled. He looked away from the direction she took. He swung his feet a few times and tilted his head to stare at the wound on his ankle.

”Did you fall?”

Her voice startled him. He flinched so hard he fell off. She stood there, covered in blood and guts.

”Aah! Sorry, I’m sorry.” She cower down to help him.

”Leave me alone!”

Her hand paused midair.

”Young mas...”

”Stop calling me that!”

A moment of silence followed, her hand still hanging. Then, she adjusted her skirt, and sat beside him.

”Why are you agitated?”

”Stop calling me young master. It makes you sound like a maid...or father’s mistress.”

Her eyes widened.

”Elias...is that your problem?!”

”What?” He frowned. ”All you do is kill and kill. Do you not worry about other people talking about your place? You’re father’s first wife! Yet...”

She frowned.

”Did those bastards bully you?”

He rolled his eyes.

”Can anyone bully me? I’m a freak, remember?”

Her mouth puffed, and she laughed.

”If you’re not bullied, then I don’t care,” she wiped tears from her eyes. ”You’re my priority. I don’t care about anyone else.”

”Not even father?”

She sighed.

”Elias...I love your father..., but I’m afraid I can’t be selfish. Our love was never meant to be.”

He narrowed his eyes.

”What bullshit.”

She chuckled softly.

”I also need to let him have other children...since you cannot inherit the throne of black empire.”

His expression didn’t change, nor did it improve. He only stared at her like she had said the most ordinary thing ever heard.

She leaned closer.

”You’re not going to ask why I said that?”

”It doesn’t matter. I don’t like it to begin with.”

She laughed, and hugged him.

”Our dear young master is a warrior.”

”Stop calling me that!” He shoved her again, and looked away.

She leaned back, and allowed him to be for a minute before asking.

”What should I call you?”

He turned his face deeper into the trees.

”Why are you asking me that?! ...I mean...why would you call your son like that...I don’t like it.”

She smiled.

”Elias,”

He glanced at her. ”What?!”

She grabbed his face and kissed his chin.

”You’re my joy and purpose. My own son.”

His pupils dilated. For a moment, he just stared at her, then he glanced away.

”Then... just call..call me your...s..on.”

She hugged him.

”My son.”

They stayed that way for a moment before she broke the hug.

”You’re injured.”

She hopped before him and cower down.

”Get on. I’ll carry you on my back.”

”Huh?”

”Your wound is worse than it looks. It might have festered. If we don’t take care, you might lose your leg.”

He stared at her back.

”C’mon. Hop on.” She urged.

Slowly, Elias leaned forward, putting his hand over his mother’s shoulder.

”Good boy.” She helped him up.

She carried him, making sure he was comfortable and began to walk.

They began to walk the oddly silent forest.

Elias’s hand tightened around her neck. He nuzzled into her air, and muttered.

”Why...is your soul dark?”

Her step faltered for a bit, and she smiled.

”Maybe because I’m not a good person? That being said, no one is good.”

”Some people are good,” he muttered. ”I saw some.”

”They are those who never acknowledge their dark side. For you to be good, you have to believe that you’re capable of evil. It’s called balance.”

”Balance...” He raised his head, and smacked her head. ”You don’t have a balance.”

She laughed, tightening her hand around him.

”I can’t deny it. Once upon a time, I was a slave, and then a servant, then a minister, and then an emperor’s wife, and now a mother. No one can keep a good facade in this world after living for that long.”

He held her again, and rested his head on her back.

She walked a few more steps, before she spoke again.

”Elias, even those with a dark soul have something they care deeply about. So, I hope you don’t judge them, when you come across them in the future. Promise me.”

___

”Stay here and wait.”

Elias caught Zeal’s hand.

”Don’t...go.”

Zeal stared at him for quite a while.

”Elias...”

”Don’t go.”

He jabbed Elias’s shoulder.

”Calm down. It’s not like I’m going to die or anything.”

Before Elias could utter another word, he was already halfway across the field.

The four figures spread apart instantly. The silver-haired woman narrowed her eyes at the blood dripping from Zeal’s fingertips while the remains of their ally scattered across the battlefield.

”Spatial distortion?” one of them muttered.

”No,” she corrected. ”Time.”

Zeal flexed his fingers lazily before letting out a sigh.

”Ah...smart.”

The woman immediately pointed toward him and gave an order.

”Do not enter his range. Avoid direct contact at all costs.”

The others took note.

”He requires either physical touch or direct sight to activate it,” she continued calmly. ”Break his line of vision and force him to divide his attention.”

Zeal’s smile widened faintly. He spread his hands.

”You figured it out much faster than expected.”

The woman’s gaze remained cold.

”You are dangerous.”