2 A New Dawn
Screams of pain sounded through a small hut "Push milady!" a handmaiden shouted encouragingly.
After a couple of minutes, a baby's crying sounded through the room. "It's a boy" the handmaiden says as she places the crying baby in the arms of the exhausted mother.
Elara smiled as she glanced at the baby in her arms before breastfeeding him for the first and only time.
Tears began to stream down Elara's face as she glanced at the small black horns protruding out the top of her baby's head.
"Milady we need to leave soon," the handmaiden said solemnly. Elara nodded with determination "Did you find a spot where he will be easily found?"
"Yes, Milady I discovered a small human village while scanning the area" the handmaiden said while attempting to ignore the sadness on her mistress's face.
The tingly sensation of magic began to fill the room as Elara began to place a seal on her baby's mana core.
The horns on the baby's head slowly began to disappear as the seal began to take hold "With this my child you can live a normal childhood with everyone thinking you are half-human".
Elara snapped her fingers and a small note appeared in her hand which she placed in a basket. She glanced at her baby one last time before then placing him in the basket allowing her handmaiden to take him somewhere where he would be able to grow up safely.
The handmaiden quickly moved through the forest until she came upon a clearing in the forest she discovered earlier. She lightly placed the basket on the ground and placed a few protective spells before hiding in the trees to wait for someone to stumble upon the child.
After a while, a small middle-aged woman carrying a basket filled with herbs appeared in the clearing after hearing the sound of crying. She approached the basket and saw a beautiful baby with stubbly black hair curled around small pointy fae ears.
"Oh dear" the woman says as she picked the baby up and started to cradle him. A small note then fell out of the basket causing the women to pick it up and read it.
"Nathaniel, I will always love you" was all it said. The woman placed the note in her basket before heading back to her village.
All the villagers looked at the woman curiously before her husband rushed holding the hand of a small male child "Cathy, whose baby is that?" the woman's or Cathy's husband asked.
A small frown appeared on Cathy's lips as she glanced at the baby "I found him abandoned in the forest".
Henry Cathy's husband showed an angered expression "Who could abandon a baby in a forest who knows what could have happened".
A loving expression crossed Cathy's face as she admired her husband who loved their young son Kristof so much he would never even consider the idea to abandon him. "He is a half-fae I'm guessing his mother made the choice knowing he wouldn't be safe in the fae realm" Cathy said having already thought of racial discrimination.
Henry sighed even though his eyes still held a bit of anger his body visibly relaxed "What would you like to do with him my love" he asked while reaching up and caressing his wife's cheek.
Cathy looked lovingly down at the baby nestled within her arms "I have always wanted another child".
A happy smile plastered itself on Henry's face "What will we name him?". Cathy placed the note in his hand "he will be called Nathaniel Cromwell".
*******
Five years later....
The happy sound of children's laughter filled the forest as Nate chased after the other children in the forest in a game of tag.
His short child legs were able to easily guide him around while his fae hearing allowed him to track the other children who were giggling. After a while, Nate was able to catch his friend Sam an adorable girl with chocolate brown hair that frames her sun-kissed freckled face.
"I caught you!" Nate said excitedly. Sam giggled and poked at Nate's face "Since you caught me that means you must take responsibility and marry me in the future".
Not taking Sam seriously he simply patted her head "Maybe when we are older".
The sound of a bell sounded through the forest which signaled for the children to return to the village. Nate grabbed Sam's hand and led the way back towards the village with the other children following behind.
"Mom!" Nate screamed as he let go of Sam's hand and ran into the arms of his mother.
Cathy examined her son from head to toe "You are covered in mud we need to get you in the bath before your testing ceremony".
Nate bobbed his head with enthusiasm "I hope that I am gifted with magic".
A small smile played on his mom's lips as she picked him up and started walking to their small home "It would be more surprising if you did not possess any magic the Fae are well-known for their magic".
After a brief walk, the two entered a small cottage that was towards the village center. Nate's older brother Kristoff was sitting at the dining table reading a book and preparing to attend the academy in the capital in a few months when he turned sixteen.
"You look dirty" Kristoff says while turning his attention back to the book on the table.
Nate stuck his tongue out while allowing his mother to guide him to the wash bucket at the back of the house. After a few minutes of scrubbing his mother was able to clean all the dirt and mud off him before having him change into a new set of tan cotton clothes.
The door to the cottage then opened again revealing a gruff older man with graying brown hair and bulging muscles "Dad!" Nate screamed as he ran into the arms of the older man.
"Look at you all sparkly clean are you ready for me to take you to your testing ceremony" he asked as he lovingly hugged his son.
"Yes Father soon I will have better muscles than you though I am already more handsome" Nate exclaimed looking at his father's deadpanned face.
"You brat I'm going to train you to exhaustion" his dad said while smiling and twisting a fist on the top of his head.
Cathy looked pointedly at her husband "You best not mess his hair up if you do not want to sleep in the barn tonight".
A grim look crossed Henry's eyes as he decided to stop messing with his beloved son. "Well we will be off my love best to get this over with so we can celebrate later" Henry said making a swift retreat from the house while still holding his son in his arms.
Several villagers greeted them as they walked through the village before arriving at a small training area that was currently filled with children and their parents.
Sam quickly noticed Nate so pulled her father's hand and guided him over to them "Nate!" Sam greeted her bright hazel eyes sparkling with joy.
Sam's father the village chief frowned as he looked at Nate before smiling and greeting Henry. The two older men talked for a while before a gong sounded causing everyone to look up in that direction only to see a hooded woman standing behind a table that held a large clear orb in the center.
"Everyone I will call out names when your name is called you will approach the table and place your hand on the orb" the woman said not sounding super enthusiastic about the process.
She then began to call out the names of the other children with most having little to no affinity for magic "Samantha Fields" the woman called out causing Sam to smile excitingly before rushing up to the orb.
Sam then placed her hand on the orb causing it to light up in a warm shade of brown with light flecks of green entwined within.
The hooded woman seemed pleased before saying "High-level earth affinity with a minor nature affinity".
Sam squealed with joy before rushing back to her father and engulfing him in a hug. The process continued until finally the women called out "Nathaniel Cromwell".
Nate jumped out of his dad's arms before eagerly approaching the orb. The woman seemed a bit surprised by him but did not say anything.
Just as Nate placed his hand on the orb his head quickly pounded in a pain so great he wasn't even able to make a sound. After a minute a blue screen appeared in front of him [Host's memories have been restored].
After seeing that message images began to appear inside his head which he quickly figures out are memories from his previous life.
A new message then showed up on the blue screen [God of Balances blessing will now take effect system initializing]
Not long after the blue screen in front of him changed
[Status]
Name- Nathaniel Cromwell
Level- 1
Class- None
Race- Half-Fae/Half Unknown (SEALED)
Age- 5
Strength- 6
Perception- 10
Dexterity- 8
Intelligence- 4
Endurance- 5
Charisma- 20
Free points- 0
Magic Affinities- Fae (Perfect), Spatial (Perfect), Illusion (Perfect), Unknown (Sealed)
Skills- Lovers embrace (Epic Bloodline), Running (Normal), Climbing (Normal), Jump (Normal), Charming puppy dog eyes (Epic), Unknown (Sealed)
Blessings- God of Balance (Full), Goddess of Beauty (Minor)
Nate's eyes widened in surprise but blinked the screen away to focus on the orb in front of him which had pink, white, and purple colors all equally mixed in the orb.
The hooded woman's body began to tremble as she muttered "Three perfect-grade affinities" The woman slowly calmed herself before snapping her fingers causing the orb to only show the pink color with flecks of purple before loudly announcing "High-level fae magic with minor illusion" she then gestured for Nate to leave the stage.
Nate went back to his father and waited for the ceremony to end. Once it did Nate walked back to the house with his father.
Entering the house a delicious smell of beef stew filled the air causing Nate's Stomach to rumble. Cathy rushed over "Well how was it".
Henry smiled and laughed "Our boy here has a high level and a minor affinity" he said while rubbing the top of Nate's head.
A loud knock on the door then sounded through the house causing Nate's mother to scurry over to the door and open it revealing the hooded woman from the ceremony.
Without waiting for an invitation she rushed inside and pulled her hood down revealing a beautiful elf with Luminous silver hair cascading down her shoulders which highlights her mesmerizing dark green eyes that hold within them a deep wisdom.
"Are you his parents?" she asked glancing at Cathy and Henry. The two nodded their heads in agreement their faces filled with worry "Is there a problem?" Henry asked.
The beautiful elf signed before taking a seat at the table "My name is Eldara and your son is much too talented for his own good" she said while frowning.
Cathy and Henry joined her at the table confusion laced within their eyes. "Your son has three perfect grade affinities" Eldara said while glancing at Nate.
Momentary shock filled the air before a wide grin settled itself on Henry's face "I always knew my son was talented". A light blush stained Nate's cheeks before averting his gaze away from the shameless old man.
Eldara inwardly groaned "Your family is not nearly powerful enough to safeguard him which is why I decided not to announce his results" The elf then grabbed a pouch from her robe before taking out a ring.
"This ring will protect you from detection until you are strong enough to protect yourself" she said while placing the ring in Nate's hand. Nate gladly took the ring and placed it on one of his fingers amazed by how it automatically changed its size to fit on his finger.
A worried look crossed Eldara's face as she glanced at Nate "If we ever happen to meet again I will be happy to help train you" she said before a flicker of magic filled the air and she disappeared.
