Chapter 17 – Memories of a Past
The soft crackling of a campfire echoed in the distance, its orange light flickering across the cracked stone walls of the ancient ruins. The sun had long set, and a gentle wind stirred the tattered flags still clinging to their rusted poles. Shadows danced along the walls, cast by the flickering flames. A crescent moon hung in the sky, peeking through a broken rooftop as if watching silently over the pair of young warriors resting inside.
Inside the magical tent Cordelia had found—a tent much larger on the inside than its modest exterior suggested—Adrian lay on a bedroll, sweat clinging to his brow as he groaned in pain. The air inside the tent smelled faintly of herbs and warm cloth, and though shielded from the wind, there was still an eerie stillness to the night.
Adrian:
— Ahh... ahh... It hurts...
His breath came in ragged gasps, each movement triggering a dull throb in his ribs. Bandages wrapped around his torso were stained slightly red, and though healing magic had done its work, the damage from the battle had left its mark.
Cordelia:
— Adrian, don't move! You're still wounded. You can't push your body like that.
She knelt beside him, adjusting the bandages on his chest with care. Her fingers glowed with the gentle golden hue of healing magic, barely visible in the dim light, pulsing rhythmically with every beat of her heart.
Adrian:
— Cordelia... Are you okay?
His voice was weak, tinged with worry, despite the pain evident in his eyes.
Cordelia:
— I'm fine. We're safe now.
She smiled faintly, brushing a few strands of hair from her face. There were scratches on her cheeks, smudges of dirt on her armor, but her gaze remained steady and strong.
Adrian averted his gaze, guilt flashing in his eyes. His hands clenched the fabric beneath him.
Adrian:
— I'm sorry... I couldn't really protect you. That's why the plan failed. We almost died because of my stupid idea.
Cordelia's expression hardened, and her voice rose with unusual sharpness, cutting through the quiet.
Cordelia:
— What are you talking about? I agreed to that plan. I knew the risks when I said yes.
— Don't treat me like someone ungrateful who complains just because things didn't go exactly how we hoped.
She leaned forward, her eyes locked on his.
— We're all putting our lives on the line here. So stop saying nonsense!
Adrian flinched slightly at her tone but then nodded slowly. A flicker of respect and understanding passed through his eyes, replacing the guilt.
Adrian:
— You're right... I'm sorry.
He took a deep breath, his voice softening as he looked at her with curiosity.
— So... what did you find back there?
Cordelia sat back on her heels and exhaled, letting the tension fade.
Cordelia:
— Well, I managed to find some weapons—swords, a few pieces of armor... and something even better: a magical tent.
Her eyes sparkled briefly with pride.
— It's one of those spatial types—tiny on the outside, but with a whole room inside.
— It'll keep us from sleeping out in the open when night falls. No monsters, no rain, no freezing wind.
Adrian:
— Seriously? That's amazing!
He gave a weak chuckle, though the motion caused him to wince.
Cordelia:
— Adrian… there's something I need to tell you.
She paused, her tone shifting as seriousness crept into her voice.
— And… it might be connected to your parents.
The cheerful spark in Adrian's eyes vanished in an instant, replaced by tension and disbelief. He turned his head slowly to face her.
Adrian:
— My parents? What do you mean?
Cordelia took a deep breath and sat down fully beside him, folding her legs and looking at him with quiet intensity.
Cordelia:
— I've been thinking...
— It's almost impossible for two ordinary people to have so many magical items.
— Potions, weapons, armor—sure, maybe they could've found them somewhere.
— But that diary... You don't find something like that in just any shop.
— That kind of artifact only exists in ancient pacts or legacy trials.
She hesitated, then added:
— So... there's a chance your parents were powerful Heirs.
Adrian's eyes widened, his mind racing as he processed her words.
Adrian:
— Now that you mention it... you're right.
— A lot of things never made sense when I really think about it...
Cordelia:
— And there's one more thing. Your body.
Adrian:
— My body?
He blinked, unsure what she meant.
Cordelia:
— Yes. If you had a regular human body, you'd be dead by now.
— Even if you had survived, you'd be in a coma for weeks, maybe months.
She touched his arm gently.
— But instead… you're awake, and aside from some pain, there's nothing seriously wrong.
Adrian:
— Okay, but… what does that have to do with my parents being Heirs?
His brows furrowed, still trying to follow her reasoning.
Cordelia:
— That's my fault. I didn't explain it earlier because I thought… maybe you weren't ready to know yet.
Her voice was soft, but her words carried weight.
— But Adrian… did you know that when someone inherits a divine legacy, the stronger they grow, the more their very life evolves?
— Their body becomes something beyond human.
Adrian:
— Yeah… and?
He tilted his head slightly, still skeptical.
Cordelia:
— Well, when a powerful Heir has children, those children are born with fragments of that divine legacy in their blood.
— They don't inherit everything—just a portion. Usually no more than fifty percent of their parents' potential.
— And… they can't perform full Divine Possession like true Heirs.
Adrian stared at her, his heartbeat quickening. His mind drifted to his strange endurance, his reflexes in battle, the way his body healed faster than normal.
Adrian:
— So… you're saying I might have inherited some kind of power?
Cordelia:
— Yes.
She looked him in the eyes, her voice steady and certain.
— I believe you're what we call a Descendant Heir. You didn't receive a spirit at birth, but you were born from those who did.
— Your body… your resilience… even your instincts in battle… they're not normal.
She placed a hand on her chest.
— Something inside you is just waiting to awaken.
Adrian remained silent for a long moment, the weight of her words sinking in as the campfire outside crackled louder against the wind.
The ruins outside lay quiet under the moonlight, but inside the tent, a storm of emotions stirred.
A legacy hidden in his blood.
A truth buried in the shadows of his past.
And now… the first spark of a destiny long forgotten.
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