With a wave of his hand, Morte floated gently into the King's outstretched arms, giggling at the sensation of weightlessness. The Lich King allowed himself a moment of quiet amusement. The boy's smile made him wonder for how long Morte would find happiness in the presence of the dead.
"Kyris," the King said, turning his attention to his loyal butler, "fetch the goat's milk. He will hunger soon. And send for Nubis."
Kyris bowed. "At once, my King." Without hesitation, he glided from the throne room, his form blending into the shadows.
The King turned back to Morte, holding him aloft with one skeletal hand. The child's eyes gleamed with curiosity as he tracked something invisible in the air.
"What are you looking at, little one? Perhaps… this?"
He released a faint current of necrotic mana into the air. To most, it would have been undetectable—a shift in the ether, a soft breeze at best. But to Morte, it appeared as specks of dark purple dust. The baby's gaze followed the particles with laser focus, his small hands reaching as if to grasp them. He followed their movements with eerie precision, only breaking his focus to tug at the King's skeletal fingers.
"What is it that you see little one? Hmm perhaps but no that should be impossible," the Lich murmured. "No One has ever been able to see it without spellwork or decades of training. Yet here you are following every mana cluster perfectly. How extraordinary not only is your mana capacity unheard of for a tierless, but your affinity for necrotic energy is clear. I wonder... will your time here shape your element?"
His thoughts were interrupted as Kyris reappeared, followed by Nubis. The towering gray skeleton radiated irritation. In contrast to Kyris's ethereal grace, Nubis's every movement carried confident weight.
"Brother," Nubis said, voice sharp, " A child's antics?"
"Nubis," the King replied, calm but commanding, "this child is not ordinary. Demonstrate the mana types to him."
Nubis scoffed. "What purpose could that possibly serve? No one perceives mana at his age.you summoned me from my research for this? I'm aware how every parent thinks their child is a genius but really brother you as well"
The King's gaze flared. "Do as I ask."
With a resigned breath, Nubis raised a bony hand. "Very well."
Kyris stood aside, eyes glowing with curiosity as Nubis began. He conjured wind mana—faint green motes swirling like a miniature cyclone. Morte's eyes locked onto them immediately, his hands reaching. The mana shone about like dust motes unseen but to the most trained eyes.
Fire mana was first, red cinders. Morte followed it with ease, delight dancing across his face. Earth mana followed—brown flecks moving slowly and heavily. Morte tilted his head and mimicked the motion. Water came next, blue motes moved gently like water flowed. Morte giggled and waved his arms. Then light mana—yellow particles flaring brightly. Morte squinted, then adjusted, wonder in his eyes. Next Dark mana: a swirling vortex that seemed to swallow the light. Morte laughed, reaching toward it with fascination. Finally Necrotic mana a Violet mote that seemed to move towards the two high tier undead. Morte began to wiggle desperately trying to grasp it.
"I will admit," Nubis said slowly, "He does seem to have exceptional perception. If I didn't know better, I'd say he can actually see it."
The King paused, then spoke gravely. "Nubis, I believe the boy can naturally see mana."
If a skeleton could look surprised, Nubis would have. The only sign was the sudden flare in the fire of his eyes.
"It is… remarkable," he finally said. "In all my years, I've never seen anyone perceive all types of mana Even we are limited to our affinities—much less so young. And to see it naturally? This child's potential is immense indeed."
Nubis stared at Morte, his tone shifting. "Brother, this child... he is a treasure unlike any we have seen. Let me study him further.."
The Lich King's flames flared. "You may observe. But no harm will come to him. None."
"Of course," Nubis replied, bowing. Yet as he straightened, his gaze lingered on Morte with a flicker of something darker—curiosity, edged with ambition.
From the sidelines, Kyris dropped to one knee. "Master, your wisdom knows no bounds. To guide this child is to shape the future of our realm."
The King glanced from Kyris to the boy in his arms. "The future remains unwritten. But one thing is certain—this boy is destined for great trials. We must prepare him as a champion of Necrovia. I wont have anyone looking down on what we can do."
The throne room fell silent, save for Morte's babbling and the soft hum of lingering magic. The hall, once a domain of pure death, now pulsed faintly with new life.
And so, beneath the Undead King's watchful gaze, the tale of Morte took its first steps—marked by wonder, death, and a boy caught in the middle