Chapter 563: The Faith of a Child

Ho’Rus lay back against the stone, chest rising and falling with shallow breaths. After a moment of silence, words tumbled out of him in a rush.

"Do you think..." he panted, then swallowed before continuing, "do you think I’ll ever be as good as Mother?"

The man... Alister’s golden eyes flickered faintly, his expression calm but unreadable. He didn’t answer right away, instead kneeling down so he was level with his son.

His white dragon tail curled once behind him, brushing aside a scatter of petals.

"Your mother... is unmatched. She carried the grace of ten lifetimes, her strikes faster than thought, her presence heavier than storms. To compare yourself to her now is... premature."

Ho’Rus’s pointy ears drooped slightly, his silver tail flicking against the ground in frustration. "So... I’ll never reach her level?"

A warm laugh interrupted his sulking. Lila pressed the napkin gently to his cheek, smiling down at him. "That’s not what your father said, silly. He means she was already a master when she was your age. And you, Ho’Rus, are still just beginning. There’s no shame in that."

Ho’Rus frowned but looked up at her with wide eyes. "But Aunty Lila... Mother was legendary, wasn’t she? Everyone says so. The Crimson Spear, the Spear of the Heavens..." He gripped his own training spear tighter, knuckles pale. "I don’t want people to say I’m just her son. I want to be famous like her."

Alister’s golden eyes softened, though his face remained composed. "You will be well known, Ho’Rus. But not for being her shadow. You’ll be remembered for being yourself. Do you understand?"

The boy hesitated, his purple gaze shifting between his father and Lila. "But what if myself... isn’t enough?"

Lila leaned forward suddenly and flicked his forehead, making him yelp. "Nonsense! Don’t talk like that." Her green eyes sparkled as she grinned. "I’ve seen the way you fight, the way you never give up, even when you’re wobbling on your last breath. That’s not weakness, Ho’Rus. That’s strength."

The boy’s ears reddened slightly. "...You really think so?"

"I know so," Lila said firmly, her tail swishing happily behind her.

Alister rose slowly, his robes shifting as he looked down at his son. "Enough worrying about titles, boy. Greatness isn’t claimed in a day. It’s carved into the world one strike at a time. And today..." His golden eyes glinted. "You took one more step."

Ho’Rus’s lips curved into a small smile despite his exhaustion. "Then... I’ll take another tomorrow."

Alister smiled faintly, his golden eyes softening. "Alright, run along now. Go find some of the maids and have them get you something to eat."

Ho’Rus’s purple eyes lit up with excitement. "Okay!" he said quickly, scrambling to his feet. His silver tail swished as he hurried off toward the grove path, still wobbling a little from exhaustion but grinning all the same.

Lila watched him go, her green eyes warm, her lips curved in a fond smile. "What a precious little thing he is," she murmured. She turned her gaze back to Alister, her smile deepening as she leaned against him, resting her head lightly on his shoulder. "He makes me desperately crave a child of my own."

Alister chuckled. "Lila," he said, shaking his head slightly, "you do know dragons are born from eggs, don’t you? Not like humans, who bring their young into the world already breathing and crying the moment they arrive."

Alister chuckled again, his golden eyes narrowing faintly with amusement. "You’re beginning to sound like Mar’Garet and Anya. It seems their attitude is starting to rub off on you."

Lila laughed softly, her green eyes sparkling as she pulled back just enough to meet his gaze. "I’ve simply come to realize..." she said with a sly little smile, "that their manner of approach has been far more effective than mine."

Alister tilted his head, studying her with that same calm, weighty presence he carried into battle. His smile deepened, though, betraying the warmth beneath the overlord’s composure.

Alister’s smile lingered as he reached out, lifting Lila’s chin gently so her green eyes met his golden ones. "I see," he said softly, a faint trace of amusement in his voice.

"It seems even you are learning new things as well."

Lila giggled lightly, the sound warm and playful, her tail swaying in quiet delight.

But before Alister could say more, a firm voice cut through the grove.

"My lord," it called, steady and urgent.

Alister’s golden eyes shifted toward the trees as one of the attendants emerged from the peach grove, head bowed. Golden hair, deep blue eyes. The man’s robes were marked with the insignia of the Archi-Voids, dragon wings spread across the back of a book. His expression was taut with gravity.

"The elders demand your presence," the attendant said quickly. "They claim... they have managed to piece your father’s body back together."

Alister’s golden eyes lingered on the attendant, sharp as a blade yet calm as still water. For a heartbeat, the only sound was the gentle rustle of petals drifting through the grove.

"Pieced... his body back together," Alister repeated, his voice low. There was no disbelief in his tone, only measured caution.

The attendant kept his head bowed, shoulders stiff beneath the weight of his report. "Yes, my lord. The elders say the fractures are no more. His body holds. They await you in the sanctum to bear witness yourself."

Alister exhaled softly, his golden eyes narrowing just slightly before he nodded once. "Alright. I’ll be there."

The attendant bowed deeply and withdrew into the grove, his steps fading until only the whisper of the petals remained.

Alister turned back to Lila, his composure settling once more into that familiar balance of calm and command. A faint smile curved his lips, though it didn’t reach the weight in his gaze. "It seems we’ll have to continue this another time."

Lila tilted her head, her green eyes sparkling with a teasing light even through the tension. "Hmph. You always know how to leave a woman hanging." She leaned in close enough for her horns to nearly touch his shoulder, her voice dropping playfully. "Don’t think I’ll let you forget."

Alister chuckled, low and smooth, his tail flicking once against the stone. "I wouldn’t dare."