The Year 152 of The Lunar Calendar. In the "Yezid Continent".

  ~

  "Sir! The mistress has given birth!" said a woman to a man dressed in black warrior's attire.

  "HAHAHA... Finally!

  The long-awaited heir has been born. I will soon be able to retire to the countryside and leave this heavy responsibility to a suitable heir of my bloodline," announced the burly man with an excited expression, unbecoming of his hairy and fierce-looking face.

  The man then had a serious expression and inquired, "Is the child healthy?"

  "Yes, Sir Commander! The child is a perfectly healthy, 8-pound baby boy."

  The man's excited expression reappeared.

  "Excellent!

  Take me to my wife and child, I can't wait to know what kind of talent my offspring will possess," said the man with a commanding tone.

  "Of course! Please follow me!" The lady maid started escorting the man through the corridor of the estate quarters where his wife had given birth.

  This man was none other than 'Alvar Elerian', the commander of the Western army of the 'Yasid Empire' of the Yezid Continent. A distinguished warrior hailed as "The Best in the World."

  Alvar was also the leader of the Elerian Clan, a clan known for producing powerhouse warriors who were adept wielders of the Ether. Elerians were known for their ethereal prowess and were regarded as strong warriors and magicians.

  As the clan's leader and a commander, Alvar was expected to have performance exceeding all others, which had caused him immense fatigue. Therefore, he desired an heir to whom he could pass this heavy burden when he grew old and frail. He intended to spend the rest of his old age in the countryside with his beloved wife, awaiting his demise.

  ~

  In the bedroom quarters.

  "Oh my! Look at how beautiful your son is, my lady... Have you picked a name for him?" exclaimed one of the maidservants.

  "We will come up with a suitable name together," said the lady in bed, gently holding the child to her face.

  "You mean Sir Alvar and you? How are you so sure he is going to return?" questioned the maidservant.

  "Isn't he battling at the western borders? Will he have the time to travel all the way here to the capital?"

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  "GUESS WHO'S HERE!"

  The ladies were startled upon hearing this bold voice.

  The woman holding the child widened her eyes to look at the entrance of the room. She appeared surprised and slightly emotional.

  "Dear, it's actually you..." said the woman with slight disbelief.

  "You thought I wouldn't come?" Alvar looked at her questioningly.

  "No, I believed you would. I knew you wouldn't miss the birth of the child you have been longing to have," she said to him with a slight smile tucked at her lips.

  "Anyways, now that you are here, have you thought of a name yet for our boy?"

  "Wait, I never thought about that. It didn't even cross my mind! How could I! Let me come up with a name right now," the man stated while sheepishly caressing his long, bushy beard.

  The woman just chuckled at her husband's folly. "Well, I have a suggestion."

  "Yes!? I am willing to hear it," Alvar said with a bright expression, clearly relieved to have gotten rid of this burden.

  He was never good with names—he had even named his horse 'Booger' because it reminded him of it.

  The lady understood her husband's relief and seemed even more willing to pick a suitable name.

  "How does 'Alf' sound?" asked the lady questioningly.

  "ALF... 'Alf Elerian'... Hmm... I like it. I think it's a suitable name for a future warrior of the Elerian Clan."

  The lady flashed a bright smile like the sun.

  "Alf, my child, do you like your name?"

  The child, as if understanding her words, flashed a smile.

  "May your life be full of happiness and joy as you are experiencing now," said the lady when she saw her child's innocent smiling face, not yet wrinkled by the worries of life.

  Alvar's expression darkened as he thought about what this child would have to go through as a member of the Elerians. As a father, he wanted nothing more than to pamper him and fulfill all of his son's whims. But he was aware that as the head of a clan of warriors, the kind of mentorship this child needed was one that would shape him into a suitable successor for the Clan Head position.

  "Dear Catherine, please hand me the child," Alvar demanded, looking at his wife with a serious expression.

  Upon his request, she realized her husband's intent and was hesitant to hand over her child, whom she adored more than anything.

  She reluctantly handed over Alf to her husband.

  "Sure, here, go to dada."

  Catherine, despite her hesitation, obeyed her husband when she looked at his face—a cold expression in complete contrast to his previous excitement.

  Catherine Sanders, a lady from a modest family, had married Alvar Elerian through an arrangement. Her family had been subservient to the Elerians for generations and was more than glad to marry their daughter to the Clan Leader when there had been a proposal from the Elerians.

  Catherine, though innocent and pampered, was not ignorant of the customs of the Elerians. She was aware that her son was being taken to the 'Talent Awakening' ceremony, which every Elerian child went through on the day they were born. This ceremony was supposed to awaken the latent talent of wielding 'Ether' in children, which was the determinant factor for their future growth. Children with high talents were nurtured to be the cornerstones of the family as warriors or mages in the future. While those with low talent were almost always disregarded and thrown out of the competition for gaining a rank in the clan or even in the Western Armies, as they were mostly incapable of wielding enough Ether to excel in either the warrior or mage professions.

  This ceremony would determine Alf's future potential in wielding Ether so that he could qualify as an heir and receive special treatments and privileges.

  While walking to the ceremonial place with Alf in his embrace, Alvar received various salutes after each step from the Clansmen and guards alike.

  "Clan Head!"

  "Sir Commander!"

  Alvar responded to each salute with a slight nod and continued walking with an authoritative posture.

  ~~

  In the courtyard of the Elerian Estate.

  "Clan Head, please, this way," said an old man in ragged clothing with utmost respect.

  "Please place the young one on the box."

  In the middle of the courtyard, there was a certain cube-shaped box made out of some kind of lustrous metal with rune symbols engraved all over it.

  "So this is the Lustrous Box that measures talent! I barely remember it, coming here as an infant," thought Alvar and placed Alf, who was wrapped in a blanket, on the box.

  "I really hope your talent in wielding Ether is high; otherwise, your journey forward is going to be really difficult, my son," thought Alvar while looking at the cute face of the child on the box, his heart anxious.

  The box started glowing, and a really bright yellow light came out of the runes.

  "NO! IT CAN'T BE!" exclaimed the old man in ragged clothes.

  The bright light suddenly vanished completely, and the runes stopped glowing.

  "_"

  "SO! What is it? How is my son's talent?"

  The old man coughed in embarrassment. "It seems I was mistaken. I am sorry to tell you... your son is completely ordinary," the old man said in a monotonous tone.

  Alvar clenched his fist and punched a hole through a nearby wall. He started shouting and breaking every wall, pillar, and pot in the courtyard like a madman.

  The old man shuddered in fear upon witnessing this frightening display of strength.

  "My son is utterly useless?" Whispered Alvar. His gaze cast down.

  To be continued...