The days had blurred into weeks. The weeks into months. By the time Evolis finally paused to take in the changes around him, the season had already shifted.
It had been nearly half a year since the assassination attempt.
His body had changed. His movements were sharper, more controlled. The once-heavy weight of Etherion now flowed through him with a familiarity that felt almost instinctual. He had climbed through the ranks at a ridiculous speed, surpassing the expectations of even the most seasoned elven warriors. Peak Awakened. Early Novice. Mid Novice. Late Novice. In mere months, he had done what others took years to achieve.
And the world had noticed.
Nobles whispered his name in hushed conversations. Jealousy. Curiosity. Fear. He had seen it in their eyes during the few court meetings he attended. Some believed him to be an anomaly, an omen of something greater. Others… saw him as a problem.
King Aldorien had begun watching him more closely.
But Evolis had little time to care. His days were a cycle of relentless training, pushing his limits to near-breaking. Varian drilled him in space magic, forcing him to tear through his own preconceptions of combat. Aeliana had sharpened his bladework until it was nothing short of an art. The elven warriors who had once scoffed at his presence now hesitated before stepping into the ring with him.
Which brings us to today which was a little special...
The sparring field was alive with magic. Etherion surged through the air, the ground littered with craters, the scent of scorched earth and raw energy lingering in the wake of their battle.
Evolis stood at the center of it all.
His breath was steady, controlled. Not a single wound marked his body despite being surrounded by a group of highly trained elven warriors, Aeliana included.
A far cry from the fighter he had been months ago.
The circle of combatants shifted, adjusting their stances. He could hear their ragged breathing, the subtle hesitations in their footwork. They had been relentless, attacking in waves, trying to overwhelm him.
And yet, he was the one standing strong, while they struggled to keep up.
Aeliana, standing opposite him, spun her twin daggers between her fingers. A bead of sweat slid down her temple, but her emerald eyes remained sharp, calculating.
"You're not even breaking a sweat." She tilted her head, narrowing her eyes at him. "You weren't this insufferable a few months ago."
Evolis smirked. "I was holding back then."
Aeliana scoffed. "Liar."
With a sharp motion, she flicked her wrist, sending a surge of compressed wind straight toward him. At the same time, the elves surrounding him attacked, moving in perfect sync.
Evolis reacted instantly.
His body blurred, moving faster than most of them could even perceive. Gravity shifted around him, throwing off the trajectories of their attacks. His Seer's Gaze flared, predicting their movements before they even committed to them.
He stepped between two warriors before they could even register his presence and struck—a precise blow to the ribs, a well-placed kick to the leg. Each movement was fluid, controlled. A predator among prey.
Stepping back an elf attacked him which he easily side-stepped, then as another one was about to attack him, he suddenly disappeared.
"Stay alert! He could be anyw-"
The elf shouting commands was chopped behind his neck as Evolis' hand poked out of a portal behind him, and stepping through it he continued his onslaught of attacks.
One elf stumbled back, gasping. "He's—he's reading our movements too fast!"
Another warrior clenched his jaw, gripping his weapon tighter. "Tch—don't falter! Stay on him!"
Aeliana, however, was the only one who didn't waver.
She surged forward, her daggers wreathed in wind, striking at impossible angles. Evolis twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the razor-sharp slashes, feeling the air shift with each pass.
Their movements became a blur, a deadly dance of steel and Etherion.
Evolis grinned. This was fun.
But then, he felt it.
A shift in his Etherion. A new sensation crawling beneath his skin, unfamiliar yet instinctive.
It happened in an instant.
The moment Aeliana leaped back, preparing a final strike, Evolis felt something deep within him ignite.
His Etherion surged outward.
The ground shuddered.
Vines erupted from the earth, twisting unnaturally fast, ensnaring the elves around him before they could react. Their eyes widened in shock as they tried to move—only to realize something was wrong.
"W-What's happening!?" one of them gasped, his strength faltering.
"My stamina—it's draining?!" another choked out, his knees nearly buckling.
The realization struck all at once.
He was stealing their vitality.
Evolis' golden eyes flickered with an eerie glow as he felt it—the surge of stamina flowing into him, the energy siphoning from those caught within his domain.
Plantae. he could feel his vitality stat being pushed up rapidly by his new awakened element.
Aeliana's eyes widened as she watched him absorb the vitality of their fallen comrades. "You have another element…?"
Evolis clenched his fist, feeling the raw power humming beneath his skin. "What? scared you might not catch up to me?"
Ignoring him, Aeliana narrowed her eyes. "That's an annoying ability."
Evolis smirked. "You sound mad, Princess."
She exhaled sharply, rolling her shoulders. "Mad? No."
Then, without warning, she dashed forward.
Evolis reacted instantly, raising his guard, but the moment their blades clashed, she smirked.
"Just motivated."
Wind exploded around them, shattering the vines as Aeliana pressed the attack. Unlike the others, she adapted fast. She had already adjusted to his new ability, making sure to stay on the offensive before he could fully utilize it.
But Evolis had grown, too.
He countered with gravity-shifting footwork, redirecting her momentum mid-attack, twisting at impossible angles to dodge her strikes. They moved in sync, neither able to fully overwhelm the other.
Then, just as Evolis went for a counterstrike, Aeliana ducked beneath his swing and—
Flicked a strand of her silver hair behind her ear with a smirk.
Evolis blinked. "…Did you just dodge mid-fight just to style on me?"
Aeliana tilted her head. "What? Can't keep up, Master of Adaptation?"
Evolis exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "You've been hanging around me too long."
She shrugged. "Clearly."
Then, just as fast as the exchange had begun, it ended.
Aeliana and Evolis stepped apart, breathing evenly. The other elves who had been caught in the Plantae domain were recovering, slowly regaining their strength.
Varian's voice rang from the sidelines. "That's enough."
Evolis turned, watching the seasoned warrior approach with his usual unreadable expression.
"That's more than enough proof of your progress," Varian said. His silver eyes flicked toward Evolis, his gaze lingering. "You're ready."
Evolis exhaled, letting his Etherion settle. "Ready for what?"
Varian didn't answer. Instead, he handed him a sealed parchment. "The king has summoned you."
Aeliana, who had been catching her breath, perked up slightly. "So soon?"
Varian nodded. "It's been long enough."
Evolis took the parchment, his gaze thoughtful. "Guess I should go, then."
As he turned to leave, Aeliana suddenly stepped in front of him, blocking his path.
"…You're not free today, are you?" she asked casually.
Evolis raised a brow. "I mean, I was planning to train—"
"No." She crossed her arms. "You're not training today."
Evolis blinked. "…I'm not?"
"Nope." She met his gaze, a glint of something mischievous in her emerald eyes. "Cancel your plans."
He narrowed his eyes, suspicious. "You never tell me to stop training."
Aeliana rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well, I'm telling you now."
Evolis smirked. "And why exactly?"
Aeliana shrugged, turning away with an air of practiced indifference. "Maybe I just have something planned."
"…You have a surprise for me, don't you?"
Aeliana scoffed. "Don't flatter yourself."
Evolis studied her for a moment. There was something different in her tone, not just teasing, but genuine effort.
Then, it clicked.
She knew.
She knew what day it was.
His 18th birthday.
Evolis exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "…I actually forgot."
Aeliana shot him a glance, her smirk softening ever so slightly. "Of course you did."
A pause.
Then, in a rare, quiet moment, she added, "You've been working too hard."
Evolis stilled.
For a brief second, the weight of months of training, of isolation, of missing his home, settled on his chest.
"…Yeah," he murmured. "Maybe I have."
Aeliana shifted slightly, sensing the change in his expression. But she didn't push him.
Instead, she lightly nudged his arm.
"Come on." She glanced away, her voice softer. "Let's take a break. Just for today."
Evolis watched her for a moment before exhaling, shaking his head. He was terrible at saying no to her.
"Fine," he muttered. "One day off."
Aeliana grinned. "Good. Now go talk to my father before I have to drag you there myself."
Evolis smirked. "I'd like to see you try."
She raised a brow. "Don't tempt me."
Chuckling, Evolis turned, heading toward his meeting with the king.
But even as he walked away, the lingering warmth in his chest remained.
Aeliana had remembered.
And somehow, that meant more than he wanted to admit.
As Evolis stepped into the king's private chamber, he kept his face neutral, even as his mind raced. Why now? Had the king heard of his latest breakthrough? Was this about the war?
Or was it something else entirely?
King Aldorien stood near a table adorned with ancient elven artifacts. His expression was unreadable, though there was something different this time—less scrutiny, more consideration.
Aldorien's gaze was steady, unreadable as he regarded Evolis from his place atop the throne-like seat in the private chamber. The air between them was thick with expectation, the weight of something unspoken hanging over them.
"Tell me," Aldorien began, his voice composed, measured. "What do you see now, Evolis?"
Evolis exhaled, running a hand through his hair as he considered the question.
The answer was complicated.
He had seen much in the past few months. His power had grown, his understanding deepened. But the moment he opened his mouth to speak, he realized the king was not asking about the past.
He was asking about the future.
Evolis hesitated. "I see… possibilities. Outcomes that shift with each decision made." His golden eyes flickered. "But not certainties."
Aldorien's gaze sharpened slightly. "And yet, you relied on it before."
Evolis clenched his fists at his sides. "I did. And I learned the hard way that it isn't absolute."
The king studied him for a long moment before nodding. "Then you are beginning to understand."
Evolis furrowed his brows. "Understand what?"
"That power, your Seer's Gaze. It is not infallible, nor is it merely a passive gift. It reacts, adapts, shifts according to both your own comprehension and the forces that move beyond you." Aldorien's fingers steepled before him. "Do you know what that means?"
Evolis thought for a moment before replying. "That it's still evolving."
Aldorien's lips curled faintly. Not quite a smile, but something close. "Precisely."
A flicker of something passed through the king's expression—curiosity? Approval?
Evolis couldn't tell.
But before he could dwell on it, Aldorien's gaze darkened slightly. "You have seen a glimpse of time itself, haven't you?"
Evolis stiffened.
There it was. The thing he hadn't dared to admit aloud.
The visions had changed. They were clearer, deeper. Not just snapshots of the immediate future, but something more expansive—a sense of time as a living force, slipping through his fingers.
But he couldn't touch it. Not yet.
Evolis exhaled slowly. "I can feel it," he admitted. "Like it's waiting for me."
Aldorien nodded, as if this was exactly what he expected to hear. "Then you must be patient." His voice held a rare note of caution. "Time is not a force that can be seized recklessly. It demands a price from those who wield it."
Evolis narrowed his eyes. "And you would know this how?"
Aldorien didn't answer immediately. Instead, he stood, pacing toward the grand window overlooking the kingdom. "There are few in this world who have ever grasped the essence of time," he murmured. "And fewer still who have survived it."
A chill ran through Evolis at the weight of those words.
Was that a warning? Or an acknowledgment of something he would inevitably face?
He forced a breath, straightening. "So what now?"
Aldorien turned back to him, his emerald eyes gleaming with something unreadable. "Now? You continue your training. You prepare for the war that is to come."
A pause. Then—
"And you prove to me that my trust in you is not misplaced."
The words hung heavy in the air.
Evolis met the king's gaze head-on, understanding the unspoken meaning behind them. This was no longer just about proving himself as a warrior. This was about proving himself as an asset to the kingdom until he could convince the king to help him find a way home.
"I will," Evolis said, his voice steady.
Aldorien watched him for a moment longer before finally nodding.
"Then we will see what fate has in store for you."
The king's gaze softened.
"You have proven yourself more than once, Evolis. You are not just an anomaly… you are an asset. And while some in this court fear what you represent, I am beginning to see the value in your presence."
Evolis blinked, caught off guard. Was this… trust?
"That is why I will allow you further access to the royal archives. There may be answers there, ones you have yet to seek."
Evolis bowed his head slightly. "I appreciate the trust, Your Majesty."
Aldorien gave him one last long look. "Do not waste it."
---
Evolis barely made it back to his quarters before he found Aeliana waiting for him. Arms crossed, her emerald eyes scrutinizing him.
"You look like hell," she remarked.
Evolis smirked. "I aim to impress."
Aeliana scoffed, crossing her arms as she gave him a pointed look. "You really are hopeless sometimes."
Evolis arched a brow. "Care to elaborate?"
Instead of answering, she stepped closer, her emerald eyes sharp yet undeniably warm. Then, to his surprise, she reached out and flicked his forehead.
Evolis blinked. "Ow—what was that for?"
"For being oblivious." A smirk tugged at her lips before she turned on her heel. "Come on."
Evolis hesitated. "Where exactly are we going?"
"Away from the training grounds." She didn't look back, but there was a teasing tone to her voice.
He narrowed his eyes slightly. "I thought we already settled this. You ordered me to take a break."
"And yet, you're still asking questions instead of following me."
Evolis exhaled, shaking his head. "You know, you're oddly persistent when you want something."
She shot him a sidelong glance, smirking. "I always get what I want."
Evolis let out a soft chuckle. Months of training together had made their exchanges sharper, more natural. The icy princess he had first met had thawed just enough to tease him back.
Still, as he followed after her, he felt something unfamiliar stirring in his chest.
A birthday. His birthday.
A part of him still wasn't sure how to feel about it. The realization had hit him harder than he cared to admit—this would be his first birthday without his family. Without Lyris, without the people who had always been there.
But then…
His gaze flickered to Aeliana's silver hair swaying slightly as she led the way.
Maybe he wasn't as alone as he thought.
For now, he decided, he'd let himself be dragged along.
Aeliana's grip tightened slightly. "You're thinking about them, aren't you?"
Caught of guard, Evolis slightly paused before answering, releasing an Exhale. "Yeah."
Aeliana didn't say anything right away. Instead, she squeezed his wrist before letting go.
"Then let's go," she said softly. "It's your day, after all."
And for the first time in months, Evolis allowed himself to breathe.