Cintra Village, Stronghold
In a modest stone house nestled in the heart of a vast, barren field, the soft crackle of the fireplace was the only sound that filled the quiet evening. The air was thick with the scent of burning pine, mingling with the faint earthiness of stone. Five people gathered in the small, cozy living room. The children—Nolan, Alvis, Lero, and Verda—sat together, in front of the fireplace.
The walls, rough-hewn stone and streaked with age, carried the weight of solitude. Flickering firelight painted shadows that danced across the room, giving the illusion of life in the stillness.
Altair stood near the hearth, his tall figure cast in gold and shadow. His eyes flicked between the children, his heart tightening at the sight of their expressions—Verda's wide-eyed wonder, Nolan's wary silence, Alvis' tentative trust, and Lero's sad form.
He took a slow, steadying breath. Now was the time for answers.
How could he explain all this? he wondered.
He thought for a moment and stepped forward, clearing his throat. "You must be wondering how we got here," he began, his voice calm but steady. "As you might've noticed, I'm actually an Awakened. The shimmering door we walked through earlier is called a portal. I can use it to travel from other places back here—and, uh, even this house is part of my ability." He lied guiltily; it was the only explanation he could offer. It's not like he could tell them about the system and how it worked. If he did, he'd have to admit that the real reason he adopted them was because of it.
He glanced at them, gauging their reactions, then looked around. No one spoke, but their eyes were fixed on him. Alvis leaned forward slightly, eager. Nolan remained still, but he was listening. Lero… Lero was unreadable.
Altair forced a small smile. "This place is called Cintra Village. It's a little far from the town—days away, in fact. And right now, no one else lives here but me. So you don't have to be afraid."
Nolan and Alvis nodded slowly, thankfully they seemed to believe his words.
Then he turned his gaze toward Lero who remained quiet. "By the way, this is Lero," he said, placing a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder. "He'll be with us from now on, too."
Lero stiffened slightly at the introduction. He didn't meet the others' eyes. He just looked down, fidgeting with the hem of his worn sleeve. Altair's heart ached at the sight.
He knelt beside Lero, lowering himself to the boy's level. "Lero," he said softly, "are you… are you upset that I brought you here? That I took you from your aunt?"
There was a long pause. The fire crackled.
Lero slowly looked up. His hazel brown eyes, reflecting the flickering flames, were brimming with sadness. He shook his head. "No… I… I want to thank you," he whispered. "But…"
Altair waited, not pushing him.
"…my aunt said I was cursed. That I brought bad luck. My family has been unlucky ever since I was born, both of my parents both died in an accident. So did my older sister. Aunt said I was the reason. She said... no one should keep me. That I'd bring misfortune."
He bowed his head low, voice trembling. "Uncle… you're kind to me. I don't want to curse you too."
Altair felt something heavy twist in his chest. He reached out and gently lifted Lero's chin. "Hey. Look at me," he said, his tone firm but kind. "That's not true, Lero. What happened to your family… it wasn't your fault."
"But Aunt—"
"Your aunt was wrong," he cut in gently. "People say things when they don't understand. Curses... well, maybe there's someone with a curse-based ability out there, but that doesn't make you cursed. Your aunt was wrong. What happened to your family wasn't your fault. People's deaths are caused by fate. You don't have to worry about that, okay?" He smiled softly.
"Really?" Lero's voice was barely a whisper.
"Really."
A small, fragile smile appeared on Lero's face. It was faint—but it was enough.
Nolan, who had been watching quietly, shifted a little closer. His brows furrowed slightly as he looked at Lero. Altair noticed.
Altair beckoned him forward. "Nolan, come here."
The older boy approached, his posture tense but obedient.
"I want you both to know," Altair said, looking at them with warmth, "with me here, no one will bully or hurt you again. As long as you all get along and take care of each other, that's enough for me."
Nolan looked stunned for a moment, then nodded earnestly. "Okay. I'll get along with everyone."
Altair patted his head. "Good. You're the eldest, Nolan. I trust you to help me keep everyone together."
The boy nodded quietly, and though he didn't speak, there was a subtle change in his eyes—just a flicker of something that hadn't been there before.
Altair stood up. "You've all been through so much. But from now on, I promise I'll take care of you."
He took a deep breath. "Alvis. Verda. Come here."
Alvis hurried forward while Verda ran straight into his arms. Altair chuckled as he caught her, lifting her with ease.
"Now listen," he said, looking at all four of them. "There's five of us now. I adopted Alvis and Verda already. But I want to adopt you too, Nolan. And you, Lero."
Both boys froze, stunned.
"You want to adopt me?" Nolan asked, his voice uncertain.
"Even me…?" Lero whispered.
"Yes. All of you. If you agree, you'll be siblings. A family. You'll have each other to lean on."
He reached into the system and summoned the adoption contracts. Two golden scrolls unfurled above their heads, glowing softly.
"If you accept… you'll become my children. And I'll be your father. So Nolan, Lero—what do you say?"
Nolan hesitated for a moment, then swallowed and nodded. "I… I agree."
Lero's voice cracked. "Me too… I want to."
As the boys accepted, the scrolls glowed, then dissolved into their bodies.
A system notification came.
[System Notification: A child has been registered to the System. Pillar 3 obtained.]
[Trust Points: +0. Current Points: 0]
[System Notification: A child has been registered to the System. Pillar 4 obtained.]
[Trust Points: +0. Current Points: 0]
No trust points gained, Altair noted. He wasn't surprised. It would take time. Lero had been abused, made to feel like a curse. Nolan, quiet and older, seemed to shrink into himself, like he believed he didn't matter. They were both fragile in different ways.
But they were here now. That was what mattered.
He just had to earn their trust, step by step. Anyway, he was just waiting for the points to come in.
He beckoned Alvis and Verda to join. "Alright, everyone. Now that we're all together... From now on, I want you to protect each other, care for each other. I can't always be here, so you must look out for one another."
"Okay!" Verda chirped, running up and hugging both Lero and Nolan. "We're family now, big brothers!"
Both boys turned red, but didn't push her away.
Altair looked at them—four small lights in a world that had long grown dim to him. He didn't know what the future held, but for the first time in a long while, he felt like he was exactly where he needed to be.
He prepared dinner while the children talked and had a sumptuous dinner.
That night, they decided to sleep together in the living room. Blankets were spread out across the floor, and they huddled close to the fire. Their expression was filled with relief and comfort.
Altair remained awake after they fell asleep. He gazed at the four sleeping forms, a strange tightness in his throat.
He opened his status window quietly, checking the new panel he hadn't inspected yet—Pillars.
As he read the information inside, Altair's eyes widened.
The children's names were listed in the new panel. And under each name was a label: Ability — None.
But beneath it, a glowing option emerged: Assign Ability.