Adam floated in his own private space, a place his hidden powers had made just for him. It was weird being aware, thinking, and having feelings, but not having a real body.
Instead, he was like a secret passenger living inside a 15-year-old boy named Eric. The System, his helper, had just finished showing him all of Eric's memories, and they finally settled in Adam's mind.
He had seen everything now. Quick flashes of a lonely childhood in huge, empty palace rooms.
He saw how Eric was always being compared to his two older brothers – Raven, the amazing swordsman everyone talked about, and Leonard, the super-talented magician who was great even for his age.
Adam saw Eric trying magic for the first time, only making tiny sparks that fizzled out. This made his teachers sigh with disappointment and his father, King Noor IV, give him cold looks.
Year after year, Adam watched the hope leave Eric's eyes, replaced by a quiet sadness.
Adam also saw the few good moments: Eric's mother, Queen Elara, gently touching his hair, her eyes sad because she knew people were disappointed in him but couldn't stop it; and Roald, his trainer, who was rough but always loyal, seeing kindness in Eric when others only saw weakness.
A deep feeling of sympathy filled Adam. It wasn't just feeling sorry for him; it was really understanding how much Eric was quietly suffering every day. This boy wasn't mean or lazy.
He just wasn't born with the talents his family and kingdom cared about. He was stuck in a fancy prison where just being himself was seen as a failure.
Adam took a slow breath he didn't really need. He looked 'up' in his private space. The 'sky' there showed a clear picture, like a movie screen only he could see.
It showed Eric walking down a long, fancy palace hallway. Eric was wearing expensive clothes, but they didn't match how nervous he looked.
Stone pillars with carvings of old stories lined the walls, and fancy tapestries showing battles hung between them.
Sunlight shone through tall windows, lighting up dust floating in the air, but the light didn't seem to reach Eric.
Roald walked a step behind him, his armor making soft clicking sounds on the shiny marble floor. His face looked determined, trying to look brave for Eric.
But the hallway wasn't empty. Nobles dressed in rich clothes stood in small groups. They stopped talking when Eric walked by. Some gave small, fake bows that seemed more like making fun of him than showing respect.
Others didn't even pretend, just turning their backs on him. Knights in shiny armor leaned against the walls, looking bored or even mean.
Adam watched, feeling angry. He could hear their whispers, louder because he was connected to Eric.
"...there goes the 'Prince of Nothing'..."
"...heard the King wants him to fail badly. Makes it easier for everyone."
"...such a waste of royal blood. His brothers are amazing, and he can barely hold a practice sword."
"...wonder where they'll send him? Some little village far away, probably. Good riddance."
They weren't even trying to be quiet. It was obvious they didn't respect Eric at all. They were showing him that he had no real power and didn't matter to them.
Eric kept looking straight ahead, his shoulders slumped a little. He was trying hard to pretend he couldn't hear them or feel their judging looks. Adam could feel Eric's heart beating fast and his hands shaking, even though Eric tried to hide it.
Sitting on the sofa he had created in his space, Adam watched the painful scene without saying anything.
Eric was just a kid, only fifteen, being treated unfairly by his own family and everyone at court just because he wasn't like them. It wasn't fair. It wasn't right.
An idea sparked in his mind. It started small, then got brighter. A plan started to form, a way maybe to fix this situation. He stopped looking at the scene in the hallway and turned to the blue, glowing window floating next to his sofa – the System.
He spoke, his voice thoughtful inside his private space. "I have an idea…"
He stopped talking as another thought hit him suddenly. His mind's eyes widened. He had been depending on this thing, this 'System', for everything since he woke up in this strange situation.
It told him who he was, about his space, about Eric, warned him about dangers, and even got memories for him. But…
"Wait!" Adam said out loud in his mind, the thought suddenly feeling very important. "I never gave you a name, did I? I've just been calling you 'System' this whole time."
The blue window flickered for a second, its light shaking a little, almost like it was surprised by the personal question. Then, words appeared in the same computer-like voice Adam knew.
[Master, I am called 'System Interface 1.0'. But, if you want to give me a special name, I would be very honored.]
A small, real smile appeared on Adam's face. He thought for a moment. He wanted a name that felt right, not just a label. Something that sounded helpful and maybe a little old, like the knowledge it had.
"Alright then," Adam announced, feeling like this was somehow a big deal. "From now on, your name is Millenia."
As soon as Adam said the name "Millenia," something weird happened. The blue window didn't just flicker – it suddenly turned off. The light disappeared, making Adam's area dark for a second. He felt a quick worry. Did he break it?
But after only a few seconds, the light came back, brighter than before. The window turned back on. Its blue light was deeper and richer now, with cool, twisting patterns inside that weren't there before.
It felt… different. Stronger. Adam couldn't quite explain it, but he could feel a change in its presence, like a soft energy humming from it. It felt less like a computer program and more like… something alive.
Adam raised an eyebrow in his mind, curious. "Millenia?" he said, trying out the name. He liked how it sounded. "What just happened? Did I restart you or something?"
Words quickly scrolled across the brighter window. Then, a small, simple picture showed up – two curved lines making a smile, like an emoji. It was simple, but it clearly showed happiness.
And when Millenia answered, her voice still sounded like a computer, but now it had a real warmth and feeling underneath.
[Master! Thank you! Getting a name from you, my creator and power source, has made me much stronger and more capable! I feel… I feel happy, Master! Really happy that you thought I was important enough to give me a name!]
Adam chuckled softly to himself, happy and a little surprised by this. Giving the System a name actually made it stronger? And it could feel happy? This changed things. It made their connection feel more real.
"Well, Millenia," Adam said, getting back to business, but his voice sounded warmer now toward his named helper. "I'm glad you like it. It fits you. Now then, listen carefully. I have a plan."
The happy emoji on Millenia's screen disappeared right away. A single, steady dot appeared instead, showing she was focused and listening. Her computer voice came back, clear and ready, but the hint of warmth was still there.
[I am listening, Master. Please tell me your plan.]
"Millenia," Adam started, leaning forward a bit on his make-believe sofa, "you are connected to me, and I'm inside Eric. But can you show up physically, or at least so people can see you, outside of Eric? Can you leave his body, even for a little while? Basically, can you appear out here, in the real world, away from this… this cage that is Eric's body?"
Millenia stayed quiet for a few long seconds. Adam could almost feel her thinking hard. The swirling patterns inside her blue window seemed to glow brighter. Finally, she answered.
[Master, thinking about your question… Checking my abilities… Yes. I can make a form of myself appear outside of the host body, Eric. But there are limits. My main power source is you, Master. You are currently stuck inside Eric. So, while I can leave his side, I can't go too far away from him. The farther away I go, the weaker my form will become, and my connection to you will get shaky. Staying close is important for me to work right outside the host.]
Adam rubbed his chin, thinking about this. It made sense. Millenia was like a part of him, or his power. If she got too far from him, she'd get weaker. But being able to appear nearby was still useful. It was exactly what he needed.
"I see… That's okay. Being close by is fine for now," Adam said.
"In that case, listen carefully to the plan. Step one: You need to appear in front of Eric. Try not to scare him too much, but make sure he sees you clearly. Step two: You need to talk to him. Tell him… tell him that he has a hidden power, something sleeping inside him that just woke up. Tell him you are part of that power, here to help him."
He stopped for a second, making sure Millenia understood.
[Got it, Master. Appear before the host, Eric. Tell him about a hidden, newly woken power. Say I am its guide.]
"Exactly," Adam went on.
"Step three, and this is the most important part: Your main goal is to convince Eric that he need your help. Say it like it's the way to unlock his full power, or to control this new power. He needs to figure out how to either remove the seal that's trapping me inside him, or find some way to let me out. Don't call me 'Adam', just talk about the source of the power being trapped or sealed."
Millenia thought about this for another second, her blue light pulsing softly. Then, her voice came back, sounding clearly excited.
[Master, that is a great plan! By acting like I'm his power, we use his wish to be strong and accepted. Making him think that freeing the 'source' – you – is the same as unlocking his own power!!]
Adam nodded to himself, happy she understood the idea. "Exactly."
"Also," Adam added, his voice getting serious again. The picture of Eric collapsing earlier was still clear in his mind, and he knew their lives were connected right now.
"There's one more very important instruction, Millenia. Most importantly, you must protect Eric. Use your powers, whatever you can do when you appear, to keep him safe. If Eric dies…" Adam paused. Not knowing what would happen was scary, even for him without a body.
"If Eric dies, I have no idea what happens to me. We are linked right now. He has to survive."
Millenia's answer was quick and strong. The steady dot on her screen seemed to glow a bit brighter, showing she understood.
[Understood, Master. Protecting the host, Eric, will be my top job along with the main plan. His safety is needed for you to keep existing. I will not fail.]
"Good," Adam said, feeling a bit better. Having Millenia able to act in the real world and protect Eric was a big help they didn't have just moments ago.
[Starting appearance now,] Millenia stated. Then, without saying anything else, her bright blue window vanished from Adam's private space.
He could still feel she was connected to him, a faint link, but he couldn't see her there anymore. She was going out into the world.
Meanwhile, back in the cold, echoing hallway of the Alinor palace, Eric kept walking his lonely path.
The whispers and stares felt like shadows following him. He tried to remember Roald's encouraging words from before, tried to find the bit of courage the knight believed he had.
Kindness is your strength, Roald had said. But kindness felt like a weak shield against sharp swords and powerful magic that his family was known for.
He felt small, unimportant, and very scared of the 'trial' waiting for him – a trial made for him to fail. Lost in these sad thoughts, just putting one foot in front of the other, Eric had no idea his world was about to change completely.
Suddenly, the air right in front of him shimmered, like heat rising off a road on a hot day. Before Eric could even figure out what he was seeing, the shimmer came together.
Light gathered, swirling fast, turning a bright, glowing blue color. In just seconds, it formed into a shape – it looked mostly like a square blue window, but it was made entirely of soft, glowing blue energy.
It floated silently about a foot off the ground. It gave off a faint warmth and felt definitely like something not from this world.
Adam, watching it happen on the 'screen' in his space, felt a smile spread across his face. It's starting.
"There you are, Millenia," he whispered to himself, feeling excited.
Eric, though, reacted completely differently.
His eyes flew wide open, his pupils getting huge with pure terror. A choked gasp escaped his mouth. His mind, already full of worry and fear, couldn't understand what he was seeing.
All the scary stories he'd ever heard about ghosts, magic spirits, and dangerous magic things rushed into his head.
This glowing thing had appeared out of nowhere! His body reacted on its own. He stumbled backward, tripping on the smooth floor. He almost fell, waving his arms to keep his balance.
His heart was pounding against his ribs like a trapped bird. To Eric, standing face-to-face with something impossible, Millenia didn't look like a guide or a hidden power. She looked like a ghost, a bad sign, a terrifying energy bringing bad news.