Awaken: Dying Light

A Secret Pact

Realizing the gravity of the situation, a knot of worry tightened in Jayden's stomach. Ruele was a fiercely protective lioness, and if she discovered his newfound abilities, she'd surely put a swift end to his exploration of mana.

'This is bad,' he thought, his heart sinking. 'If she even gets a whiff of this, I'm toasted.'

But Jayden wasn't about to surrender. He'd come too far, tasted the power that pulsed within him, to let fear or doubt hold him back. A newfound determination steeled his resolve. He had to find a way to keep his secret while continuing to hone his skills.

'I've won challenges before,' he thought, a flicker of defiance igniting in his eyes. 'There has to be a way to navigate this. I'll find a way to train without anyone suspecting a thing.'

With a resolute glint in his eyes, Jayden strategized. He had stumbled upon a wellspring of power within himself, and he wouldn't let anyone extinguish that spark.

After several hours, Ruele left the room and then he clambered out of his crib, his tiny legs propelling him towards the door. Just as he reached for the handle, a hand scooped him up effortlessly.

"And where do you think you're off to, young master?" Elora inquired, her gaze stern. She lowered him to eye level. "This daily escape attempt is getting a tad tiresome, wouldn't you say? How many tries does it take to convince you it's futile?"

A sly grin tugged at Jayden's lips. 'Bingo! This is exactly what I need,' he thought.

"Actually," he said nonchalantly, "I was just about to use mana to open the door. Any objections?"

Elora had been observing him intently, every step, every breath. When she noticed a faint shimmer of mana swirling around his hands, her eyes widened in disbelief. He wasn't even in a meditation pose; he was simply standing relaxed in his crib, his eyes closed as if in sleep. Initially, she'd thought he was napping.

Elora's first instinct was to inform Ruele. But the thought was quickly dismissed. Ruele would scoff, dismiss it as childish fantasy. It would only make Elora look foolish.

"Y-you, how can you do this? What... what kind of anomaly are you?" Elora stammered, her voice barely a whisper.

"My abilities are none of your concern," Jayden countered, his expression serious. "However, keeping your mouth shut, especially from Mother, is very much your concern."

Elora bristled at his commanding tone. "Don't get cheeky, brat! If you think you're so almighty with this mana of yours, this very same aunty can spank your little ass until it's red raw, then heal you right up like nothing ever happened. Just try me!" she retorted, a spark of anger igniting in her eyes.

Jayden scoffed. "Please," he said, settling back on the bed with a newfound air of authority. "Who said anything about Mother? You're right, she wouldn't believe me but you. But I wonder what Grandma would say if her precious little grandson came running to her, bawling his eyes out with that adorable puppy-dog pout of his."

Elora's face paled. The thought of facing Ruele's mother-in-law's wrath for not properly supervising Jayden sent a shiver down her spine.

"Listen here, kid," she said, trying to regain some control of the situation. "You might think you're a clever one, but you're not. You think you're going to run to your grandma and cry about what? You having the ability to control mana? Are you stupid?"

"Will you be quiet already?" Jayden shouted, his frustration mounting. "What do you think will happen if this so-called 'stupid' kid runs to his grandma and blurts out, 'Grandma, what does 'eff you' mean?' Or maybe, 'Go 'eff yourself,' or 'You stupid, freaking...'"

"Enough!" Elora yelled, cutting him off before he could unleash a torrent of obscenities. "Where did you learn such foul language?"

Jayden smirked. "Oh? But I learned it from you, wouldn't you agree?"

Elora's face flushed crimson. She realized the truth of his accusation. She was with Jayden nearly all the time; there was no one else to blame. She looked at the little boy before her, a strange mix of fear and awe warring within her. 'He's just two years old,' she thought incredulously. 'What kind of prodigy is he?'

Desperate, she grasped at the last straw she could think of.

"...But perhaps, madam," Elora stammered, her voice laced with a hint of desperation, "you could blame Master Elio for this."

Jayden snorted. "Oh please. Dad's more scared of Mother than he is of his own arch-enemies. Don't even try to pin this on him." He wasn't about to let her deflect the blame.

Elora's cheeks burned with a mixture of anger and embarrassment. "You little imp, I should wash your mouth out with soap for that kind of language!"

"Go ahead and try," Jayden challenged, standing up and puffing out his chest in a mock display of bravado. "But remember, if word gets out about my little secret, you'll be in just as much hot water as I am."

The air crackled with tension as their gazes locked. Finally, Elora sighed in defeat, the fight momentarily draining out of her. "Fine," she conceded, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I'll keep my trap shut. But don't think for a second that I won't be keeping a close eye on you, little mister 'mana prodigy.'"

A sly grin spread across Jayden's face. "Deal," he said, extending a tiny hand.

Elora's face contorted in frustration. Keeping this secret was proving far more complicated than she'd anticipated. This wasn't a situation she could simply ignore. But threats wouldn't work on Jayden, that much was clear.

"Alright, alright," she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "We'll call a truce. I'll keep my mouth shut. But listen closely, pipsqueak," she said, her voice softening slightly, "you'll need to be extra careful. If even a whiff of this gets back to your mother..."

Jayden, relieved to have avoided immediate conflict, nodded solemnly. "I understand. My secret is safe if you keep your mouth shut."