Leon woke with a heaviness that he felt into every part of his body. For a while, he just stared at the ceiling. He was feeling weak and exhausted.
While laying, he remembered the day of his awakening, and something else also lingered in his thoughts.
A dream. No, a nightmare.
He remembered walking through a valley filled with corpses as the bodies were scattered across the ground. The torn banners and broken weapons filled the area. The valley stretched as he saw no end, filled with the dead.
Then came the slash.
He could not remember who had wielded the weapon or why the slaughter had taken place. He only remembered the overwhelming scale of it, along with a strange familiarity he could not explain.
"Young Master?" Hanna’s voice drew his attention away from the ceiling.
She had been keeping watch nearby and noticed the moment his eyes opened. She approached the bed and leaned closer. "You’re awake?"
Leon looked at her without answering. His thoughts were still occupied by the nightmare, and he needed a moment to gather himself.
Hanna waited for a moment, then turned towards the doorway. "Please inform Lady Vera that the young master has awakened," she instructed the maid outside. "Ask her to come here."
The maid bowed and went to inform Vera.
Hanna returned her attention to Leon as she remained beside the bed. Leon was slowly adjusting to being awake. She did not say anything to him and watched over him.
Leon gazed back toward the ceiling.
What kind of dream was that?
He was barely a year old, yet his mind had produced a scene of such slaughter. The thought of the dream uneased him.
Was it a side effect of his awakening? The sudden breakthrough might have exhausted him, and then leading to his nightmare.
It sounded reasonable to him, but he still doubted because what he saw felt almost real, as if he was experiencing the slaughter.
He tried to recall his dream once more, but the details were fading away. He only remembered fragments like people rushing to him, his attack and then the bodies.
After a while, footsteps sounded in the corridor. Vera entered the room and her attention went straight to Leon, and she approached him in a hurry.
"Leon," she said as she leaned over him, and gently touched his forehead. She took him in her embrace, and gradually the tension in her expression eased when she saw that he was awake and responsive.
Leon rested against her, without mentioning the nightmare. He still did not understand what he had seen, so he had no way to explain it.
Vera remained beside Leon for some time, making sure he was comfortable before allowing Hanna to resume her duties.
By the next day, the household received better news concerning Roland. He had fully recovered, and it eased the tension that had hung on Vera.
Leon was also relieved. He didn’t know what had happened to his brother, but he was glad it had not left him with some lasting injuries.
As the days passed, his attention gradually returned to the changes within himself.
The first object he examined was the amulet gifted by Prince Asher. Its essence purity had been measured at ninety six percent.But he could not make full use of it yet. Master Dorren’s gift was equally worth examining.
Yet neither gift held his attention for as long as the black egg.
He had instructed Hanna to bring the Shadow Raven egg, and now he was staring at it. Leon was eager to establish a connection to it since he got this egg. Now, with his essence awakened, he finally had the means to try.
With Hanna nearby, Leon placed his small hand against the egg shell.
He concentrated as a faint amount of essence was drawn from the surroundings. After he drew the essence in, the essence recognized him and it changed.
The change was very small. The essence adapted to Leon and made an entirely new essence signature entirely to Leon.
After drawing in the essence, he let it pass from his hand into the egg.
For a while, the egg remained still. Then a faint warm sensation spread, followed by a gentle pulse. The egg absorbed the essence, drawing it inward until the energy disappeared from its surface.
Leon felt the connection take shape. It was subtle, but recognizable. The Shadow Raven had accepted his essence signature, beginning the bond between them.
Hanna watched without speaking. She had already witnessed Leon’s extraordinary awakening, but this deliberate act of essence control was another reminder of how unusual her young master was.
Leon, meanwhile, focused on the new connection. He could not yet determine everything it would mean, but the first step had succeeded.
Like this, a week passed.
Leon spent the time recovering fully and growing accustomed to the unfamiliar sensation of Resonance essence within him. He remained under the household’s supervision, but his thought toward what he needed to learn.
His awakening had raised too many questions for him to remain quiet and not to look for answers. He can’t even tell others what happened because he can’t even understand properly what his nightmare meant so he needed answers by progressing further.
Eventually, he decided to tell Marcus. "Father, I want to begin training."
Marcus looked at him, considering the request. Before he could respond, Vera spoke. "He’s still very young, and after what happened to Roland, I don’t want him to begin training this early."
Her objection was not without reason. She had only recently endured the fear surrounding Roland’s condition, and Leon’s awakening had brought its own circumstances. She did not want another incident caused by pushing a child beyond his limits.
Leon turned toward her. "Mother, I don’t want to start fighting from now," he said. "I just want to learn how to sense essence and to properly wield it. And some physical drills, but only what my body can handle."
After thinking for a moment, she sighed softly. "All right. If your father finds a suitable teacher, you can begin. But you must promise me that you won’t push yourself beyond your limits."
"I will not, Mother," Leon said as he stood between them.
Marcus became more thoughtful. Leon’s request was different from what he had expected. He was not asking to be taught combat techniques or to participate in dangerous exercises. He wanted to understand the essence he had awakened and receive a proper guidance.
Those were reasonable request. "Sensing and foundational lessons can be taught without putting you in danger," Marcus said. "And you can also begin fundamental exercises and breathing techniques but you will not push yourself beyond what your body can handle."
Leon nodded, and Marcus considered the matter further. An ordinary instructor might not be suitable for Leon. He needs someone who could teach him the fundamentals patiently.
"I’ll arrange for a suitable teacher," Marcus decided. "Until then, rest."
Leon hearing his request was granted was delighted, and now he only needed to wait for his lessons to begin.