Chapter 17 – Memories of a Past
The soft crackling of a campfire echoed in the distance, its orange light flickering across the cracked stone walls of the ancient ruins. The sun had long set, and a gentle wind stirred the tattered flags still clinging to their rusted poles. Inside the magical tent Cordelia had found—a tent much larger on the inside than its modest exterior suggested—Adrian lay on a bedroll, sweat clinging to his brow as he groaned in pain.
Adrian:
— Ahh... ahh... It hurts...
Cordelia:
— Adrian, don't move! You're still wounded. You can't push your body like that.
She knelt beside him, adjusting the bandages on his chest, the warm glow of healing magic still faintly pulsing at her fingertips.
Adrian:
— Cordelia... Are you okay?
Cordelia:
— I'm fine. We're safe now.
Adrian averted his gaze, guilt flashing in his eyes.
Adrian:
— I'm sorry... I couldn't really protect you. That's why the plan failed. We almost died because of my stupid idea.
Cordelia's expression hardened, and her voice rose with unusual sharpness.
Cordelia:
— What are you talking about? I agreed to that plan. I knew the risks when I said yes.
Don't treat me like someone ungrateful who complains just because things didn't go exactly how we hoped.
We're all putting our lives on the line here. So stop saying nonsense!
Adrian flinched slightly, then nodded, a flicker of respect in his eyes.
Adrian:
— You're right... I'm sorry.
He took a deep breath, his voice softening as he looked at her with curiosity.
— So... what did you find back there?
Cordelia:
— Well, I managed to find some weapons—swords, a few pieces of armor... and something even better: a magical tent.
It's one of those spatial types—tiny on the outside, but with a whole room inside.
It'll keep us from sleeping out in the open when night falls. No monsters, no rain, no freezing wind.
Adrian:
— Seriously? That's amazing!
Cordelia:
— Adrian… there's something I need to tell you.
And… it might be connected to your parents.
The cheerful spark in Adrian's eyes vanished in an instant, replaced by tension and disbelief.
Adrian:
— My parents? What do you mean?
Cordelia took a deep breath and sat down beside him, her gaze serious.
Cordelia:
— I've been thinking...
It's almost impossible for two ordinary people to have so many magical items.
Potions, weapons, armor—sure, maybe they could've found them somewhere.
But that diary... You don't find something like that in just any shop.
That kind of artifact only exists in ancient pacts or legacy trials.
So... there's a chance your parents were powerful Heirs.
Adrian's eyes widened, his mind reeling.
Adrian:
— Now that you mention it... you're right.
A lot of things never made sense when I really think about it...
Cordelia:
— And there's one more thing. Your body.
Adrian:
— My body?
Cordelia:
— Yes. If you had a regular human body, you'd be dead by now.
Even if you had survived, you'd be in a coma for weeks, maybe months.
But instead… you're awake, and aside from some pain, there's nothing seriously wrong.
Adrian:
— Okay, but… what does that have to do with my parents being Heirs? — he asked, confused.
Cordelia:
— That's my fault. I didn't explain it earlier because I thought… maybe you weren't ready to know yet.
But Adrian… did you know that when someone inherits a divine legacy, the stronger they grow, the more their very life evolves?
Their body becomes something beyond human.
Adrian:
— Yeah… and?
Cordelia:
— Well, when a powerful Heir has children, those children are born with fragments of that divine legacy in their blood.
They don't inherit everything—just a portion. Usually no more than fifty percent of their parents' potential.
And… they can't perform full Divine Possession like true Heirs.
Adrian stared at her, his heartbeat quickening.
Adrian:
— So… you're saying I might have inherited some kind of power?
Cordelia:
— Yes.
She looked him in the eyes, her voice steady.
— I believe you're what we call a Descendant Heir. You didn't receive a spirit at birth, but you were born from those who did.
Your body… your resilience… even your instincts in battle… they're not normal.
Something inside you is just waiting to awaken.
Adrian remained silent, the weight of her words sinking in as the campfire outside crackled louder against the wind.
A legacy hidden in his blood.
A truth buried in the shadows of his past.