As Braiten was trying to sort out his emotions and thoughts, memories flashed through his mind. A single tear flowed down the side of his face…

***

In the dead of the night, a battered, young Gwydion stumbled into a glade. He had been pursued by various powerful monsters due to his wanton killing of their kind. The beasts naturally sensed the killing intent that clad the youth and thus, avoided him. They were smart enough not to want any bloodshed especially from a being that disregarded his own life when he was thrust into battle.

The stronger beasts were avoided due to Gwydion’s uncanny ability to sense their mana presences way before they had approached. Ever since his village had been destroyed by the monsters, Gwydion had gained the ability to sense these presences and their strengths even though he did not know what ability this was yet. Therefore, Gwydion had been able to make it this far despite having almost no knowledge of fighting when he first started setting out to grow stronger.

The atmosphere in the glade was peaceful. For some reason, Gwydion felt a sense of security in this place. With that feeling, his knees buckled as he collapsed on the spot. As he did so, a beautiful female figure appeared in front of him and caught him in her embrace.

***

Two figures huddled closely together in a glade. One male, one female. The male youth, Gwydion, had his head placed on the female’s lap as she gently placed her fingertips on his head.

Gwydion’s body twitched, tensed and relaxed at random times. His sleep was fitful. It was clear that he was having a nightmare. Glowing runes floated around the gentle fingertips and Gwydion’s youthful face. Illusions of peace and security passed through the borders of Gwydion’s mind as he began to gain better control over his nightmare.

Feeling comfort, courage, confidence and security welling up inside him, Gwydion faced the monsters that were tearing his village apart. He could hear the cries and screams of his loved ones nearby. He immediately rushed towards them.

As he did so, a strange power welled up inside of him. He stretched out his arm. The strange power used his body as a conduit and gathered at his hand. Glowing lines started to form in front of it. The lines formed a rune that he directed at the monsters attempting to break through Ilasha and his fathers’ protection to get at their family.

Just as Gwydion was about to unleash the power of the rune in front of him, he woke up. He was greeted by a strange feeling of power coursing through his arm that gathered at his outstretched hand, and a beautiful visage with a stupefied expression.

***

“Oh fierce and turbulent waters, hear my command and turn your wrath upon my foes. [Water Blade]!”

Gwydion chanted and casted his first magic spell. A thin blade made of water appeared and sliced the empty ground in front of him. It left a deep mark upon the ground. Only a month had passed since Gwydion met his master and started learning magic. His talent allowed him to quickly gather mana and move it at will in that month. A feat that only apprentice mages would have been able to pull off at two years.

Chrysanthemum had a pleasant expression on her face as she observed the results of her apprentice’s spell. He was talented enough to rival even her own and she had the advantage of being born with mana sight as a Faerie. For his first spell to contain such destruction despite being an elementary one is testament to his potential and talents.

However, Gwydion soon turned red and stomped his feet as he turned to his master.

“Master Chrys! This is too embarrassing! Do I really need to chant a spell to unleash it? I don’t see you having to chant when you use magic. In battle, this takes too long and it’s way too obvious,” a blushing and frowning Gwydion faced his master as he began to rant.

“Now, now, Gwydion. Calm down a little. We’re just proceeding step by step. You will eventually get to voiceless incantations. As to the way I cast magic, who knows if you are able to pull it off. The first time I saw you use it was merely subconscious. It could have just been a miraculous coincidence,” Chrysanthemum lightly placated Gwydion.

Chrysanthemum looked at the sky, judging the time that had passed. It took Gwydion an hour to formulate, visualize and cast his first spell. That hour was the only one that she could spare for Gwydion today.

“Gwydion, I have to go now. I have matters that I have to attend to for today. Practice the new spell and make sure that you can prepare to cast it as fast as you can. Needing nearly an hour to visualize the spell is just unpractical,” Chrysanthemum lightly said as she shimmered and disappeared where she stood.

Gwydion sighed. He did not continue his practice immediately. Instead, he sat at a nearby tree and closed his eyes. He reminisced over the events that happened over the past month.

Over the first few days after having met Chrysanthemum, his nightmares gradually diminished. Each time he slept, he could feel that tranquil sense of security wrap about him. He knew that it was Chrysanthemum expending some effort with magic to calm him down after she had explained the strange power that coursed through him when they formally met. It was also in that first few days that she was his bedrock. He told her of the events that transpired in his teenage years that led to his wandering and sought comfort in her presence.

After having gotten over his trauma and accepting the past which he had struggled to overcome for so long, Gwydion began to ask for Chrysanthemum’s teachings in magic. She agreed upon seeing that the ghosts of Gwydion’s past had lifted. Using magic, she also gleaned that Gwydion was not hell-benton revenge, but merely wanted the strength to protect those he loved. Soon, the two had a fast growing master-apprentice relationship and their friendship bloomed as well.

Gwydion finished reminiscing over the past. Instead, he began to think of his master. That beautiful figure with gorgeous butterfly wings that was attached to her back. She had luscious and silky, but uncommon black hair. Her rare black eyes shone with a luster that brought shame to the most lustrous of black pearls. Her features were a mix of elegance, allure and dignity. Chrysanthemum wielded a power that was way beyond Gwydion despite being only three years his senior. Gwydion felt a small flame of passionate but calm desire pulse through his very being.

***

Five years passed quickly. Gwydion, with his superb talent and potential, had long since learned voiceless incantations. He was trying to learn rune magic but was having trouble formulating the runes as he could only try to feel for the runes and could not see it like Chrysanthemum could.

The relationship between Gwydion and Chrysanthemum also grew more intense. They were way beyond friendship, but not quite that of lovers that entrusted their very being to each other. The extent of their intimacy only extended to laying in each other’s arms in companionship. They never crossed the boundaries of a kiss on the lips or more intimate desires that filled their hearts.

However, this relationship of theirs was fated to collapse. One day, Chrysanthemum burst into the glade with tears streaming down her cheeks. Worried for her well being, Gwydion immediately calmed her down until she was ready to voice out what had happened.

Chrysanthemum then revealed that she was the heir to the Titania position within the Faeries. She also mentioned that on that day, she was engaged to the future Oberon of the Faeries. This was not something that she could overturn due to her duty to her race. However, Chrysanthemum did not want to entrust her body to a man she did not love.

On the other hand, Gwydion was shocked. He did not know how to take it all in. His mind was a mess until he felt Chrysanthemum press her body onto him. A tentative kiss on the lips made Gwydion’s frozen body melt as he began to reciprocate her actions.

Sharing that moment felt like an eternity. The two remained in each other’s embrace. Emotions connected and coursed through them. Regaining their bearing, the two stared hard into each other’s eyes.

“Dion… love… I want you to be my soul’s partner. I want your child so that the future Oberon won’t touch me. Please…” Chrysanthemum pleaded.

Gwydion could only nod upon seeing and feeling her desperation.

“Please do as I do,” Chrysanthemum murmured as she led Gwydion through a soul binding ceremony that Faeries go through upon marriage.

Two souls intertwined. Two bodies embraced tightly. The night was still young…

===

Author’s notes:

Looks like the scroll that Wisteria held was not telling the whole truth! That changelings came into being due to a love between the two, not a treaty. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I had a hard time trying to add a slight romantic element because I am forever single T^T .

Oh, and an FYI kind of thing: Magic, when chanted, consists of a long incantation. The longer the incantation, the higher the spell's rank will be. So elementary spells consist of only one line, a rank above that is two lines, and so on. Therefore, higher level chanted magic results in super long cast times. Formulating is easier when magic is chanted because magic is formed through the incantation. As for rune magic, it requires the user to formulate using rune formulas. It is therefore more flexible than the incantations but harder to use. The good point of runes is that it is much faster to use when you are used to the rune formulas and symbols.