《Gaining Infinity》 The Awaited Heir The Year 152 of The Lunar Calendar. In the "Yezid Continent". ~ "Sir! The mistress has given birth!" said a woman to a man dressed in black warrior''s attire. "HAHAHA... Finally! The long-awaited heir has been born. I will soon be able to retire to the countryside and leave this heavy responsibility to a suitable heir of my bloodline," announced the burly man with an excited expression, unbecoming of his hairy and fierce-looking face. The man then had a serious expression and inquired, "Is the child healthy?" "Yes, Sir Commander! The child is a perfectly healthy, 8-pound baby boy." The man''s excited expression reappeared. "Excellent! Take me to my wife and child, I can''t wait to know what kind of talent my offspring will possess," said the man with a commanding tone. "Of course! Please follow me!" The lady maid started escorting the man through the corridor of the estate quarters where his wife had given birth. This man was none other than ''Alvar Elerian'', the commander of the Western army of the ''Yasid Empire'' of the Yezid Continent. A distinguished warrior hailed as "The Best in the World." Alvar was also the leader of the Elerian Clan, a clan known for producing powerhouse warriors who were adept wielders of the Ether. Elerians were known for their ethereal prowess and were regarded as strong warriors and magicians. As the clan''s leader and a commander, Alvar was expected to have performance exceeding all others, which had caused him immense fatigue. Therefore, he desired an heir to whom he could pass this heavy burden when he grew old and frail. He intended to spend the rest of his old age in the countryside with his beloved wife, awaiting his demise. ~ In the bedroom quarters. "Oh my! Look at how beautiful your son is, my lady... Have you picked a name for him?" exclaimed one of the maidservants. "We will come up with a suitable name together," said the lady in bed, gently holding the child to her face. "You mean Sir Alvar and you? How are you so sure he is going to return?" questioned the maidservant. "Isn''t he battling at the western borders? Will he have the time to travel all the way here to the capital?" The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. "GUESS WHO''S HERE!" The ladies were startled upon hearing this bold voice. The woman holding the child widened her eyes to look at the entrance of the room. She appeared surprised and slightly emotional. "Dear, it''s actually you..." said the woman with slight disbelief. "You thought I wouldn''t come?" Alvar looked at her questioningly. "No, I believed you would. I knew you wouldn''t miss the birth of the child you have been longing to have," she said to him with a slight smile tucked at her lips. "Anyways, now that you are here, have you thought of a name yet for our boy?" "Wait, I never thought about that. It didn''t even cross my mind! How could I! Let me come up with a name right now," the man stated while sheepishly caressing his long, bushy beard. The woman just chuckled at her husband''s folly. "Well, I have a suggestion." "Yes!? I am willing to hear it," Alvar said with a bright expression, clearly relieved to have gotten rid of this burden. He was never good with names¡ªhe had even named his horse ''Booger'' because it reminded him of it. The lady understood her husband''s relief and seemed even more willing to pick a suitable name. "How does ''Alf'' sound?" asked the lady questioningly. "ALF... ''Alf Elerian''... Hmm... I like it. I think it''s a suitable name for a future warrior of the Elerian Clan." The lady flashed a bright smile like the sun. "Alf, my child, do you like your name?" The child, as if understanding her words, flashed a smile. "May your life be full of happiness and joy as you are experiencing now," said the lady when she saw her child''s innocent smiling face, not yet wrinkled by the worries of life. Alvar''s expression darkened as he thought about what this child would have to go through as a member of the Elerians. As a father, he wanted nothing more than to pamper him and fulfill all of his son''s whims. But he was aware that as the head of a clan of warriors, the kind of mentorship this child needed was one that would shape him into a suitable successor for the Clan Head position. "Dear Catherine, please hand me the child," Alvar demanded, looking at his wife with a serious expression. Upon his request, she realized her husband''s intent and was hesitant to hand over her child, whom she adored more than anything. She reluctantly handed over Alf to her husband. "Sure, here, go to dada." Catherine, despite her hesitation, obeyed her husband when she looked at his face¡ªa cold expression in complete contrast to his previous excitement. Catherine Sanders, a lady from a modest family, had married Alvar Elerian through an arrangement. Her family had been subservient to the Elerians for generations and was more than glad to marry their daughter to the Clan Leader when there had been a proposal from the Elerians. Catherine, though innocent and pampered, was not ignorant of the customs of the Elerians. She was aware that her son was being taken to the ''Talent Awakening'' ceremony, which every Elerian child went through on the day they were born. This ceremony was supposed to awaken the latent talent of wielding ''Ether'' in children, which was the determinant factor for their future growth. Children with high talents were nurtured to be the cornerstones of the family as warriors or mages in the future. While those with low talent were almost always disregarded and thrown out of the competition for gaining a rank in the clan or even in the Western Armies, as they were mostly incapable of wielding enough Ether to excel in either the warrior or mage professions. This ceremony would determine Alf''s future potential in wielding Ether so that he could qualify as an heir and receive special treatments and privileges. While walking to the ceremonial place with Alf in his embrace, Alvar received various salutes after each step from the Clansmen and guards alike. "Clan Head!" "Sir Commander!" Alvar responded to each salute with a slight nod and continued walking with an authoritative posture. ~~ In the courtyard of the Elerian Estate. "Clan Head, please, this way," said an old man in ragged clothing with utmost respect. "Please place the young one on the box." In the middle of the courtyard, there was a certain cube-shaped box made out of some kind of lustrous metal with rune symbols engraved all over it. "So this is the Lustrous Box that measures talent! I barely remember it, coming here as an infant," thought Alvar and placed Alf, who was wrapped in a blanket, on the box. "I really hope your talent in wielding Ether is high; otherwise, your journey forward is going to be really difficult, my son," thought Alvar while looking at the cute face of the child on the box, his heart anxious. The box started glowing, and a really bright yellow light came out of the runes. "NO! IT CAN''T BE!" exclaimed the old man in ragged clothes. The bright light suddenly vanished completely, and the runes stopped glowing. "_" "SO! What is it? How is my son''s talent?" The old man coughed in embarrassment. "It seems I was mistaken. I am sorry to tell you... your son is completely ordinary," the old man said in a monotonous tone. Alvar clenched his fist and punched a hole through a nearby wall. He started shouting and breaking every wall, pillar, and pot in the courtyard like a madman. The old man shuddered in fear upon witnessing this frightening display of strength. "My son is utterly useless?" Whispered Alvar. His gaze cast down. To be continued... Talentless Heir "My son, is utterly useless?" Alvars says faintly, his gaze cast down. ~ The next day ¨CElerian Estate''s Clan Hall¨C "Have you heard about the newborn son of the Clan Head? Word is that he is completely talentless. He has no latent talent in wielding Ether!" "I have also heard the whispers, but how can you believe in such baseless rumors?" "These rumors aren''t baseless, every guard and servant who witnessed the talent awakening has testified to it. The Clan Head''s son is utterly useless. I mean, have you ever heard about someone being born with no talent?" The voice said in a whisper. Two old men were discussing while sitting on alternate chairs. These two were one of the many clan elders that were having a similar discussion in the Clan Hall. Many were eagerly awaiting the Clan Head, to hear his conformation about the rumors. In the 800 year long History of the Elerian Clan, not a single individual had been born completely talentless. Alf''s appearance was thus an anomaly. Being completely talentless was rare even among ordinary people, let alone in a clan full of warriors and magicians, known for their strong bloodlines. To top it all off, this child was none other than the Clan Head''s son, who would inherit the Clan Head position, after Alvar retires or passes away. A bold voice abruptly halts the discussion among the elders. "Sir Alvar Elerian, the Clan Head and commander of the Western Armies is here!" Announces a guard clad in green. Hearing this, all the elders in the Hall stood up from their chairs, to pay their respects to their leader. With a commanding presence, Alvar steps into the hall, his upright posture reflecting the might of a seasoned warrior. Dressed in dark warrior''s attire, with a sword hanging at his side and a dagger strapped at his waist, he exuded an aura of authority. He walks towards the throne, and before taking a seat, signals everyone to sit down with him. Just as he is about to speak, a voice interrupts. "Clan Head! I have heard that your child that you were so eager to have, ended up being a useless cripple that doesn''t have an ounce of talent¡ªis this true?" An elderly voice speaks up, with an extremely wrinkled face and a smug expression. Upon hearing this old man''s rant, though Alvar''s expression darkens, he maintains his composure. "That is indeed true Oscar. My son is born with no latent talent, I have confirmed it with the talent awakening ceremony." Alvar replies, without an ounce of emotion in his words. The sly old Oscar smiles triumphantly. "It appears you have no other option. You will have to make my grandson ''Edward'' the successor" "Who says there is no other option? It seems you are mistaken, just because my son has no talent, doesn''t mean he cannot become the next successor." Alvar replies with a cold look in his eyes. The old man snorts arrogantly. "Huh! If you think a weakling will be allowed to become the Clan Head, then it''s you who are mistaken, Sir CLAN Head!" "Who says my son will be weak? I plan to make him even stronger than I ever was." Alvar responds with a smirk. "Oho, would you look at this arrogant fool?"The old Oscar thinks inwardly. "Have you ever heard of a no-talent becoming a warrior? How will he fight when he can''t even wield Ether? He will be crushed before he can step foot in the battlefield. Such a boy is incapable of becoming the Clan Head of the strongest Clan in The Asid Empire." Retorts the old Oscar, his frustration apparent. The elder''s remarks drew the attention of everyone present towards him, and even the few that had sided with Alvar before, started siding with the old Oscar. They all agreed that Edward was the better candidate. Upon witnessing this scene, a frown appears on Alvar''s face. He is distressed by the Elders agreement with old Oscar. "GIVE ME FIFTEEN YEARS!" The words echo in the Hall. Drawing everyone''s attention. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. "In fifteen years, if my son is not able to surpass Edward, he will be disqualified as my successor and I might consider making Edward the next successor." "Your grandson is currently nine, right?" "Indeed he is¡ªso what?! You think he will be surpassed by a no-talent child in just fifteen years?" The old voice seeming increasingly agitated. The elders exchange glances, impressed by their leader''s unwavering confidence and determination. They start a discussion among themselves, and argue whether or not to agree with their Clan Head''s terms. After a while of silence, the majority of elders come to an agreement. "Clan head, we have an agreement. If your son is not able to surpass Edward, Oscars grandson in fifteen years, he will no longer be the successor and Edward will automatically remain the only viable candidate due to his strong martial prowess and high talent." An announcement is made by a representative. Hearing this, old Oscar tries to retort, but a bold voice interrupts him. "ALRIGHT, IT HAS BEEN DECIDED! In exactly fifteen years, there will a duel between my son and Oscars grandson. The one who emerges victorious will become the successor to the Clan Head position." Alvar''s voice thunders across the Hall. (A/N: Ayo, revenge? ) "Do you have any disagreements O-S-C-A-R?" The old Oscar barely controlling his fury, musters up a reply. "Alright! I oblige! The duel shall be held in fifteen years time." "Yeah, the duel will happen¡ª provided that the brat is able to survive till then!" The sly old Oscar start scheming in his head, a sinister smile creeping on his ugly face. ~ ¨CElerian Estate¨CCeremonial place¨C The ragged old Man ''Durian'' is cleaning the lustrous box with a cloth, when he notices something amiss. "Wait, why is the lustrous box not glowing when I touch it?" He wonders while cleaning the boxes top. "Usually it would glow with a bright light and with slight warmth radiating from it." The old man then starts inspecting the runes on the box with Ether threads, coming out of his fingers. He visualizes the Ether threads moving along the flow of Ether in the runes. But he discovers something peculiar. "How is this possible? The box ran out of Ether!?" The old man wonders, puzzled by this discovery. "This should not be possible! It was filled with a massive quantity of Ether just five years ago, that should have lasted for a few more decades, even if a ceremony was to be performed every day." He racks his brain for an explanation. Only one ceremony had been performed yesterday, yet the Ether was completely drained. "That single ceremony should not have depleted the Ether reserves." "Maybe that sudden fluctuation and that bright light that appeared while performing the ceremony, was somehow related to this?" "Oh, who am I kidding! I am too stupid to grasp this situation. I should summon the Clan mages to refill the Ether supply of the Box." The old man surrenders his curiosity to his stupidity, quietly walking to the mage quaters to summon the mages and inform them about the lack of Ether in the Lustrous Box. Along his walk, old Durian can''t help but wonder about this peculiar incident. "I can''t explain this unease I am feeling. A single childs awakening should not have run the Ether supplies dry! That too of a talentless child¡ªtalentless?" Old man Durian''s thought process gets interrupted by a passer by mage, who inquires about his presence in the mage quaters. "What are you doing here old Man?" "Oh! It''s you Sir Thebes! I came here because... " He instructs the mages to fill the Lustrous Box, and forgets about his previous unease. "Ah! I was probably overthinking it" He disregards his previous puzzlement and proceeds with his usual duties. (A/N: oh boy) ~ ¨C Living quaters¨CElerian Estate¨C Catherine is gazing at her son''s face, sleeping peacefully in the cradle, completely unaware of the uproar his birth has caused in the Clan. "My sweet child." She looks at him with tearful eyes, as she imagines the hardships and difficulties that await him. When Catherine first came to know about her son''s lack of talent she was absolutely devastated. She cried the whole night in sadness for her son''s future. She was aware, being born with no talent for Ether wielding, was as good as being born a cripple that will be dependent on others for every little necessity¡ªespecially in a clan of warriors¡ªwhere the weak are trampled and looked down upon, while the strong rule. "I won''t let anyone hurt you. I promise it!" Catherine makes an oath to herself. Just when she leaves the room, she catches sight of her husband walking around the living room in deep thought. "Dear you are back! How did the meeting go? What did you discuss?" Catherine asks with a concerned look on her face. "How is Alf?" "He is currently sleeping in the cradle." A frown appears on Alvar''s face. "It seems our son is not out of the successor position, atleast not yet" Despite being relieved to hear this, Catherine still questions her husband about the meeting. He gladly narrates the discussions he had with the Elders and the agreement he reached with the old Oscar. "That sly fox! He always was after your position! Now he wants it for his grandson so that he can use him as a puppet?" "Why haven''t you gotten rid of him yet? You should have thrown him out of the clan a long time!" Catherine couldn''t contain her disgust and anger. "Control yourself. You know I can''t do that! That oldie has deep connections with various elders and has a long history with the previous Clan Heads. Throwing him out is not viable. Rivalries between members is encouraged. I can not take any major action until I have proof of his malicious and conniving nature; otherwise, I will lose the trust of the Clan members." Catherine finally manages to compose herself and asks Alvar what his future course of action will be. "I could not let his schemes come to fruition. My son has to win the duel in fifteen years, if we are to prevent that old fox gaining leadership of the Clan." Alvar says with a determined expression. "I am afraid, you will have to seperate from our son for a while!" A faint voice says. He looks at her with an apologetic expression. Catherine''s expression shifts from anger to confusion upon hearing this. "What do you mean?" Alvar clenches his fist and decides to tell her after a moments contemplation. "That Oscar! He is planning somthing sinister. Our son''s life will be endangered if he were to remain within the estate." To be continued... Separation "That Oscar..!He is planning something sinister, our sons life will be jeopardized if he were to remain within the Estate." Catherine''s eyes widen as she hears this, but she maintains an expression that suggests she expected it. "I have been suspecting him. I have had a hunch for a while, you know? He has been aiming for the Clan Head position, and this is an excellent opportunity to seize it." She responds bitterly. "If even you can sense how dangerous he is, then he must be planning something terrible." She says with her eyes closed and arms crossed. "But as long as you are here, I do not think he will dare to do anything harmful to our child!" "That is the issue! You see, the reason I fear for Alf''s safety, is because I will be leaving tomorrow!" Cathrine looks at him with a questioning expression. "Why? You just got back yesterday!" Alvar clenches his fist. "If only Alf had been born with the talent for wielding Ether, his path would have been much easier. But fate had different plans... Now I must ensure that he survives in another way!" He thinks to himself. "It appears that while I was traveling here, my men were ambushed by enemy soldiers, and hundreds of them were killed due to a lack of command. My absence has resulted in numerous casualties, so I must return to the western borders!" Alvar says with regret. Hearing this, Catherine attempts to persuade him not to return, claiming that someone else could go in his place. However, he disagrees, stating that he cannot abandon his comrades for a threat that may not even exist. "Listen to me, perhaps it would be best if Alf were to grow up at some other place. If he were to stay here, he would not feel welcomed and would be an outcast among his peers. I do not want such a life for my son!" After a few seconds of silence, Catherine presses a hand to her chest as if steadying her breath. "You are correct." She mutters. Her words were bitter, but she spoke them anyway. Alvar sighs deeply upon witnessing his wife''s grief. "You can spend a week with him, after that, he will be sent to live with ''Daniel''. He is a man I have a lot of faith in." "He is a former comrade who now lives on the outskirts of the capital. Alf will be well-cared for there, and you could pay him a visit once every few months. He will also train him in martial arts while I am away. Since he can''t use Ether, martial arts training is the only way he can get stronger!" He says, with a look of anticipation. Hearing this, Catherine clenching her fists, simply nods. She walks away, and heads to the bedroom where Alf was sound asleep. Alvar let''s out a deep sigh and decides to leave the living quaters, hoping to give his wife some space. He leaves the next day, missing the opportunity to speak with Catherine one last time. "I forwarded the letter to Daniel¡ª it is now Cathrine''s decision, whether or not to send Alf to live with Daniel at Zalglen.''" Alvar thinks inwardly as he rides his horse through vast grasslands. ~~ This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. A week later¡ª Catherine is riding in a carriage through a dense forest, holding Alf in her arms. "If everything goes as planned, we will be at Zalglen in three days." The coachman tells a pale-faced young man with blue eyes and black hair. "Did you hear sis? We will be there in just three days!" "Yes, I heard." Catherine responds with an expressionless face. Following that, a terrifying cacophony of barks rises from the forest. A group of red wolves emerge, drooling and howling. They start surrounding the carriage. "What is a pack of red wolves doing so far away from their usual habitat!?" The coachman exclaims. "Oh Lord! I don''t want to die!" In a state of panic, he tries to steer the horses away, but one of them is bitten by a wolf while attempting to flee. "Don''t even try! There are too many of them, we cannot escape without a fight!" The young man exits the carriage with his sword unsheathed and glowing with a blue light. He glares at group lunges. In an instant, he closes the distance, stabbing, poking, and slicing. If a wolf came within a reasonable range, he would cut it down, and if it was farther away, he would stab it. Within a few seconds, a dozen wolves were sliced down. "So, you are the only one remaining." Like a predator observing its prey, he gazes at the wolf. He lunges forward, attempting to stab it with his sword, but the wolf easily dodges and charges at the man''s neck. The man staggers as the wolf''s claws approach him. He narrowly avoids the fatal blow by ducking just in time. "It appears I must use the Ether flow if I don''t want to get killed!" His sword begins to glow with an even brighter blue light, and he launches an attack. This time, the wolf wasn''t so lucky and the sword pierces its neck, ending its life. "Huuh! Its finally dead¡ª man was that exhilarating!" The man exclaims with a wild grin. Catherine exits the carriage distraught, but when she notices her brother still standing and the dozen wolf corpses on the ground, she sighs with relief. "Thank God you are safe! I was so anxious!" "You are worried for nothing; do not you know how strong I am?" He asks with a smug smile. Catherine chuckles at her brothers cocky attitude. "He has grown up to be just like his father." "Thank you so much Sir Ethan! If it weren''t for you, I would''nt have survived. I owe you my life!." The coachman bows his head in appreciation. When Ethan saw this, he grabbed his shoulders to pull him from his bow. "My sister is the reason I came on this journey, I am here to keep her safe. This is my duty, no need to thank me," he says while shaking his head. ~ Catherine finally arrives at Daniel''s house in Zalglen, after three days and nights of riding. The house was built entirely of wood and features a traditional Indo-European design common in the Asid Empire. A fierce-looking man with sharp features and a robust physique was waiting at the house''s entrance. "I welcome you to my home, Lady Elerian. I have been eagerly awaiting your arrival!" Says the fierce looking man. "Thank you! I appreciate your warm welcome!" Catherine replies politely. "I suppose you are Mr. Daniel?" "Oh yes! I am Daniel. Sorry for the late introduction!" He replies, scratching the back of his head. Daniel invites Cathrine into his home. "I am afraid I cannot invite Sir Ethan as well, as we do not have enough room for any more people," he says, with an apologetic expression. "Oh! I guess it cannot be helped since you don''t have enough space. I am fine sleeping in the carriage; I have been doing so for a few nights." Ethan replies with resignation. ~~ After a brief introduction with the rest of the family, he inquires about Alf, and asks her the reason for sending him so far away from the main estate. After some thought, she decides to tell him everything. "Since he will be looking after Alf from now on, it would be better to reveal everything." She goes on to explain everything that has happened, from Alf''s birth to the talent awakening and the agreement with Oscar. "Hmmm... I see. I understand why commander decided to send Alf here. It was probably the best option for his safety and growth." Daniel nods as he comments. "You can rest assured my lady! Alf will be loved and well cared for. He is the commander''s son, and I will make sure he has everything he needs. My daughters have already grown fond of him." He gives a thumbs-up. (A/N:Lol. Fun guy) ~ Catherine had spent the whole night chatting with the family members. She wanted to ensure that Alf was placed with a family that was suitable for him. She observed that this family was loving and caring, and it was only then that she decided to leave first thing in the morning. "How can I be so selfish and force you make you stay with me? I do not want my selfishness to continue to put you in danger."She thinks inwardly, while clenching her fist. "It breaks my heart to leave, but I know it is best for you to stay here and grow up safely." She mutters as she presses Alf against her face, her eyes moist. Her gaze drops as she releases her son and steps into the carriage. To be continued...