March 12th, 1810
Four days had passed since the incident.
Xavier and the others had finally located Teslaine. The gemstone he had given her before the chaos had activated, teleporting her to safety. They found her deep within a forest, beside a quiet lake, asleep beneath the swaying trees. She was unharmed.
She'd been admitted to the nearest hospital shortly after, diagnosed with only minor injuries—a few cuts, light bruises. Her true ailment was exhaustion: a severe lack of rest and proper nourishment.
Xavier, however, had not been so lucky. He had taken the worst of it—stab wounds, shattered bones, bruises that turned skin black and blue. And yet, he stood. Bruised, bloodied... but unbroken. He had been partially healed by Elowen after reuniting with his friends, but the healing session was cut short. Xavier insisted on fighting Reginald alone. It was something he had to finish, a decision driven by the weight of guilt and the fierce need to protect those he loved.
His body had been pushed beyond what any nine-year-old should endure. Even after Alcmena and Elowen's joint healing, Xavier's skin still bore the map of battle—scars from this most recent ordeal layered over the very first one he earned in the fight against Adam during the Gladiator Grand Festival.
The scene shifted to the hospital. Inside Teslaine's room, sunlight spilled gently through the half-drawn curtains, casting warm hues over her bed.
Xavier wasn't alone. His entire group had come to visit. They gathered around, laughter and soft conversation filling the space like light music.
Xavier stood by Teslaine's bedside, introducing her to everyone with a grin wider and more relaxed than they'd seen in weeks. Teslaine, shy but smiling, laughed quietly at nearly everything he said. Her cheeks flushed pink, and every now and then, she looked away from Xavier's gaze, clearly flustered.
On a nearby couch, Jasmine sat with her chin resting on her palm, watching.
The breeze from the open window gently played with strands of her hair. Her eyes, distant yet focused, followed Xavier and Teslaine. Something stirred in her chest—something foreign, unfamiliar, and undeniable.
She didn't understand it fully. She just felt it.
The girls seated around her noticed the far-off look in her eyes. They exchanged knowing glances.
Sophia leaned in with a mischievous smirk. "Is everything alright, Princess?"
"Huh?" Jasmine blinked, coming out of her trance. "I'm fine. Why?"
Sophia tilted her head. "Oh, no reason. It's just… you haven't moved in minutes. You've been staring at Xavier and Teslaine like they're the only ones in the room."
Realizing what they were insinuating, Jasmine immediately bristled. "Whatever you're thinking, it's wrong. You've all got the wrong idea."
Misaki grinned. "Oh no, we've got the right idea."
"You don't," Jasmine shot back, folding her arms.
Elowen's voice was gentler, more careful. "Princess Jasmine… do you, perhaps, have feelings for Xavier?"
"What!?" Jasmine nearly jumped. "Why would you ask that?!"
"Because," Elowen said kindly, "you seem a little jealous. And jealousy usually stems from something... deeper. Especially when it's over someone like Xavier."
Jasmine shook her head, firm. "Why would I be jealous? I'm just happy he's smiling again. After everything… after running from his family, being alone... seeing him laugh again makes me happy. That's all."
"You're right," Misaki chimed in, voice softening. "We were all worried about him. We still are. He hasn't told us why he ran off, and we won't force him to explain until he's ready."
She gave Jasmine a sideways glance, then playfully covered her mouth. "But you don't have to lie to us. We felt that jealous aura from across the room."
Jasmine exhaled quietly, flustered but composed. "You guys play too much. There's nothing between me and Xavier. We're just friends. That's all it is."
"Are you sure about that?" Aria chimed in. "You never know… one of you might be hiding something."
"Xavier doesn't feel that way about me," Jasmine said quietly. "He doesn't."
They giggled among themselves, teasing but respectful. They knew better.
Xavier had never been good at hiding his feelings—not from them. His quiet glances, the way he lingered when Jasmine laughed, the subtle tension when her name came up—it was all there. They saw it. But they wouldn't say anything.
That wasn't their secret to tell.
As the sun reached its peak in the sky, Xavier stood and stretched.
"I've got some things I need to take care of," he said, offering them a warm smile. "I'll catch you all later."
And with that, he left the room, unaware of the silent war of feelings unfolding just behind him.
The streets of London greeted him with their familiar cobbled charm and a buzz of daily life that seemed to hum with energy. The sky was overcast, but not gloomy, and the cool air carried with it the scent of chimney smoke and blooming flowers.
As Xavier strolled down the path, lost in thought, he suddenly spotted Miss Victoria from a distance. She was struggling to carry a stack of heavy boxes up the steps of an apartment complex.
Without hesitation, Xavier approached. "Hello, Miss Victoria."
Startled, she turned, surprise lighting up her expression. "Oh! Xavier! What a surprise. How have you been?"
"Great!" he replied with a grin. "But do you need any help with those boxes?"
Victoria shook her head immediately. "No, no, no. Don't trouble yourself with me, Xavier. I'm already deeply and forever grateful you saved my niece and brought her back to me. I can't take advantage of your kindness."
Xavier chuckled, gently lifting one of the heavier boxes from her grasp. "You don't have to worry, Miss Victoria. Teslaine is my friend, too. Helping her—and you—is something I chose to do."
His expression softened. "And let's not forget you helped me learn about my past... about my parents. I'm grateful for that. Truly."
Victoria exhaled, realizing there was no convincing him otherwise. She smiled. "Alright then, help me get these upstairs."
"Gladly."
Together, they carried the boxes up four flights of stairs to Victoria's apartment. It was a cozy, well-kept place with tall windows and shelves lined with books, curios, and framed photos.
Xavier set the box down and looked around. "So this is where you live?"
"Yes," Victoria replied. "Teslaine and I have lived here for years. I've raised her in this very apartment since she was a baby."
Xavier paused, imagining a younger Teslaine toddling around the wooden floors, her wild hair tied in ribbons, her curious eyes always looking for answers. The image brought a faint smile to his lips.
As he placed another box in the living room, something caught his eye—a framed photo resting on a cabinet near the kitchen doorway. He leaned in, picking it up gently.
It was a photograph of two women. One was unmistakably Miss Victoria, younger, smiling brightly. Beside her stood another woman with long, flowing black hair and striking ruby-red eyes that mirrored Teslaine's. She wore a long white coat—a scientist's coat.
"Who is this?" Xavier asked curiously, holding up the frame.
Victoria turned, her expression softening. She brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "That's... my older sister, Rebecca. Teslaine's mother."
Xavier blinked. "She's Teslaine's mother?! That explains the eyes—and that smile. They look so much alike."
Victoria laughed gently. "You really are good with your words. No wonder Teslaine has taken such a liking to you."
She set down the box she was carrying and walked over to stand beside him. "My sister and I were very close, more than just siblings. We were both young prodigy scientists, always chasing knowledge. We loved exploring the mysteries of the human body, the universe... everything."
Her voice wavered slightly. "But that all came to a halt when Rebecca died. It was a sudden accident... about nine years ago."
Xavier's voice dropped. "You told me once that Teslaine lost her mother when she was young. But hearing it like this... it's hard. No one should have to go through something so painful."
"I agree," Victoria said, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "But life continues. And right now, we should get these boxes unpacked before Teslaine comes home. It's her release day, after all."
"Right!" Xavier replied, his spirit lifting again as they returned to the task at hand.
The thirty minutes it took to unbox everything passed in a blur.
Xavier found himself in Teslaine's room. The last box he unpacked was hers. It was unlike any room he'd seen. Soft peach walls radiated a calming warmth, almost identical to her golden-blonde hair. Plush toys decorated every corner, and sunlight kissed the edges of a desk cluttered with notebooks and wooden mechanical projects. But what stole his breath was the wall—a sea of trophies, medals, and certificates. They gleamed like constellations, a silent testament to her brilliance.
"I knew she was a genius," Xavier whispered to himself, eyes scanning each plaque. "It's like trophies are her toys. Just... part of the furniture to her."
He smiled, gently picking up a photo on her nightstand. A younger Teslaine beamed at the camera, round glasses on her nose, nestled beside Victoria in school uniforms. Her joy was infectious. He chuckled.
"She looks so cute with those glasses," he murmured.
But as he moved to return the frame, his elbow nudged something off the edge of the table. A necklace hit the floor with a soft clink.
He knelt down, heart tightening as he recognized it—Teslaine's necklace. The heart-shaped locket she wore every day, even when he'd come to save her, she always had it on.
Curiosity overtook him. Slowly, reverently, he opened the locket.
Inside was a photo—and the sight of it cracked something deep within him.
A baby Teslaine in her mother Rebecca's arms, Victoria standing behind with a proud smile. And beside Rebecca... stood a man. Hands around her. A gentle smile on his face.
Percival Ashford.
Xavier froze. His breath caught in his throat. His fingers trembled as if the necklace had burned him.
The same man who tore his life apart.
The man who murdered his father.
The man who stole him at birth, injected him with the cursed serum that stripped him of his ethereal core. His humanity.
And here he was. Holding a photo of that monster cradling a baby.
Teslaine.
His world shattered.
Everything he felt, every comfort he'd found in her presence—ripped out from beneath him.
He stood in silence, paralyzed. A silent hurricane of emotion erupting within him. There was no fire—only frost. No screams—just silence so sharp it could cut.
He felt a deep, aching betrayal that tore into him like ice in his veins.
Then the door creaked open.
"Xavier?" Victoria's voice was soft, hesitant. "I was about to make tea. Are you hungry?"
But when she stepped in, she froze. The air shifted. Xavier's azure aura surged like a tidal storm, cracks spiderwebbing beneath his feet, light flickering like lightning trapped beneath skin.
He didn't turn. He didn't speak for a moment. He simply held the necklace in his trembling hands.
Victoria's eyes fell on it—and the look on her face crumbled into sorrow.
"Xavier," she began, slowly extending her hand. "Please... let me explain."
His voice came low, cold. Void of warmth.
"Now I understand why you didn't want to tell me about her father".
"You let me trust her. You let me care for her... all while hiding this."
"You played me like a fool."
Across the city, Anastasia was at a large and buzzing street market picking out ingredients for dinner.
"He likes spicy food... not too hot though," she murmured, holding a jar of seasoning.
But suddenly, Alcmena—resting on her shoulder—jerked upright. His tiny body shivered.
"We have to move. Right now."
Anastasia blinked. "What?"
"Xavier... his emotions—they're collapsing. He's not in danger. But whoever's with him might be."
Her heart skipped. She dropped the jar without thinking. "Where is he?"
"Follow me."
They vanished into a shadow-step.
As they soared through the crowd, Alcmena's mind was elsewhere. His usually glimmering eyes dimmed with worry.
Xavier, he thought, I feared this day would come.
The world is changing you.
The boy who smiled through bruises, who shared his last crumb with strangers, whose laughter once shone brighter than the sun—he's fading.
You were meant for more than vengeance. More than rage. You were meant for love. For light.
But now... shadows gather around your heart.
And I'm afraid.
I am not your father, but I have loved you as one. And if I lose you to that darkness...
Then the world will lose its hero.
And I... I will lose the boy I call son.
I cannot let that happen. I won't.