Infinite Mana In The Oasis

285: Aldo Awakens a Hidden Power 285: Aldo Awakens a Hidden Power Roma nodded.

“Few have.

It’s an ancient order—maybe older than House Tigerin itself.

They worked in the shadows to preserve the balance of power between bloodlines.” Eren leaned in.

“You think they still exist?” “I don’t just think,” Roma whispered.

“I know.

Someone from Forgeholm sent me this symbol in a sealed letter, three weeks before Aldo was attacked.

No words.

Just the seal.” Sofiya frowned.

“So they’re trying to warn you?” “Maybe,” Roma said.

“Or lure me.” Eren tapped the table.

“Either way, they know something.” Roma nodded.

“There’s a place—beneath the old forge tower at the edge of the city.

They call it ‘The Deepbellows.’ No one goes there anymore.

Too unstable, they say.” Eren stood up.

“We’re going.” That night, while Aldo slept under the protection of House guards at the inn, the trio snuck out through the dark alleys of Forgeholm.

They reached the forge tower—rusted, silent, and buried in ash.

A broken bell hung above its doorway, and the entire area reeked of sulfur and molten stone.

Inside, the floor was cracked and uneven.

Roma led them to a hidden door beneath a pile of iron scraps.

It creaked open, revealing a staircase that spiraled downward into darkness.

Torches in hand, they descended.

The air grew colder, the walls wetter.

Ancient carvings lined the stone, some so faded they looked like scratches.

After a long descent, the tunnel opened into a vast underground chamber—The Deepbellows.

And in its center stood a glowing stone altar, surrounded by murals of war, bloodlines, and a great horned figure looming over cities.

As they approached the altar, the room lit up with a faint golden glow.

From the shadows, a hooded figure stepped forward.

“I was wondering when you’d arrive, Lady Tigerin.” Eren and Sofiya immediately stepped in front of Roma, weapons ready.

The man raised his hands.

“Peace.

I am not your enemy.” “Prove it,” Eren said.

The man pulled back his hood, revealing pale eyes and silver hair.

He looked human—but something in his presence felt…

old.

“I am called Seran.

Keeper of the Eldcryst Seal.” He gestured to the altar.

“This place holds knowledge hidden for centuries.

Knowledge about the true origin of bloodlines.

About the half-blood clans.

About why your brother was taken.” Roma narrowed her eyes.

“Tell us everything.” Seran nodded slowly.

“There are those among the noble bloodlines who want to become gods.

To do that, they need something pure.

Something ancient.

A child like Aldo.” Eren stepped forward.

“You mean his blood?” “More than just his blood,” Seran replied.

“His spirit.

His mana core.

Everything that makes him what he is.” Roma’s face hardened.

“Who is behind this?” Seran looked up at the ceiling of the cavern.

“There is a name we do not speak aloud.

But I can give you clues.

And a path forward.” He turned to the altar and placed a crystal orb on its surface.

It shimmered, casting images into the air—flashes of noble banners, cloaked figures, and a black mark carved into a silver crown.

Sofiya stared.

“That’s not just a noble… That’s royalty.” Seran nodded.

“The corruption runs deep, even in the capital.

Even in House Fenris.” Roma’s eyes widened.

“We came here to keep Aldo safe,” Eren said.

“But now…

we may need to start a war.” Seran’s expression didn’t change.

“You won’t be the first.” *** After the meeting in the Deepbellows, Seran shared with Roma, Eren, and Sofiya several ancient scrolls—records of forgotten rituals and the history of divine bloodlines.

He warned them that the war brewing wasn’t just political or noble—it was magical, spiritual, and ancient.

There were families whose blood carried fragments of a divine essence, and Aldo’s was one of them.

Before they left, Seran gave them a crystal shard tied to Aldo’s bloodline.

It pulsed faintly when held near Roma.

“He will need this,” Seran said.

“It will help him remember.” The trio returned to the surface by dawn.

Aldo was still asleep, untouched and unharmed, though he stirred restlessly in his dreams.

Roma sat by his side the entire day, holding the shard, waiting.

*** The wind outside The Ember House howled like a living thing.

Storm clouds rolled over Forgeholm, darkening the sky and stirring soot from the chimneys.

Rain began to fall—not in a gentle way, but in thick, heavy drops that slapped the stone and hissed against warm metal.

Inside the manor, Aldo sat near the fireplace.

A blanket was wrapped around his small shoulders, his face pale, eyes distant.

Roma sat nearby, her worry growing by the minute.

“He’s barely spoken since yesterday,” she whispered to Eren.

“He’s been through a lot,” Eren replied, standing at the edge of the room with Sofiya.

“But I think it’s more than that.” Sofiya nodded.

“He’s not just shaken.

He’s changing.” Just then, Aldo flinched.

His hand gripped the armrest.

His eyes shut tightly.

“Aldo?” Roma rushed to him.

“I… I feel something,” he said, voice trembling.

“Inside me.

Like a voice.

But not words.

Like it’s calling me.” Eren took a step forward.

“What kind of voice?” “I don’t know… It feels warm… and sad.” He clutched his chest.

“It hurts.” Suddenly, the crystal shard Seran had given them began to glow.

Roma pulled it from her pocket, and it flared with golden light.

Aldo’s eyes opened—and for a moment, they shone gold too.

The wind outside grew louder.

Windows rattled.

The fire in the hearth flickered wildly, as though reacting to something in the room.

“Step back,” Eren warned, drawing his sword just in case.

But Roma didn’t move.

She dropped to her knees in front of Aldo, holding his hands tightly.

“Aldo, listen to me.

Whatever is calling you—don’t be afraid of it.

You’re not alone.

I’m here.

We all are.” The shard floated from her palm and hovered in front of Aldo’s chest.

It spun faster and faster, glowing brighter until the entire room was bathed in warm gold light.

Then it shattered—into dust.

The golden dust swirled around Aldo, wrapping him in a glowing cocoon of light and wind.

Roma shielded her eyes.

Sofiya cursed under her breath.

And Aldo began to speak—not with his voice, but with something deeper, something ancient.

“I am the last starseed.

The spark that did not fade.

Born of sun and storm, I remain.” Then he screamed—not in fear, but in release.