THE GENERAL'S DISGRACED HEIR

As the others prepared the final arrangements for departure, David pulled Yue aside to an alcove off the main room. Luna and Elara joined them, the latter seemingly reluctant to let David out of her sight after the eagle's appearance. "The materials you gathered," David began without preamble, "I need to know if they're suitable for a stabilization matrix." Yue's childlike face grew serious, the ancient alchemist within momentarily overriding her playful demeanour. "Theoretically, yes. The phoenix feathers and moon-touched silver create a perfect resonance for dimensional work. But David, what you're suggesting would require formulae beyond even my understanding." "Show me what you've collected," he said. She produced a small velvet pouch from within her robes, carefully spreading its contents on a small table. The iridescent ground phoenix feathers glimmered next to coils of silvery wire that seemed to phase in and out of visibility depending on the angle of observation. As David reached to examine them, something strange happened. His vision blurred, then sharpened to an impossible degree. Complex mathematical equations suddenly overlaid his perception, numbers and symbols flowing across his field of view like a cascade of arcane knowledge. Δψ = (∂²/∂t²)ψ - c² ∇²ψ + (m²c⁴/ħ²)ψ The formula appeared before him, then expanded, branched, evolved into increasingly complex variations—dimensional equations he had never studied yet somehow understood perfectly. It was as if knowledge was being downloaded directly into his consciousness. The flood of information was both overwhelming and exhilarating, a paradox of burden and enlightenment. His body trembled, his breath coming in short gasps, but at the same time, an ancient part of him—Solomon's legacy—stirred. It was as if his very soul resonated with a knowledge beyond the world, an unshakable certainty filling him. Simultaneously, the silver bracelet on his wrist—Kaelith's sealed form—began to emit a subtle glow. Warm, then hot against his skin, pulsing in rhythm with the mathematical vision overwhelming his mind. "—avid? David!" Elara's voice penetrated the trance-like state, her hand gripping his shoulder firmly. He blinked, the equations receding though not entirely disappearing. The others were staring at him with expressions ranging from concern to fascination. "What just happened?" Litty asked, having joined them unnoticed during his episode. David exhaled, regaining his composure with visible effort. "Just... a sudden insight," he said vaguely, deliberately keeping his tone reassuring. "Something about these materials triggered an old memory." His eyes fell to the glowing bracelet. Kaelith, the fallen star he had bound during the dimensional trials. Was he awakening? The mana flowing through his fractured system might be affecting his sealed form, but that wasn't something he could share with the others. Elara's gaze remained fixed on him, her concern evident. "Are you sure you're alright?" "Perfectly fine," David assured them with a confident smile that belied the storm of equations still swirling at the edges of his vision. "Sometimes the mind makes connections when you least expect it." He shook his head to clear the remnants of his vision, then turned to Yue. "You will need proper tools in Valemir. I can guide you through the process." Yue froze, her usually bright demeanor darkening. "Guide me?" she repeated, her voice laced with disbelief. "David, stop this nonsense. Principles of the world cannot be invented, nor reinvented, especially not by someone who isn't a scholar. Do you have any idea what you're saying?" There was something deeper in her tone, not just doubt but the sting of wounded pride. David exhaled, realizing his words had cut deeper than he intended. He had always respected Yue's knowledge, and to her, what he was suggesting must have sounded like arrogance. Without a word, he raised a hand. From his fingertips, threads of mana unfurled—thin as spider silk, shimmering with an ethereal glow. They wove through the air in a delicate dance, bending and looping as if guided by an unseen force. At first, they formed simple geometric shapes—circles, triangles, interlocking arcs—but then, they began to shift. Symbols emerged from the glowing filaments, flickering between states like living equations. Runes of ancient origin pulsed alongside modern arcane script, forming intricate spirals that expanded and contracted rhythmically. The air around them warped, faint distortions rippling outward as if reality itself resisted what was being constructed. One equation solidified, glowing with undeniable authority: Δψ = (∂²/∂t²)ψ - c² ∇²ψ + (m²c⁴/ħ²)ψ But even as Yue gasped, the symbols shifted again. What should have been fixed formulas instead evolved—growing, fracturing, reforming in ways that defied the logical constraints of magic as she knew it. The equations spiraled outward, weaving into a lattice of ever-changing glyphs that seemed to hum with an otherworldly resonance. The glow intensified, and the symbols pulsed in synchrony with David's heartbeat. The sheer weight of the knowledge pressing into his mind was staggering, yet at the same time, exhilarating. Solomon's legacy surged within him, whispering of truths beyond the fabric of this world. Yue staggered, her knees threatening to buckle, her breath hitching in stunned disbelief. This wasn't magic—it was something more. Something that shouldn't exist. David caught her before she fell, his grip firm yet steady. "Trust me," he murmured, his voice laced with quiet certainty. "Just this once." Yue swallowed hard, her hands tightening into fists before she finally, slowly, nodded. Elara studied him with narrowed eyes but asked no questions. Whatever she suspected, she was keeping to herself for now. "Merchant Hassim is signaling for boarding," Litty reported, glancing toward the inn's entrance. "We should join the caravan." Outside, a substantial merchant caravan had assembled—six large wagons plus smaller carts, a complement of hired guards, and various travelers who had paid for safe passage. Merchant Hassim, a portly man with an immaculately maintained beard, greeted Yue with the deference one shows to a valuable business associate. "All arranged as requested, Alchemist Yue," he assured her, gesturing to a well-appointed covered wagon near the middle of the formation. "Private compartment, minimal inspection at checkpoints." David boarded last, pausing to look back at the Crossroads Inn. The mock battle, the shared room, the eagle's message—all steps on a path leading inexorably toward Valemir and whatever awaited them there. The dimensional equations still flickered at the edges of his vision, and his bracelet maintained its subtle glow beneath his sleeve. As the caravan lurched into motion, David settled opposite Elara, who was watching him with an intensity that suggested their conversation about his father was far from over. "To Valemir, then," Yue said brightly, seemingly oblivious to the tensions around her. "I do so enjoy a good adventure." The road stretched before them, winding through rolling countryside toward the distant capital—and the Eye of Ternion that might hold the answers David desperately needed. **** Hey guys, for anyone interested in the equation: α⋅∇4ψ → Introduces higher-order spatial derivatives, representing magical distortions or extradimensional resonance. −cβ​∂t3∂3​ψ → Adds a time-warping term, hinting at temporal instability or higher-order causality effects. Γ(x,t)ψ → Represents a nonlinear potential, suggesting an external force acting unpredictably on the wavefunction, like the influence of Solomon's legacy or an unknown higher-dimensional force i.e the system.