The Ancient Genes

Max looked at Lisa lying on the ground asleep. There was a complicated look in his eyes. 

"It's not possible, they should have vanished long ago…" Max mumbled with knitted brows.

But what about the thing in front of him. There was no other way for him to make sense of this.

When Max was in the 4th Trial, in the Trial of God, he had to lead the life of an Arthirix. Max didn't know which era it was, but it was definitely before the current Mage era. 

The people in that era had similarly faced the demons, but the war had left them extinct as well. That was the only possible way for their disappearance. Max couldn't think of anything else.

In that era, one tale was very famous throughout the continent. The story of the Crystal Heart.

Everyone has heard the story of a hero in their childhood. But this wasn't one, instead it showed the story of a girl. One who was neither a savior nor a destroyer but a mere reflection. The reflection of the world.

The one born with a crystal like a heart. It was said that if the person from legend truly existed at that time, the chosen ones would have succeeded in killing Vaccaria instead of just sealing him.

But only Max and that person whom he lived as in trial knew that the person really existed.

Yes, her name was, Qia.

Max still remembered the girl very well. She was one of the girls that he had rescued from the village destroyed by demons.

The Max of that time had no idea about it and by the time he knew, it was too late. 

Even though Max blamed himself somewhere or the other, he knew that it was just pieces of the past. Something that had already occurred. But humans were creatures with emotions, sometimes it's not just easy to pretend that things never happened. Even though he spent a short time of around a month with her, Max had built a connection with her. He really treated her as a sister and could still recall her voice which lingered in his ears.

Max sighed, he had decided not to mix up the two worlds. But it still affected him somewhere or the other.

'Is it really the crystal heart? When did it happen? Was she like that from the start?' Several questions began to pop up in Max's mind.

'I thought only humans and demons existed now.' As soon as this thought appeared in his mind…..a distant memory resurfaced in his memory.

'Although there were a few who awakened, only 5 awakened the Ancient Gene'

It was the time when he met that Fake God, Vali for the first time.

His words rang in Max's mind and he suddenly realised.

"Does that mean there are other Awakeners aside from us, the Primal Humans?" Max muttered under his breath. If there were indeed others, then it seems his work was going to increase.

Max looked at Lisa, "He still couldn't believe himself….am I being too quick in deciding?"

The fact that Qia and Lisa were so different in terms of personality, Max felt it hard to believe. She was a gentle and kind spirit. One that would make people smile and here was this polar opposite girl very capable in willing the smile out of people's faces.

Sera gently touched Lisa, she really didn't want to send her out. But she would definitely prioritize Max over everything else.

"Wait, Sera!"

Max suddenly stopped Sera, "You don't need to do it now. You can go and play with others. Come when I call you…"

Sera looked at Max and asked, "Can I play with her?"

"We will see about that…" Max replied and patted Sera's head.

Sera nodded before she left with everyone except for Twice. He was Max's boy after all. 

The group looked at him as a backstabber. But Twice turned his head around laid down beside Max.

"Now, what to do with her?" Max mumbled, he was planning to let her go. But the Crystal Heart had him worried. Even though it was just a legend, Max knew what it could lead to if it ended up as truth.

Max only had one worry, that was the main reason which was stopping him from sending her back. He needed to confirm something fast.

«Coward Cat: I want some help...» Max messaged in the chat.

«Bahamut: What's wrong?»

«Coward Cat: I will tell you later, first help me get some info on Mage King's daughter. I want to know her awakening age. And I also want to know what kind of element the Walker House specializes in.»

«Bahamut: Hmmn, I will get it then. But, It better be something serious for disturbing my sleep.»

'This kid, he is already sleeping….' Max thought but didn't type it. It would definitely trigger him if he did.

Max waited for a few minutes before the reply came.

«Bahamut: The record says that even though Lisa had shown signs of awakening from 15 showing that she was a variant, her proper awakening was recorded at 16. She seemed to have awakened the Dark element or Black magic. That is what the official record says.

As for the Walker House, they seem to have a variety of Mages in their ranks. It will be difficult to pinpoint them under one section. But if we are talking about the mainline, It should be the destruction element.»

Max looked at the message and a frown emerged on his face. He knew that the Walker family's mainline had the Destruction element and he thought Lisa was the same as well. It was because the last time he had seen her in action was back in Arcane. At that time, he was weak, he couldn't even differentiate between darkness and destruction element as they both had some similarities.

But now he knew that the Darkness and Destruction elements were different. Both were rare and strong but not the same.

Max sighed, he had finally made his decision, had to so something about her. He didn't know the truth. It was all just his hypothesis. But he wasn't willing to let it go.

If Lisa awakened at 16, the same time when Max awakened the Ancient Genes. It should mean that she had awakened the Crystal Heart as an Arthirix too. 

Crystal heart was a reflection, if she could wield Darkness element with Crystal heart, it was a worrying issue.

And the fact that the Walker family didn't have the Darkness element as their specialty made Max's worry deeper.

This was a bad sign. Crystal Heart showed the state of the person. The legend said that if the world loved the heart, it would reflect it back and if they tainted it, it would do the same.

Lisa's awakening of the Darkness element had caused Max this worry. Was it possible that she had suffered something in the past? He was just grateful that she wasn't born in terrible conditions otherwise, the Demons would have found themselves a reliable ally.

"Is that the reason that she acts twisted at times?" Max suddenly thought and his frown deepened. He was starting to fear letting this time bomb roam around free without any regard. Not to mention, being Mage King's daughter would have good and bad sides as well. 

"No...even if there is a tiny chance of truth, I can't just let her roam around." Max shook his head.

His eyes suddenly turned grim and a chill flashed past through them. Max raised his hand and his dagger flew from his luggage into his hands. 

Killing her was the best option.

It would be difficult to get her under control. Not to mention that if she had already had some negative emotions built into her, he had to get rid of them. He would have to raise her just like Sera. This was going to be a lot of trouble. And if by chance, he failed. It would be a disaster.

As for Aria, he would have to think of some way to deal with her.

Max gripped the hilt of the dagger tightly. He looked at Lisa, a life of an innocent for the betterment of millions. It indeed had a good sound to it, but only the person wielding the blade knew how messed up the idea was.

Max looked at her and his hands quivered a bit as the face of the girl from the trial overlapped Lisa's face.

Max gritted his teeth and steeled his resolve. He would do it. As he was about to swing the blade, Max suddenly felt several gazes on him.

Sera and the rest of them were starting at Max. They could feel his discomfort, after all it was his world that they were in.

'What am I doing?' Max sighed as his hands stopped. The sudden pause made him realize a few things. If he really killed her just because she was not of any use and only trouble to him, would he be able to face himself in the mirror? How was he any worse than his own family who abandoned him for lack of power, for being a burden? 

Max looked at Lisa and muttered, "Let it be…. If she will be a disaster, I will bear it."

"Go fetch!" Max suddenly turned around and threw the dagger into the distance as he could stil feel the gazes on him.

"The first one to get it will be treated to ice cream…" 

With his announcement, the race had begun…

Max smiled as he turned around to look at Lisa once again. He just hoped that this girl wouldn't make him regret his actions today.