"Are you sure about this power?" Raymond asked, sounding more than a little incredulous.
"Not completely," Leon admitted. "I still haven't tested it in practice." He glanced toward the mare. "But based on the vision I just saw, I can confirm at least this much."
Raymond remained silent for a moment before nodding. "Then let's test the hypothesis further." He gestured toward the stable. "There are plenty of horses here." A faint smile tugged at his lips. "But don't overexert yourself."
Leon nodded.
The two moved on to the next stall. Leon focused on the horse inside. Nothing. "It's a stallion," he said after a moment. They continued. The next horse was a mare—still nothing. Another, nothing. A younger horse, nothing again. One stall after another, Leon felt no reaction from the crystal.
Until they arrived before another mare. The horse lazily chewed hay while standing inside the stall, and unlike the others her stomach was noticeably swollen. Pregnant. The moment Leon's attention settled upon her, warmth spread through his forehead.
"It's reacting." Excitement crept into his voice. "The crystal is reacting."
Raymond immediately straightened. "Go on."
Leon stepped forward and gently placed a hand against the mare's neck. The warmth intensified. Then the vision arrived.
Possibilities unfolded before his eyes—numerous paths, numerous futures. Some appeared distant, unclear, almost unreachable. A magnificent horse with broad wings soaring through storm clouds. A creature wreathed in azure flames. A dark steed covered in shimmering scales while shadows flickered around its body. The moment Leon looked at those possibilities, instinct told him they were difficult. Dangerously difficult. As though forcing such transformations might require far more than he currently possessed.
Then his attention shifted to simpler paths. More stable ones. A colossal warhorse with a steel-like physique, powerful enough to carry armored warriors across battlefields. And another—a sleek silver steed surrounded by flowing currents of wind, elegant and fast, incredibly fast, the creature seeming capable of crossing vast distances in a fraction of the time required by an ordinary horse.
The vision faded. Leon blinked and returned to reality.
"Well?" Raymond asked immediately.
"It's similar. Different possibilities, but some appear far more attainable than others." For the first time since arriving at the stable, Raymond looked genuinely excited.
"Can you keep going?"
Leon paused. A faint ache had begun forming behind his eyes—nothing serious, just enough to remind him that his abilities had limits. "A few more times won't be a problem."
The brothers continued moving through the stable, and whenever they found a pregnant mare Leon tested his power. Again and again and again. With every vision new possibilities appeared—some strange, some extraordinary, some completely impractical. Yet as the number of observations grew, a pattern slowly emerged. No matter how different the mare was, two possibilities appeared almost every time. The first was the massive warhorse, a powerful breed built for endurance, strength, and battle. The second was the silver wind-steed, swift, graceful, and seemingly capable of manipulating wind to enhance its speed.
Eventually Leon shared his observations with Raymond. "The visions change," he said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "But these two keep appearing. The warhorse and the wind-steed." The source of this chapter is novelping dot com.
Raymond considered that for a moment. "Then perhaps they require the least intervention." Leon looked at him. "If every mare can reach those outcomes while the others only appear occasionally, it might mean those paths are naturally more compatible. Safer. Easier to achieve."
Leon slowly nodded. "That's what I was thinking." His expression grew serious. "The more fantastical paths felt unstable." He hesitated before continuing. "If I tried forcing one of them..." His gaze drifted toward the pregnant mare. "I have a feeling it could harm the foal." Whether because of his lack of skill or because those possibilities were simply too unlikely, he couldn't tell.
Raymond's expression darkened slightly. "You might be right." For a few moments neither spoke, both understanding the implications. This wasn't a power they could afford to use carelessly.
Finally Raymond broke the silence. "At least we have a better idea of what your ability does."
Leon nodded. It wasn't a complete understanding—not even close. But it was a start.
Raymond glanced toward the castle. "Come on. We should discuss this with Father and decide our next course of action." Leon agreed, because if their deductions were correct, this ability might be far more important than either of them had initially realized.
The two brothers turned to leave. Before they could take more than a few steps, Raymond suddenly stopped. "One moment." He beckoned the stable keeper over and the man hurried across immediately.
"My lord?"
Raymond gestured toward the rows of stalls. "How many pregnant mares do we currently have?"
The stable keeper paused to think, his gaze drifting around the stable as he counted mentally. "Roughly twenty, my lord. Perhaps a few more."
Raymond nodded. "Good." The stable keeper waited. "I want all of them moved to the castle stables."
The man blinked in surprise. "All of them?"
"Yes." Raymond's expression remained calm. "The city is preparing for a prolonged siege. The castle grounds are better protected than the public stables, and if conditions worsen, valuable breeding stock is something we cannot afford to lose."
The stable keeper immediately straightened. "Understood, my lord." The order made perfect sense from a logistical standpoint—in times of war, livestock often became as valuable as weapons, particularly animals capable of producing future generations. "I'll have them transferred before nightfall."
Raymond nodded. "See that you do."
By the time they returned to the castle the morning was already well underway. Messengers moved through the corridors carrying reports, servants hurried between offices, and soldiers stood watch at every entrance. The atmosphere felt far more tense than it had only a few days ago as the reality of the coming siege began to settle over the city.
Leon and Raymond made their way toward Arthur's office, only to find it empty. A clerk informed them that the City Lord had left earlier that morning. "Inspection tour," the man explained. "His lordship is reviewing the reconstruction efforts personally."
After thanking him, the brothers continued down the corridor. Raymond frowned. "Father has been working nonstop since the invasion." His gaze lingered on a nearby window overlooking the city. "I don't think he's had a proper night's sleep in days."
Leon lowered his head. A feeling of guilt settled in his chest. While Arthur was carrying the weight of an entire city, he had slept peacefully. While soldiers rebuilt walls, while commanders prepared for another war, while his father shouldered responsibilities he could scarcely imagine—he had slept, experimented with his powers. The realization made him clench his fists.
Raymond immediately noticed and without warning smacked Leon lightly on the back of the head.
"Ouch!" Leon glared at him. "What was that for?"
Raymond rolled his eyes. "What are you sulking about now?"
Leon looked away. Raymond didn't need an answer. The older warrior sighed. "You really are an idiot sometimes." Leon opened his mouth to protest and Raymond cut him off. "What exactly were you supposed to do?" He spread his hands. "You've never been trained for any of this. The city was attacked. You awakened an unknown power. And half the kingdom seems determined to collapse around us." A grin suddenly appeared. "If anything, you're the one who should be resting while you still can."
Leon raised an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"
Raymond chuckled. "If your powers work the way you've described..." He pointed toward Leon's bandaged forehead. "In a few days, you might become the busiest person in the entire city."
The joke drew a reluctant smile from Leon. Then his expression became serious again as he looked toward the city beyond the castle walls—toward the people rebuilding their homes, toward the soldiers preparing for another battle, toward the future that suddenly seemed far more uncertain than before.
"I'd be glad to help." His voice was quiet, yet completely sincere. "Anything." He clenched his fist. "Anything to help save our city from this calamity."
Raymond studied him for a moment, then smiled—this time with no teasing behind it. Only approval.
"Good." He patted Leon's shoulder. "Because I have a feeling you're going to get that chance."