At the very top of the North-Land's Science Division complex, Dom's jaw dropped in appreciation of the intricately designed executive office around him--from the lighting to the furniture and decorations, all radiating sophisticated beauty.
"Your office is so cool, Doc," Dom said, stopping beside a large glass case filled with scientific awards and certificates.
"Please. You can call me Ivan," He replied, gesturing to the two seats at his office table.
As Roy and Dom sat, Ivan took his seat across from them and removed a chilled bottle of water from the mini-fridge under his desk.
"Would you like something to drink?" He asked politely.
"I think we're fine," Roy replied sharply, his gaze and tone still skeptical.
"Yeah," Dom commented as he sat up. "I just want to hear about this Silva thing,"
"I see." Ivan nodded, sipping from his bottle before setting it on a coaster. Slowly, he interlaced his fingers over the table and fixed Dom with a long, serious stare. "I'll start with a question, then."
Dom noticed the intense purple glow in Ivan's old eyes.
"How much do you actually know about yourself, Dominic?" Ivan asked, his voice calm.
"Myself?"
"I'm talking about your magic attribute," Ivan clarified.
Roy's stare instantly hardened at Ivan's words.
"My attribute? Dom echoed, briefly confused before realizing Ivan's intent. "Oh. It's Physical Enhancement," He held up his fist with some blue mana oozing around it. "I can make my body stronger and faster by reinforcing it with mana."
Ivan's serious expression shifted into a curious smirk. "What if I told you that was just a mere fraction of your true power?" He asked.
Dom's eyes widened, slowly lowering his arm at the thought, just as Ivan noticed Roy's unwavering, intense stare.
"You sure you want to do this, Doc?" Roy asked, his voice threatening.
"The Great Land may try to reject their existence, but as one of their descendants, don't you think he at least has a right to know?" Ivan shot back, locking eyes with Roy with a matching intensity.
Dom looked between them, sensing the tangible tension now hanging over them. "Know what?" He asked.
Ivan returned his gaze to Dom, smiling faintly. "Your heritage."
Dom's body stiffened, fists tightening under the table.
My… heritage?… He thought, his mind wandering to everything he knew of his past.
Pops had been his only family, but he'd always known they weren't related by blood. As a curious child, he had already asked questions about his real parents, how they really died, or where he really came from-- but Pops always deflected or dismissed those questions.
Over time, Dom eventually stopped asking, accepting his past as nothing significant—until now.
"I'll only tell Dominic if he wishes to know. He deserves that choice," Ivan explained, glancing at Roy with a neutral expression.
Roy's gaze softened slightly.
"Ivan," Dom said, drawing their attention to his steady yet urgent expression, "… tell me."
Ivan looked at Roy, who at first remained stern, then sighed in defeat after seeing Dom's pleading eyes.
With the silent consent given, Ivan rose and moved to the bookshelf behind him.
"For over five centuries…" He began, running his hands across some books, "N-L has researched mana--hoping to use that knowledge to win the war and establish itself as the pinnacle of magical prowess."
He shifted between books, some older than others.
"While I assisted in that research, I've always had two fundamental questions I've held since I was a child. The very same questions that drove me into becoming a scientist in the first place."
His old eyes gleamed as he recalled those questions.
"What exactly is mana, and where did it come from?"
He paused, pulling out an old tome.
"I've been able to answer the first question from my years of research, but the second… still eludes me." He blew the dust off the book as he walked towards them. "And in searching for that final answer, I found something very... interesting."
Ivan placed it on the table, its weight rattling everything on the wooden surface.
"What's this?" Dom asked as he leaned closer, barely able to read the ancient writing on the book's cover.
"It's a book from our nation's royal archive," Ivan explained, sitting back down before searching the old pages using the numerous bookmarks he'd made. "It records five centuries of the North's history. And while it doesn't explain mana's origin, it did reveal the existence of humans called the Primordial Mages."
"Primordial mages?" Dom asked, eyes narrowing at the strange term.
Ivan nodded as he continued his search. "I believe they were the first humans to attain mana and become mages." He paused once he found what he was looking for.
"While everything about them is still wrapped in mystery, I've identified three important facts about them."
He slid the book across the surface, displaying the opened pages to Dom and Roy, their attention was drawn to a red-circled section.
"First…" Ivan said, tapping at that section. "… those mages had another name-- The Silva Clan."
Roy stiffened at the name while Dom's brows furrowed as he glanced at Ivan.
"You said that before," Dom muttered, then looked at the book again, his gaze fixed on that name displayed on the old page. "So my ancestors were from this clan?"
Ivan nodded firmly.
Dom raised a brow. "How can you be sure?" He asked.
"That brings me to my second fact… their physical traits," Ivan said, turning a page and displaying a human sketch for Dom to examine.
"All recorded Silvas have a distinct appearance from other humans." He explained as his gaze shifted over Dom's appearance. "The same dark skin, blue eyes, blue mana, and…" He tapped the hair in the sketch. "… snow-white hair."
Dom frowned in thought; all those features described him to a perfect and almost eerie degree.
"Among all these features, the hair is especially important…" Ivan commented as he sat back, arms folded. "It serves as a physical proof of their attribute manifestation. When that happens, their naturally born hair color changes into that characteristic white."
Dom touched his hair, frowning at Ivan's last phrase, the one piece of information that was wrong. "But… that doesn't sound right," He mumbled.
Ivan raised a brow. "What do you mean?"
"According to Pops, I've always had white hair. Even when I was still a baby." He said, tapping his head. "It never changed."
Both Roy's and Ivan's eyes widened; Dom's words carried an implication that defied all natural laws.
Dom stared, confused by their shocked expressions. "What?" He asked.
Roy glanced at Ivan, his expression tense. "Is it possible to manifest that early?" He asked.
Ivan shook his head, his tone just as stunned. "Throughout history, every mage manifests their affinities between the ages of six and eighteen." He turned to Dom, his eyes narrowed. "I've never heard of anyone manifesting earlier."
Dom leaned back in his seat and laughed. "And back then, I was worried my affinity would never come." He said, then sat up with an excited grin as he pointed at himself. "Does that make me some kind of overpowered mage?"
"Not likely," Ivan said, immediately extinguishing Dom's excitement as he calmly adjusted his glasses. "Though it adds another level of rarity to you."
"Oh." Dom sighed, sinking into his seat with visible disappointment.
"There's one more important detail," Ivan added, touching his own gray hair for emphasis. "I believe that the proportion of white hair on these mages' heads directly corresponds with the potency of their attribute. As far as we know, only a handful of Silvas had full-headed white hair like yours."
Dom smirked, proud of himself, before narrowing his eyes as another memory crossed his mind. "Wait… Is that how Tony knew what my affinity was back then?" He asked, recalling that fateful day.
"By Tony, you mean General Anthony, correct?" Ivan asked.
Dom nodded.
Ivan hummed in thought. "Well, since he was working for a Silva, it would make sense that he knew the signs," He explained.
Dom raised a brow. "Working for one?"
Ivan smirked. "It's a man I'm sure you're familiar with." He turned his spinning chair aside, gesturing toward a large portrait above the bookshelf. "The most powerful mage in history--the Mage Emperor."
Dom stiffened, his attention drawn to that same portrait. "Are you for real?" He asked, eyes wide at the fully armored man in white in the artwork, his cape flowing majestically behind him---the literal definition of a knight in shining armor.
"Even though he hides his true identity in that armor, I suspected it from his feats and confirmed it during the war," Ivan said, then turned his attention to Roy, who narrowed his eyes at him. "And I assume his close comrades already know about his true heritage as well."
Dom turned to Roy, shocked. "You knew?" He asked.
Roy glanced at Ivan, sneering briefly before facing Dom with a stoic stare. "It was when Tony was still with the other Monarchs. Right now, the only ones in the third division who know are Jasper and I. Not even Zoe knows about the Si-"
He suddenly winced, a hand on his head, almost as if saying the word itself was impossible.
Dom frowned, confused as Roy rubbed his head. "Then why didn't any of you tell me?" He asked.
"That's because they can't," Ivan said, turning his chair back to face them. "For some reason, the kingdoms--especially all four great kingdoms--have strictly hidden this information from the public."
He tapped the old book.
"It's a miracle I was even able to access the royal archive for this particular volume."
Ivan's eyes narrowed as he continued, "One method they use to keep that information secret is by forcing those who know about it into a magic contract."
Dom frowned, confused. "What's that?" He asked.
"It's a form of mind-altering magic," Ivan explained, adjusting his glasses. "It creates a command or restriction in the target's mind, complete with very specific activation conditions-- along with severe consequences if they're broken."
Ivan glanced at Roy, a look of pity softening his face.
"In this case, the contract dictates that if the person reveals specific information about the Clan, the spell destroys their mind—essentially killing them."
Dom stiffened, eyes widening as he turned to Roy, finally understanding the strange behaviour when Roy tried to say the name.
"So Tony… and Jasper…" Dom began.
"I'm not sure about Tony," Roy sighed, resting his still aching head on his chair. "… but Jasper has one too," His gaze then fell on Ivan, his tone now suspicious. "I'm surprised you don't have one, Doctor."
Ivan smiled. "I almost did." He said as he looked at the ceiling, his eyes distant with memory. "I suspected that it was a serious crime to investigate them, but I could not resist my curiosity and continued my research in secret. Eventually, I made a mistake and exposed myself."
He closed his eyes, recalling that moment. "Once our King discovered I knew, I was immediately arrested, and a contract was almost forced on me too--but I convinced him not to."
Roy raised a brow. "How?" He asked.
"That brings me to my final fact," Ivan said, as he leaned forward, closing the book and fixing Dom with a steady gaze. "Your attribute does make you physically enhanced, as you said. But that is something all mages can do--especially if they have good mana control and a large enough reserve."
Dom frowned, Xavier's cocky smirk flashing across his mind, saying those same words.
"But…" Ivan said, a smile forming on his face. "… I realized it goes beyond that for your kind."
"What do you mean?" Dom asked, confused.
Ivan silently pressed a few commands on the keyboard on his side of the desk, and a blue glowing projection of the human body emerged above the table.
"Cool," Dom muttered in awe of its complex design, while Roy's eyes narrowed as Ivan reached out to touch the hologram.
"What normal physical enhancement does is improve the production, integrity, and efficiency of specific body cells," Ivan explained, zooming in on the image. "Commonly, these include the cells of the skin, muscles, and bones."
He tapped to highlight each feature in red.
"But with your species, not only is this enhancement far superior to ours, it goes beyond this selection and enhances every cell in your body."
He tapped another command, highlighting the entire holographic body.
Dom's brows furrowed, clearly missing the point, as Ivan continued with a growing smile.
"On the surface, it doesn't sound impressive, but once you look closely, you'll see the sheer absurdity of this ability. Take the sense organs, for example…"
The hologram zoomed in on the head, highlighting eyes, ears, and other sensory organs.
"By enhancing each of their cells, your dynamic and kinetic vision could rival that of mana eagles, and your hearing could pick up sounds no normal human ear could ever detect."
Before Dom could fully process it, Ivan had moved on.
"Or the liver."
The organ is highlighted on the hologram.
"Normally, it detoxifies harmful substances like alcohol or drugs. But by enhancing those hepatic cells, you can theoretically render extremely deadly poisons ineffective. What about your immune cells?"
More images highlighted, painting the hologram in numerous red markings.
"Enhancing them could make you immune to virtually any disease or curse spells."
Dom's forehead wrinkled in thought. "Isn't that--"
"Or," Ivan ranted excitedly, cutting Dom off as more highlights painted the hologram. "… you could potentially increase your IQ and dynamic thinking by enhancing your neurons or hasten your healing factor similar to healer mages by enhancing your clotting system… or--"
Roy let out a loud cough, cutting Ivan off.
Ivan finally noticed Dom's conflicted expression and chuckled sheepishly. "I apologize. I got carried away." He said as he deactivated the hologram and settled back in his chair, calming himself with a deep breath.
"But as you can see," Ivan continued with a lingering smile. "… the potential of your attribute is extraordinary. In the words of our nation's youths, you're quite literally… built different."
Dom nodded, absorbing the information. Thinking it through, it was clear that a mage with all these abilities would be nearly invincible. His eyes then widened as a realization struck him.
This must be the secret to that great man's power.
"The emperor could do all that stuff?" Dom asked.
Ivan, however, rubbed his beard with a frown. "I'm not sure." He said as he glanced at the portrait again. "But during the war, our soldiers confirmed his advanced senses, immunity to poisons and curses, and his legendary physicality."
He narrowed his eyes at the armor covering every inch of that invincible mage.
"Which is why Ethan's choice of armor baffles me. With his sheer physical prowess, he never needed that much cover. Could it have just been a fashion choice after all, or… was he trying to create some sort of symbol?" He muttered, stroking his beard thoughtfully.
Roy stared at the portrait, asking himself the same question, while Dom's frown deepened as he stared at his hands.
"But… I can't do any of that," Dom muttered.
Ivan shook his head as he turned to him. "You couldn't--because you didn't know you could." He said, encouragingly. "With proper training and experimentation, you should be able to, especially as a fully manifested Silva."
As Dom rubbed his temples to process the revelation, Roy narrowed his eyes at Ivan. "Even I didn't know about this," He admitted.
Ivan smiled proudly. "I doubt the royals knew either. That information is what separated us, Roy," He said, folding his arms. "Well… that, and the fact that my king was interested when I offered him the option of understanding this power."
"What do you mean?" Roy asked.
Ivan's smile widened. "Oh, I'm sorry. That was just a slip of the tongue." He said teasingly.
Roy gave him a suspicious look, but Ivan maintained his confident smirk, just as Dom spoke.
"So… does this mean Ethan and I are related?"
Ivan hummed in thought, rubbing his beard before answering, "I don't know exactly how… but considering you share the same qualities, I'm sure you are."
Despite the flood of information still processing in his mind, Dom grinned. "Wait till Dae finds out about this," He chuckled to himself.
Ivan's expression suddenly darkened. "I would be careful who you tell about this, Dominic," He warned.
Dom's smile faded once he noticed Ivan's stare. "Because of the contract?" He asked.
Ivan's face grew even darker. "The contract is just one way to restrict this information." He added.
Dom's brows furrowed in confusion. He noticed Roy frowning, and then his eyes widened as realization hit him.
"What… what do you mean?" He asked, even though he knew the answer.
Ivan silently removed his glasses and placed them on the table, staring intently into Dom's eyes.
"I'm sure by now you've already asked yourself why your species is so rare."
He paused dramatically, intertwining his fingers on the table.
"That's because your kind were hunted and killed by the numerous kingdoms. You're… quite literally an endangered species."
Dom stiffened, an intense chill running up his spine.
"Like I said earlier…" Ivan continued, his voice low and serious. "…the great kingdoms strictly hide this information. If your kind were out in the open, people would eventually catch on. The only logical way to prevent that was to execute--"
"Wait, wait, wait," Dom interrupted, standing from his chair with tension written all over his face. "Doesn't that mean they'll come after me, too?"
Ivan's brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?" He asked, gesturing casually despite the next heavy set of words that were about to escape his lips. "They've already attempted to take your life multiple times."