Ascension of the Forsaken

Lucian drifted between wakefulness and sleep, his mind caught in a haze of unfamiliar sensations. Time lost meaning—he had no idea how long he had been in this new world. Sometimes, everything was warm and peaceful. Other times, discomfort overwhelmed him, forcing his tiny body to react instinctively.

The first thing he truly understood was hunger.

It came suddenly, a gnawing emptiness that made his body squirm in distress. He couldn’t think clearly, couldn’t analyze the situation. His instincts took over, and before he knew it, his mouth opened, releasing an uncontrollable cry.

It was humiliating.

A genius like him, reduced to this? Crying just to be fed?

But there was nothing he could do. His body no longer obeyed his will the way it once had. He was utterly powerless.

Yet, almost immediately, warmth enveloped him. He was lifted, cradled against something soft. A faint, rhythmic sound pulsed nearby—a heartbeat.@@novelbin@@

A moment later, the hunger began to fade as something warm filled his mouth. His instincts took over again, forcing him to feed. It was a strange, surreal experience, but he had no choice but to surrender to it.

For now, survival came first.

Days passed. Or was it weeks? Lucian had no way of telling. His mind remained sluggish, trapped in a body that was still too weak to function properly. But his awareness was growing.

He began to recognize voices—deep, commanding tones that spoke with authority, likely his father. Softer, melodic voices that carried an air of nobility, perhaps his mother or caretakers. There were others too—some distant, others closer.

Language was difficult to grasp. His newborn brain processed sounds differently, making it hard to immediately understand everything. But he had been a genius before, and that hadn’t changed. He listened carefully, memorizing patterns, picking apart phrases. Slowly, he began to understand bits and pieces.

He learned that he was part of House Aldreth, a noble family. That he had brothers, though he hadn’t seen them yet. That his father was a powerful figure, someone who commanded respect.

But there was still so much he didn’t know.

Where was he? What was this world like? Did cultivation truly exist here?

Patience, he told himself. He was still too young to investigate. For now, all he could do was observe, listen, and learn.

And so, he did.

One day, as he lay in a soft crib, eyes barely able to stay open, he heard something different. A conversation, spoken in hushed tones, just outside the room.

“His birth was unlike the others.”

It was a woman’s voice.

“The Duke’s other sons showed clear signs of affinity within their first weeks. But this one… his energy remains dormant.”

Lucian’s barely developed muscles tensed.

Energy? Affinity?

The words sent a jolt through his foggy mind. This was the confirmation he needed—this world was different. This world had cultivation.

He felt a rush of excitement, followed by a single, chilling realization.

If everyone around him naturally had some kind of energy or talent, but he did not…

Then he was already at a disadvantage.

A weak noble son in a world where strength determined status? That was dangerous.

He clenched his tiny fists.

He might have been born without natural power, but he still had the greatest weapon of all—his mind.

And he would use it to surpass them all.