"the beginning and the end"

"..."

Siren gazed at Jowalin, completely bewildered by his sudden shift in demeanor. How had his personality changed so abruptly? What she didn't realize was that this was his true nature, the one hidden beneath the calm surface.

"Ahmm..."

It seemed that Jowalin noticed his mother's puzzled expression. He awkwardly cleared his throat and then said:

"Please follow me, Mother."

With a gentle motion, Jowalin took his mother's hand, closed the door behind them, and sat down opposite her. Yet, Siren's doubts lingered.

"Didn't you say you couldn't use this power again? How will you break the seal? Even your father couldn't manage it."

"Hehe... there is nothing in this world that I can't do... ah."

"Where did you get all this arrogance from?"

As Jowalin continued to boast, Siren lightly tapped him on the head, causing him to wince. He smiled, unfazed.

"Don't worry, Mother. I'll use the staff again, but without borrowing its power. But..."

"But what?!"

"You still haven't told me who sealed your power."

"..."

"Well, I only remember things from when I was ten. Before that, everything is a blur. I woke up here, with no recollection of how I arrived."

---

In the land of Kemet, 130 years ago, the world was in ruin. It was devoid of humans but teeming with monstrous creatures.

"...Boom."

Suddenly, a black iron coffin fell from the heavens, covered in mysterious inscriptions. The impact created a massive crater in the earth.

"Crack... crack... crack..."

The sound of chains breaking echoed as the coffin slowly cracked open, revealing a young girl, no older than ten, sleeping inside.

The girl was beautiful, with long, flowing black hair and a pale, delicate face, her expression serene and devoid of any sign of power. This was Siren.

"Howl... howl..."

The eerie howls of wolves filled the air, and moments later, a pack of massive black wolves appeared, surrounding the coffin. They were Nizrak.

"Howl..."

The wolves drooled as they approached the coffin, but there was a hint of fear and caution in their eyes, despite their hunger.

"Step... step..."

"You're right, Father. The sound came from here. Look at this massive hole—could it be treasure?"

Footsteps echoed as a 15-year-old boy with striking black hair and a gaze far too mature for his age arrived, a sword slung across his back. It was the General.

"Hmm? These filthy creatures are gathered here."

Beside the General stood a man in his forties, his gaze filled with disdain as he observed the wolves. This was Jowalin's elderly grandfather.

"...These wolves are Nizrak. They're nothing compared to the enemies foretold in the prophecy of the ancestors. So..."

The elderly man placed his hand on his chin and smiled, then pointed at the wolves and addressed the General:

"I'll leave them to you. Your task is simple—slay them before they reach the coffin. If you fail, I'll triple your training today."

"...Understood, Father."

Without hesitation, the General gripped his sword, drawing it swiftly. Within an instant, he appeared among the wolves, cutting them down with overwhelming speed.

"Hurry... hurry... hurry."

With every word he uttered, his speed increased exponentially, his movements blurring as he sliced through the wolves.

Shwoo... shwoo...

"This child..."

The elderly man smiled, his amazement barely contained. At this point, no one had yet awakened their lineage.

"Done..."

The General sheathed his sword, standing among the bloodied corpses. Not a drop of blood had stained his clothes, thanks to his lightning-fast speed.

"Well, that wasn't too difficult. Let's see what's inside this coffin. These inscriptions are strange... it's the first time I've seen them."

"..."

Both men approached the coffin, curiosity evident in their eyes. After all, a coffin falling from the sky—what could it possibly be?

"!!!!...." "!!!!...."

When they opened the coffin, they were taken aback by the sight of the little girl inside. But before either could speak, the girl's eyes fluttered open.

"Open..."

Little Siren's large black eyes blinked as she observed them, still silent.

"Hello...."

The elderly man greeted the girl jokingly, glancing at the General, whose face reddened with embarrassment. He quickly composed himself, returning to his usual cold demeanor.

"Hello, little one."

"..."

"Where did you come from?"

"..."

"Where are your parents?"

"..."

No matter how many questions the elderly man asked, the girl remained silent, causing his frustration to grow. Finally, the General spoke:

"What is your name, sister?"

"...I... I... my name is Siren... ah."

Siren looked at the General in confusion, hesitating for a moment before answering. But then, she winced in pain, clutching her head and jumping out of the coffin.

"What's wrong with you?! Calm down!"

The General rushed forward, catching her before she could fall, lifting her away from the coffin.

"This cursed child... Looks like I've found a beautiful wife for my son... Hahaha."

"Siren... Do you remember anything?"

"I... I don't remember anything except my name. When I try to remember, my head hurts terribly... ahh."

"Okay... stop for now. It's fine, your memory will return with time. Do you want to come with me?"

The General tried to calm Siren, who was in visible pain, and extended his hand to her.

"..."

Siren stared at the General for a moment, then smiled. A radiant glow appeared as she took his hand.

"My name is the General... You will call me your older brother from now on. We are family."

"Okay... older brother."

Siren's cheeks flushed, making her even more captivating. From a distance, her father's laughter echoed, accompanied by a thumbs-up.

"Hahahahaha... Looks like you've inherited your father's talent... Well done, kid."

They carried the coffin and departed, with the General and Siren following closely behind.

---

Five years later, beneath the earth, in the General's home, the now 20-year-old General was training when he suddenly heard a voice.

"Big brother... big brother."

Siren, as beautiful as ever, came running toward him with a bright, happy smile. The General stopped training, his serious expression softening into a smile as he greeted her.

"Big brother, some of my memories have returned... hehe."

"!!!"

"Really?... Have you discovered where your parents are?"

The General, though pleased for Siren, felt a twinge of anxiety deep down:

"Could it be? Will she leave to reunite with her family?"

"Hehehe... No, that's not it. But these memories are strange... Come with me. I need to tell you something very secret."

Siren took the General's hand and led him to a secluded place. She sat down and shared her newly recovered memories with him.

"These strange memories tell me that every creature is born with a natural lineage that stems from their ancient ancestors."

"And there are innate bodies—blessings from God, not inherited. Of course, each talent is unique."

"...."

"Why that strange reaction?!"

Seeing the General's calm, indifferent response, Siren felt a pang of disappointment. But the General smiled and said:

"Well, I know all this. It's recorded in the ancient ancestral texts."

"Really? And what does that matter? I bet you can't awaken your lineage."

Siren's mischievous grin stunned the General.

"Hehehe... Yes, I know how to do it. It's part of the memories that have returned to me."

Suddenly, the General stood up, looking around before stepping toward Siren and speaking seriously:

"Don't tell anyone about this, or you'll be in great danger."

"Hehehe... Don't worry, big brother. I'm telling you and you alone."

Her playful smile left the General momentarily stunned. Then, he quickly pulled away, leaving Siren laughing.

"In fact, I also learned that my lineage is sealed. It will take time to break this seal. But fortunately, there's a way."

"As for my lineage, it's called..."