The castle was alive with music and dancing. To the ordinary eye, it would seem like a carnival was going on at the Ironfell stronghold, but it was actually the sixteenth birthday of the castle’s heir.

The halls were buzzing with life, filled to the brim with people that Jacob didn’t even know.

Once a male child from the Ironfell bloodline turned sixteen, it was a turning point for them, it was the age that marked that they were no longer a boy, and that they were now a man.

The golden lights in the hall shone with an evanescent glow, Jacob sat at the high table with his family, he could not believe that all these dukes, duchesses, lords, and ladies had come from far and wide just for this occasion.

"What do you think about her?" Alaric turned to face Jacob, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Who?" Jacob asked, and Alaric immediately pointed to a girl seated to the left of their high table, she was a young girl of no more than seventeen, with long blue hair that reflected radiantly under the golden lights, even Jacob could agree that she was beautiful.

"That’s the duchess of Malkovia, her father and I go a long way back." the old man said playfully, giving a light chuckle as he studied Jacob carefully.

Jacob still hadn’t spoken to any female outside Xenia or his mother since he appeared in this world.

"So? What do you think of her?"

Jacob who had been lost in thought immediately snapped back to his senses, he gave his grandfather a look of confusion.

"Or would you prefer her over there?" Said the old man, pointing to the right. Jacob swivelled his head and caught the gaze of another young beauty, around the same age, but with short purple hair, "That’s the lady of Zethurne, her father and I graced the battlefield together during the thousand clan war."

’Does this old geezer want me to start a harem or something?’ Jacob mused inwardly as he remained silent.

"Answer me boy, I’m trying to find you a wife goddammit." Alaric almost banged the table as the boy’s silence was unsettling.

Jacob smiled and looked at the old man who furrowed his brows in annoyance, "They’re all very beautiful grandad, but let’s focus on the party, shall we?"

Alaric sighed, "You’re sixteen now boy, at some point you’re gonna need to choose a wife."

Jacob was struck by the man’s bluntness about such matters, he was only able to muster a short laugh.

Time passed by quickly, and so did the merriment, it was now time for gift giving, each house brought their gifts forward one by one.

Most of the gifts that Jacob held, after being appraised by his system were items that he either didn’t need or were completely worthless.

He smiled at the gifters regardless , hoping for at least one useful artifact.

Finally there was one gift left, a servant stepped forward with a small black box in his hand. The box had silver-lined edges and the sigil of a lion in the middle.

"A gift, young master. From a generous benefactor." The servant spoke. Bowing his head and presenting the box to the young lord.

The moment Jacob held the box he felt a surge of power, it almost made him shiver.

The servant disappeared out of sight immediately.

Jacob slowly opened the box, revealing a purple gemstone pendant, shaped like a heart, it was wrapped in silver vines. For a second Jacob thought he could hear wailing within this pendant, but he waived it off.

<Artifact detected: Heart of Nessis>

<Appraisal failed...>

<Artifact grade: Unkown>

Jacob ignored the system notification as he felt drawn to the Artifact, he stretched his hand slowly and grabbed the object from the box.

<Warning!...Warning!>

<Foreign Curse Detected!>

Jacob felt the power surge throughout his body, as soon as he held it, his fingers began to turn purple, a sharp pain coursing through his veins.

<Purification initiated>

<Converting energy 1%...50%...100%>

<Energy converted>

<New trait acquired: Curse Devourer>

’Now that’s more like it.’ Jacob thought.

"Are you okay?" Rhoarin and Elena asked in unison, seeing that their son struggled for even a fraction of a second, they had to make sure he was fine.

"I’m fine, just a little startled is all," Jacob said as he returned the Artifact to the box and kept it aside.

Alaric patted the boy’s shoulder and the event went on.

_ _ _

Later that evening, Jacob sat at his usual spot, under his favorite tree in the garden, the sun had dipped fairly below the horizon and night was fast approaching.

He daydreamed of the world outside the castle, of the many adventures he would encounter, due to his omniscience. He fantasized about the universe, multiverse, metaverse and xenoverse, all the other worlds he would soon visit. It made him drool to even think that there were other lifeforms he was yet to encounter.

His daydreaming was interrupted by a familiar presence, a young looking woman stood before him with an ever-radiant smile.

"Xenia. Where have you been?" Jacob sat up and asked her.

"I’m sorry I couldn’t attend your birthday party, young master, I got caught up—"

"Don’t be, frankly you didn’t even miss much, just a lot of people sucking up to me and giving me presents." The boy interrupted her.

Xenia gave a light chuckle and sat beside him. "The real reason I wasn’t there was because I had to go get this." She smiled and pulled a small box out of her spirit ring.

She handed the box over to him, it was a small red square chamber with golden embroidery, Jacob looked at her for a moment, and then looked back at the gift box.

He opened it slowly, inside it lay a small, elegant charm, a red crystal wrapped in gold threads.

<Artifact detected: Souls of a thousand heroes>

<Artifact grade: S class>

"Xenia, what is this?" Jacob asked, feigning ignorance.

"We’ve never had this discussion before. But there’s a reason why I stay in this castle, during the thousand clan war. My clan, the Zoltha’s—we were formidable, feared by a handful of others. Every battle was a victory in our favor..."

Jacob listened keenly, he had never seen this side of Xenia before, he worried he may have never paid attention to her.

"Until the day of the dragon tide, we were too weak to face against them, they burned us out, one after the other—the thousand heroes, they are the oned who sacrificed themselves to keep the dragons off our ancestral land. But unfortunately our clan was wiped out, their souls were preserved and kept in this orb. I was but a child, in my fear, I ran away." Xenia continued.

Jacob only nodded his head as she told her story, he never imagined a woman who wore a perpetual smile could have so much depth.

"It was your father who found me, and took me in, and I’ve been here ever since. Since its your sixteenth birthday and I have no need for it, I have decided to give it to you, you’re the best amongst us, you would make proper use of such a power." She concluded, her smile returning most immediately.

Jacob looked at her for a moment, unsure of what to say, he thanked her for the gift and also for opening up to him, then he asked her a question.

"Do you want to leave the castle with me, Xenia."

"It would be my honor, young master, wherever you go, I go."