THE GENERAL'S DISGRACED HEIR

Morning sunlight streamed through stained-glass windows of The Copper Kettle, casting kaleidoscopic patterns across weathered wooden tables where early patrons savored their first meals of the day. Located just two streets from the Alchemist Guild, the establishment had earned a reputation for exceptional cuisine and—more importantly for David's current situation—discretion. Private booths lined the walls, each partially enclosed by ornate wooden screens that provided the illusion of privacy while still allowing patrons to participate in the tavern's convivial atmosphere.

The proprietress, a formidable woman named Matilda whose family had run the establishment for three generations, personally escorted their unusual group to the largest corner booth. If she found anything odd about the childlike alchemist, the elegantly dressed noblewoman with barely-controlled flames occasionally dancing along her fingertips, or the two ethereal beauties whose inhuman nature wasn't entirely concealed by their human guises, she kept such observations to herself. Fifteen years of serving the Alchemist Guild's eccentrics had cultivated an impressive poker face.

"The special today is honey-glazed venison with blackberry compote," she informed them as they settled around the table. "Tea will be along shortly."

David slid into the booth's center position, his movements betraying subtle stiffness from his earlier collision with Yue's laboratory wall. Luna and Vespera immediately claimed spaces on either side of him, while Elara positioned herself directly across, her crimson eyes never leaving his face. Yue and Litty occupied the remaining seats, the former already reaching for the bowl of dried jerky that Matilda had thoughtfully included with their table setting.

As soon as their hostess departed, the pretense of a normal breakfast gathering evaporated.

"Are they completely gone?" Yue asked without preamble, her childlike fingers dexterously selecting a particularly choice piece of jerky. "The dimensional fractures, I mean."

David leaned back, his gaze momentarily drawn to Yue's selection of meat. He'd always wondered whether elves—even those like Yue whose appearance defied typical racial characteristics—maintained the largely vegetarian diet common among their kind. Apparently not, given her evident enjoyment of the dried meat. The momentary distraction offered a welcome reprieve from the intense scrutiny of his companions.

"Yes," he finally answered, meeting her ancient eyes. "The fractures are sealed completely." He flexed his hand experimentally, studying it as if seeing it for the first time. "I no longer exist in multiple states simultaneously. My body is firmly anchored in this reality."

"But at what cost?" Elara pressed, her voice softer than before yet no less intense. The anger from the laboratory had receded, replaced by something more vulnerable—concern wrapped in careful restraint.

David's lips pressed into a thin line. "My abilities," he admitted. "At least, the more... specialized ones."

A collective intake of breath circled the table. Even the waiting staff seemed to sense the shift in atmosphere, discreetly diverting toward other patrons to allow the conversation privacy.

"All of them?" Litty asked, her normal composure slipping to reveal genuine alarm. "But how? Why would stabilizing your dimensional state affect your combat abilities?"

Vespera's platinum hair rippled with subtle movement despite the absence of any breeze, an unconscious manifestation of her agitation. "Whatever that entity implanted in David," she said, her musical voice lowered to ensure it wouldn't carry beyond their table, "it seems to have changed something fundamental about his nature. The energy it transferred may have rewritten the very framework through which he accesses his abilities."

All eyes turned to David, expectation and concern mingling in their gazes. The implications extended beyond personal loss—without his full capabilities, their collective mission faced significant new obstacles. The Eye of Ternion, the demonic infiltration of imperial politics—all these challenges had seemed manageable with David at full strength. Now uncertainty rippled through the group like a cold wind.

"Not all my abilities," David clarified, selecting his words with deliberate care. "My basic physical enhancements remain. I'm still stronger and faster than an ordinary human. My mana reserves are intact, though..." He hesitated, searching for the right explanation. "It's as if I've forgotten how to channel them properly. The pathways are there, but the techniques are gone."

He accepted a steaming cup of tea from a server who had materialized beside their table, using the momentary interruption to gather his thoughts. The others placed breakfast orders with mechanical distraction, their minds clearly elsewhere.

"It's difficult to explain precisely what happened," David continued once they were alone again. "The entity that entered me—that used my fractures as a gateway—transferred something into my essence. Divine mysteries, it called them. In exchange, it... recalibrated my abilities. Reset them to baseline."

What David didn't share was his private theory about Eternal Gluttony's role in the transformation. The skill had always been dangerous, consuming not just external energy but potentially parts of its wielder's essence if used carelessly. He strongly suspected that when he'd activated it during his mindscape confrontation, he'd inadvertently offered up his specialized abilities as energy to process the divine mysteries being forced into him.

"The foundations remain," he explained, tracing a pattern on the table's surface with one finger. "I'll need to rebuild from first principles. The three phases of swordsmanship that I didn't master properly: Aura Blade, Formless, and True Sword. Each step must be relearned, but with a deeper understanding this time."

"Can you recover safely?" Yue asked, her normally playful demeanor replaced by the serious researcher that lurked beneath her childish exterior. "Without risking further dimensional instability?"

David nodded. "The energy have fundamentally altered my nature. The instability that plagued me before has been... resolved." He chose the word carefully, unwilling to explain fully what had changed within him. Some secrets were best kept, even from allies as close as these.

"Good," Litty declared, her features brightening with sudden determination. "Then you'll need proper training to rebuild your skills." Her eyes glinted with barely concealed enthusiasm. "Perhaps a sparring partner? I've been developing some new dual-sword techniques that could use practical testing."

David raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Offering to help, or looking for an opportunity to test your skills against a weakened opponent?"

"Both," Litty admitted without shame, her answering smile carrying genuine warmth. "Besides, I've rarely had the chance to fight you without fearing immediate defeat. This might be my only opportunity to land a hit before you become untouchable again."

Elara watched this exchange with thoughtful eyes, her earlier anger having evolved into something more complex. "You're certain you can recover?" she asked, her voice carrying the weight of someone who had already witnessed too many losses.

"I am," David affirmed, meeting her gaze directly. "Different, perhaps. Maybe even stronger in the end."

Their breakfast arrived—steaming plates of venison for some, delicate pastries for others—creating a temporary island of normalcy in their extraordinary circumstances. As they ate, David found himself surprisingly unburdened. The constant pain of his fracturing reality had become so familiar that its absence felt almost like a new sense—a lightness he had forgotten was possible.

Through the stained-glass windows, morning light continued to transform the tavern interior with shifting colors. Outside, the city of Valemir awakened to what its citizens believed would be an ordinary day, unaware of how the divine mysteries now residing within one man might soon reshape their world.

For David, it was simply the first meal of a new beginning.