Strongest Warlock - Wizard World Irregular

Fortuna, Enzo, Thorric, and Heleth stood behind the Elders and looked at the entrance of the cave with solemn gazes.

At their center were Joanne and her Handmaidens.

The young girl came because she wanted to see the River of Okeanos, which she had only heard about in passing from her Grandfather and Grandmother.

Emma and Lilith tried to convince Ethan to skip the trial because he didn\'t need to prove anything.

Even those who were born in Caer Wydion and were part of the Four Protector Clans thought that this trial was simply too much.

For them, it didn\'t really matter if Ethan was recognized as a member of the Valentin Family or not.

They would still stay by his side even if they were to be exiled from their families.

Ethan truly appreciated his lovers\' concern for him and was reminded once again of how much they loved him.

But, he had his own reasons for taking the trial.

First off, he wanted to know the real reason why he had been abandoned as an infant.

He didn\'t like the thought of having some unknown enemy trying to find him and attack him when he least expected it.

Although he was confident that he would be able to defend himself, there were still things he was worried about. After all, he was no longer alone.

The young man didn\'t want to get his family, lovers, and friends involved in some kind of hidden war that even he was not aware of.

It would be much better if he got to know who his enemies were, so he could properly defend himself and even take the initiative to attack them on his own.

The second reason he decided to take the trial was because of the fact that he believed that he needed to confront the past so that he could move forward into the future.

He had no intention of running away or closing his eyes to escape reality. His family would not stop existing just because he refused to recognize them.

At the end of the day, the blood of the Valentin Family still flowed in his veins.

Emma, Lilith, and Enzo also made him realize that his background wasn\'t simple.

In Eastshire, he was being antagonized by the High-Ranking Nobles, which included the Asta Family and the Kerr Family.

There was also the issue regarding those who were still dissatisfied with the fact that he had gained Queen Celestia\'s Legacy.

Ethan was strong. There was no doubt about it, and he was aware of it.

But, he also understood that he alone would not be enough to protect the people who were important in his life.

If he could command the Four Protector Clans using his position as one of the Heirs of the Valentin Family, then he would be able to focus his attention elsewhere.

He had already met his mother and sister, but he hadn\'t seen his Father.

The young man had many questions, and he wanted the answers to them.

And the only way he could get them was to complete the trial and gain what was meant to be his through his birthright.

While there were risks involved, it was a calculated risk.

Ethan had also considered the possibility of getting sent to the past or the future.

But after giving it some thought, he realized that there was no need for him to worry.

He wasn\'t alone.

Sebastian and his Other Half would still be around to guide him if ever he got lost.

Together, the three of them would be able to work something out so that he would be able to return to where his loved ones were waiting for him.

With these thoughts swirling inside his head, the seal of the cave was finally undone.

The Elders inspected the cave first before asking Ethan to follow them inside.

Wallace, Emma, and Lilith also followed Ethan because they wanted to be with him until he dove into the River of Okeanos.

The Heads of the Protector Clans and Joanne were the last to enter.

Everyone walked for nearly ten minutes until the sound of flowing water reached their ears.

The Elders stood two meters away from the river, holding torches to light the way.

Despite being inside the cave, the River of Okeanos was shining a bright blue color.

Even from a distance, Ethan could feel the strong spiritual and magical power oozing from it, making his face turn serious.

"You only have one mission," Fortuna declared. "No matter where the river takes you, you are to return to Caer Wydion.

"Once you have finished this task, you will be allowed to enter the Altar of Storms, where all the information of the Valentin Family is documented. You will also gain the authority to command the Protector Clans to do your bidding."

Fortuna, Enzo, Thorric, Heleth, and the Elders of the Four Protector Clans pressed their fist over their chests and bowed their heads toward Ethan.

"""May the winds of Fortune smile upon you, Young Master."""

Ethan turned around to look at his father, and the latter nodded before placing his hand on the young man\'s shoulder.

"I will stay here and wait for you, but only until two months from now," Wallace stated. "If you\'re not back by then, I will return to Eastshire and wait for you there. Make sure to come back soon, okay?"

"Yes, Father." Ethan nodded.

After getting his father\'s blessing, Ethan faced Emma and Lilith.

He kissed their lips and gave both of them a hug, which made Fortuna and Enzo smile faintly.

"I will wait for you no matter how long it takes, Master," Emma said.

"I, too, will wait for your triumphant return, Ethan," Lilith smiled before whispering something in his ear. "When you return, I want you to make me yours."

Ethan nodded, pulled his lovers close to him, and gave them one final hug.

Joanne looked at this scene with a smirk. She hoped that this would be her last time seeing the person whom she refused to recognize as her brother.

After steeling his nerves, Ethan finally turned around to face the river.

He walked toward it calmly with firm steps.

However, when he was only a few meters away from the river, something unexpected happened.

A giant, shadowy hand rose from its surface and flew over Ethan\'s head.

A second later, a scream reverberated inside the cave as the shadow hand grabbed Joanne and dragged her into the river.

The members of the Four Protector Clans quickly sprang into action to save their Young Miss.

However, they soon found themselves frozen in place, unable to move their bodies.

"Help me!" Joanne shouted desperately before her body disappeared under the water\'s surface, not even making a splash.

Ethan didn\'t hesitate to jump in after her.

Due to his control over the Water Element, Ethan dove down like a seal and charged toward his sister, whose two hands were covering her mouth and nose.

The Sea God\'s Trident emerged and dispelled the Shadow Hand that had a firm hold on Joanne\'s body.

After that, Ethan grabbed her and created a dome of air, allowing his sister to breathe underwater.

Joanne coughed repeatedly before taking deep breaths in order to regain her composure.

While this was happening, Ethan tried to rise to the surface, but the currents of the river suddenly became much stronger than before, preventing the water bubble from floating upward.

In the end, Ethan stopped forcing it, knowing that if he did, the water bubble might break, endangering his sister\'s life.

Unable to do anything, he simply hugged Joanne and allowed the river to take them to wherever it wanted to take them.

After what seemed like an hour or so, the current of the river finally slowed down, giving Ethan the opportunity to rise to the surface.

He didn\'t know where they ended up nor did he know why the Shadowy Hand grabbed hold of Joanne when it was only him who was supposed to take the trial.

When he broke out from the water\'s surface, Ethan noticed that a big boat made up of wood was about to hit them in a few seconds.

Without wasting a second, he shot up from the water and landed on the deck of the wooden ship, still holding his sister in his arms.

Before he could even catch his breath, the sound of weapons reached his ears, and he found himself encircled by warriors, whose swords were just a few inches away from piercing his body.