The scent of healing herbs and the soft murmur of Xander's voice filled the air as the healer tended to Zeal's wounds.  Concern etched lines on Xander's brow as he worked.  "Be more careful next time, Zeal," he cautioned, his voice laced with worry. "You're the only happiness your mother, Sisa, has left."  A chill ran down Xander's spine as he sensed a lingering presence of dark mana within Zeal, a subtle anomaly that troubled him.

 

Zeal returned home, his steps heavy with thought.  The concerned gazes of villagers, noticing his injured arm, only added to the somber mood that had settled over him.  The unsettling presence of dark mana, coupled with the young girl's question about his appearance, had left him with a gnawing sense of unease.

 

He found his mother, Sisa, waiting for him at their humble dwelling.  She embraced him, her touch both comforting and tinged with anxiety.  "Are you alright, my son?" she asked, her eyes filled with maternal concern.  Zeal assured her that he was fine, but the weight of his unanswered questions lingered.

 

Dinner brought a momentary respite from the somber mood.  The warmth of the meal and the familiar comfort of his mother's presence offered a brief reprieve.  But as the meal drew to a close, Zeal's curiosity got the better of him.  He turned to his mother, his voice hesitant, "Mom, why do I look different from you and the others in this kingdom?"

 

A flicker of apprehension crossed Sisa's face, but she knew the time had come to reveal the truth to her son.  She took a deep breath, her voice laced with a mixture of sadness and resignation.

 

"Seventeen years ago," she began, her gaze drifting to the flickering flames of the hearth, "I had a friend named Zarae from the Kingdom of People.  She was the most beautiful girl in their village.  Many men were obsessed with her, fantasizing about her beauty."  Sisa's voice softened, a hint of pain coloring her words.  "Zarae was abducted by soldiers from her own kingdom.  They tortured her, they raped her.  It left her with a deep, dark wound that she couldn't escape."

 

Sisa's voice grew quieter, her eyes reflecting the pain of those memories.  "Zarae was haunted by the trauma, but she managed to escape.  She ran as fast as she could, and she found her way to our village.  My husband and I helped her.  The soldiers came looking for her, but the villagers lied, saying they hadn't seen her.  Zarae hid in our house, but the soldiers found her.  My husband fought them, but they were too strong.  They used fire magic, and my husband couldn't defend himself.  They cut him in half."

 

Sisa's voice broke, tears welling in her eyes.  "The villagers fought back, but the soldiers eventually left.  I was devastated, but Zarae was even worse.  She felt responsible for my husband's death.  She helped us bury him, and she stayed with us, trying to heal.  But then, the news reached her.  She was pregnant.  She couldn't believe it.  She wanted to abort the child, but the baby was strong.  Zarae couldn't bear the thought of living with the pain of what happened, so she took her own life as she gave birth.  She left the child nameless.  I named him Zeal."

 

Zeal sat in stunned silence, his heart heavy with the weight of his mother's story.  Tears streamed down his face as he processed the pain and tragedy that had shaped his existence.  He looked at his mother, her face etched with grief and love.  He knew then that he had to honor Zarae's memory by fighting for a world where such cruelty would never happen again.  He would become a Mage, not just for himself, but for Zarae, for his mother, and for all those who had suffered from discrimination and injustice.