YEAR ONE
Lord's first birthday was marked by something unexpected: he stopped aging visibly.
He did not remain an infant. His physical form had developed to approximately five years old by human standards — the point at which his cognitive abilities finally began to match his physical appearance. But then the progression halted. His body stabilized at that configuration while his mind continued its rapid development.
"This is intentional," Gorvax explained to Owen and Yuki. "He is choosing to maintain a form that allows him to interact with you as your child while continuing to develop intellectually. Once he reaches true maturity, his form will stabilize again at whatever configuration he deems appropriate for his role."
Yuki accepted this with the particular grace of a mother raising a being that defied normal parenting. She continued teaching Lord through his childhood form, understanding that the body did not define the being inhabiting it.
