As Aurelion's words echoed under the old pine tree, Vespera's melodic laughter filled the air.
As her dark cloak slipped slightly back from her shoulders, she walked with slow, measured steps towards the bench where Aurelion sat.
Her bright pink eyes scanned the small Elf figure sitting calmly on the bench, his back still turned, from head to toe, with an almost disdainful yet intensely interested gaze.
She passed right in front of Aurelion, pausing for a moment as if to make her presence felt, expecting the child to turn and look. But Aurelion didn't even flinch, his gaze still locked on the emptiness in front of him. Vespera's smile widened slightly. This little Elf... was truly interesting and unexpectedly annoying.
Finally, she sat down next to Aurelion. Her black clothes rustled softly. She elegantly crossed her slender legs. Now they sat side by side. A strange duo amidst the pine needles and the shadow falling over them.
Vespera turned her head slightly towards Aurelion. "You make a woman like me," she said slowly, "come all this way... And then you complain that I kept you waiting, little light?" She put on a feigned, sadness, her brows furrowing slightly. "Truly... you are very rude."
Aurelion finally turned his head. His golden eyes, showing no sign of emotion, locked directly onto Vespera's bright pink ones. The woman's beauty was undeniable, but Aurelion's gaze held cold analysis rather than admiration.
"I thought you might want to take a closer look at something interesting again," Aurelion said calmly.
Vespera's lips slowly curled upwards, she leaned towards Aurelion, the distance between them becoming uncomfortably small. "Perhaps I... will take this interesting thing home and examine it there, more closely? How's that for an idea, little light?"
Aurelion, expression was still calm. "A bad idea," he said clearly. "I don't think you'd want your house filled with curious and not so friendly Silver Guards."
Vespera remained motionless for a moment. The steely will this child displayed at such a young age, this unbluffing determination... was impressive. After a few seconds of intense staring, Vespera slowly pulled back.
A brief thoughtful expression appeared on her face. "Yes... you're right. That... would be bad." But then she immediately leaned forward again, this time reducing the distance even further, her whisper right next to Aurelion's ear. "But... I don't think they could find my house, little light."
Aurelion again remained impassive, his eyes still on Vespera's. That invisible battle between them continued for a few more seconds.
Then Vespera suddenly pulled back and this time let out a genuine laugh. She threw her head back slightly, her black hair cascading over her shoulders. "Oh, Gods! Of course I'm joking, little light!" Her eyes were still laughing, but a different expression had appeared in them. She turned to Aurelion, her gaze now more piercing.
"You are dangerously calm," she said, the playfulness in her voice completely gone. "Truly... very dangerous."
Aurelion paid no heed to the woman's sudden change of tone or her observation. Playtime was over, now it was time for business. He slowly turned over to Vespera.
"I don't have much time," he said clearly. "I want to exchange information with you."
That professional smile reappeared on Vespera's face. This was her playground. "Of course, little light. That's my business. Tell me, what's going on in that little head of yours? What do you have in mind?"
"First, there's something I want to ask. The information I give you… will it be safe? Will this exchange of ours remain just between the two of us, or could others find out?"
Vespera laughed softly. "Ah, you asked a very good and pertinent question, little light. Secrecy… yes, that's an important issue. But..." she paused, her smile widening a bit, "...you know the rules. If you want me to answer you, you must first give me something valuable. Even the answer to this question requires a price."
Aurelion looked into the woman's eyes. She hadn't answered. She had spoken evasively, throwing the ball back to him. This silent refusal was enough for Aurelion. Vespera either couldn't guarantee secrecy or didn't want to. In either case, the result was the same. He obviously couldn't trust her.
After a few seconds of staring, Aurelion said, "No need. I've received my answer."
Vespera pouted with feigned sadness. "Oh, is that so? What a pity. Well then, let's get to the main topic. What do you want from me, little light?"
"Energy manipulation," Aurelion said clearly. "I want basic information about it. How it works, its different types, control methods… If possible, its potential relationship with Seals."
Then he added. "Actually, I think this information, at least the basics, is common knowledge. So, i think you shouldn't push me too hard, shouldn't ask for an exorbitant price."
Vespera ignored this bluff. She raised an eyebrow, that mocking expression back on her face. "Energy manipulation, huh? Bold. But… why are you asking me this, little light? Doesn't that strong, protective daddy of yours who took you under his wing, Captain Roric… tell you these things?"
Aurelion's nose twitched momentarily, but he quickly composed himself. He looked at Vespera's amused expression with a emotionless face. He wasn't going to tell this woman about his mistrust of Roric or the Captain's prohibitions.
"You can include the answer I give you in the price you'll ask for." He was accepting this part of the bargain.
Vespera grinned with delight. "Of course, little light. Agreed. I'm listening."
This information could be valuable to Vespera. It would both help her understand his situation and reduce his bill by providing a small piece of information about Roric. "They deliberately don't tell me about these kinds of topics. Because they think it's too early for me. They believe trying such thing would be dangerous for someone young and… inexperienced like me."
Vespera paused for a moment,a thoughtful expression appeared on her face.Then she turned to Aurelion, nodding with a seemingly sincere smile.
"They're right," she said simply.
Aurelion began to get slightly annoyed. The cold expression on his face cracked slightly. "Really? You too?"
Vespera's smile widened. "Of course, they're right. For a little man like you whose core hasn't fully matured, yes, these are indeed very dangerous topics."
Just then, the annoyed expression on Aurelion's face completely vanished. It was replaced by a smirk. His plan had worked exactly as he wanted.
"You think so?" Aurelion said.
Then, without another word, he slowly raised his left hand. His eyes were locked on Vespera's bright pink ones, which were looking at him in surprise. And then… it happened.
A thin, colorless wisp of smoke began to rise from the tip of his index finger. Then from his middle finger… Ring finger… Little finger… Thumb… In turn, that faint smoke, appearing briefly at the tip of each finger, was like the fingers of a puppeteer playing with invisible strings.
The smoke was there, but there was not the slightest sign of strain or pain on Aurelion's face. In fact, he was moving his fingers slightly, as if controlling the flow of smoke, as if it were the most natural thing in the world for him.
The dismissive smile on Vespera's face froze. This… this was not what she expected. The child wasn't just feeling the energy. He was consciously manifesting it, and so casually! Without pain!
Aurelion watched Vespera's shock with great pleasure. After playing with that energy in his fingers for a few more seconds, he cut it off. Then he lifted his head.
"Well, for a little man who can control his energy… is it still dangerous?"
Aurelion didn't miss that brief but priceless moment of the woman's face. Just as Vespera was trying to compose herself, he continued coolly, knowing he had gained the upper hand.
"Now," he said, "I want you to give me not just basic information, but also advice based on your experience. How can I manipulate this energy? How can I turn it into something more tangible, beyond smoke? How... how can I become stronger? Tell me, Vespera." He wasn't playing games anymore. He wanted answers.
Vespera came to her senses and replaced again by that cunning, calculating glint. She scrutinized the child's smirking face for a few seconds. This little Elf was not only intelligent and composed but also incredibly ambitious. And now, he thought he held a trump card.
"Alright, little light," Vespera said. She leaned back slightly. "What I saw... was interesting, I admit." Her eyes briefly flickered to Aurelion's hand. "Assuming your core hasn't fully matured yet," she added, a slight disdain in her voice, though it was just a defense mechanism, "yes, perhaps there's no harm in you learning a few simple things, but..." she said softly, "...first you need to pay me. That was our agreement, wasn't it? Information for information... or something else of value."
Aurelion thought for a moment. What could he offer? Money? Ridiculous. A secret of his own? He had already given some minor information about Roric. It had to be something more tangible. Something valuable that would interest someone like Vespera...
"Shadow Canyon and Storm Pass," Aurelion said directly. "How much information do you have about these matters?"
A faint smile appeared on Vespera's lips. "The shadows of the city whisper quickly, little light. I'm aware of the recent events."
Aurelion nodded in acknowledgment. That was enough. He thought for a few more seconds, weighing the risk and potential reward of the information he would give.
"Alright. I will make you a payment. Information about the future." His eyes focused on Vespera's. "This is still just in the planning stage, not a confirmed order. But a probable future scenario... If the abnormal situation in Storm Pass continues and the monsters continue to pose a threat, though not soon. It will probably be postponed due to the Ashstone Village events. A Guard team will be sent there."
He paused, saving the most crucial part of the information for last. "But the main purpose won't be to hunt monsters. Their aim will be to distract and occupy the monsters, creating a safe corridor for a smaller, covert Deep Guard team to discover the true source of that energy abnormality or manipulation. A baiting operation."
Vespera remained motionless for a moment. The professional smile on her face vanished for an instant, replaced by an expression of deep thought.
Then that cunning glint reappeared in her eyes. "Interesting... And this, did Captain Roric whisper it to you, little light?"
"I think that's more than enough, Vespera, I've made my payment. Now it's your turn."
Vespera smiled faintly. The child had seen her bluff and had no intention of revealing his source. "Alright, little light. You're right. A deal is a deal."
She straightened up slightly from where she leaned, her posture now more like that of a teacher. "You want energy manipulation... You want to do tangible things, to become stronger." She sized up Aurelion from head to toe. "That little smoke display of yours... was impressive, yes. Your control was better than I expected. But that was just a leak. A raw, formless manifestation of the power within you."
"You must understand this, little light, everyone's energy is unique to them. Just like your soul, your energy also has a characteristic. Some are calm and healing like a river, some are solid and defensive like a rock... Some are cold, some fiery. Some are docile."
"Energy is not just a tool. It is alive. It has an intent, a property. You can't just bend it to any shape you want with your will alone. Not everyone can heal others, not everyone can strengthen themselves like iron, not everyone can perform destructive spells. At least not easily. Usually, a person chooses the most efficient path according to the characteristic of their own energy, performs the manipulation most suited to it. Before you can do anything tangible with your energy, you need to understand it, to feel its nature."
Vespera suddenly extended her hand. "Give me your hand."
Aurelion slowly extended his left hand. Vespera, with her cold but soft fingers, grasped Aurelion's small hand and placed it on her own palm. Her touch was strangely both comforting and unsettling.
"Now," Vespera whispered, her eyes locked directly on Aurelion's. "Don't take your eyes off me."
Aurelion focused his eyes on the woman's bright pink irises. A faint, pale, white colored energy began to seep from Vespera's palm, barely discernible. It was a cool, fluid sensation, like the reflection on the surface of deep water.
"I am currently just releasing the energy I've gathered in my hand out of my palm. Very basic control. The characteristic of an energy is best revealed when it comes into contact with another energy." Her gaze intensified. "Now, you do it too. Just like you did before, gather your energy in your palm and direct it out of your palm like me. You don't need to do anything else. Just let our energies touch each other. Then perhaps we'll understand the true nature of your energy."
Aurelion didn't hesitate. While his eyes were still locked on Vespera's, he focused on that golden light in his mind. He summoned the energy droplets, gathered them in his left palm, and then directed them outward with his will.
From his palm, different from the previous smoke, a more distinct, intense golden light, its edges rimmed with charcoal black, began to seep out. The energy was hot and sharp.
The moment Aurelion's golden energy touched Vespera's calm pale energy, it reacted violently. The golden light suddenly began struggle, like a wild animal trapped in a cage, attacking the surrounding pale energy, trying to disperse it. Vespera's energy, on the other hand, reacted in the opposite way. İnstead of attacking, it retreated, fluidly flowing around Aurelion's energy, as if avoiding it, hiding from it.
An intense energy battle was taking place between their palms. Vespera's eyes shifted in surprise to their hands, and Aurelion instinctively followed her. In that tiny space, they watched the chaotic dance of gold and white.
A few seconds later, Vespera suddenly withdrew her energy. The pale light vanished. Aurelion immediately reacted, quickly redirecting his own energy back to his Core. The golden glow also faded.
Their hands were still on top of each other, but the energy flow between them had stopped.
There was a thoughtful expression on Vespera's face. Her pink eyes returned to Aurelion's. They looked at each other silently for a few more seconds. Then Vespera spoke.
"Forget about healing anyone, little light," she said clearly. "If you don't want to harm others, keep your energy away from them. Your energy... is exceedingly aggressive. Raw, wild, and probably difficult to control."
Aurelion silently nodded. This was something he had felt inwardly anyway. He slowly withdrew his hand. "So... how should I use this energy?"
"First, let it flow, little light. Don't try to suffocate it. Your core hasn't fully matured yet, and you still can't fully control your energy. First, make sure you fully understand it. Learn its aggressive nature, what it reacts to, its limits."
"There are many different ways of energy manipulation. Some transform their energy into elements like fire and water. Some use it to physically strengthen themselves. To run faster, to hit harder. Some use their emotions as a catalyst in this process." She gave Aurelion a meaningful look. "The characteristic of energy is usually the same as its user. Whatever those dominant emotions are that make you, you will get much more efficiency if you use your energy in harmony with them. If the intent of your energy and your intent are the same... you are on the right path."
She paused, waiting for Aurelion to digest the information. "This part is something you need to discover, little light. I can't draw your path for you. But if you want a concrete start..." She looked at Aurelion's hand again. "Gather your energy in your palm as you just did, but this time don't just project it outwards. Make it more intense, more concentrated. Compress it at one point. You can try to transform it into different elements. The better you understand the element you want to transform it into, the easier this process will be."
"Or," she added, offering another option, "just circulate the energy in your body. In your arms, legs, chest... Observe how it reacts to you. This can be good or bad. It can slow you down, yes. But maybe it can strengthen you, solidify you, or even make you more fragile. If you discover a positive effect, you use it on yourself. If it's a negative effect... maybe you'll use it on your opponents one day." She winked. "I also have some small, special techniques, but," she said with a slight disdain, "they don't seem very suitable for the character of your energy."
Aurelion had listened intently. He nodded. "I understand."
"Try focusing on your Seal too," Vespera added as a final piece of advice. "Try to make your energy flow towards it or outwards from it. Let's see which way that scale will tilt, what properties it will whisper to you."
Finally, her voice returned to a warning tone. "And don't forget this. Your core is still Rank one. Meaning your energy capacity is quite low. You can't do complex things with the current raw and aggressive state of your energy. Considering your core hasn't fully matured either... don't push yourself, little light. A wrong step, especially when trying to concentrate or transform energy... can be unexpectedly destructive. I don't want to see something as interesting as you break yourself."
Aurelion listened to the woman's last, almost affectionate warning with a cold expression. He bowed his head slightly, a subtle mockery in his voice. "Thanks for your concern, Vespera."
Vespera smiled faintly "Not concern, little light. Let's just say... I'm protecting my investment." She leaned back, sizing up Aurelion from head to toe. "I eagerly await your growth, to see what this will turn into. A voice inside me says we'll have more business together in the future."
As this hint of the future hung in the air, Vespera suddenly leaned forward, her voice returning to that questioning tone. "But I'm still curious... You could have learned all this through safer means, perhaps from Captain Roric or others over time. Why did you take the risk? Why did you sit here, in this secluded corner, hoping I would find you? What did you want from me, little light?"
Aurelion paused for a moment. His eyes locked onto Vespera's. A smirk slowly appeared on his face.
"Did you forget the rules, Vespera?" he said in a almost playful tone. "If you want to learn something... you have to offer me something valuable."
Vespera was momentarily stunned by this unexpected countermove, then a genuine laugh escaped her lips. "Ah, you... You truly are unique, little light."
She stood up, her silk clothes rustling softly. She stood in front of the bench, took a few steps to stand directly in front of Aurelion, looking down at him.
"Alright. Enough for today. You got your payment, and I satisfied my curiosity somewhat."
She gestured vaguely with her hand, indicating the bench they had been sitting on. "When you want to talk to me again... come here, little light. I'll know where you need to be." She paused, looking into Aurelion's eyes one last time, both inviting and threatening. "Of course... if you're determined to wait for this lady again."
And then, as if before taking her next breath, she took a step towards the deepening shadows of the old pine tree behind her. Her figure seemed to ripple for a moment, her black cloak merging with the shadows, and in the blink of an eye... she was gone.
No sound or trace of her departure remained. Only that faint, exotic perfume scent lingering in the air Vespera had left behind.
Aurelion stared at the empty space where the Dark Elf had just stood for a few more seconds. His mind was filled with the information Vespera had given. A new training path lay before him. a path full of dangers and unknowns, but also offering irresistible potential.
Vespera's interest... Yes, this interest wasn't friendly, perhaps it was that of an investor, but if the information was correct, the source didn't matter for now.
He took a deep breath, the cold air filling his lungs clearing his mind somewhat. Vespera was right. His energy was aggressive. He had clearly felt it during that hand contact.
The slight sense of pride he had felt at that moment was more meaningful now. It was a reflection of his suppressed nature, of that inner storm. And Vespera's advice... Concentrate. Focus. Use your emotion. Imbue intent.
Lost in thought, his gaze involuntarily drifted beyond the city walls, to the distant, snowy mountains to the south. The sky was still leaden, but the mountain peaks were lost among the clouds. Just then, without knowing why, a bright image flashed in his mind. A lightning bolt, striking with blinding light, tearing through the sky during a violent storm.
Lightning... Chaotic, destructive, seemingly uncontrollable, but actually an energy discharge based on specific physical laws. Those scraps of knowledge from his past life surfaced in his mind. Separation of negative and positive charges, increase in potential difference, and finally, that sudden, massive flow of electrons breaking through the air's resistance... One of the purest, most savage forms of energy.
"Negative and positive… Colliding charges… Manifestation of energy…"
An idea came to him. A crazy, dangerous, yet equally logical idea. Vespera had said "concentrate." She had said "use your emotion." What if he made the energy itself, those golden droplets in his mind, collide with each other? Just like the charges in the clouds? What if he released that "aggressive" energy within him with controlled chaos?
He quickly looked behind and around him. The secluded corner was still quiet. No one.
Time was running out, but he had to try this. He quickly got up from the bench, moved to a spot deeper in the shadows of the tree, where no one could disturb him.
He closed his eyes again. He erased the outside world from his mind. The sound of the blowing wind, the distant city hum, the smell of the pine tree... All were pushed to the background. All his focus was within, on that golden light in the center of his chest, on that Core.
Though he didn't fully enter that state of nothingness, he captured that focus. From his Core, he carefully separated only a few droplets of energy. No more was needed. This was just an experiment.
He visualized those golden colored energy droplets, their edges still appearing slightly dark, in his mind, directing them just above his left palm.
Then, using his will, he moved those droplets. But this time, instead of gently guiding them, he accelerated them, directing them towards each other with sharp intent. 'Collide!' he commanded from his mind.
He didn't restrict his energy. He allowed that aggressive nature to emerge, for the droplets to freely, chaotically mix with each other.
At that point in his mind, as the droplets intermingled, they began to spin like a vortex. Their colors intensified, the golden hue brighter, the blackness at their edges more pronounced. As they collided, he felt an internal friction, an increasing density. It was as if an invisible, miniature storm cloud was forming above his palm. This sensation was much stronger, much more... alive than what he had felt when producing smoke.
He continued this chaotic collision for a while, feeling the intensity reach its peak. The pressure that had accumulated in his palm, that power that needed to be controlled... Now it was time for the final step.
He took a deep breath. He slowly, with his will, pushed that concentrated, churning energy from the center of his palm outwards. His eyes were closed, but he could feel the change at that point.
Chit... Chat! Crackle!
His eyes snapped open when he heard the thin, sharp sounds.
In his palm, right at the center, there was no longer that colorless smoke. Instead, tiny, irregular, white blue sparks danced, flashing and disappearing for brief moments! Like miniature lightning bolts, they appeared and vanished in the air.
The sparks lasted only a few seconds, then the energy dispersed, and his palm returned to normal. But that... Aurelion held his breath. He stared at his palm. He had succeeded. Vespera's advice, his own knowledge, and the nature of his energy... He had combined them all and created something new. Something beyond smoke. The first, true spark of power...
A cold smirk slowly, irresistibly, appeared on his face again. But this one was different. This wasn't just a smirk of triumph. His eyes were locked on his palm, where the sparks had just appeared.
Yes. The door had been opened. And what lay inside... looked much more exciting than he had expected.