Alex stood just outside the Thorp of Wyllow's palisade, the massive iron gate of the central stone building looming ahead. His internal ledger was flashing critical warning:
Current Status: Stillness Tank at 12%. Estimated Time to Zero: Minutes.
He had to get to the prison. Not to prevent aging, but to avoid stagnation. If his Stillness hit zero, the nourishing and strengthening effect would stop instantly. He would revert to his base, sickly strength—the boy who couldn't outrun Theron—and his entire growth potential would be paused.
The Scent of Pursuit
He was about to move toward the center when a cold, structured wave of malevolent intent swept over the town square.
It was Theron. The brute had arrived, having ridden hard and now stomping through the square, his face a mask of rage and greed.
"Elian! You pathetic scrap of dirt!" Theron bellowed. "I know you're here! I need my assets!"
Alex pressed himself against the shadow of a stall. The brute was a true threat, standing directly between Alex and his lifeline—the prison gate.
Alex located the large, still water trough sitting near the center of the square. It was his only clean shot at disrupting the Overseer.
He closed his eyes, drawing the meager 12% of his remaining Stillness. He directed the cold energy to the buckle of Theron's belt and the hilt of the knife—the densest, most inert pieces of metal on the man.
The transfer was subtle but effective: a sudden, biting cold rushed into the metal. Theron froze, his hands instinctively slapping his belt.
"Damn it! It's freezing!" Theron roared, distracted by the inexplicable, sudden chill.
It bought Alex two seconds.
He sprinted. Not with Vigor, but with the temporary strength Elian's body still held before the tank ran dry.
The Acquisition
The prison was a massive, granite block radiating a profound cold. Alex rounded a corner and saw the Iron Gate—a solid, unmoving barrier. He darted to a small, barred window near the ground and shoved his face against the cold iron.
He was running on fumes, but his discipline held. He didn't cast a spell. He simply opened the void at his core and presented the nearly empty 10% tank to the overwhelming Stillness field behind the bars.
The acquisition was instantaneous and terrifyingly violent. A white-hot surge of freezing energy poured into him.
Stillness Acquisition: 50% Full.
The surge of new Mana immediately acted as the required fuel for his body. His exhaustion lifted. His strained muscles instantly felt stronger, nourished by the sudden flow. He could feel his capacity to hold more Stillness beginning to stretch and grow.
But the influx was so rapid, so powerful, that Alex's control shattered. His mind reeled from the sudden density of the acquired Death Energy.
He stumbled back from the window, catching a glimpse of the man behind the bars—a pale, gaunt figure whose eyes, wide with shock, reflected the unnatural, freezing cold radiating from Alex's face.
Alex had refilled his tank and accelerated his growth, but he had done it violently, and he had been seen by someone trapped in the heart of Stillness.