The study still carried the faint warmth of morning tea when Elara raised her hand toward her son.
"Come here, love," she said softly. "There are two people I'd like you to meet."
The boy slid down from his chair, his eyes darting to the women across the room.
The first, tall and wrapped in violet-lined robes, smiled faintly, eyes bright with mischief and intellect.
"Sirion Velen," Elara said. "Archmage of Azen's Flame Tower."
Beside her stood a woman in silver-edged armor, posture straight as a spear. Her hand rested lightly on the hilt at her side, but her face held no hostility — only watchful calm.
"Knight Commander Arin Lys," Elara added.
The boy bowed slightly. Arin returned the gesture with a quiet nod.Sirion, however, grinned.
"Enough of the pleasantries," she said, pulling out the chair opposite him and sitting down like she owned the room. "Let's see what's really going on inside that little head of yours."
Her voice had that mix of play and command that made even adults sit straighter.
She placed her hands together, closed her eyes, and whispered,
"Akara."
The air trembled. A deep purple hue gathered around her pupils. Then, more sharply:
"Asura."
The light in her eyes flared — violet threads spinning outward like tiny serpents of fire.
[System Display — Gaia Skill Panel]
Skill Name:Asura – Eyes of the Wicked WitchSkill Type:Sub-Class Ability (Ψ Perception Class)Rank: A (Adaptive Tier)Description:Harnesses psychic ether to perceive both Elemental Ether and Life Ether in continuous motion.Users see through bodies, energy veins, and movement patterns in real time.Warning — Overuse may fracture the mind's focus.
The boy's eyes widened the moment her spell activated.He gasped, instinctively recoiling, jumping from his seat and rushing behind his mother.
Ether burst from him like a wave — pure blue light coiling around his form. His breathing hitched, fear glowing in his eyes.
Sirion blinked, then chuckled softly behind her hand.
"Oh my… look at that. His Ether just answered mine."
Elara's arms came down around the child's shoulders, steady and protective.
"What did you see?"
Sirion leaned back in her chair, still watching the boy with fascination.
"Not much — his body's normal, Ether flow stable. But the way it reacted…" she gestured lazily, violet light fading from her eyes, "it's like his Ether mistook mine for danger. As if it feels."
Arin stepped forward a little, her voice level but curious.
"That shouldn't be possible. Ether doesn't act on emotion."
"Exactly." Sirion snapped her fingers, the last remnants of her spell dissolving. "Which means either the boy's Ether is alive, or he's subconsciously channeling it."
Elara's gaze softened as she looked down at her son.Inside her thoughts, a storm brewed.
Should I tell her?About the Gaia Tone… about what he wrote that night?No. Cael said to wait.
She exhaled slowly.
"Let's… not push him too hard yet."
Sirion tapped the table, her grin returning.
"Fine. But if we're not dissecting theories, let's at least see him in action."
She stood, flame-colored runes sliding back into her robes as she stretched.
"I want to know how he handles open space. If he can control that much Ether, the courtyard should tell us everything."
Arin turned toward the door without a word, opening it for them.
Elara looked down at her son again.
"It's alright," she whispered. "You're safe. Let's take this outside."
The boy hesitated, still half-hidden behind her, then nodded slowly.
And so the study of House Solarin fell silent, its dust still shimmering faintly with violet and blue light — the echo of two powers that were never meant to meet.Outside, the courtyard waited — where Ether would dance freely, and truth would finally begin to show.