Roric's house was no longer far. Sigrid, walking silently beside Aurelion, kept a steady pace. Not much conversation had passed between them after their afternoon visit to the World Tree.
Though Aurelion felt the physical fatigue of the day, his mind was still busy. Thera... Primordia... A planet with its own will. What was the truth underlying those simple, faith filled stories Sigrid had told? Was this will truly a protective force, or, as Aurelion suspected, a more self preserving, calculating entity? This idea, all of it, was very different from his past experiences, and his analytical side was constantly weighing this new information.
As they entered the more exclusive part of the upper districts, the subtle but distinct change in people's gazes caught his attention again. Northerners wrapped in thick furs, a few Dwarf artisans passing by, even representatives of other, rarer races... They would first glance briefly at the Northerner woman beside them, then their eyes would immediately fix on Aurelion, the small High Elf standing in these cold lands. There were no whispers, perhaps, but those brief pauses, the expressions full of curiosity and surprise, spoke volumes.
Aurelion slowed his steps and stopped. Sigrid stopped with him. The slight tension remaining from their afternoon conversation was still palpable in the woman's posture, but her face held a professional attentiveness.
"Sigrid, many people of different races live in this city. There were even stranger looking ones in the market. Why are they so surprised specifically when they see me?"
Sigrid took a deep breath. She leaned slightly towards Aurelion and smiled at him. "Because you are a High Elf, Aurelion. And your people generally do not leave their own lands, Luminor. They have kept to themselves for centuries. They don't mingle much with others." She paused, emphasizing. "Especially in a harsh place like the North, seeing someone of your race... is very rare. Especially a child like you... Without adults of your own people beside you... This is not just rare, it's almost unheard of."
As Aurelion processed Sigrid's words in his mind he heard melodic but clear voice from right behind them.
"That is true."
Both turned around at the same time. A few steps behind them, at a spot they hadn't noticed before, stood an cloaked figure. The figure took a slow step towards them, calmly pushing back the hood of the cloak that concealed its face.
She was a strikingly beautiful woman. Her skin was a dark, lustrous pink that retained its vibrancy even in the twilight. Her eyes were the same color as her skin, bright pink, and her gaze was both piercing and appraising. Black hair cascaded over her shoulders, framing her elegant face. The black, clothes she wore fit her body perfectly. There was no room for doubt. She was a Dark Elf.
Sigrid's reaction was instantaneous. She took a step, instinctively moving Aurelion slightly behind her. She looked at the female Dark Elf opposite her with slightly furrowed brows.
The Dark Elf smiled "Don't worry, sweetling," her voice soft, but with a slight air of superiority. "I just wanted to take a closer look at this interesting thing I saw from afar." Her gaze easily bypassed Sigrid's protective stance and focused on Aurelion again.
Aurelion, though noticing Sigrid's protective instinct, stepped out from behind the woman and directly faced the Dark Elf.
"I've heard Dark Elves are also interesting and don't show themselves much, what do you want?"
The woman looked at Aurelion and smiled again. This time, her smile held an obvious amusement. "Yes, we don't show ourselves much," she said. "But also, unlike your kind, we are everywhere, little light."
Aurelion didn't change his expression. He didn't bother with the woman's games or nicknames. He looked at her calmly. "You still haven't said what you want."
"You are rude and arrogant despite being just a child. I suppose it's ingrained in the blood of your kind, little light."
Aurelion ignored this personal comment, keeping his steady gaze on the woman. A silence lasting a few heartbeats passed.
Finally, the woman spoke. "You know, the servant beside you also said it. I'm just curious what you're doing here all alone." As she spoke, her eyes briefly flickered to Aurelion's hands.
Aurelion instantly caught this fleeting glance and looked at his own palms. The pale golden seal was there. He lifted his head and turned back to the woman. "Do you know what this is?" he asked directly.
The woman laughed mischievously. "I asked first, little light," she said with delight. "If your answer is good, I can tell you about..." her gaze shifted back to the seal on Aurelion's hand, "...that."
Aurelion sized up the woman for a moment "I'm an orphan. They found me here, and now, as you can see, I'm here."
The woman brought her hand to her chin, feigning a thoughtful expression. However, as she did so, she deliberately turned the palm of her other hand so Aurelion could see it. Aurelion's eyes involuntarily shifted there. There was a Seal on the woman's palm too. A White Serpent.
One of Aurelion's eyebrows rose in surprise. "I believe it's your turn now."
The woman sighed with feigned sadness. "Ah, you know, yes, it's my turn, but..." She put on a dramatic expression. "It seems the information you gave me isn't quite sufficient? I'm sorry, for just this little bit..." she showed the Seal in her hand, "...I can't tell you what this does."
Aurelion's brows furrowed slightly. "So you're breaking the deal," he said coldly. "Why am I surprised, after all, you're a Dark Elf, aren't you? We may be rude and arrogant, but at least I think we're not liars."
The woman's smile widened. "Nice try, little light, but I've already accepted that we are liars," she said casually. "But of course, that doesn't mean I won't honor this agreement. I forgot to tell you earlier. You just need to give me information worth the information you want from me."
Sigrid turned to Aurelion anxiously. "Aurelion, I think we should go back," she whispered. "She already admitted she's a liar. Even if she tells you something, we can't know if it's true."
The woman immediately interjected. "Normally I'd agree with you, servant, but this exchange of information is my business. You can trust me on this, at least."
Just as Sigrid was about to reply, Aurelion silenced her. "I'll decide whether what she says is wrong or not," he said clearly.
Then he turned back to the woman. "Since we can trust you on this. Give me information worth the information I gave you."
The woman's smile faded, her face grew serious. "Alright, little light," she said. "We both have this seal, and our seals are different, meaning they have different abilities."
Aurelion laughed mockingly. "Are you serious? Do you think I couldn't have guessed that?"
The woman started smiling again. "But that's the value of the information you gave, little light. I could have easily found out you were an orphan too."
Aurelion looked at the annoying woman opposite him. "So these seals have abilities," he noted inwardly. Even the crumb of information the woman gave was valuable, but he didn't show it. He thought for a few seconds, then a cunning smirk appeared on his face. "Even though I can't fully control my energy yet, I can control it."
Sigrid looked at Aurelion in surprise, as if to say, "Why are you saying that?" But the woman immediately interjected, no longer smiling, her eyes locked intently on Aurelion. "How old are you?"
"Seven," Aurelion said.
The woman began to think with a serious face. This information made the child's claim much more interesting. Aurelion didn't miss this opportunity, showing the Seal on his hand again. "What does this do?"
The woman thoughtfully looked at the scales seal on Aurelion's palm. Then she lifted her gaze, her smile had returned. "These seals are very diverse, little light, and I'm seeing yours for the first time." She paused. "I've encountered High Elves before. Some of them had these seals, yes. But I haven't seen yours, so I don't know yours abilities."
She looked at the seal again. "But if I were to judge by its shape... scales. So it might symbolize balance. Usually, the abilities of the seal can be understood from its shape." She tilted her head slightly. "Maybe... it could help you in complex energy manipulations, in balancing flows, or perhaps... in neutralizing opposing forces or something like that."
When she finished speaking, she started smiling again and looked at Aurelion.
Aurelion looked at the woman. Balance... Energy manipulation... These weren't concrete answers, but they were important clues.
Still, he wasn't satisfied. "I'm really starting to question your reliability," he said, disappointment in his voice. "Are you just giving me assumptions compared to the information I gave you?"
The woman laughed. "Don't get so angry, little light. My information might be assumptions, but what I said is true. Shape is usually connected to function. And," she winked, "I think it's equivalent to the "I can control my energy" information you so boastfully told me."
Aurelion looked at the woman sternly. "Not enough. I don't accept assumptions as answers, tell me something concrete."
The woman shrugged, smiling. "Sorry, little light, but I offered you information equivalent to the information you gave me. But I must say, this conversation with you amused me." There was a sincere amusement on her face. "Let's talk again in the future, little light."
She turned her back and began to walk towards the shadows. As the woman walked, Aurelion called out after her. "What's your name?"
The elegant figure walking towards the shadows paused. She didn't turn completely, but tilted her head slightly over her shoulder, looking at the small, stubborn Elf behind her. That playful smile appeared on her face again.
She remained silent for a few seconds as weighing the value of giving her name. Then, her voice was heard.
"Vespera," she said simply. "But what will knowing that gain you, little light? Names are just labels, aren't they? What matters is what's hidden behind that label."
Without waiting for another answer, she turned forward again. As the hem of her cloak billowed slightly, she quickly blended into the shadows of the Upper District.
Within a few seconds, she had completely vanished, as if she had never been there. All that remained was a faint, exotic perfume scent lingering in the air.
With Vespera's sudden departure, Sigrid unconsciously released the breath she had been holding. Her anxious eyes shifted first to the dark spot where the Dark Elf had disappeared, then to the expressionless child beside her.
"That woman... Vespera... she wasn't trustworthy, Aurelion," she said, her voice low and serious. "You should stay away from her. Her attitude, her curiosity... It's not normal. Should we tell Captain Roric about this? He might need to know."
Aurelion ignored Sigrid's concern or question. His golden eyes were still locked on the empty space where Vespera had just stood.
His mind was replaying the recent encounter in every detail. Vespera. Dark Elf. White Serpent Seal. Different Seal abilities. Her interest in his own energy control information. Even making her name a bargaining chip... Many new pieces, a new puzzle to solve.
After a few seconds, he tore his gaze from the shadows and turned to the Sigrid beside him. His expression was calm as usual.
"Let's go home," he said simply.
Sigrid said nothing more, just nodded in agreement. Together they began to walk along towards Roric's house.
When they arrived home, Brynja greeted them at the door. Aurelion and Sigrid carried the bag with the new clothes they had bought from Hilda's shop inside.
After a while, the sound of the outer door opening and closing again, and heavy boot steps echoing in the corridor, announced Roric's return. The Captain headed straight upstairs. Dinner time was approaching.
Roric had removed his armor. His eyes were as sharp as ever. Aurelion sat in his place opposite the table. Brynja and Sigrid silently served them and retreated.
They ate their meal in silence for a while. Finally, Roric broke the silence. After taking a sip from his goblet, he fixed his eyes on Aurelion.
"How was it outside?" he asked simply. "Did Sigrid show you around?"
Aurelion lifted his head. "It wasn't bad," he said. "We bought a few new clothes. Then Sigrid took me to that place called the World Tree." A faint, smile appeared on his face. "People were stroking the tree in awe, it was amusing." He paused. "Then, on our way home, we met an interesting Dark Elf. We talked a bit. And we came here."
Roric's spoon clattered against the side of his bowl. He slowly lifted his head "Dark Elf?"
Aurelion looked at Roric with a smirk. "Yes," he said with delight. Then he deliberately placed his hand on the table, so the pale golden Seal on his palm was visible.
"She was kind enough to tell me about this," he pointed to the Seal, "thing." He fixed his eyes on Roric "After all, some people prefer not to tell what they know about it."
Roric remained silent for a few seconds. His eyes shifted first to the arrogant smirk on the child's face.
"What I told you was true, brat. High Elves are secretive. They protect their own secrets."
Aurelion tilted his head slightly. "Perhaps they are," he said. "But are Dark Elves secretive too, Captain? Or maybe Wood Elves? If High Elves and Dark Elves have this seal, Wood Elves probably have it too. Maybe... other races have it too?" His gaze returned to Roric, even sharper. "You asked me to be honest, but you're not being very honest, Captain."
Roric's eyes narrowed dangerously. He gripped his goblet on the table tightly. "I always told you as much as was necessary, brat! Not more than you needed to know! Your job is not to ask questions, but to learn and obey!"
Aurelion didn't back down. His golden eyes continued to meet Roric's dark ones defiantly. An intense silence formed between them.
After a few long seconds of this staring contest, Roric took a deep breath. "Since you've learned something, is there anything you want to ask?"
Aurelion considered Roric's limited offer. But he had decided not to ask Roric anything anymore. He had nothing to ask someone who wasn't honest with him. The defiant expression on his face vanished, replaced again by his indifferent mask.
"No," he said simply. He turned back to his bowl in front of him and calmly continued his meal.
The silence over the dining table became even more pronounced after Aurelion's clear refusal.
Roric scrutinized the child's expression for a few more seconds. This little Elf's stubbornness and calculation both angered and intrigued him.
Finally, Roric grunted, pushing his chair back noisily as he stood up.
"When you're done eating, follow me," Roric said, his voice returning to that short, clear command tone. "Time for mind training."
Aurelion didn't look up until Roric was gone. Then he slowly finished his last bite. Mind training... Today, especially after the encounter with Vespera, with dozens of new questions and scraps of information swirling in his mind, this would be even more difficult. But Roric's instruction was clear, and Aurelion had accepted the necessity of this step on the path to learning control.
He rose heavily from the table. Sigrid and Brynja were silently clearing up. He glanced briefly at them, then headed towards that familiar, sturdy door.
Roric sat cross legged on the mat in the middle of the room, as Aurelion had seen him before, his eyes closed, motionless. His posture was like an unmovable rock.
Aurelion silently settled on the mat directly opposite Roric. He assumed his own posture, straightened his back, placed his hands on his knees. He closed his eyes, preparing himself.
"Begin," Roric said. "Empty your mind. Like the surface of a lake. Stillness. Forget everything outside. Just focus on your breath."
Aurelion tried. He took deep breaths, tried to push his thoughts aside. But his mind was like a marketplace. Vespera's pink eyes, her mocking smile, the White Serpent Seal... Different Seal abilities... Energy manipulation... Roric's evasive answers, his stern gazes... Sigrid's concern... "Why is he hiding it? What does he know? What does my Seal do? Why did Vespera even hide her name?" Questions, theories, analyses assaulted him one after another.
"Focus!" he commanded himself. He remembered Roric's analogy. A stone on the shore... Thoughts flowed like a river. He had to remain still. The river lapped at the stone, but the stone remained. Thoughts came, crashed, went... He was calm. He had to be calm.
This time his mind had truly reached a point of saturation, the thoughts seemed to be pushed aside a little more easily. They weren't completely silent, but their voices were muffled. Aurelion tried to cling to that silence, to that emptiness. Lake surface... Still...
He didn't know how much time had passed but his mind was noticeably calmer than his previous attempt. Not completely empty, no. But the storm had subsided, giving way to a slight ripple. Even this was an achievement.
Just as he was beginning to lose himself in this relative stillness, Roric's voice was heard.
"Enough."
Aurelion slowly opened his eyes. He had no headache or nausea. Only a deep mental fatigue. Roric was still opposite him, his eyes open, scrutinizing him carefully.
"Better. You didn't completely succeed, but you struggled. You were aware of your thoughts. You didn't get carried away by them. This... is progress." He stood up. "But you still have a long way to go, brat. Control of the mind isn't learned in a day."
He walked towards the door. "Rest tonight. Tomorrow morning, before dawn, we will start here again. And we will continue every day. Until that mind of yours becomes as calm as a lake."
He opened the door, and before leaving, he turned to Aurelion one last time. "And remember, the answers to some questions come with time."