The morning after the Elias' birthday party things had returned to normal. The servants had returned to thier work and Elias himself who had just woken up, moved through the halls with a slightly sleepy eyed expresion, stifling a yawn as he made his way towards the garden.
Roric stood framed in the archway, sunlight slicing through the space behind him. He was a figure of arresting contradiction.
Elias paused his approach, his gaze drawn instantly to the Hunter. The man was lean, yet the underlying tension of formidable muscle was apparent even beneath the simple, wine sleevleess tunic he wore. Every line of his body spoke of mastery, of countless hours spent honing instinct into reflexive action. He looked, to Elias's analytical eye, like a masterwork: sculpted, lethal, and effortlessly functional.
It was Roric's appearance, however, that caused Elias to take a slow, unblinking measure of the man. His hair, cropped short and immaculately styled, was an unnatural shade of deep, rich violet. It was a hue so vibrant it seemed to absorb the light, sitting oddly against the pale, battle-scarred skin of his face. Did he dye it? Elias wondered, the sheer audacity of the choice in such a disciplined man confusing his expectations. A man who carries himself with such quiet authority, why the theatrical color? Or is that simply his lineage? His handsome features, sharp and angular, were only enhanced by the startling color, making him look less like a seasoned Hunter and more like someone torn straight from a luxury lifestyle magazine—ridiculously, offensively good-looking.
'Who is he anyway?' Elias wondered. It took him a while to realize that he was a guest at his birthday party who left at some point for some reason.
'OK, but whats he doing here?'
A few seconds was all it took for Elias to remeber the Rite Of Passage and a frown instantly manifested on his face.
'Tch.'
Annoyed, he focused his Flow inward, forming a subtle, barely perceptible thread, and cast it toward Roric using Flow Perception in an attempt to query his soul, akin to feeling a ripple in the water.
But there was no ripple.
Where Elias expected to encounter the vast, cold ocean of a powerful Hunter's Flow, he found only silence. His investigative thread hit a complete void, a space where the universal energy should have been surging, but simply wasn't there. It was as if Roric had completely excised his entire Flow signature from the local reality.
"Done with your appraisal?" Roric asked suddenly standing directly infront of Elias with an amused look on his face. Elias on the other hand took an involuntary step back.
'Wasnt he standing a several feet away, how did he....'
Roric then spoke up, interupting his thoughts.
"Discretion is secondary to surviving in our world Elias.The laws of the Flow are absolute. You cannot initiate contact without also being contacted in return. When you extend your Flow—when you touch the Soul of another with your senses—that individual, that being immediately feels the intrusion. This hold true especially when there is a power disparity such as the one that exists between the two of us. Your intention doesn't matter. The action of making contact guarantees that contact will be made with you.So, for your own sake, don't go around looking otherwise you will find what you are searching for."
'Thats a needlessly eloquent way of telling me to mind my own business. And whats with that cryptic ending?'
"I'm sorry sir, Ijust wanted to see how strong my new teacher is. I will endeavor to keep my curiosity internalized." Elias said, his initial frown being shrouded by a mask of innocence.
" It's nothing you should be apologizing for. Just take note. And if you wanted to know which Stage I'm at, you could have just asked."
"What stage are you at, sir?''
Roric stared at him.
''OK, we're gonna have to do something about the way you adress me. Um....'' Roric ran hisn hand through his beard.
'' Call me Uncle Roric then.''
''Very well, Uncle." Elias responded.
" And drop the formal way of Speech, I'm not really into that stuff. As for my Stage, Me and yor dad are at the same level.''
Elias looked at him with a lost expression.
" Wait, you don't even know which stage your old man is on the Ladder Of Ascension?"
Elias giggled nervously.
'Now that I think about it, why didnt I try ro fin out my parents Stages?'
''Well, it doesnt matter, once we begin you will learn what stage I'm at and in the process where your parents are as well."
Roric had barely finshed speaking when footsteps and a powerful energy signaitutre caused him to turn his attention to the hallway. Elias followed his gaze and had to keep his expression passive while a chill ran down his spine.
Aina approached.
She moved with a liquid, almost unsettling grace, her back perfectly straight, her expression utterly cold and devoid of any visible emotion.
She came to stand beside Elias, ignoring Roric for a moment as she gave Elias a sharp, appraising look.
"Good morning,Big Sis." Elias greeted, giving her a small, respectful tilt of his head.
" I thought i told you to be careful when using Flow Perception, I beleived that encounter you had the last time would drill some caution into you but look. Its the first day and you've already shown the teacher how sloppy you are.''
'It's like she has eyes everywhere. Of course she knew I tried to peer at Roric's Soul.''
"Dont be too hard on the boy, he's still learning." Roric said.
Aina instantly turned her attention to him, observing him from the corner of her eye. She turned to fully face him, placing her hands neatly infront of her. An unmistakable aura of innate superiority radiated from her, quiet profound.
"Hunter Roric," she began, her tone formal and assertive.
"My uncle, Lord Alaric Dukker, has placed me in charge of my little brother's developmental Flow training. I am guiding his core Flow techniques, his focus, and foundational structure."
She paused, letting the weight of her claim settle.
"Therefore, it is a must that I accompany you. I need to observe your teachings to ensure they complement my structural curriculum, not contradict it. As his mentor and the guardian of his Flow's integrity, I must see precisely how your instructions will assist him in his preparation towards this Rite Of Passage."
Roric blinked, clearly taken aback. Alaric had mentioned her: Aina Mellou, his niece, a prodigy from a lineage of prodigies, and the youngest daughter of the legendary Ortis Mellou. He had met the Mellou's years ago when he and his now deceased wife accompanied Alaric when he went to ask for Elara's hand. He had been informed that this girl was a special case, an individual with two Traits ,one of Flow and the ther Anti-Flow and she was able to balance these two opposing charges within her small body as naturally as breathing. Not that he supported Children being rude to their elders, ut he understood where her sence of confidence came from since she could obviously back it up. His biggest concern though was why she was wearing a maid uniform?
'Its none of my business,just roll with it.' He thought.
"Very well, Aina Mellou," Roric replied, his calm returning instantly.
"Your observation is welcome. It is always beneficial for an Awakened's progression to be viewed from multiple angles. Though I'd prefer it if you adressed me with a more informal title.''
''Very well Hunter Roric.' she responded with a bow.
''Anyway, we move."
"I thought we were going inside." Elias asked politely.
Roric gave him a curt shake of his head.
"Theories are for scholars and those who wish to spend their lives writing dusty textbooks. The way of the Hunter is simple: reaction, instinct, and immediate application. The lessons are best learned with grit under your fingernails and the wind in your face."
With that, Roric pivoted and walked toward the entrance of the Keep.
Initially, Elias had wanted to make an excuse but this character seemed interesting and decided ' Why not?', giving in to his curiosity.