The morning sun glinted off the marble columns of the Zeus clan courtyard, scattering shards of light across the polished stone. Kairo leaned against a balustrade, arms crossed, eyes scanning the sprawling academy below. His aura shimmered faintly, a calm blue haze that seemed to whisper, I'm here. Watch closely.
"Look at this place," Selene murmured beside him, hair catching the sunlight like liquid silver. "Even small students radiate enough Aether to fry a normal person."
Kairo smirked, pushing off the ledge with a casual roll to land on his feet. "Good thing we're not normal," he said, voice low, but carrying that effortless swagger that always seemed to get under people's skin. He adjusted his cloak as if it were part of a choreographed entrance.
From the training grounds below, a boy stepped forward. His chest puffed up, fists clenched, aura flickering like cheap fireworks. "I am Callistratos!" he shouted, voice cracking slightly. "The next prodigy of Zeus himself! None shall surpass me!"
Kairo raised an eyebrow, lips twitching. The faint pulse of Aether radiating from the boy told him everything: flashy, untrained, trying too hard. He felt Selene's soft chuckle beside him.
"Go on," she whispered, amusement in her tone. "See how serious he really is."
Callistratos stomped forward, throwing an exaggerated lightning strike that made the ground hiss and smoke. Kairo sidestepped lazily, letting the energy arc harmlessly past him. His aura flared just a fraction, dispersing the attack before it could even graze his cloak.
"You call that… show?" Kairo murmured under his breath, audible only to Selene. "Bro, please."
But the boy wasn't aware of Kairo's judgment yet. He leaped, summoning a small storm around his fists, thunder rumbling like a drumroll. "I'll show you true power!" he cried, puffing his chest and swinging wide arcs of electricity.
Kairo finally moved, but with the elegance of someone walking through a breeze. He let his Aether flow, coiling along his limbs like liquid steel. Every dodge, every step, was a lesson in aura control, absorbing ambient energy, subtly farming Aether from the very courtyard around them.
The boy's strikes landed… nowhere. He spun, sparks crackling from his fingertips, face red with effort. Kairo leaned casually on a column, aura pulsing lazily, voice dripping cool disdain. "Cute. That's a lot of noise for… basically nothing."
Selene stifled a laugh behind him. Even Lysandros, watching from the side, couldn't hide a smirk.
Callistratos stumbled, realizing his attacks had no effect. "You… you can't be real!" he stammered. "Who are you?"
Kairo flicked his wrist, letting a tiny pulse of Aether dance across the boy's aura. It wasn't enough to harm him, but enough to make him feel the gap in control. "Name's Kairo. And judging by your Aether, you need more than loud noises to impress anyone."
The boy gulped audibly, aura flickering wildly as he tried to maintain his confidence. "I-I… I'm powerful! Really!"
Selene rolled her eyes and muttered, "You'll see, Callistratos, it's not the flash that counts."
Kairo finally decided to end the lesson. With a flick of his fingers, a controlled surge of Aether formed a miniature storm around the boy, playful but overwhelming. Callistratos yelped as he stumbled backward, aura dispersing like mist in the wind.
Kairo let it fade, stepping back, hands in his pockets. "Better. Now maybe you'll train properly instead of pretending." He gave a slight bow, half-respect, half-mockery.
The boy's chest heaved, embarrassment and awe warring across his face. "I… I underestimated you," he admitted, voice small. "You… you're insane."
Kairo shrugged, the corner of his mouth twitching into a grin. "Takes one to know one. You'll get there… eventually."
Selene shook her head, barely holding back laughter. "Always dramatic, aren't you?"
Kairo glanced at her, one eyebrow raised. "Me? No. I'm always cool. Observe, Selene. Observe."
From the shadows, Lysandros stepped forward, clapping slowly, a grin breaking his usually serious expression. "You are something else, Kairo. That fake prodigy… pathetic. But it's good practice for you."
Kairo's aura pulsed faintly in acknowledgment. "Thanks for noticing," he said, voice smooth as silk, eyes glinting. "You'll see worse soon enough."
As the laughter faded, Selene leaned in, whispering, "Keep the show subtle next time. Not everyone needs to see your full Aether."
Kairo smirked, brushing off the warning. "Where's the fun in that?" He let his aura settle into a calm, almost lazy glow, like a storm contained in a bottle, ready to unleash when truly needed.
The Greek Village continued around them, unaware that two anomalies walked among them, learning, testing, laughing. They had infiltrated the heart of Zeus's territory, but the morning had already proven something vital: coolness, control, and subtle dominance could be far more powerful than flashy displays.
And for Kairo, nothing was more satisfying than watching someone act all tough… only to realize they were outclassed.
As they walked away from the courtyard, the boy trailing behind them in awe, Kairo tossed a casual glance over his shoulder. "Next time, maybe bring real Aether, yeah?"
Selene shook her head, laughing softly. "You're impossible."
"Maybe," Kairo said, smirking. "But cool things always arrive impossible."