The week that followed tested Aurelion's patience and willpower anew each day.
Aurelion sat in the middle of the stone floor, surrounded by the countless popped balloons.
He was focused on the new, balloon in his hand. For a week, he had spent hours every afternoon on this exercise, and the point he had reached was pitiful.
When he shut out the external world with his void focus, his entire being locked onto that colorful latex piece in his palm.
However, even with the most intense concentration, the progress he made was pathetic. Twenty seconds. That was the maximum time he could fill a balloon with his energy without popping it in his best attempt.
Twenty damned seconds. He hadn't even been able to start training to channel energy into his spear yet. At this rate, the punishment he would receive at the end of Roric's two week deadline would probably be weeks without sleep.
He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and once again retreated into that mental sanctuary. The outside world vanished. The stone walls of the room, the other balloons on the floor, his own body... All erased.
What remained was only a dark void and himself at the center of that void. He focused on the new, red balloon he held in his palm.
From his Core, he drew an even smaller, almost imperceptibly thin thread of energy than usual.
He again felt that wild, aggressive vibration within the energy. It wanted to shine, to dissipate, to explode, as if it had a will of its own.
"Be calm," his mind commanded. "Under control." With all his will, he tried to restrain in that wild nature.
As he directed the energy into the balloon, the only thought in his mind was "slowly, gently, without popping"
The thread of energy began to seep from his palm and flow into the balloon. A pale golden light flickered inside the balloon. One... two... three...
He maintained his focus, suppressing the wild urges of the energy. Ten... eleven... twelve... That critical moment was approaching. The energy began to grow restless again, to fluctuate.
"No! Obey!" Aurelion resisted. He focused all his attention, all his will, on keeping that flow calm. Eighteen... nineteen... Twenty!
At that very moment of deep focus, he felt a slight tingling and then an unfamiliar warmth under the skin in the center of his palm, where the Scale Seal was.
Then, a faint, flickering golden light appeared, visible even behind his closed eyelids.
The Seal was glowing! As his energy flowed towards the balloon, it seemed to be seeping from this Seal, passing through it. And the Seal, as if responding to Aurelion's intense focus and his effort to balance the wildness of his energy, shine with a more distinct light.
At that moment, Aurelion felt that rebellious energy flowing within him had calmed for an instant, that uncontrolled fluctuation had slightly subsided.
Startled by this unexpected development, he blinked his eyes open. His gaze instinctively darted to the glowing Seal on his palm.
In that instant, all his concentration shattered. The balloon burst with a sharp "Pop!" sound, scattering around.
But this time, the pop didn't anger Aurelion. What he had just felt... that warmth, that calming... it was real.
Another moment immediately came to his mind. That fit of rage, when he had dug his nails into his palm, the moment the blood flowed... The Seal had glowed then too.
His intense anger had subsided for a moment with the Seal's glow.
"Could it be..." Aurelion thought, his heart beginning to race.
"This Seal... Is it balancing both my intense emotions... and the wildness of my energy?"
He quickly grabbed a new balloon and swiftly inflated it.
Trying to recapture the previous sensation, but this time consciously directed his energy towards his Seal.
He aimed to use it as a channel, for the energy to filter through it and reach the balloon.
The Seal, as if responding to this intention, glowed again, and Aurelion felt his energy once more assume that momentary calmness.
He began to let the energy flow into the balloon. That golden current seeping from under the influence of the Seal, had become more docile, more manageable. The balloon slowly began to fill with energy.
One second... Five seconds... Ten seconds... Twenty seconds... The energy was stable. The balloon was slowly filling with a golden light, but it wasn't popping! Thirty seconds... Forty seconds...
Aurelion held his breath. This was working! The Seal itself was a key to controlling his energy!
Fifty seconds... The balloon was almost completely full, its thin surface stretched taut. Aurelion, while continuing to channel energy to the Seal, also tried to feel the pressure in the balloon. Just as he felt he had reached the limit...
POP!
It popped again. But this time, the pop felt like a victory. He had lasted for nearly a minute! He had found the source of the problem and a part of the solution.
The Seal...
He immediately grabbed a new balloon. He tried again. This time, while focusing on the Seal, he tried to control the amount of energy in the balloon more carefully.
Hours passed like this. The number of popped balloons might not have decreased, but the duration for which Aurelion could control the energy was gradually increasing.
With each attempt, he understood better how the Seal reacted, how it balanced the energy, how it calmed that wild current, even if only slightly.
Towards evening, the door of the training room slowly opened, and Roric entered.
He had come to check on Aurelion. The sight that greeted him made him pause for a moment. Aurelion was sitting cross legged, his eyes closed, in deep concentration. And the balloon he held in his left hand... was inflated.
Aurelion's golden energy was calmly glowing inside it. It hadn't popped.
Roric's eyebrows rose slightly. He silently entered, closed the door, and took a few steps towards Aurelion.
Aurelion, however, had noticed the Captain's arrival, but his mind was filled with the excitement of a completely different discovery.
He slowly opened his eyes, and his gaze fell on the pattern of the Seal. The scales opening to two sides, evoking a delicate balance… "Libra…" he whispered.
Then the word echoed in his mind "Balance…"
"You've made progress, whelp,"
Aurelion turned his golden eyes to the Captain. Behind Roric's usual stern expression, a surprise he was trying to suppress could be read.
"Just yesterday," Roric continued. "You were barely reaching twenty seconds. How did this happen?"
Aurelion saw this question from the Captain as an opportunity.
He lightly raised his left hand, showing the Libra Seal, now faded but still faintly visible on his palm.
Vespera's words echoed in his mind. "Try focusing on your Seal too... Try to make your energy flow towards it or outwards from it."
Back then, due to his intensive training schedule and having to deal with the clans, he had postponed researching exactly what his Seal did.
Now, seeing such a concrete benefit the moment he channeled energy to his Seal, a slight regret passed through him. "I wish I had tried this sooner," he thought.
He turned his gaze back to Roric "You tell me, Captain."
Roric seemed surprised by Aurelion's attitude and his direct pointing to the Seal.
Aurelion continued "This Seal... is clearly something that can strengthen me, or at least help me control my energy, Captain. There's no point in keeping more secrets."
Roric let out a deep sigh. He walked towards where Aurelion was sitting and sat cross legged on the floor right opposite him.
"This Seal… or Seals like it. Can be found in some people. You mentioned that Dark Elf you encountered before had a Seal, and you stated that Forest Elves might also have them, brat."
"That's true."
Another short silence. Roric seemed to be weighing the gravity of what he was about to say. "These Seals are usually passed down from parent to child."
"What I'm about to tell you now… I didn't want you to learn this so soon. Because right now, I only want you to focus on your training. And what I'm about to say is known by very few people. You will not tell this to anyone, agreed?"
Aurelion understood the Captain's seriousness. He nodded.
"Swear to me again, just as you swore to me before in exchange for making you stronger, that you will keep this information secret," Roric said. "I believe your words carry weight, brat."
Aurelion didn't hesitate. "Alright. I promise I will not spread this information."
"You are not an orphan, lad."
Aurelion's eyebrows furrowed slightly, as if trying to understand.
"You… are a noble Elf," Roric said, the words leaving his mouth one by one.
Aurelion tried to digest what he had heard. Noble... High Elf... The words spun in his mind but didn't quite settle.
Roric pointed to the Seal on Aurelion's palm. "This Seal, is proof that you are a noble Elf. The mark of an ancient High Elf lineage."
Lightning flashed in Aurelion's mind, and then Roric added. "That old Elf woman who brought you to these lands… She was clearly someone who served your family. The symbol of this Seal, your lineage, was embroidered on her clothes. Probably, during the invaders' attack, she received orders to save you from your family and take you to a safe place, perhaps to the North."
The gaps in Aurelion's mind were being filled one by one with Roric's every word.
Thud… Thud… Thud…
The real reason so much attention was paid to his Seal wasn't just that he was a potential energy source, but also a sign of who he was, where he came from.
The reason War Chieftain Varkas Silverfang and that mysterious sage had approached his Seal with such curious gazes even when he was just a baby…
The real reason Roric had constantly watched over him in the orphanage and then taken him under his personal protection…
And even the motivation behind the other clans making such audacious moves against him and his friends when he was just a tiny child…
Everything made sense now. He was not an ordinary Elf child. He carried a legacy.
"High Elves…" Roric continued. "Their homeland Luminor… is a country protected by ancient powers, one that no one would easily dare to attack. The invaders attacked Luminor so fiercely and ruthlessly precisely to overcome those ancient powers, to conquer that realm."
After a while, thinking Aurelion had overcome his initial shock, he added. "Well then, lad… I suppose you have some understanding of what this Seal means, who you are. Are there any other questions on your mind?"
Aurelion lifted his gaze from the floor and fixed it directly on Roric. There was still surprise on his face, but his eyes now held the expression of a new understanding and a heavier burden.
"I understand most things, Captain," he said slowly. "But… I want to be sure of one thing."
"Is this why you took me in? Because you knew who I was?"
"Am… am I just a puppet for all of you?"
With this last thought, those familiar, dangerous sparks of wrath began to appear in his eyes.
His energy, which he was trying to control, seemed to wavy restlessly again.
Roric noticed the anger in Aurelion's voice.
He answered calmly. "This was the reason I was constantly watching you, why the War Chieftain and the others showed special interest in you, yes."
Then he leaned forward and placed his hand on Aurelion's shoulder.
"But that wasn't the reason I took you in, brat. That was my own decision. My own initiative."
Aurelion felt the weight of the hand on his shoulder. "So… why? Was it just for this reason?"
Roric smiled slightly "I, survived in these Northern lands, amidst the ruthless intrigues of clans and great names, solely through my own determination and desire for power, brat. I reached my current position by clawing my way up. That's why the War Chieftain trusts me. That's why even those clan leaders in this city can't easily question my authority. That's why they couldn't object when I stood up to them and warned them about the safety of those children."
He took a deep breath. "I took you in because I believe you can reach this level too. I took you in to see what a soul like yours, when properly guided, can flourish into and achieve in this ruthless world. And yes," he said, a distant look in his eyes now, "when the time comes, when those damned invaders set foot in this world again, I took you in because I want to see you make them regret what they did."
When Roric finished speaking, he looked at Aurelion with an obvious smirk. "Are you satisfied with my answers, brat?"
Aurelion remained silent for a few seconds. The Captain's hand was still on his shoulder.
Storms raged in his mind. A noble Elf… Luminor… Invaders… Clashing thoughts, new realities.
That worry of being a "puppet" hadn't completely vanished, perhaps but at least for the Captain, might not be valid.
The others… The clans, the War Chieftain, Vespera, even that crazy woman Morwenna… Their intentions were still an enigma.
His past, his importance, his lineage… All these could be tools for others to manipulate him. But he would never be a puppet.
NEVER!
With this internal resolve, the tension on his face eased somewhat.
"Yes, Captain," he said "I'm satisfied." He paused, then added, "Thank you."
Roric's smirk softened. He removed his hand from Aurelion's shoulder.
"Alright, brat," he said, standing up. "Is there anything else you want to ask? I'm sure a thousand questions are spinning in your head."
Aurelion also stood up. There were questions about his new identity, of course. What was his family's name? What was Luminor like?
But the priority was different. "No, Captain," he said clearly.
Roric raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure brat?"
Aurelion's expression instantly returned to cold, distant state. "I have no business with a family that couldn't protect me, Captain,"
The image of that old, loyal Elf woman breathing her last on the snow came to his mind. "That old Elf and the others who brought me here... They are long dead. They made the real sacrifice. As for my so called noble family who couldn't protect their own children... I won't give them any credit of the sacrifice their servants made."
Roric was slightly surprised by Aurelion's ruthless yet internally consistent logic. This child's ability to sever emotional ties and focus solely on the outcome was both frightening and perhaps necessary for survival in this world.
Aurelion returning to his analytical demeanor. He looked at the Seal in his hand. "Alright Captain. Since we know what this is... What exactly does it do now?"
Roric also looked at the Seal, then stroked his short beard. "As you've seen, thanks to this, you can channel your energy without popping those balloons," he said. "Its shape is a scale. So... it must mean balance. If one side is heavy, weight must be added to the other side as well. It must be calming, balancing the nature of your energy somehow."
He shook his head. "But I don't know exactly what this Seal does, how it works. Perhaps if you were a Forest Elf or like that Dark Elf you encountered, I could tell you something clearer. We have more information about their Seals and traditions. But High Elves... They are already an arrogant people." Roric smirked slightly. "You can imagine how arrogant the noble ones among them can be, brat. You're just like them too."
Aurelion didn't care much for this last comment and even agreed with it.
"You will discover this Seal alone, brat. You will find its limits, what it can offer you, through trial and error."
Balance... Was it only for defensive purposes, or could he use this balancing power for offense as well? Perhaps instead of completely suppressing the wildness of his energy, he could use it to make it more fiery, sharper? As his mind overflowed with possibilities and theories, Roric's voice brought him back to himself.
"Brat!"
Aurelion looked up. Roric was standing in front of the weapon rack, holding Aurelion's spear.
"Stop fooling around," Roric said and threw the spear towards Aurelion.
Aurelion skillfully caught the spear in mid air.
"You will continue the balloon training. Until you achieve that perfect control. But since you've made progress with the help of your Seal... you can now also try channeling your energy into the spear."
A faint, confident smirk appeared on Aurelion's face. He gripped the spear with both hands.
"It was about time."