One thing I noticed from early on was my attunement with mana.
It was… different.
When I synchronized completely, my vision changed. The world became clearer. More defined.
And my eyes turned blue.
It wasn't something I controlled.
It was a reflex.
A sign that I was connected.
And in that state… I could see.
The patterns.
The runes.
The invisible structures that formed all magic.
After showing this, I was convinced to teach.
Each of them tried once.
Their mana depleted quickly.
It was like lifting a stone that was far too heavy.
The only one who came close was Elaine.
Her mana heart was still forming. It would grow with time. Maybe… one day… she could catch up to me.
Maybe.
After that, the tension gave way to light conversation.
It was then that I decided to ask something that had always bothered me.
— Alarion… when we first met, you said you were still mad at my father.
Silence returned.
I looked at my father.
His gaze hardened.
My mother was already smiling, as if she knew what was coming.
Alarion sighed.
— You know, Erond… one day I was bathing in a waterfall…
My mother started laughing before he even finished.
— …and your father stole my clothes.
I fell silent.
— I had to wait until nightfall to return — he continued. — But that day… there was a festival in the village.
My mother was laughing openly now.
— I tried to sneak in…
He closed his eyes, defeated.
— But the guards saw me.
He looked directly at me.
— And what followed was a completely naked elf running through the village… with guards chasing after him.
For a second, no one said anything.
Then—
My mother burst into laughter.
Adele did too.
Even Elaine was trying to hold back a laugh.
I looked at my father.
He just shrugged.
— I was young.
I couldn't help it.
I laughed too.
And, for the first time that day…
I wasn't thinking about power.
Nor about runes.
Nor about destiny.
I was just… home.
Elaine and her parents stayed at our house; they are going to stay until my birthday.