Aurelion, on his low stool among other small children, stared with ingrained disgust at the familiar grey gruel placed before him.
Beside him, Elara was spooning the gruel from her own bowl slowly, almost timidly, but independently.
Aurelion's golden eyes shifted to this self sufficient girl, a flash of anger at the irony of the situation igniting within him. Then his gaze returned to the spoonful of gruel held before him. "Even that timid Wood Elf can eat on her own, by her own choice... But I am still condemned to this... this humiliation."
Helga. The mocking expression from the early days was gone from the woman's face. It had been replaced by a chronic weariness brought on by months and a strange, almost respectful exasperation towards this tiny, stubborn, silent rebel. "Alright now, little pointy-ear," she said. "I know you don't like it, I can see it in your eyes. But this body needs to grow, to get stronger. It needs energy. Open your mouth."
Aurelion quickly turned his head, pressing his lips together with all his might. This daily, inevitable ritual was the sharpest, most annoying reminder of his loss of control, his physical helplessness, and the disregard for his will. The same battle was fought every morning.
Helga took a deep breath, her shoulders slumping slightly. "You're stubborn, little man, I think I tell you that every day. An almost admirable will... But I have a job to do and patience."
She prepared the spoonful of gruel with her other hand. "Look, the faster we finish this unpleasant business, the better for both of us. Then you can retreat to whatever corner you like and daydream."
Aurelion couldn't fight off the first spoonful shoved into his mouth. He squeezed his eyes shut, a silent wave of anger passing through him, a lump forming in his throat. "I understand, yes... You're doing your job, you crude, insensitive woman! I too will have jobs to do one day." The tastelessness of the gruel he felt as he swallowed intensified his frustration.
Towards the end of the meal torturei Linnea showed up. Her steps were directed straight to the section where Aurelion was sitting.
When the meal was completely finished, Helga lifted Aurelion from the stool with a crumb of affection. "You're growing, and you get thornier every day," she muttered.
Just as Aurelion was planning to slip away and disappear, Linnea stood before him. Linnea gently took him by the arm and pulled him to a quieter, less used, empty space by the wall at the side of the hall. Linnea stopped and looked directly into Aurelion's eyes.
"Aurelion," she said. "We need to talk a little. Yesterday's lesson," she began, her tone neutral. "The Orc children, Grok and Nazgûl... witnesses saw you whisper something to them just before that chaos erupted, just before the desk was overturned."
Aurelion blinked, trying to put an expression of innocent surprise. But the piercing gaze in Linnea's eyes told him it wouldn't work. "They saw... There's a witness. Denial is pointless. I must defend myself." he thinks. "Me?" he said, his voice thin and questioning. "Talk... no. Lesson… listened. Letter 'E'... Elara help..."
Linnea smiled faintly, but her eyes were serious. "Yes, it's true you listened to the lesson attentively. You even helped Elara. You seemed very... focused." She paused, gauging Aurelion's reaction. "Which makes the situation more interesting, doesn't it? And for such a normally quiet child to whisper something at that exact moment... strange."
Aurelion remained silent. He didn't want to step into Linnea's trap. "She's playing mind games again. Using my silence. Give a logical answer."
"But that whisper was still heard," Linnea continued, the neutrality in her voice giving way to a slight harshness. "And yes, we've discussed your construction site adventure before. It didn't go unpunished," she said, preempting Aurelion's potential objection, "but that doesn't change the fact that your curiosity and tendency to push boundaries continue. You observe everything, notice every detail." She narrowed her eyes. "Someone so observant must have also noticed why those two Orcs suddenly became so enraged. Perhaps... even made them angry?"
This last word was like a direct accusation. It hung heavily in the air. Aurelion felt Linnea slowly tightening the net, trying to corner him logically. "She's accusing me directly. I must make a logical defense. Use my weakness, their stupidity."
"Orc... anger? Me?" His voice sounded surprised and almost offended. "Why? They... big. Strong." He gestured vaguely with his hand, implying their size. "I... small." He pointed to himself to emphasize his smallness. "They hit. Hurt much. I not stupid."
He took his defense a step further, this time adding an obvious disdain to his voice. "Besides... they Orcs. Noisy, dumb. Them... watch? Talk to them? Why? Waste time. I... learn letter. More important." His gaze seemed to say, 'How can you not see such obvious logic?', challenging Linnea's intelligence.
Linnea listened to this defense carefully. The arguments were internally consistent. Especially the emphasis on "not stupid" and the disdain for Orcs was a stance that matched what Linnea had observed about Aurelion. However, Linnea was still not fully convinced. Doubt lingered in a corner of her mind.
"A logical defense, Aurelion," she said slowly, her tone neutral again, but that piercing attentiveness was still in her eyes. "Self preservation instinct... and yes, it's clear you don't value Orcs much." She paused, as if about to approach from another angle. "But still, that timing... Perhaps..."
That was the moment. Linnea was still suspicious, still looking for an explanation. Aurelion understood that his defense hadn't fully worked, that Linnea wouldn't give up easily. "I must change the subject. Touch a sensitive spot. Now!"
He lifted his head. That mask of innocence fell away completely. It was replaced again by that direct, piercing, and uncharacteristically expression for his age. His golden eyes locked directly onto Linnea's blue ones. "Strange?" he said, repeating the word, as if caught on Linnea's phrase. "You… always think strange things. Observe... you do."
His tone was again one of stating a fact. "Like me." He paused, seeing Linnea's brows furrow slightly. Then he delivered the main blow. "Roric... Captain... He strange too. Changed. Very strong now. Just like..." Again, that short, effective pause. "...like the War Chieftain." The name again slipped from his lips, low but clear. "Others... exist? Changed like this?"
Silence fell. The controlled expression on Linnea's face vanished completely for a moment. For such a young child to make such a dangerous connection from just a brief observation, and to use it as a counter attack at her most vulnerable moment...
Linnea composed herself in a second, but that reaction was enough for Aurelion.
The woman's face turned to ice. "Aurelion," she said, her voice now warning. "Some topics, especially things with risks and costs, are not things a child your age should be curious about or discuss. Do you understand? These topics are dangerous. And yes, returning to the matter of the Orcs, my eye will be on you. This conversation is over." She placed her hand on Aurelion's shoulder, turning him towards the crowd. "Go back to the others. And don't push the boundaries again."
Aurelion didn't object. Linnea's reaction and the way she closed the subject had given him the confirmation he wanted. This "change" was real, important, and yes, dangerous.
Linnea's emphasis had only fueled his curiosity further. As he walked towards the crowd with small steps, he could feel Linnea's piercing gaze on his back. This orphanage was turning from a boring prison into a dangerous playground requiring intelligence and will.
In The afternoon. Aurelion, with the cold satisfaction of having evaded Linnea's interrogation, had retreated to his relatively quieter spot by the window in the hall.
Just as he was lost in these thoughts, he noticed light footsteps approaching him.
He turned his head. It was Elara again. She dared to sit next to Aurelion. Perhaps the brief silence they had shared by the window yesterday, or Aurelion's unexpected help in class, had given this timid Wood Elf girl a small crumb of trust.
Aurelion didn't speak, just allowed her to sit beside him. He didn't want to scare the girl away. She could be a source of information. He had to be careful. For a while, they both silently watched the courtyard outside or just the opposite wall.
Finally, it was Aurelion who broke the silence. He tried to keep his voice as soft as possible. "The forest... what was it like?" he asked.
Elara's eyes drifted into the distance "It was beautiful," she whispered. "So... green. Trees... reached for the sky. Sunlight filtered through the leaves... Birds sang..." She drew vague shapes in the air with her hands as she spoke.
Aurelion listened patiently. He didn't care about descriptions of the forest. He was looking for something else. "Wood Elves... what do they do there?" he asked, gently. "We hunt... we track," Elara said. "We move silently. We climb trees..." She continued excitedly. "Our arrows... go very far. Never miss the target..."
"Archery... Agility... As expected." Aurelion noted it mentally. But what about that other thing? "Animals..." Aurelion said, as if testing the word. "Did you... like them?"
Elara's face lit up. "Of course! We even talked to them! Well... not exactly talk... But we understand. They understand us too. Especially my mother... She found an injured deer once... She touched it with her hand, whispered something... The deer then got up and walked away."
"Communication with animals... and healing?" Aurelion's heart quickened slightly. He was getting closer.
"How... did she heal it?" His voice unintentionally sounded a little more curious.
Elara shrugged. "I don't know... It was like... a green light came from her hand. Very faint. My mother used to call it "nature's breath." The power of the forest... Some of us can feel it, use it. To close wounds, to make plants grow..." She hesitated. "But not everyone. It's a difficult thing."
Green light... Nature's breath... The power of the forest... Healing... Magic! Not just a possibility, but something Elara had witnessed firsthand, something that could be used. An indescribable wave of excitement washed over Aurelion.
Maybe not like Runes, different... more alive... But it exists! I'm an Elf too! A High Elf... Linnea said so. Even if we're different... Maybe I have this potential too? Can I acquire this power? Can I compensate for my physical weakness with this? His mind overflowed with possibilities, the cold expression on his face cracking for a moment, replaced by a greedy curiosity.
"Can you... can you do it?" he asked immediately, his voice a little too eager.
Elara quickly shook her head, her face flushing. "No! I... I'm too young. My mother might have taught me a little but... the war..." Her voice trembled, her eyes began to fill with tears again.
Aurelion cursed himself inwardly. "Idiot! You scared the girl again!" Just as he was about to say something to calm her, Linnea's clear voice was heard from the other end of the hall.
"All children, attention! To the courtyard! The older ones' Assessment Tests are starting! Everyone will stand quietly at the side and watch. Obstructing or making noise is strictly forbidden!"
The announcement cut through Aurelion's thoughts about magic like a knife. He had been on the verge of something important. But at the same time, a new anticipation arose. Assessment Tests... Older children... Different races... Fights... This was a place where power was displayed, measured. This was the heart of the new world order. There was much he could learn from here.
He stood up. He glanced briefly at Elara. The girl still looked a little shaken. Aurelion didn't hesitate. For now, something was more important than magic. Observing power itself.
"Come," he said to Elara, his voice reverting to that short, commanding tone. He turned his back and walked with determined steps towards the door leading to the courtyard.
The cold stones of the courtyard gleamed under the faint afternoon sun, tense with anticipation.
All the orphanage children aged 9 and above were lined up in the middle of the courtyard. The diversity was dazzling and somewhat intimidating: a strong Bull Beastkin, a Saharan girl, a pale blue skinned Aquarion,;sturdy, blond Northerner children, a few Eluvians, a Lizardfolk whelp and a large Orc brat standing sullenly in a corner.
Aurelion and Elara, standing with other smaller children at the side, watched this scene silently. Linnea, along with a few stern looking instructors, stood at the side, constantly taking notes on the parchments in their hands.
The first stage was mental tests. Logic puzzles requiring the children to rearrange colored blocks according to specific rules were placed before them.Then, they were asked to draw complex symbol sequences shown briefly by the instructors from memory. Finally, their speed in reading and writing basic words and simple sentences in the Common Tongue was measured.
Then came the physical tests, meaning fights. The atmosphere changed instantly. One of the instructors stepped forward, his voice harsh. "Now it's time to see your true strength! Remember, weakness is unacceptable! Defeat your opponent!" The children were paired off randomly. There were no weapons, only bare hands, teeth, claws, and innate advantages...
The Bull Beastkin was matched with a smaller Eluvian boy. The Bull charged, roaring, while the Eluvian dodged sideways. The Aquarion, grappling with a Northerner girl, writhed like a water snake, escaping her holds. The Lizardfolk, fighting another Northerner , ducked and weaved with flexibility, lashing out with his scaly tail like a whip. The Orc attacked the Saharan girl opposite him with brute force, while the girl evading his blows.
The fights were brutal. Sweat, mud, sometimes blood... Those who fell were forced up, those who wanted to give up were scolded. The instructors shouted, while Linnea continued to take notes with an expressionless face.
It happened then. The fight between the Bull Beastkin and the Eluvian had intensified. The Eluvian was trying to tire out the Bull by avoiding his strength. But a momentary lapse in attention, a stumble... The Bull didn't miss this opportunity. He lunged forward with all his might, head down like a ram. But he didn't quite hit his target. One of the small, pointed horns on his forehead pierced the Eluvian boy's undefended stomach as he tried to dodge sideways.
A shrill scream arose. That fight stopped instantly. The Eluvian boy, eyes wide with terror, clutching the small horn embedded in his stomach with both hands, collapsed to the ground. Blood quickly began to seep from where the horn had entered.
The Bull-Beastkin, realizing what he had done, paused, looking at the boy writhing on the ground with his large eyes.
One of the instructors calmly approached, quickly assessing the situation.
Linnea, standing at the side without the slightest sign of panic, moved quickly and decisively towards the injured child and knelt beside him. The instructor, seeing Linnea would intervene, stepped back and signaled for the other fights to continue.
"Calm down," Linnea said to the boy lying on the ground. All eyes were on her. Linnea, without hesitation, placed both her hands on the injured child's stomach. She closed her eyes. After a few seconds, a soft, bright, bluish white light began tospread from under her hands.
The light, like moonlight seeping through clear water, gently covered the wound. No one was surprised except for the small children in the courtyard and those unfamiliar with magic. Under the light, the bleeding quickly slowed and stopped.
When Linnea removed her hands, the wound wasn't completely closed, but the danger seemed to have passed.
Aurelion, standing at the side, had watched the whole thing holding his breath. He was stunned by Linnea's calmness and skill. The fact that the instructors or other adults weren't surprised showed that such healings were normal for them.
But for Aurelion, this was still a revolution. That bright light... That healing... This was perhaps similar in principle to the "green light" Elara had mentioned.
"Damn woman!" Aurelion roared inwardly. The shock in his mind quickly gave way to a sense of betrayal and anger. "All this time... She could do that! And at such a level! And she... she can use it casually. She closed the wound... literally closed it! But she never let on! In those boring lessons, while listing those stupid rules... Was she laughing at us inwardly? Did she pity those like me, trapped in powerless bodies, or did she just look down on us? She knew! She knew what power was, and she was hiding it! This knowledge... This ability... Why did she hide it? Was this why she constantly watched me, pursued my questions? Did she sense my potential too? Or does she just see me as a dangerous anomaly?"
Linnea stood up. "Take him to the infirmary. He'll need to rest for a full recovery and perhaps take a potion," she said.
The instructor nodded and, with two assistants, carefully lifted the child from the ground and began to carry him away.
The tests continued despite the injury. A few more pained cries were heard, a few more children were pulled aside in tears, but the fights continued until the designated outcome was reached.
Finally, when the instructor ended the test, the children left standing were trembling from exhaustion and the adrenaline crash. Linnea stepped forward. "The tests are now over! Results will be announced later. Disperse now! Wait quietly inside until dinner time!"
Elara, came to Aurelion's side. "Mistress Linnea... is strong," she whispered.
Aurelion didn't answer. His eyes were still on the center of the courtyard. Linnea's controlled power, Elara's mother's nature magic... Even if they weren't both Elves, they possessed this power. So magic was less a race specific thing and more a skill that could be learned or developed. "So much to learn! This woman... She must have more. But reaching her will be difficult."
He looked at the cold stone floor, where the traces of blood and magical light had been erased. Storms raged in his head. The future... Plans... The reality of magic had completely changed the equation of becoming stronger. Not just brute force or risky "transformations"... Intelligence, strategy, and now... magic. He closed his eyes, picturing the bright light emanating from Linnea's hands in his mind. Then he thought of Elara's mother's "green light." He imagined himself. Pure, uncontrollable energy gushing from that small, weak body...
"Basic exercises..." he murmured. "I must prepare my body. More control. Endurance." Then he turned to the subject of magic. "How is it learned? Are there books? Or... observation? I must watch Linnea. Others... Maybe Roric? He's strong... Does he know magic?"
Questions piled up in his mind. "And those tests... When the time comes, intelligence alone won't be enough. I must fight. And magic... If I can do it, I must use that too. I will be the best. In every field. I must prepare."
With a cold gleam in his golden eyes, he turned and walked towards the shadows of the orphanage. The storm in his mind hadn't subsided. On the contrary, it had intensified. But now he had a direction. The quest for power had now opened up to more paths, more possibilities. And Aurelion was determined to explore every one of them.