As he walk to Thomas house, Mikhail greets the folks around his way. Looking at the people around him, the lack of teenager around the village made him think about what John said. Apparently, all of the village teenager receive training at the foot of the mountain. Something about how to live off the mountain by hunting or gathering, keeping the mountain "alive" and apprenticeship for many trades that people in the village has.

It's not an immediate concern for Mikhail as he, a six years old boy, not yet need to attend the course at his age. But it was growing a worry inside Mikhail head as he looks at the young adults in the village. Every one of them have that toned body for the man and slender yet robust for the woman and some of the men even have a glaring scar. It made him think of how intense the hunting in the mountain is.

While the thought is spun inside his mind, Mikhail never stop his steps toward his destination. Located around in the middle of the village, it was the home of Thomas Barret, the head of the village. 

The lack of hestitation in his step when he's going towards his destination while greetings people around and the absence of people who asked him where he's going tells that this was a daily thing for Mikhail.

As he walks along a bit further, a silhouette of a big house appear before his eye. A two-story house, rather a common house for a veteran artisans or a family with a field and cattle of their own. With Thomas house, it was a house with a porch and sizeable patch of garden beside his house.

Mikhail once again realize that the man who own this house is the wealthiest man in the village. Not because of how big the house is, but what the house made of. With the village near the mountain and forest granted with the abundance of trees, the house that Thomas have is made with stone. The uniform size and shape indicates that it was sculpted by mason, which someone this village don't have.

Arriving at the front of Thomas house, Mikhail walks toward the garden where he see Thomas sitting beside his house. It appears as he was enjoying the morning sun and cool breeze that the early spring has to offer.

"Morning sir, how is your day going"

"Morning lad, it is a good day for me. Have you eaten yet? I have some freshly made white bread and some boar meat stew inside"

"It's okay sir, i have eaten plenty. I'd have enough energy to work around all day. I'd tend your garden first before i'd take your offer"

"I have told you that you don't have to do it young man, i can works the garden by myself. You go out and play with other kids"

"It's okay sir, take it as a thanks for the helps i get when John is not around. Besides, i can play at the midday"

"What a lad, this is why the kids calls you an old boy"

This type of conversation had been running from a year back. At the age of five, Mikhail try to repay the favor that Thomas did for taking care of him while John is working at the caravan. While it wasn't necessary, the gesture is important. Mikhail was building a tight relation with the richest man in the village. Whether it was fantasy world or normal one, having connection with rich people have it's own benefit. If it's not for the absurdness of toddler doing chores and tending the land, he would have done it way before.

For now, Mikhail starts by rooting out the weeds clear out spaces for the new plant. While Thomas tiling out the soil, Mikhail picking up a rake to even out the tilled soil. All that works took them until the sun nearing the peak. While resting under the shade of the house, Mikhail remembered the thing that John said before going to Thomas house.

"Sir, John said that there were probably going to be a surprise waiting for me when i got here. What's the occasion?" Mikhail asked curiously.

As he remembers, there's nothing worth celebrating about him right now. No one celebrate birthday here, the coming of age is still pretty far away, and there's no good news as far as he knews.

"Surprise, what occasion??" Thomas said in wonder.

"What indeed..." musing to himself as he questioning whether he promised preparing some surprise for this little boy.

"Ah, now i remember. You are now six year olds"

"Come, lets go inside the house. It is better that way" Thomas urging Mikhail while pointing the door asking him to come inside.

Mikhail readily stand up, patting that little dirt that cling into the clothes and walks inside. He was curious on what kind of surprises waiting for him inside. As he entered the house, Mikhail sees the wife of Thomas spinning the wool into yarn. The wife was smiling seeing Mikhail was visiting the house.

"Hey little Mike, how's the work? Aren't you tired? Come, have a seat and eat. The stew is already cold but it still good." she invited mikhail with such liveliness.

"Not now, we still have someting to do. He will get it after we done with this" Thomas readily refuses the offer from the wife.

"What's wrong? Aren't it better to do your thing after a meal to regain your energy?" she's asking as if it was common sense.

"He's six years old now, i'm going to teach him ahead of time" Thomas answering it lightly.

"Six? Teach??" the wife pondering what is the connection between those two words constitute a refusal of meal.

"Hmmm.....~ahh, i see. Good luck Mikhail, just follow what he said and do it seriously" she's found the answer and giving Mikhail some advice.

Looking at the talks between them makes Mikhail confused. He cannot grasp the context in the conversation flow. The only thing he knews that at the age of six, he currently meet the criteria for Thomas to teach him something. And that something is need some luck even with a serious attitude.

Looking back at Mikhail, Thomas sees the boy with slightly confused face. He's amused by the looks of the boy and couldn't help but ask.

"Are you not going to ask what we were talking about? Are you not curious?" Thomas questioning Mikhail with a playful looks in his eye.

"For sure i am curious. But you would probably tell me when we reach the place. Even if it's not the case, at some point i would reach the conclusion by myself" Mikhail said lightly.

"Haahh, this is why people call you an old boy. Sometimes i wonder whether you are an adult disguising yourself with magic to look very young" Thomas express his confusion with rhetorical statement.

He was almost right, but in Mikhail case it was more than magic. It's a miracle altogether, but he was not going to voice it.

"Now, we arrived at the place. Just pick a place and make yourself as comfortable as possible" Thomas said as he open a room that was unfamiliar to Mikhail.

The place was empty, around four steps of adult across and there's only a wool rug that spanning accros the room without anything else present. It's rather a small and sad room. Mikhail sit somewhere near the middle of the room and trying to make himself ready for whatever he's going to do. Thomas sit in front of Mikhail, facing him and making himself relaxed.

"Now, before we starts. How old do you think i am?" Thomas started with a light question.

Mikhail confused as for what his looks would affect the thing he's going to teach, but Mikhail answer it anyway.

"I think you look like at the mid-thirties. But considering that your oldest son is twenty, probably you were in your forties" Mikhail answered with a little tought.

"Well that's a great answer, but in reality i was in my mid-fifties. Do you know how this can happens?" Thomas questioning with playful tones.

Mikhail surprised with the revelation, he's perplexed on how Thomas in his middle age can look to be so young. Mikhail suspecting that Thomas is lying, and then discarded that thought as there was no merit on lying to became older after eighteen except for pranking a child. Well, maybe he is lying.

"I'm not sure, maybe because of the good food you have everyday and because you are rich?" Mikhail answered carefully.

"Hahaha, that's one thing for sure" Thomas laughed, seemingly agreed with Mikhail answer.

"But this is the main reason" Thomas brought his hand to his face, closing it tightly to make a fist and holding it steadily.

Mikhail was confused. 'What is this old man doing'  he thought. Slowly, Mikhail began to notice something different in Thomas fist. It was very small, but Thomas fist has a distortion like some invisible flame burning in his hand.

Thomas puffing his chest forward and smiling smugly.

"How is it? Can you notice any difference?"

'Well, i'll be damned'  Mikhail thought.

"This is Aura"