Julien clenched his eyes shut. A primal scream of sheer terror tearing from his throat echoed through the castle as he braced for the searing agony. His mind raced with horrific images of his flesh being consumed by the relentless flames, his muscles dissolving in the unyielding heat. He envisioned himself succumbing to the same fate as the pile of leaves, reduced to nothing but ashes in an instant.

As the seconds ticked by, laden with dread, Julien finally mustered the courage to open his eyes: The first thing he noticed was the inert form of Robert, collapsed and motionless. A pang of concern for him briefly clouded his thoughts. "Is he alright?" he wondered anxiously.

Now turning his attention to himself, Julien cautiously examined his hands, bracing for the sight of charred flesh. To his astonishment, however, his skin was unscathed, perfectly intact. "Why am I not melting?" The question lingered in his mind with a mix of relief and confusion. Memories of witnessing immolations flashed before him, particularly the gruesome detail that the eyes were often the first to succumb to the flames; "How do I still have eyes?"

As he grappled with his unexpected state, Julien turned, searching for answers, and there stood Count Arnau, a distance away, wearing a smug smile that seemed to hold a world of unspoken knowledge. The count's expression, so full of confidence and mystery, only deepened Julien's perplexity.

"Trauma," Arnau called out, his voice tinged with a note of triumph, "a near-death experience is a sure-fire way of triggering the awakening of True Sight! Oh, and pardon the pun," he added with a chuckle, seemingly amused by his own wordplay.

Julien stood there, bewildered, his body was indeed mildly warm, but far from being burnt to crisp. "Wait, what?" he stammered, his thoughts a whirlwind of confusion. The reality of being engulfed in flames yet emerging unscathed was beyond his comprehension, "what is happening?" he demanded.

Count Arnau's tone took on a playful edge, trying to dispel some of the tension from the air: "My Aethyr isn't just about causing destruction with fire. What kind of brute do you think I am?" He teased, "I possess the ability to choose what my flames will consume and what they will spare, you see?"

To illustrate his point, Arnau suddenly enveloped himself in flames as well, mirroring Julien's recent experience. The fire danced around his figure, yet left him intact, a vivid display of his mastery over his fiery energy. Julien watched in awe as Arnau effortlessly controlled the blaze, a living demonstration of the precision and power wielded by an experienced Enochian. Gradually, the flames surrounding both Julien and Arnau began to subside.

Count Arnau's tone softened, conveying a sense of sincerity: "I apologize for not warning you before," he said, his voice sounding genuine, "the surge of hagic energy to the head, particularly the eyes, is intensified in moments of near-death. It's a phenomenon not entirely understood, to be quite honest, not even by me. You truly needed to truly believe you were in mortal danger for it to activate, however. I'm quite pleased my thespian abilities haven't waned, though," he added with a wry smile and an exaggerated bow.

Julien, still reeling from the shock and intensity of the experience, muttered under his breath: "You son of a whore..." His heart still raced, and his breathing remained heavy, physical evidence of the ordeal he had just endured.

Arnau pointed towards the incarcerated goat again, “tell me what you see now.”

Julien turned his gaze back toward the young goat in the enclosure. This time, his eyes, newly awakened to True Sight, revealed a startling aspect of the creature: Hovering just above its fur was a murky, almost tangible aura, akin to smears of corruption in the air. It clung to the goat like an invisible shroud of malevolence, altering Julien's perception of the animal. "There are... strange stains, like a foul aura, floating above its skin," he described, a note of discomfort in his voice, "it's very unsettling to look at it for too long, however…"

Arnau's voice took on a different gravitas as he confirmed Julien's observation: "Yes, what you see is the result of corruption by a Nephilim. Prolonged exposure would only deepen its affliction,” he sighed. Sadly, this creature has been irrevocably tainted, straying from the path of God's design, and as such, it must be put to rest," he explained, his tone laced with a sense of duty and regret.

He uttered a quick prayer, a solemn ritual before carrying out the necessary act. With a heavy heart, Arnau extended his hand towards the goat. In a swift and merciful action, flames sprang forth, engulfing the young Elioud in a lethal blaze; The count's expression was one of sorrow, reflecting the weight of the decision to end a corrupted life.

"Our raison d’etre, Julien Mazars, is the total eradication of Nephilim," Arnau's voice resonated with a firm and serious conviction as he addressed Julien, "but they are elusive, rare creatures. More often, we find ourselves confronting Eliouds, who are numerous and, in most cases, far more formidable than the goat you just saw. Remember, though, their existence is a perversion of the natural order, driven to destroy what God has created."

A shadow of sorrow briefly passed over Arnau's face, revealing a glimpse of the inner conflict that accompanied their duty: "It is a grim task to extinguish these lives, even when necessary. The act of killing, even in the name of a greater good, is never easy," he confessed, his expression softening. "And by the way, how are you feeling, Julien?" His question was sincere.

Now that he asked, Julien suddenly became aware of a throbbing pain in his head. An intense headache that was splitting his thoughts. His concern, however, quickly shifted to Robert's motionless form: "What about him? What happened to Robert?" he asked anxiously, gesturing toward the lifeless body of the count.

"All your hagic energy is currently concentrated in your head, Julien," Arnau explained, "it's a side effect of activating Chazah. But don't worry, as your energy balances itself out, I assume Robert will be animated once more. Be mindful, however, that this redistribution of energy will be quite taxing, so I suggest you return to your chamber and rest. Your body needs to recover from the strain. We'll continue with your training tomorrow."

After listening to Arnau, Julien carefully lifted Robert's lifeless form, his actions fueled by a mix of concern and responsibility. He made his way back to his chamber, each step weighed down by fatigue and the lingering ache in his head; The castle's corridors felt longer, and his burden heavier, as he navigated the dimly lit passageways. Once in his chamber, Julien gently laid Robert down on the floor and collapsed onto the bed - The pain in his head battled against his exhaustion, but the latter proved to be overwhelming. Sleep claimed him swiftly.

The following morning, Julien awoke to find Robert's corpse animated once more, a silent but reassuring presence by his side. The headache had subsided too, leaving behind a sense of relief.

Julien stepped once again into the dining room, the inviting smell of breakfast greeted him: A plate of perfectly boiled eggs accompanied by thick strips of bacon awaited him; A simple yet appealing meal. However, the room was devoid of any other presence; Count Arnau was notably absent, and the stillness suggested no recent activity.

Turning to the silent figure of Robert, Julien posed a rhetorical question: "Do you think Arnau is already out in the yard, Robert?" He received no response, as expected, yet the act of speaking aloud offered a small sense of companionship in the quiet expanse of the castle. After finishing his meal, he immediately headed to the yard.

As Julien entered the yard, Arnau's voice cut sharply through the morning stillness: "Julien!" he called out, immediately drawing Julien's attention, "catch this!" Without warning, Arnau lobbed an oval-shaped object in Julien's direction.

Caught off guard and propelled by instinct, Julien acted reflexively: He swatted the object away, sending it tumbling to the ground. His heart raced from the surprise, a mix of adrenaline and irritation coursing through him. "What in God’s name was that?" He exclaimed with annoyance and confusion.

Count Arnau's cheerful smile broadened as he revealed the nature of the object he had tossed: "That, my friend, was an asp viper egg, thoroughly tainted with iric energy," he explained, a note of satisfaction in his voice, "your ability to perceive it as such is a clear indication that you've mastered the First Angelic Key, Chazah. Congratulations!"

Julien cast a second glance at the egg lying on the ground; This time, through his newly awakened sight, he discerned the murky aura surrounding it, similar to the goat but with a more potent sense of foul malevolence. "But what do you mean by not being able to see it?" he queried, seeking clarity, "I could see the goat just fine; It was the iric energy I couldn't perceive before, right?"

Arnau's demeanor shifted to one of instruction as he addressed Julien, "very true, my perceptive Julien Mazars," he said, his voice taking on a didactic tone,"the greater the corruption, however, the more elusive it becomes to ordinary sight. To an average person, then, that asp viper egg would be entirely invisible."

He paused, appraising Julien with a discerning eye: "It seems you're naturally attuned to Chazah, having it active continuously — some enochians are just like that. This innate ability will serve you well. However, the next lesson in your training might prove to be more challenging, following that logic."

Julien's gaze locked onto Arnau with a sharpened focus, his eagerness to absorb new knowledge evident in his attentive posture. "And what's my next lesson?" he asked.

Arnau held up two fingers. "The Second Angelic Key, Tzipah, or 'Coating,'" he announced with a hint of challenge in his tone, "this key will teach you to extend your hagic energy beyond your body, to create a protective layer. It's a skill that requires both finesse and control." He then pointed towards the castle: "Go and change into an something that allows for free movement; You and I will exchange punches."