The four of them sat at a table in Townsend.

As if he’d just noticed that there was a young boy sat at the table next to him, Kallad looked into Rai’s electrifying eyes.

For a second, Rai saw the vampire-like eyes of the Deceiver.

Then a demon.

An eldritch horror was in front of him, and he was now somehow on a rocky field. The sky was dyed red, as if the blood of the fallen evaporated into the atmosphere. Tendrils of scaled whips lashed around the demon in front of him. Its eyes were void of life. Rai could feel his throat dry, and his eyes wide open in anticipation, in fear.

Woosh!

A jagged jaw with rows upon rows of chipped and broken teeth was about to snap at his neck. As if hit by a pulse, Rai broke out.

He was in the inn, looking at Kallad with sweat dripping from his forehead. His eyes were resolute. Is this the power of the Deceiver?

Kallad initially had an expression on his face that said he simply wanted to tease the boy, but now his face was plastered with confusion, “Just what exactly... even are you? You don’t break out of that illusion unless...”

Rai only just noticed he instinctively released a fifth of his mana to break out, and resealed his mana back to only allow a twentieth of his mana through, the default setting of the seals.  His throat was still dry from the fear of the illusion, so he reached for a cup of water.

Kallad seemed to recognise Rai’s mana being further sealed, since he looked down at the black bands on his wrists that lay rested on the table. “I see.” He sat in thought for a moment, while Jin and Sin watched the interaction play out. “Sword Dancer, you know what the council would do if they heard of this? Namely the Arbiter.”

“I am aware. But you hate him, so there’s nothing to fear.” Jin calmly took a swig of his drink.

Kallad simply laughed, "It seems nothing gets past you, Sword Dancer." Sin was clearly confused, and had absolutely no idea what they were talking about.

“Sindyl. This boy-” He paused, as if waiting for Rai to say his name.

“Rai, sir.” Rai said with a crack in his voice.

“This boy Rai is someone you should try to befriend.”

Sin’s eyes narrowed at her father. “What. Why? Why should I befriend him?”

Rai was thrown off guard. I’m literally right here, they know that right? There were two high ranking individuals from another clan in front of him talking about... befriending him? Do I get a choice in the matter? He wondered.

Jin looked at Kallad, “Don’t rush things Kallad, Rai’s gifted but he’s lacking in insight.”

Kallad raised an eyebrow in return. “Lacking in insight? He’s clearly powerful enough for you to want to put a limiter on him.”

Jin crossed his arms and sat back with a sigh. “Rai, the lightning thing. Tell him about the lightning thing.”

Sindyl felt like she was a passenger in this conversation with no control over what was happening. What lightning thing? This was a big departure from what she was used to at the Palace in the Underworld. She looked at Rai with anticipation in her ruby eyes.

Rai rubbed his head, then warily explained what he 'attempted' to Kallad. Though he was still apprehensive given the illusion that felt all too real and terrifying.

Rai finished explaining, and Jin added a crucial bit of information that most definitely needed to be said, even after Rai very clearly omitted it from his retelling of events, “It looked like he skipped across the ground like a stone on water.”

After the explanation, Kallad burst into laughter and looked at the boy through wet eyes. “That’s brave, not many people would even attempt something like that.” Kallad had a newfound respect for the boy, even moreso than when he figured out Rai’s power was mostly sealed.  

Sin giggled while covering her mouth. What a foolish boy, who tries to imbue their body with lightning? I can’t even control lightning, no one I know can do anything like that. Not even dad can control it, that seems like suicide. She looked down on the boy.

After seeing Rai blush in embarrassment, the combination of red on his face and blue in his eyes forming a strangely comedic image, Kallad placed a hand on Rai’s head. “It’s brave. I respect people who display bravery in their actions and not just their words. So I’ll tell you the problem you’re facing.”

Rai’s eyes lit up, he seemed to be more like a scholar than an eight year old boy. Hungry for the knowledge this man promised, Rai looked into his eyes without fear. Only with anticipation.

“If you couldn’t figure it out from what Jin told you, then I’ll give you a hint that will help you figure it out, if you’re smart enough: Make the speed of your perception match the speed of your body.”

Huh? How the hell am I supposed to-wait. Rai felt like he was on the precipice. The idea was on the edge of his mind. He couldn’t figure it out just yet, but he knew this would help. “Thank you Kallad, this will be very useful, I know it.”

He didn’t realise it, but his meeting with Kallad shattered all of Rai’s preconceptions about the Aspects. They weren’t all lofty people embedded in noble society, at least Kallad seemed far more grounded than Aunt Elly made them out to be.

“Just promise me you’ll grow up and win against this monster,” Kallad pointed to Jin, “he’s never been defeated by anyone, mage or warrior. Or woman for that matter.” Kallad laughed at his own joke.

Jin looked at him deadpan, then smiled. “Just how badly do you want to win Kallad?”

Kallad replied with an all too serious expression while tears were still flowing down his face, “Extremely.”

Jin raised his mug toward Kallad, offering a challenge, “Well, you’ll never beat me in a fight, but maybe you’ll be able to outdrink me.”

Kallad raised his mug back toward Jin, “Count me in!” He accepted the challenge.

Sindyl watched the exchange between her father and this farm boy. She whispered under her breath, “what just happened.” She never knew her dad to give out advice to just anyone. Especially random farm boys. What was so special about this one? He even asked her to befriend him. Her, the princess of the Underworld, befriend a farm boy? She looked towards Rai. His eyes were blankly looking off into the distance past her dad and the Sword Dancer. He’s so lost in thought after what dad just told him. “Hey. Rai- was it?”

Rai awoke from his deep thoughts, which appeared to happen more and more often to him lately, “Uhm... huh? Oh, yeah I’m Rai!” He’d only just made the link between Sin and Kallad, they had the same features, red hair, red eyes, and pale skin.

“I, Sindyl Raven, heiress to the Underworld, challenge you to a duel!” She declared.

“Huh?”

Jin and Kallad stopped their back and forth, and turned their focus to the kids.

“Well? Didn’t you hear me? I challenge you. What do you say?”

“I... Jin.. Help.. what do I do?” Rai had never been in such a situation before. Turning to his grandad, who at this point was more like a father figure to him, he sought help.

Kallad signalled to his daughter to wait. A vein seemed to pop out of her tiny forehead in frustration as she silently pouted.

“Rai, it seems you have your first opponent. I don’t know why she wants to duel you, but this is another way to improve yourself. Fight against her, use everything you know, and learn from it. It doesn’t matter if you win or lose, what matters is that you learn.” Rai saw Jin as a Sage the more he listened to him, moreso than Aunt Elly – at least right now.

Giving Jin a somewhat anxious look, Rai tried to siphon some of his confidence. He then turned back to Sin, “Okay, I accept your challenge Sindyl.”