Kael sat on a patch of grass, leaning against a tree, absently turning his knife over in his hand.
After realizing his mistake yesterday, he had spent a long while just sitting on the bench, staring at the waves.
He had been completely fooled.
When Torin had given him information about Syleena, he had left out key details. That wasn't surprising. The Eireindaile family wanted Kael to find her, but could they really trust him? After all, he was just a temporary hire, an outsider.
That was why they had conveniently failed to mention something as crucial as the fact that Syleena was a Luminaire from the mind pathway.
He felt both pleased and displeased as he thought about it. On one hand, he had confirmed that he wasn't lacking. He hadn't simply overlooked something obvious. But on the other, he was now dealing with someone from the mind pathway.
He flicked the knife into the air, watching it spin before burying itself into the ground with a soft thud.
The mind pathway was not commonly trained. In fact, it was quite rare, and for good reason. Few pathways were as difficult to advance in as the mind pathway. In essence, it was the study and understanding of human thought, perception, and the intricacies of the mind itself.
Every pathway had its complexities, but comparing something like the blade pathway to the mind pathway was like comparing a river to the ocean. Many trained in the blade pathway. It was one of the most widely practiced due to its straightforward nature and raw offensive power. It was useful in countless situations, but more than that, it was accessible. Thousands had walked the path before, leaving behind studies, techniques, and enlightenment insights for others to follow.
If someone was determined enough, they could always find examples of those who had advanced before them. Individuals who had lived similar lives, faced similar struggles, and reached breakthroughs that could serve as guides. The blade pathway thrived on shared knowledge, making it far easier to progress, at least in the early ranks.
But that was also its curse.
While the early ranks were relatively easy to advance in, the higher ranks were notoriously difficult. The sheer number of Luminaires who reached a barrier, unable to progress any further, was staggering. Strength and will alone could only take someone so far before true talent became necessary, and many simply lacked the talent needed to break through to higher ranks.
"Wanting strength is reasonable… but trading away your future potential for temporary power… that's a fool's gamble."
Kael closed his eyes and leaned back against the tree.
Because of this, countless Luminaires were drawn to the blade pathway, lured in by its straightforward progression and early strength. But as time passed, many realized they had no way of moving forward. They found themselves stuck, their path suddenly steep and unforgiving, with no clear way to advance.
By then, the cost of changing their pathway was far too great for most to even consider. The very path that had once seemed so promising had become an insurmountable wall, trapping them in stagnation.
The mind pathway, on the other hand, was extremely difficult from the very beginning. Unlike the blade pathway, where countless predecessors had carved a road forward, the mind pathway was almost a mystery. There were no universal techniques, no widely accepted understandings of advancement. It was purely individual. Each Luminaire who chose this path had to explore and grasp the depths of human thought on their own, building their understanding piece by piece.
Yet, for those who managed to push past the initial hurdles, the mind pathway became more forgiving. The deeper one's understanding grew, the more everything seemed to fall into place. Enlightenment would begin to snowball, allowing those who had truly grasped its essence to advance faster than most other pathways. But few ever made it that far.
This rarity was no accident. Many didn't dare to take on such a challenge early on. Newly awakened Luminaires often sought immediate strength, eager to boast their power. The mind pathway lacked the flashiness of something like the blade pathway, but that made it no less terrifying.
In truth, Kael would be far more wary of facing a mind pathway Luminaire than one from the blade pathway. The reason was simple. Those who studied the mind pathway had a much deeper understanding of people in general, and even more so, of the mind and its thoughts.
'Mind pathway…'
He sighed and crossed his arms.
So that was it. She hadn't been avoiding him. She had never been there in the first place.
Syleena had altered the memories of a few key people in her routine. Motes capable of influencing memory weren't unheard of, but they were rarely used, and for good reason. A mote's true value depended entirely on the wielder's skill, and manipulating memories wasn't just about brute force.
It demanded precision, subtlety, and an intricate understanding of human nature. In that regard, the mind pathway was unparalleled.
The barista and the librarian were ideal choices. They were the kind of people who would naturally be asked about her whereabouts. If anyone came looking, they would unknowingly provide false information, genuinely believing they had seen her going about her usual routine.
The memories she had planted weren't just surface-level tricks; they were seamless, fabricated truths woven into their minds, making it seem as though she had never broken her pattern at all.
This was exactly why he hated the mind pathway. It was too flexible, too dangerous. If she was strong enough, she could alter Kael's own memories, making him believe he had always been on her side. She could subtly steer his thoughts, nudging his reasoning just enough to convince him that every decision he made was entirely his own.
It was true. The most effective lie was the one where someone believed they had reached the conclusion on their own.
Kael had used this very tactic before. He had never once told Torin, Selene, or Malric that he was a mortal. He had simply never displayed any Luminaire abilities, and over time, they had come to the assumption on their own.
'Better get going.'
With that, he rose to his feet, brushed the grass from his coat, and started toward the shore.
—
The flickering stars and the moon hung high above, like scattered pearls adrift on a sea of ink. Vast patches of shadow drifted through the sky, silent clouds swallowing the light as they moved.
Kael sat alone on a bench, his gaze resting on the endless lake stretching before him. Only the crash of waves against the rocks and the soft rustling of leaves in the wind disturbed the night's stillness.
He had followed the same routine as the past days, and once again, Syleena hadn't appeared. Neither at the café nor the library. Yet there was no frustration in his expression, only a calm, composed stillness.
Though he sat alone, just as before, tonight was different.
Tonight, he was waiting for someone.
Minutes turned into hours. The waves continued their endless assault on the shore, but Kael remained indifferent.
At last, footsteps broke the quiet. A slender figure approached, the edges of a beige coat shifting softly with each step. The sound drew closer, steady, unhurried, until a young woman stood beside him. She gave him a brief glance before sitting down on the bench without a word.
Kael met her eyes for a moment before turning his gaze back to the lake.
Beside him sat a striking young woman. Her short ash-brown hair stirred slightly in the breeze, and her firm expression paired with calm, confident hazel eyes fixed on the lake mirrored his own. The soft moonlight caught the sharp angles of her face, casting delicate shadows across her features. Faint freckles softened her striking appearance, lending her an effortless charm.
Neither spoke. The hush of wind weaving through the trees settled between them.
After a time, she reached into her coat and drew out a folded letter. Kael's eyes flicked to it as she handed it over. He accepted it without hesitation, slipping it into his pocket.
It was the same letter he had left at her residence the night before.
Once he had assessed the situation, he understood there was no way to track her down without drawing attention. Syleena did not want to be found, and if she had truly decided to remain hidden, no amount of searching would have led him to her unnoticed. So instead of chasing shadows, he had taken a different approach.
He had made her come to him.
Torin had given him more than enough information, including the location of her residence within the city. Under the cover of night, he had slipped inside and placed the letter where she was sure to find it. He had been careful with his wording, making sure to include details that only someone with direct ties to the Eireindaile family would know. It was the only way to prove its legitimacy and ensure she took it seriously.
But even now, the situation was uncertain. Too many unknowns, too many pieces that didn't quite fit. He needed answers, needed to hear them from Syleena herself. More than that, he was sure that at least a few people in the city had already taken notice of him.
No one had approached him yet, but that meant nothing.
In a place like Velthoria, where the noble family Valthorne had reigned for countless years, every movement was watched. They took note of anyone entering or leaving, not just to maintain control, but as a way to safeguard their influence.
Information was power, and they ensured that nothing within their domain happened without their knowledge.
That was why he had to be careful. It was also why leaving the letter at her house had been a last resort. It was too noticeable. If anyone had been watching, they would have seen him. But at that point, he had no other choice. Finding her without drawing attention had proven impossible, so he had taken the risk.