The sound of wood clashing against wood echoed through the yard, punctuated by occasional grunts of effort and pain. Kvolt and Henry were engaged in their daily fencing training, their practice swords colliding in a blurred image of movements.

Kvolt had grown both in size and skill. His movements were more fluid, his posture more confident - a testament to the tireless hours he had dedicated to honing his technique.

But there were still limitations he had to deal with. His youthful body simply didn't possess the strength or reach of an adult, a fact that Henry seemed willing to exploit today.

"Keep your guard up, Kvolt!" Henry barked, his wooden sword passing dangerously close to Kvolt's ear. "How many times do I have to tell you?"

Kvolt gritted his teeth, adjusting his position accordingly. Henry was especially intense today, his blows coming with more force, his criticisms more biting. It was almost as if he was fighting a real enemy, not training his son.

Kvolt could feel the aggressiveness emanating from his father in waves, fueled by something more than mere frustration.

Trying to stand firm against Henry's onslaught, Kvolt tried a new approach. Closing his eyes for a brief moment, he turned his attention inward, seeking that spark of vital energy he had touched only a few times before. He leaked some of his mana so he could feel its call.

With a focused breath, he brought it forth, directing it to his senses, to his tense muscles. Almost instantly, he felt a change - the world around him seemed to slow down, Henry's movements becoming more distinct, more predictable.

Henry observed, stopping his body mid-attack. "What are you doing?"

Kvolt smiled as he opened his eyes to respond. "I'm accessing something you said you would teach me, but haven't yet."

Henry smiled and attacked again, his sword cutting through the air. But Kvolt was ready. He dodged to the side, his own sword rising to deflect the blow with increased precision.

He blinked, momentarily caught off guard by his son's sudden improvement in form.

"That's... Vitalis..." Henry said, surprised. He soon shook his head in a loud laugh. "You managed this while I was away? Unbelievable... How can you be good at everything?"

But then, in seconds, with a sigh, his eyes narrowed and he advanced again, his attacks coming with renewed vigor.

"Don't think I'll go easy on you! I want to see what you've learned," he shouted, intoxicated.

For several minutes, they exchanged blows in this elevated state.

"His left elbow is 2.5 degrees too low," Aurora observed. "And he's favoring his right leg. Possibly a strain in the quadriceps of the left thigh."

Kvolt nodded almost imperceptibly, his eyes already looking for a way to use this information to his advantage. On Henry's next charge, he dove to the left, his sword aiming at his father's unprotected side.

It was a good move, but Henry was too fast. With a growl, he spun to the side, bringing his own sword in an arc. He caught Kvolt on the shoulder, the force of the blow sending the boy staggering backward.

Pain exploded in Kvolt's arm and he let out a strangled cry, his sword falling from his suddenly numb fingers. He fell to his knees.

For a moment, Henry just stood there, his chest heaving, his eyes wide and unfocused. Then, as if coming out of a trance, he blinked and dropped his own sword, rushing to Kvolt's side.

"Kvolt, son, I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice hoarse with emotion. "I didn't mean to... I don't know what came over me."

He tried to put a comforting hand on Kvolt's shoulder, but Kvolt instinctively rejected it, fearing more pain. Henry retreated, guilt and shame etched in every line of his face.

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"Henry!" a voice called, breaking the tension of the moment. It was Gregório, leaning against the fence with an easy smile on his face. "Do you have a minute? We need to discuss... that matter."

Henry hesitated, clearly torn between his desire to comfort his son and the unspoken urgency in Gregório's voice. Finally, with a heavy sigh, he stood up.

"Stay here, son," he instructed, his voice still rough around the edges. "Rest a bit. We'll... we'll continue this later."

And with that, he walked away, leaving Kvolt kneeling in the dust, his shoulder throbbing.

"Your father is exhibiting signs of erratic behavior," Aurora observed. "His emotional responses are more volatile than normal, and his movement patterns suggest growing restlessness and perhaps even paranoia."

Kvolt grunted in response, massaging his aching shoulder. He didn't need Aurora's sensors to know that something was wrong with his father. The change had been gradual, but unmistakable - the growing impatience, the periods of euphoria followed by crashes, the nervous tics that now punctuated his previously fluid movements.

It was almost as if Henry was becoming a different person before Kvolt's eyes - someone unpredictable, even dangerous. Perhaps he couldn't even trust Henry to train him this way anymore.

With a sigh, Kvolt stood up, ignoring the sharp twinge in his shoulder. All that remained was to observe his strange new father or what his changes might mean, perhaps pray to some god of this world that Lisa and Nessa can get through this phase of Henry's.

In a brief walk, his feet led him to the side of the barn, where Lisai and Nessa were busy milking the family's new Burlak, Truffle. The animal raised its head as Kvolt approached, its yellow eyes staring at him with what could have been described as mild amusement.

"Kvolt!" Nessa called with a smile. At 8 years old, she was a miniature of her mother, with the same wavy red hair and gentle eyes. "Come help us! Truffle is being stubborn today."

Kvolt smiled back and knelt beside her, grabbing a bucket and positioning it under the goat's swollen teats.

As they worked, Nessa chattered cheerfully, her voice painting vivid images of the future. "Dad said there's going to be a festival in the village tonight," she announced, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "To worship the divine. There will be dances and performances and all kinds of delicious foods. With mages and everything!"

Kvolt raised an eyebrow. A festival could be exactly the kind of distraction he needed. A chance to lose himself in the crowd, to forget his worries for one night. And also to observe and learn from the Gifted.

Lisai smiled indulgently, but Kvolt could see the tension around her eyes. "That's wonderful, dear. I'm sure it will be very fun."

"Mages?" Kvolt couldn't help but ask, his interest piqued. "Will they do magic?"

Lisai nodded, her expression cautious. "It's a celebration in honor of the Divine and the Eternals. The Gifted have come to pay homage and demonstrate their power. It's a big event."

Kvolt still hadn't read the books about the spiritual beliefs of this world, but all the volumes from Maryuli's bookshelf had already been incorporated into Aurora's database. Kvolt couldn't help but smile as he remembered Maryuli questioning him about why he just quickly flipped through the pages of books without actually reading the content, little knowing that Aurora cataloged everything in seconds.

He asked, his mind already working. "Aurora, what do you know about the Divine and the Eternals of this world?"

"Based on the texts I've analyzed, the Divine is seen as the primordial source of all existence. It's considered the supreme creator, the force that gave rise to magic itself and, by extension, to all reality."

Kvolt smiled, pondering the information. "And the Eternals?"

"The Eternals are powerful entities, often described as lesser gods or demigods," Aurora explained. "They are seen as intermediaries between the Divine and the mortal plane, charged with overseeing different aspects of creation."

Kvolt frowned. "Interesting... But I wonder, Aurora, what is the real nature of these entities? Are they manifestations of natural forces, conscious beings with their own agency, or perhaps metaphysical constructs created by the collective mind of mortals?"

"The texts are ambiguous in this aspect. Some scholars argue that the Divine is an impersonal force, the very essence of magic and creation. Others portray it as a conscious and benevolent entity. As for the Eternals, there are similar debates about their nature and degree of autonomy."

Kvolt considered this for a moment. "And what about empirical evidence? Are there reliable records of direct interventions by these entities in the world?"

"The accounts vary," said Aurora. "There are numerous stories of miracles and divine interventions, but most lack objective verification. However, the widespread presence of magic in the world is often cited as proof of the Divine's existence."

"I see," Kvolt murmured. "A belief system built around magic as a fundamental force of the universe. I wonder how this has shaped the society and culture of this world. It makes me eager to know what the Gifted think."

"Kvolt, may I suggest caution?" said Aurora. "An encounter with Gifted represents an opportunity to gather information, but also a significant risk of being sent to a boarding school as a Wild One. I recommend keeping your own magical flow suppressed, as the books said that trained Mages can detect mana from the environment, and you should also adopt a disguise to avoid unwanted attention, given the uniqueness of your appearance."

Kvolt nodded, already making plans. A hooded cloak to hide his distinctive hair, perhaps a bit of dirt rubbed on his face to disguise his features. He would blend in, observe from afar.