The moon then rose, bathing the village. Kvolt walked alongside his mother and sister, his heart beating with excitement. Henry had chosen to stay home, mumbling something about preparing for his next guard mission. Lisai had accepted his excuse with a tight frown, but Kvolt could see the doubt in her eyes.

As they approached the village center, the sounds of music and laughter grew, blending into a joyful cacophony. The streets were lined with stalls, each proudly displaying their wares - amulets, bubbling potions, even small caged creatures that chirped and twirled.

Kvolt drank it all in, his red eyes wide open.

They passed a group of dancers, their bodies contorting to the rhythm of drums. Further ahead, a storyteller entertained a crowd with tales of gods and heroes, his voice rising and falling like an enchanted tide.

As they walked, Nessa's eyes were drawn to a group of children gathered around a man making silly faces, eliciting cheerful laughter from the little ones. Enchanted by the scene, she insisted until Lisai agreed to approach.

At that moment, Kvolt tugged on Lisai's sleeve, having to shout to be heard over the noise. "Mom, can I take a look around? I promise not to go too far."

Lisai hesitated, her grip on his hand instinctively tightening. But then she looked deeper into Kvolt's anxious face.

"Look over there, mom," Kvolt pointed with his right hand. "Maryuli is among the crowd, I'll stay by her side."

"Alright," she finally relented. "But stay close, you hear me? Just a little bit, I'll keep an eye out. Don't go too far from us. Please, don't disappoint me."

Kvolt solemnly confirmed, already moving away and blending with the people before she could change her mind. And he soon pulled his hood over his head.

His eyes scanned the crowd, looking for Maryuli. He spotted her briefly, her dark hair and familiar features standing out among the strange faces. Kvolt began to move towards her, but the mass of moving bodies soon blocked his view.

He struggled to keep Maryuli in sight, gently pushing between people. But with each step he took, she seemed to move further away. The crowd closed behind her like water, erasing any sign of her passage.

Frustrated, Kvolt stopped, realizing he had completely lost sight of Maryuli. He looked around, trying to orient himself, but the sounds and sights of the festival were disorienting.

Momentarily forgetting his promise to stay close to Maryuli, Kvolt began to move towards the source of the mana. His steps were careful and focused, all his senses on high alert.

"Keep your mana contained," Aurora warned. "We don't want to attract any unwanted attention."

Kvolt nodded, taking a deep breath and forcing his magical flow to a minimum. It was a struggle - every fiber of his being longed to let loose.

Now, walking among the crowd, Kvolt felt a familiar tingling. It was an almost inaudible hum, a sensation of being watched by invisible eyes.

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"Aurora?" he murmured, his lips barely moving. "Are you detecting this?"

"Affirmative," came the instant response. "There's a perceptible concentration of mana nearby, consistent with multiple magic users. Two individuals, in particular, exhibit exceptionally high levels. I suggest extreme caution."

Kvolt's heart raced, adrenaline rushing through his veins. This was it - his chance to see real magic in action, perhaps even learn some of the secrets he so coveted, momentarily forgetting his promise to stay close to Maryuli.

With careful and focused steps, he began to move towards the source of the mana, prepared for anything.

There, to his right – two men, both in rich robes that screamed status and power.

And scattered around them, half a dozen younger individuals with weaker auras, flickering like candles compared to their masters' torches.

Kvolt watched with interest as the man made an elaborate gesture with his hand, conjuring spheres of light that hovered over his palm. With another gesture, the spheres launched into the sky, exploding in a display of golden sparks.

The crowd applauded appreciatively, but Kvolt was breathless, his heart racing with possibilities. If he could learn from these mages...

"Kvolt, careful." Aurora's urgent warning interrupted his thoughts. "You're unconsciously channeling your mana in response to the external stimulus. I recommend reducing the flow before..."

Kvolt quickly did what was necessary...

---

In the fraction of a second it took for Kvolt to register Aurora's words, the mage turned his head, his eyes narrowing. His gaze swept the crowd.

Dorian was with his young group of students, all in their brown robes. They stood out in the crowd like a hawk among pigeons, their solemn expressions a discord with the carefree smiles around them.

Dorian barely noticed them. His attention was focused internally, his senses extending like an insect's probes, examining the fabric of reality around him.

There was something... out of place. A discordant note in the usual music of ambient magic. Someone, or something... this was beyond what should be possible for the inhabitants of this remote village.

"Did you feel that, Magus Alric?" he asked, turning to his companion and confidant. The two had served together for years, rising through the ranks of the arcane hierarchy.

Alric nodded, his broad face smiling. "I felt it. Someone has been playing here."

Dorian frowned, his fingers drumming an agitated rhythm. This wasn't good. If it's wild... Wild magic was unpredictable, dangerous. And at a festival like this, with so many people crowded together... well, it was a recipe for disaster.

"I thought there were no registered Gifted in this region. The archives said Aneite was dead," Alric murmured.

Dorian responded, his dark cloak rippling with the movement. "The records might be wrong. Or perhaps we have a self-taught individual on our hands. It wouldn't be the first time. But also..."

Dorian narrowed his eyes. "But it could also be someone sent by the council, you know... suspicious of our business here."

Alric nodded in confirmation, already thinking of the solution. "We need to find them, whoever they are. Assess the situation, contain any potential threat. Discreetly, of course - we don't want to cause panic."

Alric continued, a predatory look. "Of course. I'll take a look around, ask some questions. You stay here with the students, do your great mage thing. The last thing we want is to agitate the crowd."

Dorian held Alric's wrist before he left. "If it's a wild one, don't attack, he might be being trained by someone at Magus level or higher, we don't want to create unnecessary enemies."

With a final nod, Alric moved away, soon disappearing into the crowd.

---

Kvolt quickened his pace, his feet carrying him forward almost against his will. The magical signature was growing stronger now.

"They're close," Aurora warned.

He could see them now - a group of hooded figures gathered at the edge of the festival, their postures rigid.

Gifted. Real Gifted, mere meters away.

One step at a time, he approached, his eyes fixed on the group's leader, a tall man with a staff carved in the shape of a snake. There was power in him, Kvolt could feel it.

Perhaps, if he got close enough, he could capture a glimpse of how this power was employed. Maybe he could even...

"Hello there, young one."

Kvolt froze.