With that, Elliot swiftly exited, moving with an unnatural speed, his footsteps barely making a sound. He had sensed a presence shadowing Vas during their previous encounters, and that same presence was here again. It didn't take long for him to catch up with the one trailing Vas—a man so meticulously unremarkable that he was unsettling in his anonymity. Elliot knew the type. He'd encountered others like him before: specialists in the art of going unnoticed.

Stray, one of the Hunting Dogs, had been following Vas under orders from Gerald. His assignment had been uneventful so far, yet oddly frustrating. He'd tracked Vas to the Scribes and even managed to make contact with Doctor Elliot, but something strange had happened. He couldn't make out the conversations. Stray prided himself on his ability to overhear anything, but this time it was as if an invisible barrier had blocked his efforts. Even more disturbing was the sensation that someone was watching him.

He felt it again now—someone right behind him.

"You know, it's not polite to spy on others," Elliot's calm voice cut through the silence like a knife.

Stray spun around, jumping back to create distance, but Elliot was already there, standing right behind him. His speed was unnerving.

"I don't appreciate being watched without my consent," Elliot continued. "And I certainly don't like people snooping around someone under my care."

Stray was no stranger to close encounters. Among the Hunting Dogs, he was the fastest, able to outmaneuver nearly any opponent. But this… this was different. Elliot wasn't just fast—he was something else entirely. Stray's instincts screamed at him to flee, but he knew that running wasn't an option. If he wanted to escape, he'd have to fight.

Stray reached into his coat, pulling out a pair of gloves that stretched up to his elbows when he put them on. As the gloves tightened, claws extended from the tips, gleaming menacingly. Without hesitation, he lunged forward, slashing at Elliot with incredible speed.

Elliot merely sidestepped, his movements graceful and effortless. "A Pathfinder bonded with Zephyr, using clawed gloves as your medium," he mused. "Average at best."

Stray snarled, launching another rapid series of attacks. His claws sliced through the air, aiming for Elliot's throat, his chest, anywhere vulnerable. But Elliot moved with a fluidity that made him seem untouchable, dodging each strike with minimal effort.

Then Elliot's fingers began to trace intricate patterns in the air, as if writing on an invisible canvas. Glowing runes appeared, hovering in midair like symbols of power drawn from ancient knowledge. With a flick of his wrist, Elliot sent a series of the runes flying toward Stray.

Stray dodged the first few, his reflexes sharp, but soon he realized that each rune had a different effect. One rune sent a blast of concussive force that knocked him back, another exploded into a swirling vortex of wind, and yet another slowed his movements, making him feel as though he was wading through thick water.

If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

"Damn it!" Stray cursed, scrambling to regain his footing as more runes danced around him, each glowing with an ominous light.

Elliot continued to summon more runes, his face calm and composed, as if he were barely exerting any effort. With each flick of his fingers, another set of symbols appeared, unleashing different elemental and metaphysical effects. Fire ignited from one, scorching the ground where Stray stood, while a second summoned chains of light that tried to bind his limbs.

Stray twisted and leaped, his speed giving him a brief advantage as he evaded some of the attacks, but the onslaught was relentless. Elliot's mastery over the runes was absolute, each one crafted with precision, their effects devastating. Stray's claws slashed through the air, but they found no purchase as Elliot danced around him, untouched.

Finally, Stray made a desperate move, aiming for Elliot's heart with a direct, full-speed attack, but before his claws could reach their target, a barrier of glowing symbols formed between them. The claws struck the barrier with a deafening crack, and for the first time, Stray felt resistance, his momentum halted.

Elliot's eyes glinted with a cold, knowing light. "You're outmatched."

With a sweeping gesture, Elliot summoned a final set of runes. These ones didn't just fly at Stray—they surrounded him. The air hummed with raw power as the runes began to constrict, forming an intricate, inescapable cage of light.

Stray tried to move, but his body was paralyzed. The runes pulsed with energy, draining his strength with each passing second.

"Knowledge is power," Elliot said softly, his voice carrying an almost otherworldly resonance. "And you… Are severely lacking."

With a final flick of his fingers, the cage tightened, and Stray crumpled to the ground, his body immobilized, the fight completely drained out of him.

Elliot stood over him, his expression unreadable. "You should be more careful about who you follow." Then, with a quiet sigh, he turned and walked away, leaving Stray trapped in the glow of the runes, utterly defeated.

"I'd appreciate it if you released him," a voice interrupted. "He was merely checking up on my grandson."

Elliot turned, eyes narrowing at the new arrival. Gerald Hek stood calmly before him. He had received Stray's distress signal—a special one sent by Hunting Dogs when they believed escape was possible without jeopardizing their mission. Stray had activated it when he reached for his gloves, signaling danger but not immediate failure. Gerald hadn't anticipated needing to intervene, but circumstances had changed.

"Gerald Hek," Elliot said, his voice calm but edged with warning. "I recognize that you're no ordinary man. Still, this person was following my pupil, and I don't take kindly to that."

"I understand your concern," Gerald replied evenly, his gaze steady. "But your pupil is my grandson, and I'm simply ensuring his safety."

Elliot's expression didn't change. "He's safe. Your man can follow him all he wants, but I suspect Vas has the means to lose him when he chooses."

A small smile tugged at the corner of Gerald's lips. "I agree. In fact, I believe my dear grandson is fully aware of Stray's presence and is allowing himself to be followed. But it gives me peace of mind to know someone is watching over him."

Elliot considered him for a moment, then nodded slightly. "Understood. However, I expect your men to withdraw when Vas is with me."

Gerald gave a curt nod. "I can agree to that."

With that, Elliot's form seemed to shimmer, dissolving into the air like a mirage, vanishing without a trace.

Gerald let out a breath, glancing at the now dissipating cage of glowing runes around Stray. "What a terrifying man," he muttered, watching as the last remnants of the runic energy faded away. He straightened, the barest hint of relief in his voice. "At least Vas is in good hands."

With that, Gerald turned and left, leaving the scene undisturbed.

Moments later, a team of Kadmon agents arrived. They searched the area meticulously but found no evidence of what had transpired. The lingering sense of something powerful and dangerous having been there was undeniable, but there wasn't a single trace to confirm it.