Lukas moved his head from side to side in an attempt to look through the cracked door. The room was now empty besides Akira and himself, and they were crouched before the door leading out to the ballroom, trying to see what was happening. People had started to show up half an hour ago, and more kept coming. As they filed in, small groups started forming, and the sound of chatter began to fill the hall, overpowering the soft sound of music. Occasionally, a person would break off from one circle and move on to another to find the latest gossip and rumors. From what Lukas could tell, they were excited. According to Akira, an event for the whole family like this hadn't been held in quite some time, and people were looking to make the most of it.

All that being said, Lukas wasn't able to see much of what was actually happening. Not only was Akira crouched in front of him, leaving him to awkwardly lean over her to try and get a peek, but some sort of stage was set up between their door and the growing crowd, blocking most of the room. They had the door cracked just the slightest amount, enough to get a hint about what was going on without anyone knowing they were there.

Now, he was nervous enough, and what he was seeing didn't help him in the slightest. It felt like he was seeing too much and yet not enough. He wanted as much information as possible going in, but then again seeing everyone gathered for an event that was specifically meant for him terrified Lukas.

For the last few hours, he had tried and failed to distract himself or keep busy. Akira and Sera had both tried to help in their own ways to little success, which only made Lukas feel worse. He'd be lying if he said he didn't feel a little pathetic, having them try to calm him down. He had done presentations back in school, and while he was uncomfortable, it was nothing like this. Sure, there was the whole thing with his newfound emotional depth, but that wasn't the issue.

A lot of wondering had been done as to why Lukas was this nervous over the last week, and he came to the conclusion that this event would start the timer on him being exposed. Once truly out in the public eye, the clock would start ticking and something would happen. Whether it was him slipping up or someone deciding to do some real digging, it would only be a matter of time. After tonight there would be no hiding, not considering who he was involved with. That was unless he disappeared into the forest, but he'd already decided not to do that—even if it were the smarter move.

Eventually, Lukas decided he couldn't look on any longer. Stepping away from the door, he began pacing nervously in the center of the room, his hands fidgeting at his sides. Noticing the lack of his looming presence, Akira turned and looked at him with concern.

"Are you sure you're alright? You've been getting worse all afternoon," she said, getting up and moving over to him.

He let out a stress-filled groan and ran his hands along the back of his neck. "I'm worried about how much time I'll have after tonight."

Akira frowned. "What do you mean by how much time you have?"

He stopped and faced her, but was so filled with nervous energy that he began fiddling with his hands. "The moment I learned about what being an outworlder meant, I knew that eventually people would find out. I could've just stayed in the wilderness forever, but I wanted to explore this world and learn about magic. That means that I'll definitely get discovered. Then when I entered the city, you and your mom figured me out immediately, speeding up that countdown. Now this, and I'm worried that I'll have so much attention on me that it speeds things up even more. I'm on a timer right now, and it feels like it's moving too fast for me to keep up. I feel like I'm going to have a nervous breakdown and throw up, even though I haven't eaten in weeks!"

"You haven't eaten in weeks?" she asked, her concern deepening.

"Look, I know you're nervous, but maybe try not to out yourself too much," Sera chimed in from nearby. "Otherwise it's going to be a long night."

"Not important," Lukas insisted, speaking to both of them.

"Right, sorry," Akira said, refocusing and stepping closer. "Look, I get that you feel like your control over all this is slipping away and that something terrible is bearing down on you, but you don't have to be so worried. I know we've said it a lot, but my family and I will protect you, no matter what happens, no matter how bad things might get. And if they try to back out or leave you to the wolves, I won't let them."

They really had said it a lot, but Lukas always appreciated it, knowing that someone had his back. He knew that Sera would always be there for him, if only because she had nothing better to do, but she couldn't do anything physically through the blessing. She couldn't protect him unless he was in her cave, but the Anuks were some of the most powerful people in the region. If they couldn't keep him safe, no one could.

"I know, and I'm grateful, but I just can't stop worrying about it."

"Well, why don't you try that thing with your emotions, like you did when we first met?"

"That's actually a good idea—can't feel nervous if you can't feel anything," Sera agreed, leaning over the back of a nearby couch.

Sighing, Lukas ran a hand over his face. "I don't actually know how I did that. You said you knew what I was, I panicked, and it just happened. Besides, I don't like that hollow, empty feeling; it's how I felt back home. Reliving that wasn't great."

Akira stepped closer, holding out her hands in a helpless gesture. "Okay, well, there's not much you can do other than suck it up."

"I know," he admitted.

Reaching out, she placed a comforting hand on his arm. "Just look at it this way—tomorrow morning we'll be on the training field, and we won't even be thinking about tonight."

Closing his eyes and focusing on that thought, Lukas took in a slow, deep breath and let it out the same way. "Thank you, that helps," he said, giving her a small smile beneath his mask.

She must have picked up on it, because she gave one in return.

"Oh man, get a room, you two," Sera mocked, before promptly making kissing sounds.

*

Soon enough, there was a light knock on the door. It was the signal. In a few minutes, they'd head out and join Kora up on the main stage as she introduced Lukas to the family.

Before he could freak himself out, Akira turned to him. "Alright, last-minute prep. You don't have to do or say anything up on stage while my mother talks; you just have to stand there. Show me how you'll stand."

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Doing as he was told, Lukas adjusted himself slightly, straightening his back, pulling back his shoulders, and widening his stance. It wasn't much different than how he usually stood, but he didn't want to slouch in front of a bunch of aristocrats that would definitely be judging him.

Taking a moment to walk around him, Akira nodded to herself. "Not bad, but there are some improvements to be made. Hold your head high like a stoic king. Okay, not that high."

She took his head in her hands and moved it slightly. "That's better. Now keep your hands clenched lightly at your side, and no fidgeting."

"That's a hard ask," Lukas grunted.

"Well, tough. You're going to have to remain mostly still while my mother talks. After that we'll take you around, and you'll still have to keep that nervous energy down," she insisted as she continued her inspection of him. "Oh, and no more disguising as an elf. You can't keep up that aura mask forever, and it's time they learn you're human. Keep the outworlder stuff packed away, though."

A few more pointers and tips later, and Akira was satisfied—more importantly, it was time to get out there.

One of the servants opened the door and poked her head through. "Lady Anuk, Mr. Hellstrand, we're starting."

Without waiting for a response, the servant's head disappeared, and the door to the ballroom opened fully. Through it, they could see the large columns that reached up to the ceiling, designed to look like the native rejuvenating pine, going so far as to include expertly sculpted flowering vines wrapping around the trunk all the way up. The floor was made of a beautiful deep green marble in an attempt to mimic wild grass. The walls all around the ballroom were covered in mosaics from top to bottom, depicting the whole space as a small wooded grove in the center of a grassy plain. The breathtaking aesthetic continued to the ceiling, which looked like a leafy canopy interspersed with windows and glowstones to fill the room with natural light.

Lukas was so taken by the room's beauty that he was only pulled back to the present by movement in front of him. It was Kora, and she was stepping up onto the stage, instantly gathering the crowd's attention. The chatter and soft music stopped, and what faces Lukas could see all turned to look up at the future matriarch.

She began greeting the family, her voice carrying through the whole space, as Lukas was gently pushed through the door and into the ballroom proper. "Thank you all for coming here tonight, and with so much excitement. I know we usually plan these gatherings in advance and include much more pomp and melodrama," she said, gaining a few chuckles from the crowd.

"This time, however, we only gave you a week's notice, and I'm sorry to say there will be very little in the way of entertainment. There is, of course, the music provided by our own Scarlet Anuk and her team, and the food, which will begin to make its way out here shortly. Now, some of you know the reason for this and why we have gathered. For those who don't know, there have been many questions directed my way, both from inside our walls and outside, wondering who has been spending so much time with not only myself, but my daughter, Akira. I have no doubt that most, if not all, of you have seen this young man or have heard rumors about him over the last few weeks since his arrival at our gates. With speculation and gossip at an all-time high, I believe it's finally time to properly introduce him to the family."

"You ready?" Akira whispered, the pair standing next to the steps leading up to the stage.

"No," Lukas barely managed, staring out at the faces that were already looking for him, some having spotted him and pointing him out to others.

"He's a brilliant and talented young man from a small village near Lighthollow," she said, turning back and gesturing to where Akira and Lukas would come up. "I present to you, Lukas Hellstrand."

Taking their cue, they walked onstage, Akira whispering to him one last time, "Remember, stoic king."

Lukas barely registered the words as he took in the sea of eyes and faces looking directly at him—many of them elves, with some humans and cannids, and even a few scalekin thrown in the mix. More and more faces were added to the number with each step he took. In an instant, his heartbeat skyrocketed, and it took every ounce of willpower not to freeze up like a deer in headlights as he began to sweat profusely. Worst of all, he could feel himself getting ready to shut down. His fight-or-flight response had kicked in, and his emotions were trying to pack themselves away, just as they had when he'd first met Akira.

He knew that if he let it happen now, in front of all these people, who were watching his every move, it wouldn't be great for him. It would raise questions and create complications. Not to mention the fact that shutting down like that probably wouldn't be graceful, and everyone would know that it wasn't intentional.

It was like the onset feeling of a cramping muscle, an uncomfortable tightness that needed to be acted on fast. Something within him was trying to contract and lock itself away. Without any time to think, Lukas could only rely purely on instinct in order to push back. Something flared up in defiance and met the impending collapse, colliding with it in a strange metaphysical way that resulted in a slight headache—which was strange, since absorbing the Stone of Rebirth he only got headaches when low on mana.

A gentle hand landed on his back, followed by Sera's words of warning. "Keep moving, and be careful. If you don't get control over that, the crowd will know something is up."

Lukas said nothing in response and kept walking, the only sign of his internal distress being a small hitch in his step. He was glad that he kept his aura held as tightly as possible at all times, not caring for social convention. That didn't mean he was safe, however, as he continued his battle with each step that led him across the stage and to Kora's side.

He was so focused on keeping himself in check that he hadn't even realized that Akira was standing on her mother's other side, nor that Kora had started speaking again. It didn't help that every time he felt like he had the upper hand or was getting himself under control, he'd find himself staring out at a crowd that was eyeing him intently.

'Shit, shit, shit, I need to get this under control! I can't have this happen every time I panic! What's happening, what do I do!?' he thought.

"Some time ago," Kora said, "my son, Koshi, discovered Lukas while out on a contract, and while he was only just starting his journey and lacked any form of training, Lukas still showed a tremendous amount of potential. Many of you are well aware that Koshi shares my drive to make this family the best it possibly can be, and he knew Lukas would be a good addition. Knowing that his own team was full and that the power gap was too wide, Koshi wisely went to his father and convinced him to have Lukas sent here—"

As Kora continued to talk, Lukas fought to keep his emotions from packing up, and he wasn't paying any attention to what was being said. All he could manage was to stand there, perfectly still, as he struggled to keep himself from metaphorically pissing himself in front of a bunch of important and gorgeous people. Sweat was streaming down Lukas' face and back not only from the strain, but also from the panic and anxiety. The only solace was that the battle was acting as a small distraction from what was happening. It wasn't a good distraction, but keeping his mind occupied, even with this, helped ever so slightly.

'Just focus on yourself. Just keep yourself together, and it'll be fine. Remember, we don't want to feel like that again. We don't want to feel hollow again,' he recited to himself.

"—met Akira, and when he finally appeared on estate grounds I couldn't wait to meet him myself. Suffice to say, I was impressed," Kora said warmly, glancing at Lukas' stony form. "I knew right away that someone with his drive and sheer willpower would rise far above his humble origins, raising the Anuk name along with him. So, I had Akira train him, teach him the basics, and get a grasp of his capabilities. I quickly realized that despite the level difference, Lukas' strength far surpassed anyone else at his level, even being able to keep up with Akira during certain exercises. This includes aura training, which I will be handling personally going forward, if that tells you anything."

That earned a wave of murmurs and surprised looks.

"Considering his advantages and supreme talent when it comes not only to combat, but also alchemy and magical theory, I am proud to announce that Lukas Hellstrand will be Akira's first teammate," Kora declared over the susurrant crowd, stirring the chatter on further.

"Akira has earned her first promotion with the Adventurers Guild and will be entering iron rank in a matter of months. When that day comes, it will be time for her to be an adventurer in the true sense of the word, but she won't be doing it alone. Lukas is a good first step towards the building of a powerhouse of a team that will not only raise the prestige of our name, but, most importantly, shine as a beacon of strength, acting as a bulwark against the threats of our world."

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