...
The morning mist had barely lifted when Lyonel heard paws on the gravel path leading from the woods.
He'd been waiting by the estate's back gate, carving tiny runes into acorns while Aether Logic quietly organized data in his mind.
"Multiple signatures approaching," the skill chimed in. "Three Beastkin—high aether sensitivity, no hostile intent detected. One carries traces of the grove's restored pattern."
Lyonel tucked his carving tool into his pocket and stood up, brushing dirt from his knees. A moment later, three figures emerged from the treeline: a tall boy with wolf ears twitching atop his head, a younger girl with fox tails fanning out behind her, and—walking at their head—a child no older than Lyonel himself, with tawny fur dusted across her cheeks and large, gentle eyes that reminded him of a deer's.
"There youare!" Seraphina called out, jogging up to join him. Her copper hair was windswept, and she clutched the wooden duck figurine he'd given her tight in one hand.
"These are from the Shadowclaw Pack—they said they felt the grove's magic wake up and wanted to see who did it."
The lead Beastkin stepped forward—a girl with short brown hair streaked with silver, her antler-like horns curving gently from her temples. "I'm Kaelia," she said, her voice soft but clear. "We've guarded these woods for generations. When the grove came back to life… we had to know why."
Lyonel grinned, pushing his white hair out of his eyes. "Why? Because someone finally figured out how to hit 'refresh' on the whole place. Though I was kinda hoping the first Beastkin I met would ask about my rubber duck trick first."
"Rubber duck?" Kaelia tilted her head, her ears swiveling toward him.
"Oh, just a little something I'm working on," Lyonel said, pulling out a small wooden duck that glowed with warm silver light. "Fireproof, waterproof, and if you tap it three times—it quacks." He demonstrated, and a clear quack echoed across the grass.
Seraphina snorted with laughter. "You made a magic duck that quacks?"
"Hey, it's multi-purpose!" Lyonel defended playfully. "It also purifies water and glows in the dark. Useful for finding your way when you're lost—and way more fun than a boring torch."
Kaelia reached out cautiously, then gasped as her fingers brushed the duck's surface. "The aether… it's steady. No wild surges, no corruption. How?"
"Aether Logic," Lyonel said, his tone shifting to calm focus. "I can't draw magic from inside like you can—but that means I can work with the flow of aether itself, not against it. Aether Logic helps me map every pattern, every twist in the ley lines."
He knelt, tracing a rune in the dirt with his finger. Silver light spread outward, and within seconds, small green shoots pushed through the grass. "See? The grove was cursed because someone messed up a weave centuries ago. I just fixed the code—er, the runes."
"Analysis complete," Aether Logic hummed in his mind. "New pattern stable. Suggest establishing a permanent marker to maintain flow."
Lyonel pulled out his carving tool and etched a small rune into a nearby stone. It glowed bright gold, and instantly, more greenery sprouted around it.
Kaelia's eyes went wide as she watched flowers bloom where nothing had grown for decades.
"You're not just fixing things," she whispered. "You're building something new."
"That's the plan," Lyonel said with a grin. "Plus, I've got big dreams—like making a whole flock of magic ducks that can fly and deliver messages. Call it… 'quack-ommunications.'"
Seraphina rolled her eyes but smiled. "You're impossible."
"Impossibly awesome," Lyonel corrected, then turned serious for a moment. "But for real—if you guys want to learn how to work with the flow instead of fighting it… I can teach you. Together, we can make sure nothing like the cursed grove ever happens again."
Kaelia nodded firmly, then glanced at the two other Beastkin behind her. "We're in. But only if you promise to keep making those silly ducks."
"Deal," Lyonel said, extending his hand. "First lesson: never underestimate the power of a good quack."
As they shook on it, Aether Logic quietly noted the aether flowing between them—steady, strong, and already weaving together into something new.