After his panic attack yesterday, Alec proceeded to sleep for another day. He also did not pretend to be asleep most of the time to avoid Gael. The blanket was just too comfortable, and he certainly did not use it to hide from Gael's sincere care and concern.

Who are you kidding?

Just shut up.

"Should we be doing this in the kitchen?" Alec asked. Sitting on a stool in front of the island counter, he looked up at Gael and Kreis who sat across from him.

A clear scalenohedral crystal lay inside an ornate silver bowl filled with intricate swirling and circle designs. The setup looked like it should be sitting on top of a pillar in a temple. Seeing it laid out on the polished gray countertop just made it look out of place.

"It's fine," Gael said. "The sooner you learn to seal your powers, the quicker we can start on helping you figure out how it works."

His mood dropped a bit at the mention of his sentiral power. However, unlike yesterday it did not cause bad memories to surface and induce a silent panic attack. He did not even know that he was having a panic attack until Gael helped him out of it. Biting his lip and clenching his hands under the counter, he truly wished that what Gael said about his power was true. He hated the idea of being able to take away a drae's freedom.

"Give me your hand."

Although reluctant, Alec placed his hand on top of his. Gael enclosed his hand around his and placed it over the stone. Alec's eyes widened when Kreis gave Gael a small knife before it was poised over his fingers. He kept his silence, as his new guardian poked the tip of his middle finger until a small amount of blood welled up. He faced the finger over the gem and a drop of blood fell. The moment it hit the crystal, the red liquid sizzled and seeped into the crystal stone.

Alec's hand flew to his eyes as a bright light came from the stone. He winced at the burning sensation he received, causing him to rub his eyes. When it disappeared, he blinked numerous times till he saw the other two doing the same.

"Well," Gael said as he wiped his eye, "I did expect it to be that bright." He stepped closer to the bowl and leaned over to look. The clear scalenohedral crystal had turned into a beautiful light green color.

"I'm glad it's a success," Kreis said. He pulled out a silver necklace from his pocket. Reaching into the silver bowl, he picked up the gem and placed it in a matching hole in the necklace's pendant. With a click, the gem fell into place and Kreis pressed a glass covering over the gem. It looked fragile to one's eye, but Alec got the feeling that a lot of force would be needed for it to break. "Here, put it on." Alec received the necklace and immediately hung it around his neck.

"Now that you have your sentiral stone, what do you know about the developmental stages of a Sentire's powers?" Gael asked.

Alec raised a brow at the impromptu lecture but answered. "I heard about manifestation and amplification."

"Share what you know about the two."

"Is it necessary?"

Gael raised a brow, putting on a stern face that Alec was sure he used on his students. He had no choice but to obey.

"Manifestation is the stage where the Sentire's power awakens. It is usually a very weak stage, but the stage that poses the most danger because of the high risk of the power running wild.

"The second stage is amplification. It's the part where the Sentire has managed to raise certain aspects of their ability. For example, increased range for a Sentire with super hearing, and increased power for a Sentire of super strength."

Gael nodded in satisfaction. "Then have you heard about the derivation stage?"

Alec shook his head.

"Derivation is the stage where the Sentire manages to create a new ability based on their original power. A Sentire with super sight developing the ability to see in the dark is an example."

His eyes widened at the information. A new power based on the first one? That was kind of amazing.

"Only a few Sentires have managed to reach this stage," Gael said. A smug smile gradually formed on his lips. "Of course, I'm one of them. I developed the ability to impose my thoughts on other people."

The whole kitchen fell silent as both Alec and Kreis gave Gael dry expressions. The man remained oblivious to their stare.

"He's trying to show off, isn't he?" Alec asked Kreis.

"He is," the Ryder Commander said. "Get used to it. It's the influence of the Munstone Family on him."

Alec wanted him to explain more about the twins' family and how were they related to Gael, but the man in question began glaring at the two of them. "Check if the stone works."

Gael immediately gave him instructions. Enclosing it in his palm, he mentally willed it to seal away his power. The next moment, the gem let out a light green glow as the colors swirled inside, gradually going from light green to dark green.

"Good. It works," Gael said. "Let's go outside and unseal it again. Once enough Draes gather, seal it again and see if any of them leave."

They headed to the backyard, Alec reluctantly following behind the two men. He did not get to dwell on his thoughts because Gael clamped down on his shoulders and pushed him to the center of the backyard. Alec sighed at his enthusiasm. He prayed that what he feared would not happen.

Reaching for the gem again, he ordered it to unseal his ability. Soon enough, it changed from dark green to a lighter one. A few moments after he did that, three draelings peeked their heads from the bushes. His lips twitched at the cuteness. Thumps came from behind him as Asher and Iris came running from out of the stable, immediately squishing his face in between their snouts. He couldn't resist the laugh that came out of his throat as he nuzzled them back.

He broke away from the two and tried a command like Gael told him to. "Can you please lie down on your back?"

Asher and Iris exchanged looks before their big forms rolled over the grass until their underbelly armors were exposed. He looked to the three draelings and found that only one of them obeyed. The second draeling looked up at him with the most adorable clueless look in his eyes. The last draeling was glaring at him, she looked to be threatening him to try another ridiculous request.

The excitement started to bubble inside of him at what was happening. He quickly sealed off his power and spoke. "Now, can you jump once?"

Asher happily stood and carried out the request, shaking the ground from his weight. Iris rolled over and gave Asher a bewildered side-eye. She then looked at Alec and shook her head. In front of him, the first draeling happily copied Asher. The second still tilted its head in confusion. The last one was still glaring at Alec, but walked over and lay at his feet, refusing to move.

Alec could not help but laugh. The relief that he felt was immense. It was clear that controlling draes was not his sentiral power. Thank you, Kosmos.

"I guess I was wrong," Gael said. "It looks like draes will choose to obey your requests if you have successfully befriended one or their personality is friendly, to begin with. They might not obey if they're too lazy or prideful." His gaze lingered on Asher, Iris, the first draeling and the third.

"Or lack the brain cells for it," Kreis said.

Alec immediately picked up the second baby and glared at Kreis. "How could you say that? He's only a baby. He might be just a bit delayed in brain development."

Kreis did not falter at his glare but instead shook from the effort he put in to not laugh. "I did not say that the second draeling was the one who lacks the brain cells."

Alec, speechless, looked down at the little draeling who still had a confused look in his eyes. He apologized to the little one with a whisper and glared harder at Kreis.

"Kreis cut it out," Gael scolded. "Let's focus a bit."

Kreis just shook harder and Gael was forced to drag him away and sit him down on the porch. "Now that the child is out of the way, let's look at this from another angle."

Alec nodded and placed the second draeling next to the third one. "You mentioned that the draelings in the lake became angry when I was out of it, and immediately settled when I calmed down?"

Gael nodded. "Maybe it has something to do with your emotions? How about you project feelings of happiness to them."

"How do you do that?"

His guardian contemplated that for a moment, before giving a suggestion. "At the manifestation stage, I needed to make contact to read people's thoughts. Maybe you can do the same but with emotions."

"Okay." Opening his power again, he started touching the draes one by one.

He started with Asher, and he felt a strange connection form at once. Reaching out with his mind, he felt a thin wall between Asher and his hand. Deciding to project an image of happiness, he thought of memories with his brother and Crimson.

Asher's wall came down completely and he was given feelings of happiness in return. It was a happiness stemming from good food and affectionate touches from his Draeyer and his mate. Alec smiled and let go, proceeding to touch the other draes.

For Iris, the wall came down halfway. What he got was vague feelings of happiness stemming from teasing and messing with her Draeyer when she could.

The first draeling's wall came down completely and he was assaulted by intense happiness for food, playing, and the freedom of flying.

The third draeling's wall opened a hole in the middle. She sent a similar feeling as the first draeling, before closing up immediately.

The second draeling...Alec got a feeling that he wanted to pull down his walls. He could feel the draelings attempts to do so, but...just did not know how. Alec fell silent as he looked at the little creature's innocent eyes.

Oh Almighty Kosmos, bless this little one. I don't know if he'll survive without a Draeyer.

"It works," he said to Gael.

The older man smiled before his face turned serious again. "Now, try projecting a negative feeling."

Although reluctant, Alec started with Asher. Before he projected anything, the drae's walls had already come down. Slowly, he sent feelings of pain and fear from being hunted by large predators.

The next moment, his feet left the ground. Asher had swept his feet from under him and onto his wings, forming a protective bubble. Alec wanted to protest, but the words never left his mouth at the new sensation he felt from Asher. From the spot where the wall should have been, four other strings extended outwards. From his connection to Asher, he felt those strings reach for the other draes. When those strings connected to the others, the draelings ran for Alec and started fussing at him. Iris stood and circled them, looking for threats. He tried to understand what was being projected.

A feeling of a threat. A strong feeling to protect. The need to search.

The connection suddenly broke and Alec gasped for breath. Asher let him go, and he fell to his knees trying to breathe. He heard Gael and Kreis running towards him before he felt their hands trying to help him sit up. The draes made concerned growls around them. When he could finally breathe properly, he reached out and comforted the draelings.

"What happened?" Gael asked, worry evident in his voice.

"Gael," Alec began. "Can draes form emphatic bonds with each other?"

Gael fell silent and made eye contact with Kreis, who looked just as confused. "There are theories and speculation, but none that could be proven."

Turning his attention back to the draes, Alec pulled them closer. "Well...just now, I felt Asher connect with the others the moment I sent the feeling of fear and pain. It felt like he was calling for help."

The two men fell silent. Gael was the first to speak. "This must not be made public knowledge."

He nodded. "It would place them in danger."

Kreis was looking at them in confusion, which is why Gael had to explain. "If the wrong people find out about this, they might try catching draes by isolating them from each other with no way for them to call for help."

"Or use draes to lure others into traps," Kreis realized.

Silence fell over them as they each contemplated what they just discovered. It was a secret that many people had been trying to prove for many years, but can never be revealed.

Kreis was the first to break the silence, and he placed his pointer and middle finger on his chest. "I, Kreis Quin Hildegen, pledge to safeguard the trust bestowed upon me, keeping the secret entrusted to my care with unwavering loyalty and discretion. May my lips remain sealed, and my loyalty unwavering, as I honor this solemn oath of silence."

"I, Gael Fenrin, pledge to safeguard the trust bestowed upon me, keeping the secret entrusted to my care with unwavering loyalty and discretion. May my lips remain sealed, and my loyalty unwavering, as I honor this solemn oath of silence."

"I, Alec Arden, hereby vow to uphold the solemn silence upon the secret discovered and pledge to guard it with unwavering resolve. May my lips remain sealed, and my loyalty unwavering, as I honor this solemn oath of silence."

Finishing their vows, small lights glowed from their chest before quickly vanishing.

------

So Alec's vow is different because he was the one who discovered the secret. The vows for Gael and Kreis are for people who were entrusted with the secret before the Vow of Silence was made.

-----

So, Peek requests?

If you're not sure, here are some stuff I came up with that would be fun to write.

A. Gossip about Alec in the hunter circles

B. Gael's housekeeper.

C. Breakfast of the twins.

D. Mechanisms of _______

E. History of Sentires