Chapter 58 - The New Alex

Sarah had been watching Alex closely for most of the evening. While Alex had never been helpless, she'd seen him struggle with self-doubt and a lack of confidence for almost ten years. After hearing of his harrowing tale from the Rift, her professional instincts were on high alert.

She and Mark were both surprised by the person they saw across the cocktail table. The number of life-and-death situations he'd been in would break most people. She expected to see the sort of trauma that could manifest when soldiers came back from war zones and stressful combat situations.

As a therapist specializing in trauma, Sarah had extensive experience helping people process their experiences. Her expertise, combined with her newly awakened Trait, made her particularly valuable to the government in dealing with System-related mental health cases, with one high-value patient being her position’s focus.

Her system-granted trait was already powerful, but her knowledge and experience made it even more valuable.

{Aura Perception} - Grants the ability to see the auras of living beings.

With her typical habit of analyzing those around her, the ability to see auras was interesting and fed into the habit. As far as she could tell, auras were a representation of someone’s emotion and will, or perhaps their soul. The Hunters Association had very little information on the subject, but she’d already noticed some consistencies in auras over the last week or so.

Auras typically appeared as colored outlines extending a few inches around a person. While she couldn't pinpoint what determined each color, they reminded her of the mood rings from her childhood. She theorized the colors corresponded to different personality types or the kind of magic that was being used.

The auras she had seen so far had a tendency to fluctuate in subtle ways based on emotions or thoughts. Mainly with the soldiers and Hunters that she’d worked with so far, this presented itself in jagged cracks through the aura in terms of trauma or a very shaky and unstable aura in terms of strong emotions.

Alex's aura, however, was unusual. It was a neutral blue, matching the shade of a Mana Stone, and had remained perfectly uniform and still since their arrival at the event. Even during conversations or when he smiled, it didn't fluctuate. This was strange because normally, when someone felt happy, their aura would concentrate toward the upper body and undulate with their laughter. His remained completely static.

In fact, as soon as Rylan began to approach, his aura clamped down even further and was pulled into a finger’s width from his body.

While it hadn’t been quite as restrained when he first came home from the Rift, she hadn’t seen many of the signs in his aura as she might have expected. Rather than coming back traumatized or shell-shocked, he seemed different- enhanced, somehow.

It’s like he’s undergone some sort of extreme confidence training. But in such a short time?

As the party went on, she’d observed as people gravitated towards him. They’d been casually introduced to John, Ian, and even strangers on the periphery of their group seemed somehow drawn to them. Alex handled it all with an ease that was entirely new to her.

She watched Rylan approach their table, and the atmosphere in their group shifted noticeably. Most people around them remained absorbed in their own conversations, unaware of the brewing confrontation, but a few at nearby tables watched with interest.

Her gaze flicked to Alex, and she expected to see some familiar signs of discomfort from the man she'd grown accustomed to over the years. Instead, she found herself staring at a man who seemed perfectly at ease, and one eyebrow raised as if amused.

She caught a quick shake of his head, signaling for her not to intervene. Glancing at Mark, Sarah noticed he looked about ready to leap to his friend’s defense. She grabbed his arm and gently pulled him back while continuing to watch the exchange.

“Okay. Sure. Let’s talk.” he said.

"Enjoying the spotlight, are you? Flaunting your magic as if you have some special privilege here."

Alex's lips quirked up at the corners. "Special? No, just enjoying the evening. You?"

Sarah blinked, taken aback by Alex's casual confidence. This was miles away from the Alex who used to stammer during tense conversations with his coworkers or even his parents.

Mark leaned in close and whispered, "What the heck is this dude's problem? Also, why did you pull me back? We can't just stand here and let this guy walk over Alex."

"Watch him, though. He's not getting walked over."

"You carry yourself with quite the air of superiority for someone so new," Rylan's voice was amiable, as if telling a joke, but there was an edge to his voice. "Enlighten me, what's your class? Something arcane and utterly impractical, I’d guess?"

Alex shrugged. "Underwater Basket Weaver. It's got its uses." Several people at nearby tables snickered, unsure whether to laugh at Alex or at his deadpan delivery of such an obvious lie.

Rylan's eyes narrowed, clearly unamused at being the butt end of a joke and having other people witness it.

“What the heck?" Mark relaxed and continued to watch the exchange. Sarah stopped feeling pressure from her large friend, and she removed her own hand from his arm when he didn't seem like he'd try to intervene anymore. "Is it me, or is Alex actually enjoying this social attention?"

She nodded, unable to pull her eyes away from the scene unfolding before them. Rylan stepped closer, putting the two just inches apart.

Just like before, Alex didn't budge. His eyes just followed Rylan as if there wasn't a care in the world.

"This is my home, asshole. Do you have any idea what my name is in the AG app?"

Alex's facial expression shifted from one of smiling ease to interested contemplation. He looked off to the side as if attempting to think. "Well, at least you're asking me what your own name is and not your family's name."

The exchange continued, and all of Rylan's attempts to intimidate or bait Alex were met with an unflappable, calm, or witty response.

She turned her gaze to Sam, noticing how the teen seemed to shrink into himself. A moment later, Val appeared, swooping down to wrap protectively around Sam's shoulders. The blonde-haired young man flinched for a moment before realizing that it was the companion.

Olivia stood nearby, her posture clearly tense. She seemed ready to step in at a moment's notice. She attempted more than once to interject and tell Rylan to drop the nonsense, but he ignored her and pressed on. Sarah guessed that this behavior was normal and part of what upset the dark-haired woman when she realized Rylan had returned to the party.

But, despite their group’s tense demeanor, it was Alex who held her attention. His stance was relaxed, feet shoulder width apart, and while he wasn’t showing any threatening signs at all, she could tell that his hand was kept near the jacket entrance to where his spatial pouch was kept.

When did he learn to carry himself like that?

She felt a growing sense of worry. Despite Alex’s apparent confidence, it had to be a facade, and Rylan’s aggression continued to grow with each denial of a conflict.

"You want to step outside and settle this?" Rylan growled as his fists clenched at his sides.

Alex's response was calm. "I don't think that's necessary. We're all here to celebrate, aren't we?"

She looked back at Rylan, and it wasn’t just his aggressive posturing that caught her attention. Using her trait to see auras, she took in his aura for the first time. It was a reddish-black color and appeared to move with a purpose. It reached out to Alex’s in a predatory manner, attempting to engulf those around him.

Is he controlling it consciously? Or is it tied to his personality? Maybe a skill?

Sarah’s breath caught in her throat, and she wondered if there were attacks that could target an aura. She almost called out, worried that a skill would target Alex’s aura. She had seen nothing like it before except perhaps one of her government clients, Johnathan. But even Johnathan’s massive aura was uncontrolled. It was simply ‘on’ all the time, whereas Rylan’s was moving with intent.

Her focus shifted back to Alex to see if he had any sort of reaction.

Do I need to call for help?

As she watched, her eyes widened. His aura’s reaction was amazing. Normally, when auras clashed, they could not occupy the same space, often one moving or shifting the other. As Rylan’s aura crashed into Alex’s, though, nothing happened.

The black and red waves crashed against the unmoving wall that was Alex’s will. He seemed completely unbothered.

Then Alex’s head tilted to the side. She heard him say, “Are you using a skill on me?” His posture stiffened for the first time, and there was a brief pause as he shifted and looked down at himself. “Oh, well, now that’s interesting. Is this [Intimidating Presence]? A test of Wills?” His aura suddenly expanded under the onslaught of black, pushing back against Rylan’s aura. As soon as the black aura retreated, Alex’s retracted into the same reduced and even-keeled state she’d seen all evening. It was over in an instant.

How is he controlling it like that? It was as powerful as Johnathan’s for a moment, but it’s nothing like the constant and uncontrolled output he has.

Rylan's face twisted in anger, though he took a small step back as his confidence was visibly shaken. "Do you honestly believe you can come here and behave with such audacity?" he snarled. He dropped his voice to a threatening whisper. "Tsch, your recent success is nothing but a fleeting stroke of luck, I assure you."

"Lucky? I bet you don’t even realize how true that statement is," Alex replied in a light tone light despite the hostility directed at him.

Sarah shared a glance with Mark, who looked as dumbfounded as she felt. The surrounding crowd had grown quiet, all attention drawn to the standoff. She noticed Elena watching from across the room, her expression a mix of concern and curiosity.

Just as the situation seemed ready to boil over, Elena appeared at their table. "Rylan," she said in a firm tone, "I think that's enough. Why don't we go talk about the new contract system?"

Rylan's aura still pulsed with aggression, but he hesitated and eventually backed down. "This isn't over," he muttered to Alex before allowing Elena to lead him away.

As soon as Rylan was out of earshot, Alex's demeanor softened. He turned to Sam and let out a pent-up breath. "You okay there, buddy?" he asked quietly.

Sarah watched as Alex's aura quivered ever so slightly, showing the first sign of tension since the confrontation began.

Was he just pretending to be that confident?

She had the thought and wondered if, perhaps, the old Alex wasn’t as far gone as she’d thought.

"That was intense," Olivia said, stepping closer to Alex. "Was that a ritual under your feet? You were doing that while he was posturing?"

Alex smiled, and Sarah saw Olivia's eyes light up as she grabbed his arm. "What did it do? It looked so small compared to the one I saw you make a few weeks ago, and you made it so fast!"

Something twinged in Sarah's chest as she watched their interaction.

Am I attracted to this new- no, to this unrestrained Alex?

She shook her head, trying to analyze her own reactions.

Is it just a response to seeing him so changed? A psychological phenomenon where sudden transformations trigger a reassessment?

That must be it, she decided, reminding herself that things hadn't worked out between them before and certainly wouldn't now. Still, she couldn't help but admire how he'd handled the situation, showing both strength and compassion.

I'm happy for him, she told herself firmly. And it needs to stay at that.

Sarah watched the tension in the nearby area of the room dissipate and everyone gradually returned to its previous state of laughter and chatter. She observed Alex for a bit longer, and how he seamlessly transitioned from the confrontation back to his role as a caring friend.

It’s still him. Just… more.

Alex checked on Sam with a low and reassuring voice. She could see the gentleness in his eyes as they spoke, and it was clear that he cared for the younger man. The change in his state, from the resolve he’d shown before, to the smiling and caring personality that he was showing to Sam. It was a reminder that beneath the confidence, the same old and compassionate Alex she'd always known was still there.

Her professional curiosity was piqued as she watched through her trait and considered the implications of Alex having control over his aura.

Is it something he’s doing intentionally? If he could teach that level of emotional regulation…

The potential applications for her work and patients were staggering. She made a mental note to discuss it with him later, away from the busy energy of the party.

As the night wore on, Sarah found herself drawn in by watching Alex navigate the social situations around him. He engaged with various guests, and his laughter seemed easy and genuine.

He’s found his footing, and it suits him.

She sipped her drink and allowed for one last moment of reflection. She acknowledged the brief flutter of attraction she’d felt earlier and recognized it for what it was.

A natural response to witnessing such a dramatic transformation of someone I care about.

But as quickly as those feelings had come, it had faded, replaced by a warm sense of happiness for her friend.

She nodded and turned to rejoin Mark and stop trying to over-analyze Alex’s behavior. Part of her was still unsure of how he was doing with more of the dark part of his journey, having breezed over the fact that he’d killed other humans to survive. Sarah knew it was a lot to unpack, but she’d seen men who were good at holding in their feelings, and didn’t get the same impression from Alex, even in this changed form he was showing.

While there was a lot she wanted to do to help him heal and process everything he’d been through, she knew it wasn’t ever good to be so personally attached to a client. She resolved to spend some time reaching out to contacts she had through work and talking to Alex about speaking with someone for any help he might need.

For now, though, she was content to watch one of her best friends thrive in his new skin. The confidence and changes were inspiring, especially considering the challenges he’d faced.