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Chapter 81 - Compatability

Aulus's sigh seemed to carry with it the weight of countless years, laden with memories fervently held close and burdens that had been shouldered with steadfast resolve. As he settled into his chair, there was a heaviness that accompanied his movements.

Reclining, he allowed the warm flickering of the oil lamp to throw a myriad of shadows upon his visage, accentuating the creases that were etched into his skin. These lines were a map of his journey, each one charting a path through the stormy waters of wisdom and bearing the salt of life intimately intertwined with the tempestuous sea.

Marcellus, observing silently, made a tacit observation that Aulus had once been a warrior; his posture and balance were a testament to a martial past that still clung to him.

"As you can see, Blackeye," Aulus began, his voice as gritty as the sands of time, "time is an inescapable pursuer, relentless even for those who tread the path of Aspirants."

There was a piercing sharpness to his weary gaze, a clarity that defied the march of years, suggesting embers of a fire that still roared within. "In obscurity, I have endeavoured to shield the boy with all my might. However, mere vigilance will not suffice. Finn must learn to stand on his own."

Marcellus found himself shifting in his seat, a discomfort taking hold as he tried to assimilate the narrative unfurling before him. The story that Aulus wove intimated a connection—a bond—that Marcellus had not foreseen. It was a responsibility that traced its origins to the distant past, knotting together the destinies of Finn and Aulus in ways Marcellus could scarcely comprehend.

A revelation dawned upon him—could Aulus be Finn's father? The pieces began to align in Marcellus's mind: Finn, perhaps the illegitimate child of a woman of Mithralis, with Aulus too burdened by shame to acknowledge his paternal duty...

Aulus resumed his tale, "The father of Finn was a brother-in-arms to me, a kindred spirit amidst the tumult of battles. His mother—a woman of sharp intellect and delicate features to the otherworldly—were both cruelly ripped from our world, leaving Finn and myself adrift. I made a promise to his father—that Finn would not have to traverse the world in solitude."

His gaze momentarily wandered, perhaps to bygone days awash with youth and hope, before snapping back to the present. "The boy possesses the raw potential of a formidable pirate, yet he is unrefined, in dire need of discipline and a mentor's guidance. What I propose is not merely an exchange of knowledge; it's a covenant. Aid Finn in honing his spirit through the discipline of the sword, and in return, I shall grant you keys to the power you covet."

This proposition was more than a simple exchange—it was a Duty being entrusted to him.

"You're entreating me to tutor him in swordsmanship," Marcellus articulated with deliberate care, each syllable laden with the gravity of the choice before him.

Aulus gave a confirming nod, "Precisely. Finn has within him the essence of a distinguished pirate, yet he will surely stumble without a steadfast ally to fortify his resolve and drive him to excellence. Instruct him in the martial ways, and I shall impart to you all the information of the Mystical. Shepherd him on his journey, and you shall likewise be shepherded."

Marcellus drew in a deep, resolute breath, contemplating the magnitude of the commitment being asked of him. The thought formed clearly in his mind, 'he is proposing I work for him.'

"Agreed, Aulus," Marcellus eventually declared, his voice imbued with a fresh undertone of determination. "I will fulfil your request. I'll instruct him, although I lack a knightly breathing technique to pass on."

This was a falsehood—Marcellus had the Harmonious Nexus Path, a secret he closely guarded.

A knowing look flickered in Aulus's eyes, a cocktail of relief and contentment evident within. "Then it is settled, Blackeye. Fear not the matter of the breathing technique…"

Marcellus's question was edged with genuine confusion. "Why not take the direct route with Finn? If you have so much to teach, why this roundabout way of bartering knowledge for service?"

Aulus's eyes crinkled, a subtle smile playing about the corners. "Finn possesses a spirit that requires a certain... finesse," he explained. "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink, as the saying goes."

"But consider this," Aulus continued, his voice tinged with a teaching tone, "even through this exchange, Finn has been afforded significant insight and a viable path to tread upon."

As Marcellus mulled over the situation, he began to see the method in Aulus's apparent madness. The old man had steered Finn away from the perilous Unshadowed Path, nudging him towards the Apprentice's journey—a choice with greater chances of survival and a strategic retreat if necessary. A new-found respect for Aulus's strategic mind blossomed within Marcellus.

"And how, may I ask, do you discern the most fitting path for a person?" Marcellus inquired, deliberately leaving his question open-ended, his curiosity piqued.

Aulus perceived the shift in Marcellus's interest toward personal guidance. "There are no inherently flawed paths," he began, his voice carrying the resonance of deep-seated knowledge. 

"Each path can be walked by any soul brave enough to step forward. However, certain paths naturally align with an individual's inherent strengths making it easier to advance"

"For instance, a person who is good at fighting would find the warrior pathway more appealing similarly a person who is good at hunting will find the hunter pathway more appealing"

He paused, allowing his words to take root in Marcellus's mind, then added, "The suitability of a path isn't just about skill—it's about disposition, about the core of a being. That's where true compatibility lies."

"And what of me, could you find out which pathway is suitable for me?"

"Certain pathways stand out for you," Aulus began with a knowing smile, as Marcellus sought insight into his future direction.