Aleen was in a frantic state that was dangerous for her old heart. Her two charges left almost a day ago and had yet to return. She'd insisted that they bring her along to whatever nonsense they left to indulge in but young people like them hardly ever wanted an old crone like herself around. Now she was left to pace around their empty house waiting for them to return.

The waiting had been bearable until she heard the impact of stone hitting the street as Mur collapsed from what she knew had to be Rohaan’s stupid focus. The walls of Vellia were far too sturdy to fall from brute force so if it crumbled, and by the sound of the debris it had collapsed spectacularly, it was a safe bet that the senseless boy had used his abilities. And knowing Azmina, she’d be right by his side getting killed along with him.

Aleen’s weathered face crumpled into a frown. “If that stupid boy ruins my chances of serving a clan head, I’ll kill him. Don't know how, but I’ll do it. Yes. I’ll do it and like it.”

She walked over to a pantry filled with provisions checking it for the hundredth time to see if there was anything else she could cook for the siblings to eat when they returned because they had to return. “Wish I could whip that boy. Hells, wish I could whip them both. Leaving an old woman like me all alone for a day. Give me a leather belt and I’ll make them both envied by the gods. Hahaha! Best little lords any of these prissy perfumed pigs ever seen! And then when babies come, I’ll whip them into shape too, hahaha!”

“Oh no, she’s talking to herself again,” said a girlish voice in vellian from the front door.

Looking to see the speaker was one of her charges, Aleen moved as fast as she could to hug the little twit. Her being old enough to be the girl's great, great, grandmother kept her dash at more of an awkward shuffle.

“Stupid girl. Stupid girl. Stupid girl,” Aleen grumbled when she embraced Azmina. She then took her index finger and flicked Azmina on the nose. “Where is your stupid brother you stupid girl?”

Azmina’s answered but her voice held a bit of an edge. “I don't know where he is but when I find him, I’ll break his legs so he can't run off to cause more trouble. He was the one that damaged the city wall. All because he was losing a fight.”

“You probably shouldn't talk about that even in private, Princess,” said a deep voice from the entrance right behind Azmina. “Better to act as if it never happened and leave as many as possible ignorant of the truth.”

“AHHHHH!” The old woman screamed upon seeing the speaker.

It was a drow, a massive drow with skin more brown than black but Aleen only paid any attention to his brutish face and hungry eyes. He must have been sent by their enemies. There had been drow involvement in the latest coup d’état that began all of Aleen’s troubles. This one was here to finish them off, but no one would get past her while she still lived.

“You'll have to kill me first!” the old crone screamed as a rod of twisted wood flew into her hand from across the room.

She pointed it at the would-be assassin and let loose a flurry of mage bolts. The man survived the attack by moving to the side before the first blue ball of energy lept from the crude walking stick. He circled Aleen, jumping over furniture and behind quickly destroyed cover soon reaching the dining table filled with food.

Grabbing hold of a teapot, he threw it right at Aleen’s head. Before the cup could hit its mark, a blueish sphere appeared around the old woman banishing the cup to nothingness as it made impact. Simultaneously, to the crone’s shock, Azmina snatched the twisted rod from her hand.

Aleen looked on in horror coming to the only conclusion that made sense. “Psychomancy!”

“I’m not bewitched granny, and that is not a drow. I think he's human.”

“You think,” complained the man who was now hiding behind a corner.

“Come out Brandy, it's safe now,” Azmina sighed. Poking his head out Brand gave Azmina a distrustful steer.

“If you stop calling me Brandy, I may forgive that this is the second time you've almost gotten me killed today.”

“Brandy?” Aleen asked, the question making her pause from trying to reach for her rod that was now being held just above her diminutive height by Azmina. “That's a maiden's name around these parts.”

Brand pointed at Aleen in annoyance. “See, don't spread it around. I don't want people thinking that's my name here like in the nulls.”

“Enough!” shouted the old woman now using her native language. “Give me back my baculous so I can kill that thing before more of his kind come to slit our throats!”

Azmina stepped into Aleen's personal space forcing her to step back. “You will not kill him.” She took another step. “He is not a drow.” She took another step. “And he will be joining our house whether you like it or not.”

Aleen looked closely into the now intimidating girl's eyes. She looked for the wide and glistening pupils of a victim of mind-based magic. When she found none, she stopped trying to pull her rod back to herself.

“Fine,” she relented, switching back to vellian and looked over the dark-skinned brute with a sneer.

****

Several minutes after Azmina cowed her governess, they all sat down to eat while she told her of the night's events. Brand was happy to see that at the mention of him surviving Rohaan's attempted execution the old hag looked at him as if he were some kind of demigod. She then proceeded to ask him just that.

“Are you a demigod? I know there are more walking around this part of Midgard than most and you do have the look of one.”

Brand snarled at the thinly veiled comment. "I'm not a fucking demigod!"

"But your skin though?" Aleen said.

"It's natural! I was born with it!"

"And I once knew a demi that was born eyes on the palm of his hands. You demi's are all born strange."

“If he were a demigod, that would be even better,” Azmina said, not understanding the full meaning behind Aleem's words. “Akram hasn't had divine blood for generations.”

"We don't need any," Aleen said. "Devine grandchildren are just as normal as any mortal. You might as well have babies with a peasant."

Brand mentally paused to mill over what had just been said. There was no way it was as it sounded to him. Azmina had to have meant blood as in someone working within the family, right?

“Girl,” the walking bag of dust and bone grumbled. “Do you really want to have babies with... him?”

Azmina looked away to hide the blush that was heating her face “Yes I do, and if he is blessed by his gods, all the better.”

“Babies,” Brand whispered as his heart performed leaps in his chest. “We’re having children together? Are we getting married!”

“No, you foolish boy. You will be her consort,” Aleen chided harshly. “The miss will never marry, especially not to you. She will have children with the men she finds worthy. They should be selected from other powerful clans or men with powerful abilities, unlike you.”

“You don't even know what his focus is,” Azmina said, trying to garnish Aleen's approval.

Brand waves his hands to regain the attention of the women, “You're saying we'll be sharing a bed but you'll also be... laying with others.”

Both women nodded.

After a long pause, Brand continued. “Will I be allowed a woman of my own someday? Not that I'm saying no to this, but the idea of sharing you is... uncomfortable.”

“You can hump whatever you want if the little miss allows it. If you don't like that then leave!” the thorny old bitch said.

“I'm not going anywhere you old b-,” Brand was able to stop himself just before giving words to what he thought of Aleen, but he was a bit too late for it to matter.

“Bitch!” the old fossil screamed showing off her unfortunate lack of teeth. She then turned to Azmina. “You’re going to let him talk to me like that.”

“You did try to kill him and haven’t been very nice since, but enough of that. We need to open his mana channels before Rohaan returns. And don't say we have to wait, Aleen. We need someone with Brand's strength.

“Fine,” Aleen relented. “Tell me, Boy, what can you do with the mana you have now?”

Brand was a bit proud to admit he had some degree of mana control. “I can send out a bit of power to give me a sense of the area. I'm doing it right now. Although I don't know what my focus is.”

Aleen scoffed. “There's nothing coming off of you boy, not even a trace of mana. Wait that can't be right.”

Losing her hostel tone, Aleen came in close to Brand prompting him to stand. She then placed her face close to his stomach. After some time, she moved away and snapped her finger.

“The boy's mana is undetectable,” she said. “Up close, I can feel it coming off him but that's all I can do.”

“What does that mean?” Brand asked with a bit of fear.

“It means what I said it means stupid boy,” the crone said. “Your focus is undetected mana. Although, I bet it can’t stop light made from spell craft like mage bolts. At least that’s how it worked for the last person I saw with this power. It's not the most useful talent, but it’s not useless at least.”

“That’s it,” Brand whispered. “That's all I can do.”

As if the strings holding him up had been severed, Brand fell into his seat defeated by disappointment. He knew no flashy power coursed in his veins. If he could create fire, heal, or even make plants grow faster the signs would have been seen long ago. Although, he did hope for something more useful like speaking to animals or nullifying sounds. Instead, he was able to make unnoticeable energy slightly more unnoticeable.

Azmina placed a hand on Brand’s arm. “You were hoping for something else?”

“Yes,” he admitted. “It’s like I got a far worse version of invisibility.”

Aleen scoffed. “I can think of a dozen uses for it. You’re just too ignorant to see that. And besides, you don't need some god's blessing or powerful focus to be strong. I for one have a useless ability.” Aleen then threw her baculous across the room only for it to stop and come right back to her hand. “And that’s it,” she announced.

“How is that useless?” Brand asked doubtfully.

Aleen pointed the stick in Brand's face almost smacking it against his nose. “It’s useless because I could teach you the same trick in a few days with the same result. Any focus that can be replicated by magic easily is not worth having. And if you didn’t know, most fall into that category. The only advantage is having better efficiency with your available mana. You, stupid boy, are lucky because there is no way to recreate what you can do. Can't copy what you can't see so whatever process your body is using to make that effect will always be a secret.”

Brand was still unsure of himself when Aleen started pulling on his shirt. “Now take off your shirt, it's time to open your first gate.” The old woman's smile foretold that by whatever means she planned on using to strengthen him, it would not be pleasant.