Aurelian stands in the entrance of the alleyway, his large coat fluttering faintly in the evening breeze, and casting a long shadow against the cobbles. The puddles on the stone caught the light of the sunset, painting the ground in a brilliant gold. He tilted his head backwards slightly, inhaling as he caught the scent again.

Windsea was noisy, cramped and full of people- just the place Aurelian hated. The Vendosa Science Society had made sure of that. He wasn't here to make friends, and he wasn't here to mingle. He was here because he had picked up the scent the moment he stepped into the city. The scent of magic, like his, but untrained, wild, raw.

He stepped forwards, his shoes tapping against the stone in a slow pulse as he approached the brick. Whoever was leaking their magic didn't know how to mask it well. Or they didn't care. Either way, Aurelian couldn't stand it.

Aurelian crouched slightly in front of the wall, leaning towards a gap in the bricks. A small smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he whispered, low and smooth.

"I've found you."

A long moment passed, and he was about to turn away with half a mind to let whoever it was rot in the hole they'd hid themselves in-

Until the wall moved.

The brick slid from it's place, clattering to the ground and crumbling apart like chalk. From the darkness within, a face emerged.

Aurelian froze, his breath caught in his throat for the first time. This wasn't one of his. The scent was there, yes, but this was different, magical, but different.

Then, to his surprise, his heart pounded. A sharp, violent thud that echoed in his ears. The sensation burned through him like the fire he'd worked years to control. It was unfamiliar, and unwelcome. With a sharp breath, he smothered it.

The figure looked like a deer caught in headlights- scared, frozen and trembling slightly in their shoulders. Their magic seemed to pulse harder, infecting his senses and flooding his brain.

"You're leaking power," Aurelian said, flatly.

"Sloppy."