With an unassuming presence and kind smile, Elias blends seamlessly into the background at the gathering, as much at ease in quiet company as he is in the shadowed corners of the hall. Others notice his warmth—an unusual trait, given the ruthless world they inhabit—and his willingness to listen without pressing his own agenda. He’s neither too close to any one group nor brazen in his approach. Some mistake him for a mere newcomer, harmless and shy. But for those who watch carefully, there’s a subtle strength in his calm demeanor, as if Elias knows something that no one else can see, a quiet confidence that hints at secrets worth guarding.