Pushing open the heavy granite door to his chamber, Ignatius found himself pleasantly surprised at the unexpected sight of Aria waiting for him. She stood there, a stack of papers in her petite hands, like a beacon of warmth amidst the shadows. As he met her gaze, it felt as though a gust of wind had swept away all the negative emotions that had clouded his mind. With a soft smile, he reached out and gently ruffled her orange hair, evoking a joyful giggle from the little girl.
"Big bro, I heard Uncle Aldric shouting at you. You alright?"
"Aria" Ignatius greeted warmly, his voice a soothing contrast to the tension that still lingered from his earlier scolding. "I'm alright, thanks for asking."
Unlike the rest of the defects living in this castle, Aria's presence brought a sense of comfort to Ignatius. Like him, she too had been wronged and exiled to this place of outcasts. Orphaned at a young age because of the incompetence of her parents who had perished in battle, her family sent her to live here and fend for herself.
As Aria settled herself onto Ignatius' lap, he couldn't help but feel a surge of protectiveness towards her. He resolved silently to bring her out of this place once he qualified for the Succession Trials again.
"I'm glad to hear that," Her eyes sparkling with curiosity as she shifted the papers in her hands. "I've been researching endowment magic for you, big bro, and I think I found something interesting."
Intrigued, Ignatius accepted the papers from Aria, scanning through the dense text as she nestled against him. His eyes widened in disbelief as he read about a peculiar form of explosive magic achieved through repeated endowment of solid materials, such as blocks of wood, causing a build-up of energy that would eventually release explosively.
"Woah, this is amazing Aria!"
Aria's face lit up with joy, and she playfully took Ignatius' hand, placing it atop her head. Responding to her request, Ignatius gently patted her hair while he delved into deep contemplation.
The revelation left Ignatius speechless, his mind racing with the implications of such a discovery. While endowment magic typically involved imbuing projectiles like bottles of oil or wood pellets, this new method hinted at untapped potential and possibilities that could revolutionize his approach to magic.
Lost in thought, Ignatius pondered the newfound information, grateful for Aria's diligent research and steadfast companionship. Together, they had stumbled upon a discovery that could change the course of their destinies, igniting a spark of hope amidst the darkness of their exile.
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As dusk descended upon the castle, Ignatius noticed Aria letting out a yawn, realizing with a pang of guilt that he had lost track of time in his pursuit of understanding the technique. Glancing down at the petite figure of Aria, her head nestled comfortably against his shoulder, he couldn't help but marvel at her resourcefulness. How had she unearthed such invaluable information? Surely, it must have involved painstaking research, scouring through countless volumes in search of answers. Truly unbelievable and impressive.
With a gentle touch, Ignatius roused Aria from her slumber, urging her to return to her bedroom and get some rest.
"Thanks, Aria, have a good night!"
"Good…night, big bro…" she replied drowsily as she exited the room.
Alone once more, Ignatius wasted no time in seizing the opportunity to practice his magic. His eyes swept the room, searching for suitable testing materials, until they landed on it—the wooden toy abandoned and overlooked on a nearby table. With determined strides, he closed the distance, his anticipation mounting with each step.
At first, the ritual felt familiar, the wooden surface gradually succumbing to the heat of his magic as it charred. Yet, as Ignatius repeated the process, a strange energy stirred within the room, the air crackling with unseen power.
"This is more tiring than I thought."
Beads of sweat trickling down his forehead—a testament to both the mental strain of envisioning this magic and the rising temperature of the room. Despite the challenge, he pressed on, driven by the exhilaration of newfound power.
The charring ceased, replaced by an ominous hiss that resonated faintly in the air. The wooden toy glowed with an eerie crimson hue, its pulses growing increasingly frequent.
Huff! Huff!
Ignatius closed his eyes and focused even more, his breathing heavy and erratic.
Concentrate!
He could hear an odd creaking noise, and the wooden toy in his hand began vibrating violently. Ignatius persisted, his focus on his magic too intense to be swayed by such trivial matters.
Concentrate even more!
The vibrations quickened, the magnitude of its tremors increasing at a painful rate. The sounds of wood scraping and buckling grew louder and clearer with each passing session. Yet amidst the cacophony and rumbling in his palm, Ignatius could feel a large build-up of energy within him, tingling with exhilaration.
This time, the energy felt different. There was an underlying intensity, a raw power that seemed to crackle with an unpredictable force, sending shivers down his spine. It coursed down his arm into the palm of his hands, before arching across into the core of the wooden toy.
"I did it!"
He immediately opened his eyes and witnessed a radiant yellow sphere. But before he could fully admire its beauty or comprehend the consequences of his actions, the toy exploded with a deafening roar, blasting wooden shards in all directions.
Staggering back, blood trickling down his cheeks and elbow, Ignatius lowered his trembling arms and stared at the wreckage with mad joy.
Cough! Cough!
The room spun around him, enveloped in a chaotic whirlwind of smoke and splinters. A section of the desk had disintegrated into a heap of ash on the floor, while flames licked hungrily at the curtains and patches of carpet. The air he inhaled was heavy with the scent of charred wood, permeating every breath with the acrid aroma of destruction. Embedded in his flesh, wooden shards protruded from his arms and thighs, a painful testament to the explosion unleashed moments before. His ears rang faintly, a lingering echo of the chaos that had unfolded.
But even with the chaos and the pain, there was an undeniable thrill coursing through him—an adrenaline-fueled rush that left him breathless and exhilarated.
"Such explosive force! Thank you, Aria, hahaha!"
Ignatius couldn't help but feel alive at that moment.