The ninth week of the semester passed without much drama, although the relationship between Aodhán and the rest of his class improved significantly. In the days after his storytelling in the cafeteria, Aodhán received so many high-fives and nods of acknowledgment from his peers that he wondered if he had been transmigrated to an alternate universe without realizing it.
It was funny, though, that the tension between him and many of his classmates had evaporated simply because he had told them of his experiences within the military camp. In a way, they had bonded, and Aodhán was glad for it.
Classes went smoothly, and whenever Aodhán wasn’t attending any classes, he spent his time training or reading up on Lutia’s military history, a topic he had developed an interest in after his time in the 7th sector.
His training timetable was filled to the brim, and on most days, Aodhán barely managed to dedicate more than a few hours to each task. This seeming lack of time grated on his nerves, and Aodhán decided he needed to get a personal time chamber as soon as possible so he could dedicate enough time to both his training and studies.
A time chamber wasn’t cheap, though, and when Aodhán realized that he would have to charge up the chamber with a steady inflow of time essence, he gave up on the idea. He had spoken to Principal Zatya after his return about the money the academy had promised to give him for turning down Ludacris’s offer, and after a ton of haggling and reasoning, Principal Zatya had decided to give him 100 platinum coins, which was more than he had expected but far less than he needed.
With 100 platinum coins down, Aodhán still had a fine of 400 platinum coins to pay, which equaled 4000 gold coins. It was still a lot of money, and with such a debt weighing heavy on his neck, Aodhán couldn’t afford to add any other major expenses to the list.
When the class on Awakened Plants and Herbology came on Friday, Gwendolyn Blackwood led the entire class to a cultivated forest behind the academy for a practical exercise, asking each student to venture out in search of awakened plants.
The exercise should have been hard or, at the very least, challenging, but with evolved core sense, it was basically a walk in the park. Aodhán simply had to think of a particular affinity, and his ability highlighted several areas with a dense amount of said essence to his senses. Now, unlike humans and other creatures, plants didn’t have cores, but awakened plants had a dense formation of nodes within their roots that acted as one.
In thirty minutes, Aodhán had successfully harvested a total of seven awakened plants, a truly impressive feat considering the sparse number of awakened plants in a forest this small. However, as the exercise continued, Aodhán soon noticed a limitation with evolved core sense, and that was the fact that despite finding awakened plants so easily, Aodhán was missing out on a ton of others too.
Since Aodhán had to think of an affinity to find any awakened plants bearing such affinity, his search was being limited by his thoughts. Usually, in a forest like this, affinities such as light, darkness, nature, life, and earth were the most common, but there were a host of other affinities, and it was very possible that Aodhán had passed by a ton of awakened plants that he hadn’t noticed just because he was relying too heavily on core sense.
Realizing this, Aodhán gently placed the plants he had gathered so far into his spatial storage and began searching the forest the way Gwendolyn had taught them: with his eyes. This method was slower, but after another half hour, Aodhán had added three other awakened plants to his spatial storage.
The first was a decay affinity plant called Rotshade, the second was an illusion affinity plant called Dreambloom, while the last was a simple light affinity plant that had been growing beneath the Dreambloom plant and had escaped his initial search for light affinity plants.
The addition of these three plants brought Aodhán to a total of ten awakened plants, just slightly behind Andrew, who finished the exercise with eleven plants. All in all, the exercise was educative and fun, and although they didn’t get to sell the plants they had gathered as Aodhán hoped, it was an enlightening experience regardless.
After the exercise, Aodhán returned to his room to continue his training. There was so much to do, from taming his willpower, practicing his skills, and expanding his essence threads to studying and practicing his runes.
The runes consumed the majority of his attention. Geneva’s practice notebook had opened Aodhán’s mind to a whole new world of runic engineering. The note was filled with all twenty-four initiate runes, repeated over and over, and with each iteration, they evolved, becoming less bulky, yet more profound and real.
Aodhán spent the rest of the day practicing, and when night eventually fell, he had perfected two more runes, bringing the number of runes he has perfected that week alone to five. First he had perfected THALVIND—the rune of shadow or darkness, then BRYNGAR—the rune of sound. After that he had perfected LOFTHIR—the tracking rune—and finally, MYRDDAN and DRAVMIR, the runes of decay and silence, respectively.
The runes had gotten progressively more complex as he neared the end, but Aodhán was too fascinated to notice. His mind was consumed with all the knowledge he was gaining from Geneva’s notebook. The book only contained initiate runes as well as some initiate circuits, but the way Geneva drew her runes was so bizarre and complex that Aodhán suspected they would be more appropriately ranked as pseudo-advanced runes rather than just simple runes.
The complexity of Geneva’s runes came from an intimate understanding of the nature of runes. An understanding that was far above his own, making the last iteration of runes in the notebook look more like foreign squiggles than anything he was used to. Their basic structure remained, though, making it easy to identify each one, but compared to the first iteration of runes in the notebook, they were like day and night.
Aodhán was incapable of drawing the runes yet, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t gain a lot just from studying them. One of the things that fascinated him was how the same rune could change so drastically within the span of only a few years. The runes became slimmer and smaller with each iteration, and Aodhán assumed they were far more efficient as well.
In essence, runes had preset functions that could be manipulated or tweaked by channeling one's intent into them using willpower. However, after studying Geneva’s note for several hours, Aodhán realized that it was possible to take the manipulation of runes even further than he’d initially imagined.
For instance, RAIDHO, the rune of space, was mostly used to either expand, reduce, or limit the amount of space within an item or area. However, Geneva’s version took those functions a step further, becoming far more specific. With Geneva’s version of RAIDHO, he could probably bend space, solidify it, or even collapse it completely. In some cases, these additional functions increased the complexity of the rune, but mostly, the runes simply became far more streamlined and straightforward.
Understanding how she had evolved the runes so thoroughly was the problem, though, but Aodhán didn’t even consider stopping. He would make sure that the next time he came across the Witch of Selia, it was with a far more advanced understanding of runic manipulations. Perhaps, she might even take him on as a student.
He spent the rest of the day studying and practicing his runes, and when dawn broke the next morning, Aodhán finally forced himself away from his practice note and hurried to the shower for a quick bath before rushing to the gymnasium to face the day’s special brand of torture.
After their morning exercise ended, Aodhán and his friends decided to do an early morning dungeon dive before heading to the arena for the forge matches. They delved into the same dungeon as the last time, collecting metallic ores and living creatures as they moved deeper into the dungeon.
The first task was very easy, but catching a creature alive proved to be an exercise in patience. Aodhán needed the creatures alive for his Sylvael lightning experiments; however, many of the creatures preferred to gorge themselves to death rather than allow themselves to be caught.
In the end, they had left the capturing process to Daruk, who simply encased each creature Aodhán found fascinating within a huge block of ice before throwing the ice block into his spatial storage.
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
The entire delve was just as easy as it was last time, maybe even more now that they had advanced in one way or the other. The lowest tiered member of the group was Andrew, who stubbornly remained at the 21st tier, insisting on solidifying his foundations thoroughly before progressing further.
They delved deeply into the dungeon, much farther than they had gone the last time, and it wasn’t until Aodhán sensed the blazing metallic core of a tier 27, advanced class creature rushing towards them that they called it quits. They rushed out of the dungeon at full speed, not even bothering to pick up the dozens of fascinating metallic ores they came across on the way.
When they finally made it out of the dungeon, Aodhán muttered. “Perhaps we should stick to rifts for now.”
The boys unanimously agreed, and after splitting their gains amongst themselves, they moved to the arena, which was only half full when they arrived. They joined Ayisha, Scarlett, Lupin, and Aida on their aisle, and when the forge matches began, they discussed them together.
The matches were far more interesting than they used to be, but Aodhán could see why Professor Alaric usually complained of losing brain cells after each match. With his perception cranked up to the maximum, Aodhán realized how slow and bland most of the matches below rank 50 were.
The fact that his enhanced perception was still less than that of an advanced class awakened made Aodhán question why the other years even came down to watch these matches at all.
When his turn came, Aodhán walked into the dueling ring and faced his opponent, Dimitri Castlespire, a fire-awakened noble of decent strength. The boy, however, gave up as soon as Professor Alaric called the match, causing a chorus of groans and boos to echo from the crowd.
Dimitri didn’t seem too bothered, though; instead, he gave Aodhán a small nod of acknowledgement and walked off the stage with his back straight. Aodhán himself was a little disappointed at Dimitri’s immediate surrender. He was glad that he had won without expending any energy, but he would have felt much better if Dimitri had at least put up a small fight.
Professor Alaric droned out his win, and just like that, Aodhán ascended into the top twenty ranks, affirming himself as a high ranker both on the Forge list and the tower leaderboards.
The rest of the day passed without much drama, and the next day, Aodhán reluctantly climbed out of bed, cursing himself and the principal for the pain and torture this day was sure to bring.
He tried to delay his preparation as much as possible, but he couldn’t drag it on forever, and thirty minutes later, Aodhán was fully dressed and ready for another training session with Helzarvauth and Eldrith.
Yurin’s face flashed before his eyes, but Aodhán banished the memory with a shake of his head, scowling when he remembered what Eldrith and Helzarvauth had put him through during their last training session.
Not bothering to use a platform construct, Aodhán slowly trekked to the principal’s office. His expression darkening with every step as he drew closer to Principal Zatya’s office. However, when he raised his hands to push the door open, Aodhán suddenly felt a surge of confidence erupt within him. It filled his heart with determination and encased his mind in steel.
Frowning, Aodhán walked into the office and shook his head in refusal when Principal Zatya created a portal leading to the training room. Her brows furrowed in confusion, and Aodhán spoke. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not doing these pain exercises anymore. Not after the way the last session ended.”
Principal Zatya sighed and leaned back in her chair. “It was a mistake—"
“I’m not talking about the chamber situation.” Aodhán cut her off. “Eldrith is unstable; his teaching methods are brutal, and I’m sick of it.”
“Well, unsick yourself.” Principal Zatya responded with a glare. “I’ve told Eldrith and Helzarvauth to be more careful, but whatever they are doing is obviously for your good. I mean, you gained a seal from it.”
“The seal I gained has nothing to do with them. Besides, I’ve already built up my pain resistance to a significant level. I do not need any more masochist training.”
“Significant is not enough, Aodhán.” Principal Zatya responded as if he was acting like a child. “You need to build up your pain resistance until it becomes an immunity; something you’ll no longer fear but embrace. Maybe even love.”
“That will never happen!” Aodhán scowled. “If you plan to turn me into some kind of masochist, then I fear you’re in for a big disappointment.”
“Has it not helped you though?” principal Zatya snapped. “I’ve seen you fight, and your resistance to pain has grown by leaps and bounds, all thanks to Eldrith’s brutal methods. So, maybe you won’t embrace pain, but the training won’t stop until you at least develop an immunity.”
Aodhán couldn’t deny that the idea of being immune to pain fascinated him, but after what had happened last week, he couldn’t willfully put himself in that situation again. So, he said. “I need a break from the pain and torture. The examination will begin soon; I just need a break.”
He half expected Principal Zatya to deny him again or say something about forging oneself in the crucible of pain; however, his response threw him for a loop.
Her expression turned somber, and she sighed. “You can take the day off and continue—
“Let me take the rest of the term off.” Aodhán hastily interjected, hoping to milk the moment now that principal Zatya was feeling so generous.
“What?!” Principal Zatya scowled, but then she raised a hand in resignation and sighed. “You know what? It’s fine. You can take the rest of the term off. However, your therapy sessions with Helzarvauth are non-negotiable. It is important that you continue them.”
“Why?” Aodhán snarled, surprising even himself with the sudden burst of anger. “Are my emotions so important that taking a break from therapy will ruin your grand plans?”
“No.” Principal Zatya scowled. “They will destroy it. We need to get those pesky emotions under control before they ruin our plans.”
“What do you mean, our plans? Need I remind you that I am not a willful participant in this experiment.”?
Principal Zatya shook her head in frustration and massaged her temples as if the conversation was physically draining her. “If this is an attempt to get me to disown you as a pet, I guarantee you that it won’t work. In fact, nothing will work. Eldrith’s training will continue next term, but the therapy stays! You’re carrying too much emotional baggage to be useful to our plans, and we need to get rid of it before moving to the next stage.”
Aodhán’s eyes widened, and he stuttered. “So… so, that’s the reason for this therapy then? To turn me into an emotionless weapon aimed at Attilan? I thought you—” He let out a sad laugh and scowled. “I should have known you had some selfish interest behind this.”
Principal Zatya grimaced and sighed. “I care about you, Aodhán. Is it so wrong that I have another motive for doing something.?"
“Ulterior motive, you mean?”
Principal Zatya shook her head, and her expression hardened. “I will not discuss this matter any further. It’s obvious that you’re in a mood, so I’ll let you go and come back when you’ve regained your senses. I have too much on my plate right now to deal with your foolish teenage rebellion.”
Aodhán didn’t need to be told twice. He stalked out of the office and shut the door with a bang before turning to glare at Helzarvauth, who was standing a few feet away from him, a grass stalk hanging limply from his lips.
“What did you do to me?” He growled, as the confidence that had bubbled in his chest evaporated and the calming effect of {Eye of the Storm} slid back into place, putting an instant dampener on the rage roiling within him.
Helzarvauth sensed his emotions and replied tentatively. “I gave you a confidence boost. You seemed like you needed it.”
“I didn’t ask for it, though.” Aodhán growled. “Sensing my emotions is one thing, but manipulating them without my permission is not something you have been granted a right to do.”
“I realize that now, and I apologize for overstepping. I didn’t think you would mind, considering your elder brother is an empath as well.”
“Well, I mind. I mind a lot.” Aodhán nearly shouted as he struggled to get his emotions under control. When Helzarvauth manipulated his emotions, he had disrupted the effects of {Eye of the Storm}, leaving Aodhán at the mercy of all the emotion the passive skill had kept at bay.
His emotions slowly subsided, and Aodhán leaned back against the wall to catch his breath.
“I’m very sorry. I was just trying to help.”
“Don’t.” Aodhán snapped, still feeling a little anger. “Let’s just get today’s session over with.”
“As you say.” Helzarvauth shrugged and turned away, muttering something under his breath. He began walking down the corridor, but after taking a few steps, he turned around and shouted. “What are you standing there waiting for? We have a session to attend to.”
“Right now?”
“Yes, now.”
Aodhán scowled, and after letting out a series of expletives, he followed Helzarvauth for another therapy session. Now that he knew the real reason for this therapy session, Aodhán realized he couldn’t trust Helzarvauth at all. It wasn’t as if he had trusted the man-child before, but now, his trust was completely gone.
Still, Aodhán couldn’t deny that his emotions were far from settled. They were under control for now due to the passive effect of {Eye of the Storm}, but Helzarvauth’s actions had just shown him what could and would happen if he ever lost access to the skill. He needed to deal with his emotions, and Helzarvauth could still help him with that.
Aodhán had lost a vital part of his emotional makeup when he’d used the veil of shrouded mind technique, and he was neither ready nor willing to lose more. Emotional baggage or not, Aodhán loved himself this way, and he would be damned if he let himself be turned into the cold, emotionless killing machine principal Zatya wanted.
After the session with Helzarvauth, Aodhán returned to his room and immediately made his way to his training room. Feeling a bit restless and irritable, he settled into a meditative pose and closed his eyes, taking deep breaths until he felt calm enough to cultivate.
He began with his essence threads, focusing on the bundle of blue micro-pathways connected to his left eye. He was already halfway through the bundle, and after nearly three hours of intense focus, Aodhán completed the bundle and moved on the threads attached to his nose, flaring his seal to quickly find their origin. Aodhán soon found a rhythm in the task, but while he worked, he wondered just how many threads he would have to expand before the technique lost the {crude} tag.