Chapter 88 - 86 — Metal Aura
"Alright, you three, up front."
While the rest of the trainees rested, Zephyrion, Kaiden and Fiona lined up before Garrick.
"Ah... they’re doing that again."
"Man, I’m jealous."
"Just wait till I hit mark three..."
The trainees sat up straight, staring at the three with envy as they whispered amongst themselves.
A week ago, Garrick had begun separate sessions for trainees who had reached the third mark, flow.
With their ability to now use rune arts, he had decided to teach them the basic rune arts practiced by all Calderalth trainees. It had quickly become a source of envy for the others, most of whom were still at mark two.
"It’s been a week. Let’s see what you’ve got. Kaiden, you’re up."
"Yes, sir!"
Under Garrick’s command, Kaiden stepped forward and took his place at the center of the training grounds before closing his eyes.
A moment passed in silence, then his eyes snapped open.
"Metal aura."
A sharp hum rang out as the air around him rippled. A formless, shimmering force wrapped around his body, and the space around him grew heavy in an instant.
"Whoa... that’s insane."
"You can feel it from here..."
While the trainees gawked at the display, Zephyrion simply observed in silence.
’Metal aura.’
It was a basic rune art learned by all Metal Ascendants. A metal rune allowed the user to convert the WorldPulse into metal-like energy and impose metallic properties onto matter.
However, instead of forming solid metal, the metal aura converted that energy into a formless layer that wrapped around the body, granting it metallic properties without the need for a physical construct.
With this, the user’s body would feel entirely like metal, without sacrificing any mobility.
"Incoming."
At Garrick’s warning, Kaiden gave a firm nod, his gaze steady. In the next instant, Garrick flicked multiple metal bolts toward him at terrifying speed.
Each one slammed into Kaiden with force, driving him back step by step, yet none managed to pierce through his metal aura.
Waves of gasps rippled through the trainees. They all knew just how powerful Garrick’s bolts were, yet Kaiden had blocked them. They couldn’t help but stare at him in awe.
"Not bad. Not useless, at least. Next."
"Slip steps."
The metal aura around Kaiden shifted, flowing through his whole body. Garrick’s attack changed just as quickly, bolts now shooting toward him from multiple directions.
Yet Kaiden flowed like liquid metal, only to halt with the sharpness of crashing waves. He moved swiftly, changing directions in quick succession, slipping past each projectile. To the trainees, he was little more than a blur.
Slip steps was one of Calderalth’s application of the metal aura, and had been created to counter the rigidity of metal ascendants.
It allowed them to flow like Liquid Metal, yet brace and stop instantly, shifting direction in a heartbeat and maintaining flexibility in battle.
As the barrage ceased, Kaiden came to a stop and exhaled slowly. By then, the trainees’ eyes were filled with awe.
"Alright, last one."
A large, thick wall of metal rose in the middle of the training grounds.
Kaiden nodded and moved toward it. Stopping just a few meters away, he settled into a stance and closed his eyes.
A moment later, his metal aura flared, its presence turning heavy and oppressive.
His eyes snapped open.
"Pulse break."
He stomped forward, the ground beneath him shattering on impact.
The metal aura around him surged, rippling as it gathered tightly into his fist before launching forward, slamming into the metal with immense force.
A heavy shockwave burst outward, ruffling the hair and clothes of the trainees.
The haze soon cleared.
"H-he bent it!"
"I-incredible!"
The trainees’ eyes widened as their gaze fell on the now bent metal wall. Kaiden’s strike had forced it to cave. Even if only slightly, it was still incredible.
"Good. At least you didn’t waste the week. Next."
Kaiden stepped back beneath the awed gazes of the others, a smirk on his lips as he glanced at Zephyrion.
As Fiona stepped forward, the trainees instantly quieted down.
"Begin!"
She closed her eyes, then opened them, and metal aura enveloped her body at once. Compared to Kaiden’s, which raged like a violent storm, hers was calm, tightly condensed around her frame.
"Incoming!"
Fiona also took Garrick’s strike head on. However, though her aura held firm, the force drove her back farther than Kaiden.
"Next!"
"Slip steps."
This time, Fiona’s movements were even smoother and more refined than Kaiden’s. As the bolts tore toward her, she flowed like liquid metal, shifting directions with fluidity and evading each one.
"Next."
For the last, Fiona settled into a stance before the metal wall, then struck it with the full force of her aura.
A loud bam echoed across the training grounds. As the haze cleared, the trainees’ eyes widened as they saw the small dent left on the metal.
It wasn’t as large as Kaiden’s, but it was still a feat to leave a mark on metal formed by Garrick himself.
Despite the trainees’ gasps and awe, Fiona clenched her fists and lowered her head as she returned to her original position beside Zephyrion.
"You did well."
Fiona’s eyes widened, clearly not expecting the praise.
"...R-really?"
"Yes. That’s solid progress for a week. Keep at it, you’ll get even better."
Fiona clenched her fists, her gaze firming.
"...Yes, young lord."
As she turned away, Zephyrion’s gaze lingered.
’It’s her emotion.’
Kaiden’s emotions were explosive and intense, while Fiona’s were quiet and restrained. While the latter was still effective, the former was better suited for exerting control over the elements.
Your resonance level determined how well and how quickly the WorldPulse responded to you.
Comprehension determined how stable and refined one’s control over the element was. And emotions dictated intensity and raw output.
The stronger the emotion, the stronger the attack. Though Fiona’s control was solid, she still needed to draw more from her emotions and bring that force out fully.
"Alright, enough of that. Head trainee, your turn. Show them how it’s done."
The entire training grounds fell into a deafening silence as Zephyrion stepped forward.
He closed his eyes, then exhaled slowly, sensing the pulse of the world around him.
His eyes snapped open. A formless wave erupted outward from him, blasting across the grounds and forcing the trainees back several steps.
"W-what is this...?"
"I-it’s insane!"
"I can’t... I can’t even move!"