Adaceus opened the door and went inside, just returning from Rattale and having completed his task.
Lunoo said it'll take a week for everything to be finished, so until then I should probably prepare more.
The times getting closer now, its a whole new world I'm stepping into.
Adaceus body poured with determination, and even his heart started to thump loudly, almost as if it wanted to jump out of his chest. Anticipation was eating at him.
He opened the door, and there at the hall he saw Rinita standing, as if she was waiting for him.
"Oh, hello there, Rinita."
"Hello, Ada, Mrs. Ingridt is waiting for you in the arena."
"Why? What's the matter?"
"Its important, come with me."
Adaceus didn't even fully enter the house yet, clasping at the doorknob and looking at her in surprise.
"Okay, I'll follow."
"Good." Was all she said as she turned and started walking at a quick pace.
Ooop!
Adaceus tried his best to catch up.
# # # # # # # #
Rinita stopped just at the entrance of the arena, and held open the blue drape door.
"Just here Ada, Master Ingridt lies just beyond."
"Right, but, can I ask, what is this about?"
"You'll see."
"Not really much of an answer."
She only smiled, and gave a bow that prompted Adaceus to enter.
There, at the battle grounds, fully clothed armor, was Ingridt, and she looked like sje was getting ready for something.
"Ada, you're here."
"Yes, you called for me, Miss Ingridt."
"I did, hurry and get ready."
"Ready for what? Ingridt."
"A fight, of course."
"What?"
"Hurry up and get ready."
Suddenly, Rinita appeared beside him, sneaking up on him like a cat, silent as can be. He jolted, and she smiled, presenting for him something from her hand. Sparring equipment. It was a couple of light plate armor pieces. Rinita then threw them unto Adaceus and ran back to the sidelines of the arena.
"Better put those on," Ingridt said, her white bodied sword.
Adaceus could hear himself gulp.
"But why?" He managed to say.
Ingridt buried her sword to the ground, planting it on the stone.
"We're doing this as a gauge of your strength, Ada, I need to know if you're capable enough to be on your own."
"That's it?" He said, tilting his head.
"Adaceus, you shouldn't hold what I say lightly. I mean it." Her words suddenly palpitated with anger and carried enough levity to it that Adaceus could only stand quiet, still, and unmoving.
"Listen," Ingridt started again, and Adaceus stiffened to do exactly that, listen.
"The world you so eagerly want to explore is filled to the brim with uncertainty, dangers that prove beyond your wildest explanations are out there to get you and bite at your throat. Many trials will await you, and sometimes attack you when you least expect them. You're indeed strong, and you have incredible potential, but don't ever let that go in your head; that is the most important rule you should follow. Sharpen your instincts, and hone your senses, that will help you survive."
"I have taught you all I know, and as my honored student, you have learned well, but it seems the time as my disciple has come to an end. Let this be my final lesson."
Adaceus nodded and started to put on the armor pieces quickly.
# # # # # ##
Adaceus raised his golden sword from its sheath and rested it in his right hand, letting the very familiar feeling course through his entire arm. He also rubbed the book that was on his hip, feeling the leather cover with his other arm and making gestures with his fingers atop it. It was a welcome feeling for him; a weapon in his hand provided a sense of security when he wielded one. It was like second nature to him, having spent years of training with this particular set of equipment.
But even after all of this, he still felt unease.
That was because of the person standing in front of him.
Ingridt began walking into place and got ready herself, putting on silver gauntlets and brandishing her pure white blade. It shone so brightly when she held it.
"Are you ready, Ada?"
"Ready as I'll ever be."
He began making preparations, which started with enchanting himself with fortification and enchanting spells.
Haste.
Swift Wind.
Double Cast: Strong Wall
Double Cast: Keen Senses
Triple Cast: Burst Healing Activation
And many more spells were cast on his body; everything was in order, except for a crucial part that would make this fully complete.
"Oh, are you not going to enchant yourself with you're aura skin? Are you having trouble? I would be quite disappointed if I couldn't see it myself."
The aura skin, a specialized move that encases the entire body in a thin - but quite strong - protective shield. It was a move popularized and pioneered by Ingridt herself. The aura shell of before was an ability that was inefficient then, compared to what it is today. It was an ability that required a great deal of concentration to perform, and the following would result in an energy that could create a barrier that would surround the entire space like a dome. This move, called Aura Barrier Zone, was still a strong ability; even the most high-ranking of aura users made use of it on the battlefield and were quite feared because of it, but in order to use this ability, one must have a vast amount of mana to convert into aura in their core, which for ordinary people - without a strong bloodline to obtain a strong core or artificial strengthening - it was hard and almost impossible to do.
So Ingridt had created the mana skin, which used far less mana to make. The main feature of the mana skin was how fast it could be made, and when it was damaged in any way, one could swiftly repair it with ease. It revolutionized combat throughout the world of combat. It was an incredible achievement, done by such an incredible person.
"No."
"What?"
Her eyes then went wide as Adaceus held his blade with two hands, and a vast black energy spewed out from his hand like tentacles and began wrapping around the blade. The black aura rose and rose the body, rising like tendrils from a beast, until it was painted completely black. It seemed to emanate a wicked energy.
"So this is a surprise, you leveled up."
Adaceus's aura skin, which was a dull gray color before, started to turn black. Like blood spreading through water and completely overwhelming the clear blue.
This was an awakening.
"This is you're element, aye, the element of darkness."
Adaceus waived this brand new power clinging to his blade, raising it upward to his face and observing the energy writhing on his blade. It glistened, the black color, shiny and reflective, so pitch black that it seemed to absorb light that dared touch it, and the once golden color was completely replaced with black.
Never liked gold anyway, this, this is more my style.
Adaceus, in a smooth motion, bent his knees in a grounded position, planting his feet wide and firm, his chest puffed, motioning his hand to his back and extended his other hand that held the sword, pointing it straight at Ingridt.
So this, this is what an element feels like, to think the darkness element was the one I had locked deep in my core, oddly fitting, and oddly familiar.
"How the hell did you accomplish this?" Ingridt asked, a rare, proud smile on her face.
"I worked hard, chalk it up to effort well spent."
She laughed.
"You really are an anomaly," she said, her sword dancing on her arm like a dancer's ribbons, flowing gracefully like a breeze as she poised herself into battle.
"But, it is a shame. I would have liked to have trained this new power of yours, but unfortunately for me, with your sudden need to leave, I don't think I'm going to be able to."
"Don't let this let you down, Mrs Ingridt, after all, you're the first one I'm going to be using it on, the first to witness it in battle. Think of it as a special privilege."
"Cheeky as always. You ready?"
Adaceus nodded.
Powerful gusts of wind suddenly began enveloping Ingridt. Powerful enough to rival the most torrential of storms, it perpetuated in the arena, and even Adacus was struggling not to be pulled back by the air.
She's preparing something up, damn, how the hell is this level of power possible?
Ingridt suddenly began floating, and the air that was gathering to her transformed into tendrils of wind that spiraled her sword, and from the area of her hips, two wings appeared. She glided across the arena like a graceful swan, her sword pointed in front of her, moving so fast she was like a straight white line blitzing through the sky with one direction in mind, toward Adaceus.
Fast!
Adaceus, watching Ingridt come at her in incomprehensible speeds, couldn't in any capacity dodge what was coming. He was going to be hit; that was inevitable. No special aura ability was going to stop her from reaching her target. But with the help of another power, he could.
Adaceus's body began glowing with multiple rings of magic, and he disappeared out of the way. Ingridt passed, just barely hitting him as she went by. She fluttered her wings in the air, turning her head to and fro, searching for him. Adaceus appeared back into reality in a puff of violet magic, having just survived Ingridts pursuit.
The Flicker spell, without this ability, he would have stood no chance.
My physical abilities are still not enough to even come close to her, even with enhancement, but with magic, I can close the gap.
Adaceus huffed a satisfied breath, smiling to himself as he stared at Ingridt.
"Impressive, you managed to dodge my attack."
"Just barely, but don't give me praise... just yet."
"What do you mean?"
"In a moment."
Ingridt raised her brow until suddenly, light appeared from below her.
A massive circle appeared on the floor, shining a vibrant blue light that continued to get brighter. Ingridt's eyes widened in surprise until her form disappeared in a blinding pillar of light. Flames of red and blue rose and rose, sending waves of heat across the arena, engulfing her with a ferocious power.
A trap spell. A tremendous, trap spell.
Adaceus watched, pleased that it worked.
I put a massive amount of essence into that Flame Pillar spell, even had to use some of my mana to strengthen it further, and the result was something spectacular.
Of course, Adaceus didn't expect this to even phase her, but hoped that it would have at least slowed her down, maybe even damage her enough for and advantage, even a little one.
Adaceus readied himself as the pillar of flame slowly disappeared and gradually began dissipating until it completely ran empty of magic.
And out of the disappearing flames, Ingridt stood, a barrier of wind covering her. The wind dispersed, and she floated there, unscathed.
"Smart, that was a good attempt Ada, it would've caused some damage, had I not set up that barrier."
She moved her body like a bird shaking off dirt and dust, rustling her wind wings and stretching out her limbs so casually.
"So," she said, staring down at him with a bold smile, her sword so relaxed in her hand.
"Shall we continue?"