Chapter 13: Unknown Danger.
Jonathan composed himself. "You really have fire affinity. Good. Now I will teach you how to use water mana." His voice was calm and steady, but a small bit of pride was in it.
The morning wind blew through the garden. It carried the smell of wet grass and dirt. Aiden stood before his father. His small body was straight and focused. His eyes showed pure determination.
Jonathan continued. "First, close your eyes. Imagine a tide of water while you feel the blood moving in your body. After that, use the breathing method to do the same as you did for fire."
Aiden heard this and nodded a little. His face turned serious. He took a deep breath. Slowly, he closed his eyes. He let the sound of the wind fade from his mind. In his thoughts, he began to imagine it—a big, endless ocean. It was calm at first, then it made waves that rose and fell. They crashed against the shore in his mind.
He imagined the cool feeling of sea air on his skin. He thought of the flow of the tide. He thought of the slight chill that comes with water. Then, he began to feel his own blood moving in his body. It was a soft, steady pulse, like the tide itself.
After that, he pushed the mana into his palms. Slowly, the energy inside his body began to move. It went from his heart, through his chest, and flowed down his arms. It felt like warm liquid that was suddenly turning cool. Then it flowed toward his hand.
The moment the mana reached his palms and left his body, it shimmered softly. Then, it turned into a small, bursting tide of water. Clear drops of water shone in the sunlight. They swirled gently in the air before falling to the ground with a soft splish sound.
It meant that he also had an affinity with the water element.
Jonathan saw this. His expression grew solemn. "You also have a water affinity," he said slowly. His voice was low and filled with disbelief and fear. "As of now, you are a tri-elemental mana cultivator. Even if you don't have all ten elements, you will still be a rare genius in this world."
He stopped for a second, thinking. Then he turned toward Sara. "Now you can teach him to use healing and puppeteer mana."
Sara nodded solemnly. "Okay."
Then she turned towards Aiden. Her silver hair moved a little in the wind. Her eyes were soft but serious. "Healing and puppeteer mana are different than fire and water. There is a different way to use them. First, I will teach you how to use healing mana."
Her voice became gentle and warm, like a teacher's. "To use healing mana, you must have a pure heart. You must really want to help the hurt person. You should feel emotions like love, friendship, care, or sadness for that person. For strangers, you must feel their sadness or care for them. For your family and friends, you feel friendship and love.
"After having these emotions, you can make your mana flow into your hands. Then you put that mana into the other person's wound. It will heal them. Alright, if you remember this, give it a try."
Aiden was listening very closely. He said in a serious, calm tone, "Okay, I will try."
But after a few seconds, he thought for a moment. He said to his mother, "But Mom, what shall I heal?"
Before Sara could speak, Jonathan reached into his pocket. His moves were calm but sure. He pulled out a small knife. The metal shone a little in the light. Without waiting, he turned his hand and cut his own palm. A thin line of blood appeared right away. It was bright red against his rough skin.
He looked at Aiden and said in a steady tone, "Heal my hand."
Aiden saw this. His eyes opened wide in shock. "But Dad, why are you hurting yourself?"
Jonathan replied, his voice calm. "Don't be worried. If you can't heal me, your mother will heal it instead."
Aiden heard this. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his fast heart. He was still worried about his father. Even though he knew it was a small wound, the thought of his father being hurt made his chest feel tight.
But he also knew his father would never ask him to do something bad without a good reason.
As he looked at Jonathan's bleeding hand, Aiden closed his eyes and began to focus. He thought of what his mother had told him—the emotions he needed to feel. Love. Friendship. Care. Sadness.
He thought about how much his father had done for him. The lessons, the patience, the guidance. He felt warmth in his chest. A pure and true wish to help, to heal, to protect.
Slowly, he started to make the mana flow into his hand. He guided the energy from his heart. He let it move through his mana veins like a river of light. His breathing slowed. His focus became deep.
Then, he pushed the mana out. His hand began to glow. It was faint at first, then brighter. The glow was soft, light green. It pulsed gently, just like his mother's healing light.
Sara and Jonathan watched silently. Their faces were tense but hopeful.
Aiden took a step closer. He placed his small glowing hand on Jonathan's hurt palm and focused. The light went into the wound like flowing water. It carried warmth and energy with it. The blood stopped. The torn skin began to mend. In a few seconds, the wound was completely healed. No scar was left.
The light faded.
Sara and Jonathan saw this. Their faces became even more serious.
Jonathan looked at his now-healed hand, then at his son. His voice was low but firm as he nodded. "You also have healing affinity. Let's try Puppeteer."
Sara heard this and said, "Okay."
She then turned to Aiden again. Her voice changed back to a teacher explaining a careful art. "Now, for you to learn how to use puppeteer mana, you will have to think of yourself as the master of the thing you are going to make into a puppet. It can be a dead animal, a person, a wooden doll, or anything else.
"After thinking that, you will focus your mana into your fingers, not your palm. Then, when the mana leaves your body, it will be in the form of strings. You will put these strings into the object you are trying to make into a puppet."
"The strings will go through the whole body of the object. They will control all its muscles, bones, and joints. After you completely control all this, it will become your puppet. Okay, now give it a try."
Aiden listened to all this information very carefully. He remembered every single word. He took a moment to breathe and collect his focus.
After a short moment, a wooden doll suddenly appeared in Sara's hand. The doll was about the size of a small child. It was made with care—smooth wood, fine joints, and light carvings on its limbs. She placed it in front of Aiden and said gently, "Try to control this."
Aiden nodded. His eyes carefully looked over the whole doll. He saw every curve, every joint, every way it could move. Then, he closed his eyes.
In his mind, he thought that he was the master and owner of this doll. That it was a part of his own will. The doll would even walk into danger if it had to. He believed in that thought. He made it absolute.
After that, he began to move mana into his hand. He felt it gather inside him—smooth, thick, and ready to obey. He pushed the mana toward his fingers, focusing on directing it just right. Then, he pushed it out.
The moment the mana left his body, it changed. It turned into light-colored strings. They glowed faintly in the daylight.
Jonathan and Sara watched closely. Their eyes did not miss a single thing.
Aiden slowly guided the strings toward the wooden doll. He put them into its body. The strings moved like living threads. They slid into the woods. They wove through every part of the doll, controlling its joints, its limbs, its frame.
He could feel it—the link between him and the puppet. It was like feeling another body that did what he wanted.
After a minute or so, the doll was completely under his control. Aiden opened his eyes and focused. Then, in a calm voice, he commanded, "Stand."
The doll, which had been still just moments ago, suddenly moved. Its wooden joints made soft creaking sounds as it straightened up. It stood up perfectly on its own feet.
Jonathan and Sara both stared at the sight in silence. Their already serious faces turned even heavier.
This confirmed it. Aiden had successfully used puppeteer mana, too.
The reason their faces looked heavier was not because of happiness. It was because of a new understanding.
This almost proved that Aiden was an all-elemental mana cultivator.
And though it was an amazing gift, it was also a terrible curse.
Because if people found out about this, there would always be those with dark hearts. People who would want his power for themselves. People who would wish to cut open the unknown. They would capture him.
They would cut open his body to study his mana veins. They would put him through all kinds of pain just to learn the secret of becoming an all-elemental cultivator.
It was far too dangerous for a child like Aiden. He was far too young for this cruel world and its cruelty.
Jonathan quietly clenched his fists. A dark shadow passed over his eyes. Sara's look softened as she watched her son. She felt great pride, but also a deep, sharp fear for him.
Aiden stood there quietly. He did not know about the silent storm growing in his parents' hearts. He only knew that he had succeeded.
And for now, that was enough.
But in a quiet room far away in the capital, an old man looked up from a shattered, glowing crystal. The crystal had been linked to the affinity meter that exploded.
It had just shown him one final, impossible image before going dark: the clear, bright light of all ten elements. He stroked his long beard, his ancient eyes narrowing. Someone had just broken the universe's oldest rule. And he intended to find them
Author's Note / Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. All characters, names, and events are the product of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental. This chapter continues Aiden's journey as he discovers the depths of his power — and the dangers it brings.