Chapter 24: Aunt
The air was still and heavy. The feeling was thick with leftover traces of lightning mana that had not yet fully faded from the duel earlier that morning.
The garden that had seen countless fights was now quiet. The burned patches of grass, faint crackles of static, and the deep footprints pressed into the dirt all stood as proof of the brutal training that had happened there for a whole year.
Aiden stood in the center of that quiet garden, not moving. His eyes were fixed on the space where Rayan had vanished moments before. The wind brushed softly against his hair, carrying the faint smell of scorched earth and faraway flowers.
For the first time in a long while, no footsteps were coming toward him, no harsh voice scolding him, no fists, no pain—only silence.
He stood there, still, his hands hanging loosely at his sides, his breathing still a little uneven from the earlier spar. His heart felt heavy. The emptiness in front of him was louder than Rayan's strikes had ever been.
For a whole year, that man had been his Teacher—relentless, merciless, but honest. And now, he had left. His training had ended, leaving behind a quiet hole.
Sara, who had been standing farther back with Jonathan, walked quietly toward her son. Her steps were gentle, almost careful, as if she understood what that silence meant for him.
When she finally reached him, she placed a hand softly on his shoulder and said, "Do not be sad. You will have a chance to meet him again in the future."
Her voice was warm, calm, trying to wash away the heaviness clinging to Aiden's heart. "He goes to the friendly competitions between academies every few years," she continued. "And since you are going to join a magic academy soon, you will meet him again during the years you spend there."
Her tone suddenly changed, turning playful and teasing as she smirked a little. "And besides, why are you sad over that good-for-nothing? He only ever beat you up!"
Aiden blinked, slightly startled by her sudden shift in tone. But before he could reply, Sara's expression softened into something faintly remembering—almost as if she were living the past year again alongside him.
Her eyes dimmed a little, and she added quietly, "Have you forgotten what that brat put you through this past year? You were beaten until you could not even move an inch. Your body was left so tired, I had to heal you every single night. You passed out more times than I could count…"
Her words trailed off for a moment. She let out a soft sigh, both annoyed and relieved. Then she said with pretend irritation, "You should be thankful that brat is not here anymore."
Aiden listened silently. At first, he could not help but smile a little—a small, bittersweet smile that pulled at the corners of his lips.
He looked down for a moment, letting his thoughts settle, then said softly, "Mom… even though he was hard on me during training, he was doing it for my own good—so that I can live a better life."
He raised his gaze again, his eyes shining faintly under the evening light as he continued.
"He taught me how to really fight, and what a life-and-death situation feels like. And after every training, even though he looked cold, he was always… honest with me. I only have respect for him. He was my first teacher, and no matter what, I will always respect him."
Sara's eyes widened for a second. Then her lips curved into a pout as she crossed her arms and said in a half-joking, half-mocking tone, "Oh, so you are taking that brat's side against your mother now, huh?"
Aiden froze, completely caught off guard. His eyes widened a little as he quickly waved his hands. "No, Mom! I was just telling you how I feel about my Teacher. You will always be my number one!"
Sara blinked—then a soft, mischievous smile spread across her face as she leaned a little closer to him. "You really are a smooth talker, huh?"
Aiden was stunned again. He scratched the back of his head, his cheeks warming a little as he smiled awkwardly.
Jonathan, who had been standing silently nearby, finally let out a chuckle and said, "Do not tease him so much, Sara."
Sara turned toward him with a grin. "Alright, alright. Come on, both of you—let us get some lunch."
The three of them walked toward the house together. The tension and silence from earlier had melted away, replaced by laughter and warmth that filled the air as they entered the kitchen. The smell of freshly cooked food soon spread throughout the house.
Lunch passed in comfort. For once, there were no training plans, no harsh commands—only quiet conversation and soft laughter echoing inside the walls of their home.
After lunch, Aiden rested for a few hours to shake off the tiredness that was still there because of his duel, and he felt sore in every muscle of his body.
When he woke up, the sun was already setting, painting the horizon in shades of gold and crimson. He washed up and joined his parents for dinner.
As they sat together at the dinner table, the sound of forks and knives lightly clinking against plates filled the room. It was peaceful—almost too peaceful for Aiden, who was so used to harsh training, strict lessons, and physical strain.
Sara broke the silence as she said gently, "Aiden, tomorrow, your new teacher for light and earth mana will arrive."
Aiden paused mid-bite, lifting his eyes toward her in surprise.
"She is your aunt—my cousin," Sara continued. "She is not as strict as Rayan, so you will be able to learn comfortably from her. So be ready in the morning."
Aiden blinked, still understanding what he had just heard. "Aunt?" he asked, curiosity shining in his eyes. "Mom… do I have any other relatives besides her?"
Sara froze for a moment. Her hand, which had been holding a spoon, stopped halfway.
The question seemed to pull something from deep in her mind—something she did not want to face or remember. Her expression changed a little, just enough for Aiden to notice.
After a few seconds of silence, she finally replied, "Yes… There are many more." Her tone was flat, avoiding. Then, with a faint, forced smile, she added, "But you do not need to know about them."
Aiden watched her quietly. He could sense it—that hidden discomfort in her tone, that brief shadow that passed through her eyes.
He thought to himself, *'Does Mom have a problem with her other family members?'*
But he did not ask more. Instead, he just nodded lightly and said, "Okay."
Dinner continued quietly after that. Jonathan glanced at Sara once or twice but did not say anything. Aiden ate in silence, lost in thought, sometimes looking toward his mother's unusually distant expression as she was deep in thought.
When dinner was over, he stood up and excused himself. "I will go to my room now," he said softly.
Sara smiled faintly, her earlier unease fading behind her gentle motherly warmth. "Alright, get some rest. Tomorrow will be another busy day."
Aiden nodded. He walked through the dimly lit hallway, the faint glow of the mana lamps casting his shadow long against the walls.
When he entered his room, he sat on his bed for a while, staring out the window at the moonlit garden—the same place where so many of his memories with Rayan were carved.
After a moment, he closed his eyes and began to absorb mana. The familiar flow of energy moved through his body, calm and steady. He did this for nearly an hour, feeling the mana inside him grow thicker and smoother.
When he finally lay down, the silence of the night settled over him like a soft blanket. His breathing steadied, his consciousness fading slowly into sleep.
But beneath the house—deep underground—something stirred.
There was a sound.
*Thump… thump…*
A heartbeat.
It was faint at first, but steady—powerful. Each beat echoed through the earth like a whisper from another world.
*Thump… thump…*
It was stronger than before, as though something deep under the ground was slowly waking up, pulsing with ancient, unseen life.
And as Aiden slept peacefully, unaware of what was moving below, the heartbeat grew a little louder—its rhythm slow and deliberate, like it was trying to call someone, as if it was reaching out to something… or someone.
Outside, the night stayed quiet, the moon glowing softly over the garden. Everything seemed at peace—but under that calm, something dark and unknown was breathing in the depths of the earth.
Author's Note: A new teacher arrives tomorrow—family, but with secrets of her own. What is the hidden conflict in Sara's past? And why does the heartbeat below the house grow stronger each night, as if it recognizes Aiden's growing power? The peaceful days are a fragile mask. If you want to meet the mysterious aunt and uncover the first secret she brings, make sure to add this to your Collections!