Aiden spent the next few days trying out various attribute specific recipes while Marcus consolidated his foundation and adapted to his new strength. After about a week of madly accumulating pills and potions, Aiden was called to accompany Marcus to the training grounds. As Marcus led the way, Aiden squinted at the bright sunlight. It had been a long while since he had been outside and he found himself having a strong desire to go back inside to his alchemy room.
It was almost as if Marcus had eyes on the back of his head, and before Aiden could take the first step backwards the older boy's hand shot out extremely fast and grasped his.
"Don't even think about it. You have been cooped up in there for weeks now. And while I certainly appreciate your hard work, you need some fresh air. And exercise." Marcus said while raising an eyebrow at Aiden's thin physique.
Aiden puffed up his cheeks in annoyance, "You're one to talk! You are just as thin as I am!"
"Yes, that is why we are going to the training grounds." Marcus nodded while dragging the younger boy with him.
In fact, it wasn't that Aiden had any huge objective to training, afterall cultivation was his dream, but how could the training ground compare to learning alchemy? When he first received his inheritance, Aiden thought that Alchemy would just play an auxiliary role in his cultivation path. Now however, it was different. He had truly fallen in love with the process of trying out new recipes and polishing his expertise until he was able to produce nine mid grade pills. There was nothing that could compare to the exhilaration and thrill he felt when achieved success. Aiden wished that he spend all twenty-four hours a day beside his alchemy furnace, only then would he be able to chip away at the vast collection of recipes his mother had left for him.
Practicing alchemy also helped him cultivate faster, the immense concentration and depletion of energy followed by meditation to recover, allowed his body to be further refined by aura in a way that just regular meditation couldn't achieve. So for him, alchemy was the best way to train. Aiden still understood Marcus' intentions though. He wanted Aiden to get used to the layout of the nearby facilities as well as become familiar with the other people here in the Sommerset Clan. Which is why despite a pout forming on his face, Aiden still followed Marcus to the training grounds.
When they arrived, Anton had cleared a private space for them and lined up a variety of training weapons, everything from an unassuming dart to a massive warhammer. Choosing a weapon is of vital importance because each martial technique is tailored by weapon. It takes time and energy to master a technique, so determining what weapon you will wield is the first step. Otherwise you could end up wasting time honing skills that you would never use.
Of course Marcus and Aiden didn't choose right away. First they had to warm up. Anton sent them jog around the field to get their heart pumping and blood moving. Then a variety of exercises commenced, all lead by Anton who had begun to look like a devil in the eyes of a poor suffering alchemist.
While wiping the sweat that was pouring down his face, Aiden couldn't help but glance at Marcus. The older boy's normally pale skin was flushed a bright red due to exertion, sweat had dampened his pure white hair and his breathing was slightly labored. Even so, Marcus continued to follow Anton's guidance calmly and without complaint. Due to his forbearance, Aiden continued to grit his teeth and power through despite feeling like he was about to die. Although his body was heavily tempered after having reached the Hardened bones stage, beneath the whip of the devil instructor Anton, that meant nothing. Right when Aiden felt that he was going to keel over right there on the field, Anton called for a stop and sent the two of them for a cool down lap and then water.
"Good job Aiden, I knew you could do it," Marcus praised despite his ragged breathing.
"I think it is more amazing… that you held up… considering you never had much… exercise before this," Aiden was barely able to reply while trying to fill his desperate lungs with air.
"I knew that if I couldn't even handle this, the pain and difficulty of cultivation would be far too much to bear. Only by continuing forward can I achieve my dreams, no matter the obstacles," Marcus stated while slowly adjusting his breathing. Aiden was shocked and slightly guilty, he hadn't been thinking anything of the sort. His biggest motivation was that he couldn't fall behind Marcus. He didn't want to be left behind.
When the two of them had talked about the alchemy level being so low in the Golden Lion Kingdom, he could sense that Marcus intended to leave and journey to find better resources. The image of the volcanic city was still etched in Aiden's mind, that was his goal. Leaving the Golden Lion Kingdom was just the first step, and he didn't want to be a drag. His alchemy skills could only take him so far, eventually he too would need to find more valuable herbs and reagents as well as more pure sources of fire energy. If he was as frail as a piece of porcelain, how was he going to be able to compete for resources? So Marcus was right. He needed to work hard at developing his own skills as well as alchemy.
Marcus smiled briefly when he saw that Aiden had understood. In fact his main concern for having his Little Alchemist practice his physical skills was so that in an emergency he would be able to escape. Alchemists were never meant to be frontline fighters, that was a job for their guardians. He was fully confident in his ability to protect his alchemist from harm, especially now that he could cultivate. But Marcus was never one to put all his eggs in one basket, men plan and the heavens laugh. So, to be extra sure, Aiden needed to be able to defend or escape in an emergency situation.
After a short break Anton called the two of them over to where the weapons were laid out. Even though Aiden had been enlightened by Marcus, he still felt as though Anton's words were like the whisper of a devil.
"When choosing a weapon, you need to first analyze your own personality and determine what fighting styles you would be comfortable with. For example, the spear, gives you a wider range of combat and when fighting with those who are using a smaller weapon than yourself, you can keep them at bay and prevent them from getting close. However, the drawbacks are also obvious. If someone is skilled enough to get inside your range, the length of the spear can be unwieldy in close quarters. On the other extreme, you have small throwing weapons like daggers or dart. These can be excellent for covert attacks and precision fighting. However, should you miss or are unable to take your opponent down immediately, these weapons are not suitable for drawn out combat. If you have any questions feel free to ask me," Anton's serious voice narrated from the side as Aiden and Marcus perused the selection.
Aiden glanced at the different weapons trying hard to imagine himself using them to see if any of them seemed to call to him. The first weapon to catch his eye was a whip, jet black with a bright silver barb at the end. In his mind's eye he saw himself smirking while flicking the whip at a figure clothed in black wielding a bloody dagger. His imaginary self let out a peal of exaggerated laughter while chasing the would be assassin. Aiden immediately shook his head to clear his mind of such a strange image. Not that one.
The next weapon he saw was a pair of fans, delicately crafted but surprisingly strong enough to take the hit of a sword. Once again his imagination began to construct a scenario; a bustling marketplace, people everywhere, and he was nonchalantly swaggering through the crowd glancing at the wares on display at the various stalls. Then a fiendish rogue teases a young lady near him, so he walks up with his fan open blocking his face as he winks to the lady over top of it. Then while the rogue is distracted, bam! He slices his throat with the blade! Blood everywhere, the lady screams and runs away. No, no, no! Aiden shook his head again, that one doesn't seem right either.
Aiden continued to look and his eye was caught by a longsword. Gleaming blade and gorgeous hilt, he could see it now. His hair was tied up in a high ponytail, his sword in hand he fought off evil cultivators and monsters alike. And in the end when they all had died beneath his blade, he rode off into the sunset on his sword, proud and undefeated. Wait a minute… he is not a sword cultivator. He is an alchemist. Why on earth would he picture himself chopping people up with a sword? Aiden used his palms to smack is cheeks and wake himself up.
To the next! Standing proudly among the other weapons was a giant warhammer, huge to almost be unreal. Once again, Aiden's overactive imagination showed him an image of himself wielding the hammer. In his vision he would toss out an explosive or paralytic potion on his enemies, and then smash them flat with the hammer! Aiden swallowed, that seemed a little more promising. At least this time he remembered his primary occupation. But the hammer was still a no go. His weak self needed a weapon that he could actually lift. Although in his imagination he was strong enough to carry it in one hand, that was just imagination after all. He still had some sense. Shaking his head while laughing softly, Aiden continued to look, unaware that all of his actions were being observed by both Marcus and Anton.
Marcus watched with a helpless expression on his face, his Little Alchemist was dazing out more and more lately. He would have to keep a closer eye on him. On the other hand, Anton was seriously considering whether or not long term alchemical research affected the brain of an alchemist. After all they had always been known to be eccentric.