What is Aura?
From an intellectual's point of view, Aura was the congregation of intention concentrated together into mystic energy. While from a user's point of view, Aura is a sign of approval of a certain mastery.
Both of them weren't wrong, but neither is correct.
The Aura does behave similarly to what they believed in but, at the same time, has more potential than this. Although there have been records spanning over two centuries, the understanding of Aura is barely a hundredth of what it was.
Furthermore, the inner conflict between civil and military Aura users only made the research of Aura to be abandoned. Instead of studying the wondrous possibilities it carries, Aura became a tool taught from one to another, spreading over ten thousand lineages of beliefs across the continent.
But no matter to civil or military users, Aura is akin to something like magic. As long the one using Aura has the talent and potential, elements like flame and water can be summoned at will. Even manipulating earth or wind to do their bidding is possible.
That was not all. The Aura can be used as a weapon or intent in the hand of experts tempered in multiple battles. As long the Aura is strong enough, it could pierce the strongest shield and defend against the sharpest blade.
The manipulation of Aura was also just one of its few weaker possibilities.
With so much potential left untapped, there are likely more unbelievable feats that could happen anytime. (Author's Note: Sorry if this is too vague. We're still at the early part of the story, after all. But what's good if a skillset is determined early in the story? It would break our immersion into the novel)
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"Father!" as this was his first time going against an Aura user closely, Hespar finds himself in a situation he's clueless about what to do. His heartbeat palpitates out of control at first, followed by severe confusion as if he was struck by a horse carriage.
But those were pale compared to the change in his eyesight. Right now, it is no different from looking at the world through a red canvas. Everything in his sight, from the earth to the grasses, water, and sky, was blood red.
The feeling was no different from entering the purgatory.
"Take a deep breath and calm yourself. Keep your eyes open and comprehend the feeling you had." Hector said and stopped releasing the Aura. The intense atmosphere immediately lightened once he averted his gaze from Hespar.
Still, it took Hespar close to ten minutes to regain control over his body. While the Aura from Hector carries no paralyzing effect over the target, it could still deliver a traumatic impression to link everything together.
From a mind oppression point of view, negative status always follows once a target falls into a mental attack.
"Is this Aura, dad?" Hespar asked. He's yet to realize that his back was drenched with sweat from that single stare of his father. For Hespar to really notices what actually happened in between during that one gaze, he would likely have to experience it ten more times.
"Yes. This is the uniqueness of my Aura. I called it Bloodlust. Those who came under my Aura's Intent would be in extreme confusion until I exhausted my strength or averted my sight from them." answered Hector. There's a hint of sweat gathering in between his temple.
Obviously, this is what he means in his first reply. Since Aura is not a simple walk-in-the-park action, properly executing it would cost a lot of energy or concentration. Even regular user would quickly exhaust their mental strength or concentration from using the Aura once or twice.
As for Hector, he could only execute them four times in a single day.
"Are you still interested to learn Aura?" Hector asked. He's asking as he was unsure if Hespar is still that keen on learning after his demonstration.
"YES!" Hespar answered without a hint of hesitation. All the discipline and training Hector put on him finally bear the fruit of success today. It made Hespar's mentality much better than the others and steadier in his impression.
"In that case, let's continue until it's time we get home for dinner," Hector said.
Later that evening, Hector returned with Hespar in his arms. The youth was too engrossed in training and collapsed after overestimating the mental stress he could handle.
"Ah, my beloved child... Do you have to do this to our one and only child?" heartache filled the mother's heart as she looked at her son. Seeing that there's no hint of guilt in her husband's expression only made her angrier at Hector.
"This is our boy's decision. No matter how you try to ignore his wish, he'll eventually follow in my footstep. In that case, I would instead groom him into someone capable of surpassing me now and not later." Hector answered.
No matter how stern was his expression on the outside, Hespar was still a part of his own flesh and blood.
On the contrary, he's the one suffering the most for being forced to concentrate all the killing intent on his own child to groom Hespar. As a doting father in heart, how could Hector forgive himself for what he did?
But on the following day, Hespar seemed more energetic than before. There's also a hint of maturity in his crystal clear eyes.
'Could this be a blessing in disguise?' thought Hector. He remembered that in his struggle to learn the Aura from a veteran soldier, he was drowned in fear daily for at least half a year until he mastered [Bloodlust].
A smirk can be seen on Hector's lips after Hespar leaves the house.
"What made you grin like an idiot early in the morning?" Hector's wife asked. As his wife for over fifteen years, she couldn't help but feel curious about what made this crude man grin like a fool.
This was the first time she saw a hint of proudness in his expression. If the two weren't married for over fifteen years, she would immediately suspect Hector to have another fling out there.
"I might be overthinking, but I feel our child is a prodigy," Hector answered his wife.
"Of course, he's a prodigy! Who's son do you think he is?" shouted Hector's wife while she raised her chest higher while feeling proud.
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In the meantime, Hespar is starting to experience minor changes in his day-to-day activities. The most obvious point was in his heightened sensitivity during his usual chores.
'Weird... I'm either in luck or was blessed today. The forageable stuff seems to be gathering all together at one point. I could be half an hour earlier to the academy today from the speed I'm picking them.' Hespar spoke to himself.
He is still oblivious that his Aura is beginning to manifest itself. As for what kind of Aura it would turn out, that can only depend on how strong Hespar's obsession over it. And the possibility of what it could be is endless.
For over ten years, Hespar was half an hour early to his class for the first time. Even his best friend, Paul, was surprised by his early attendance today.
"Hey... What's wrong today?" Paul asked and left the wooden sword he was playing aside.