Alex after creating the lightning magic circles poured mana in it,but he felt something the others didn't.His circle was emitting a faint light,but not enough to cast any spell.He felt like his heart was burning,his hands were shaking and his mana was depleting.
Then the magic circle suddenly create a small burst,Alex fell on his knees holding his chest.Tobias immediately took hold oh him.
"Alex!!!Kid....are you alright!?!?"
The other two rushed towards them,but all they could do was watch.Tobias let Alex lay down and told him to rest for awhile.
While the others continue with their training,Tobias told Alex to just continue increasing his mana.Alex got up and asked if he could go home for today,Tobias could see that he lost all the will to keep on.
"Okay... I'll let you go home for today,but boy don't feel so bad about it, we'll keep training to increase your mana so that you can achieve perfect body Enhancement and maybe you'll eventually unleash True Enhancement.So keep your head up and do not lose hope."
Alex went home and the others continue what they were doing.They felt bad seeing their friend who was always so energetic,lose his bright smile,Alex wasn't born in a wealthy family nor a family with talents,but just watching him work so hard and still constantly failing was heartbreaking even for those around him.He was in their mind all throughout the training.
**********
Alex reached home,but unlike other days there were no one home.His mother works in an inn and his sister would stay in Patrick's house.
It was all quiet,he sat down on one of the chairs near the table,he was looking at the ceiling of the house,his eyes were dull,all he could think about was the sudden warmth he felt in his chest.
'What was that?....that burning sensation.And why...why can't i use any of the elemental powers.The others could easily awaken it....but why can't i'
He lay down on the table,still thinking about it,feeling hopeless.
'I hope I can atleast achieve Perfect Enhancement.....'
**********
Three weeks later Stephen and Luke were now very
efficient in using their elemental powers.Alex still training his enhancement has yet to reach Perfect Enhancement,but due to constant enhancement and constant depletion of mana,his man was now above the other two.
"Kids we will stop our training here and move to other location.There has been some reports about seeing bandits around the outskirt of the village.The knights are doing their best to investigate it,but seems like they are no mere bandits,from my opinion i think they're some evil clans preparing themselves for the Village Festival.Since the Willsworth family will be attending the Festival,they must be preparing for something."
"So thats why I see so many knights these days.I thought some criminal was hiding in our Village"Luke replied.
Village Festival held every year was two weeks away and since the Willsworth family were attending,the village has been filled with knights.
Since there was no other place where they could train togather,they decided to continue in their own home or somewhere else.
Alex train and also sometimes helped the villagers in decorating the village,since no royal of the Willsworth rank has ever visited their festival before,they were all trying their best to make the village up to their likings.
**********
It was now the day of the festival,people were wearing their best dress and they all meet up in the village entrance.They prepared gifts, dances,dramas and even a feast to be held at night.They all waited for the royals to arrive.
Alex and his friends were also very excited,its not everyday you can see one of the most influential royals in the Kingdom.
After waiting for about half an hour,they could see horses slowly appearing,the people were cheering as if they were waiting for a hero coming back after a successful expedition.
The horses came inside the village and between them was a beautiful dark carriage.
The people led them to the centre of the village near the chiefs Mansion.And from the carriage came out a young lady.The people were shocked,they thought only Richard Willsworth and his wife would come but no.....the first person to came out of the carriage was Elizabeth Willsworth,they couldn't believe it, seeing one of the wielders of the Holy Light and in a small village at that.
They were all staring at her as she walks down the carriage escorted by a knight.Then come the family head himself Richard Willsworth,they were cheering for them.Then the chief gave them his gratitude for attending such a special day for the village.
Alex and his friends could barely see them from the back,all they could see was the family head who was tall enough,but they could sense it,the little aura seeping out from the first person that came out.The mana was so pure and calming,it can even make one wonders how such calming aura can have any advantages in a fight.
The festival then goes on,the early parts of the festival was always very boring cause all the programmes were one speech after another,all the fun and exciting stuff were at night,the only exciting part of the day was the huge feast at the end of the day.All of them were enjoying their food with the Willsworth.
Almost every year all the kids around thirteen to twenty years would leave the programmes during the day,because it was so boring,but this year they all attended.They didn't want to miss the opportunity of seeing a Holy Light Wielder, especially a female their age.
After having a wonderful meal they started preparing for the most entertaining part of the festival.While some were singing and playing their instruments,the others were dancing.The Willsworth family also seemed like they were enjoying the festival.
**********
Alex's Pov:
'I saw her for the first time,a girl around my age....she has hair that seems to be glowing.....She was the most beautiful girl I've ever seen.But.....why do i feel so sad,is it because of how different our life is or is it because....the fact that a girl like her is nowhere near my reach... .Wow...i never knew I had such low self-esteem..... immediately putting her way above me... .but...it is true,a beautiful and gifted girl like her will end up in the arms of someone who is blessed with either wealth or strength.'
'Haaaaa... I'm not even enjoying this anymore'
Alex felt really hopeless,but he doesn't want things like love to stop him.He has a family that truly loves him and he reassure himself that thats enough.
He looked at the direction of Eli for the last time,but to his surprise she was looking at him directly in his eyes.He was confused,there was a crowd in front of them,how is she looking directly at him,then he realise he was releasing his aura and directed it exactly towards her.He immediately disperse it and run towards his house.
'What the hell!!!,How did that happen!!?!!!...Now she's gonna think I have some problem against her!!!'
He run as fast as he can even forgetting about his two friend.
**********
Eli's Pov:
'Hmmm....i wanna dance and sing too...i should have brought my friends with me.'
Eli isn't really the type to enjoy this stuff,but if its with her friends,she would enjoy it with no care.
As she was watching the villagers singing and dancing,she suddenly felt an aura,it was small but still noticable.The aura wasn't threatening or frightening,no it was rather gloomy and sorrowful.She searched for the owner of that aura and after a while she saw it,the owner.
Just as she saw him,the boy that was emitting the aura looked up and they made eye contact.Eli was confused and didn't look away,but the boy suddenly ran away.
'What the...who was that,and why was he releasing his aura towards me,no how did he even release a particular emotional aura,i haven't even master body enhancement yet and he's already learnt how to release aura efficiently.'
A lot of thoughts run through her mind,she even think that he might be a spy from one of the evil clans.But...why release an aura that is so sorrowful.
She was daze by what just happen,but there wasn't really anything she can do,so she just decided to pay no heed and went on with the festival
End Pov-
**********
The festival was now over,and the people of the village began to clean up the mess they made last night.
Eli and her parents decided to stay for one more day so that they can tour around the village.Tobias decided to lead them.They were going around every important place of the village,the graveyard,the little training area and other different places.
When they went to the training area Alex was there practicing his enhancement alone.He was deeply immersed in it so he wasn't even noticing them.
Tobias was impressed by his dedication so he decided to make a spherical shield around him so that they will not distract him.
"Who is this boy Tobias?"Richard asked.
"Oh...this boy right here is one of my students Alex Francis."
Eli took a closer look and her eyes immediately widened,it was him,the boy from last night.She was sure as hell that he was the boy who released that aura.But since he was a student of Tobias she decided to keep quiet.
"Sadly he couldn't awaken any elemental powers,even after trying for several days.So we're just hoping if he can achieve perfect enhancement."Tobias continued.
Eli now kinda understand the reason behind that sad aura,but she still don't know why it was directed towards her.
"Ohh..what a pitiful young man"Margaret, Eli's mom,added.
They soon left him,Eli observed him one last time and then left.
.....
Night came and the Willsworth family were having dinner in the Chief mansion.They chat with each other and praise each other.Richard isn't really a chatty person so most of the conversation was carried by his wife.
While they were chatting Eli tried to sneak out of the Mansion,but in her way a female knight stopped her.When they were at the training ground,she remembered Tobias saying that Alex and his friends trained even at night.So she was eager to meet them.
She asked the knight if she could join them in their training.The knight also wanted to see her against people her age,so she allowed her to go there but only with her or any other knights.
Eli wasn't really confident to go there by herself anyway so they both went to the ground.Since the knights were all guarding the Mansion,the boys could continue their training in the training ground.
As they were walking slowly towards the ground,they could see fire brightening in and out.The knight wasn't sure if that was dangerous or not,the fire was so bright that it doesn't seemed like it came from a kid.But that's the direction of the training ground so there might be some Teacher there too.
"Come on i wanna see who that was"Eli immediately pulled the guard and they ran towards it.
They've reached the training ground and decided to take a small peak.The knight was really cautious as the ground was pretty far away from the village.
As they peaked through they could see torch lighting up on the corners,one kid was creating a fire magic circle aimed towards a huge boulder.Another kid was creating an earth magic circle also aimed towards a huge boulder.The last kid,Alex,was doing the same thing he did during daylight.
Eli was really impressed by them,not many village can forged such young talents.Stephen wasn't really from the village but since their family was not that influential,there isn't much difference from them.
"Art of Fire...Burst!!!!!"
After creating a small fireball,it instantly flew towards the boulder exploding.
"Art of the Earth.... Ground ascension!!!"Luke stomped and as soon as his feet reached the ground,the ground bulged up in a line towards the big boulder.
"Wow....these kids...i heard they're one of the Candidates of the Grand Academy,with skills like those,they might have a chance.But what's with that kid,he only medi...."
Before she could finish her words,she felt a menacing aura.An intimidating aura directed towards her.
"This aura....its coming from the kid mediating"
Eli could also feel it,she gaze towards Alex and there he was staring at them,his eyes glowing, emitting purple light.
Since they were already caught Eli decided to head towards them.
The other two immediately felt her presence,they turned their attention towards her,they saw her and the knight that came with her.
"Wait... you're"Luke eyes widen as he saw them.
Stephen was also surprised.'What....what is she doing here?'
Alex got up and just stare at them.
"Hi...."Eli waved at them.And they just waved back, feeling a little nervous.
"Wow..you guys are working really hard....I heard from Mr.Tobias that you guys are trying to get in the Grand Academy."
"Yeah we're doing our best so we can get accepted,and unlike you we have to work hard"Alex replied sitting back down.
Eli was confused,did she somehow upset him or is he hostile against royalties.
"Wha...hey i have to work hard too okay... its not like I'm all that strong and powerful just because I receive Light Blessings."
Alex watching her nag suddenly had an idea.
"Really...how about we spar,since Holy powers are ten times stronger than elemental magic,we might be on equal terms,you haven't mastered enhancement right?"
"No i haven't "Eli replied
The female knight smirk,she was waiting for this.She used to watch Eli train with her sister,but because there is so much difference between them it wasn't really entertaining.But now with her peers,it would definitely be interesting.
"I'm not sure about that"Eli backed a little.
"I heard you're specialized in swords,so i don't think me and Luke can fight you.Our casting is still too slow"
"So... I'm the only one huh"Alex unsheathe his sword.
"Wait I've never practice with a sword before"
"What??but you're a swordsman"Alex looking confused.
"I used a rapier,so...."She took out a rapier from her spatial inventory.
'Wow...a spatial inventory'She kept suprising them.
"Okay,i will be the judge....if things get out of hand I'll stop the fight immediately."The knight said.
The two then took their stances.Alex enhance his bodies and Eli enhance hers with a little holy light and mana.
Eli then began to concentrate her enhancement on her rapier,she took a form as if she was going to stab something extremely hard.
She then thrust her sword towards him,all the winds twirling around as if it was drilling it.Alex quickly dodge to the side and ran towards her,before she could charge another attack he already reached her side.Alex made a horizontal slash,Eli then position her rapier and blocked it.
The two then started exchanging blows,Eli couldn't do much damage while slashing,her only way to land a vital hit was by stabbing.
If it was enhancement alone Alex would have already won,but Eli's Holy Light backed up almost every of her flaws.
Alex then poured in a large amount of mana in his sword and slash down.Eli quickly blocked it,using both her hand to stop the force.Both they're eyes were emitting a purple and golden light.
They seemed to be evenly matched.As the fight went longer they were becoming more faster.Then amidst the exchanging of blows,Eli suddenly charged up her rapier again and Thrust it towards Alex.
Alex then let go of his sword, strengthen his left hand.He then catch the rapier before its force was fully released,he barely stopped the attack,his hand bleeding,now he strengthen his right arm and tried to uppercut her.
Eli let go of her sword and backed away.She stared at Alex,his hand was bleeding excessively,she was amazed.
They both then enhance their arms and legs,now it all came down to a hand combat.
The knight was impressed and surprised,a local kid stading toe to toe with a Light Wielder.But now that the fight was too intense she had to stop them.
Just as she was about to call them,a sword suddenly ran through her chest.