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"What were you doing in your room Aldin?" Lark asked realizing what might have happened,
"Accumulating mana, why?" Aldin asked.
"And by any chance were you sucking mana from the air?" Lark asked.
"Yes, it is part of my accumulation technique," Aldin answered.
"Then that clears out the misunderstanding," Lark said.
"But I don't understand where that huge amount of mana came from, I was so worried that I came rushing downstairs but I don't see anything," Aldin said.
"How did you expect us to react when we sensed aura creeping into the living room?" Lark asked sarcastically.
Aldin realised his error in judgement. Sylvia also understood the misunderstanding and Aldin's involvement.
"So what it means is that Aldin did something that almost scared me to death," Sylvia said.
"Exactly," Lark said proud of having gotten to the bottom of the whole issue in a few seconds but what he did not realise was that Sylvia was emitting a deathly aura.
"Why you little rascal, you almost gave me a heart attack," Sylvia said and she caught Aldin by the ear before he could realise the danger he was in. Aldin had no way of escaping and Sylvia pulled him up by the ear before she let him go.
"The next time you try anything like that have the courtesy of telling us in advance!" Isabella said.
Alastor shuddered watching the scene, he now had a fear of Sylvia seeing how easily she had caught Aldin.
Aldin realising what he had done had his head down taking his mother's lecture.
"Be sure to inform us the next time," Sylvia said then turned to Alastor.
"This actually involves him," Alastor said. Aldin looked up to see that Alastor ad not come alone and that there was someone behind him.
"And what does it have to do with Aldin?" Sylvia asked.
"I wanted to introduce him to Aldin," Alastor said.
Aldin turned and went to sit next to his father.
Sylvia welcomed in her guest.
"And who is this?" Sylvia asked.
"I am Ariz," Ariz said saving the tower master the embarrassment of not knowing his name.
"He is going to be the new count," Alastor announced.
"What happened to the former one?" Lark asked.
"Well, you could say his services did not meet our standards and we saw fit to dismiss him," Alastor said.
"Is that really alright?" Lark asked.
"Why not, Aldin did that before he came here?" Alastor said.
"He did?" Sylvia asked shocked hearing it for the first time.
"He did, didn't Xander tell you?" Alastor asked.
"He didn't and I think it is time somebody started giving us an explanation," Sylvia said looking over to Aldin.
Aldin then narrated all he had done for the past week before he came over for his birthday.
At the end of Aldin's confession, Lark was at the edge of the seat terrified at his son's action.
Aldin was in the middle waiting to be scolded again.
"You did good," Sylvia said. " That is the right way to use power.
" Standing up for those people was really brave of you, I am so proud of you," Sylvia said as she patted her son.
"Since you've already met, I believe it is time for me and Ariz to be on our way," Alastor said as he got back.
"Pay us a visit anytime you are around," Sylvia said to them as they walked out.
Aldin went back to his room and got into bed and fell asleep. The following morning when he woke up, he had breakfast with his parents after which he got dressed in his armour and had his axes on his back and his staff in hand, unlike the previous day.
"Aldin," Sylvia called out for Aldin as he was about to walk out.
"Yes," Aldin responded turning back to face his mother,.
"Be safe today," Sylvia said.
"I will," Aldin said and walked out heading to his destination.
When he was about to get out he was approached by Ariz.
"Hello, I am Ariz, we met yesterday," Ariz said offeringg Aldin his hand for a handshake.
"I remember," Aldin said accepting his handshake.
"I was eager to meet you today, I have a request to ask," Ariz said.
"How may I be of help to you then?" Aldin asked.
"I wanted to ask if you could take me under your wing," Ariz said.
"What makes you think I will be of help to you?" Aldin asked him.
"I saw how fast you were when you stopped your mother and from what I heard from the tower master you are really talented," Ariz said in his defence.
Aldin was quiet thinking about it, seconds seemed like eternities for Ariz.
'I do need someone who can take care of mum when she gets me a sibling, it would not hurt to have one more competent man among the city folks, I have no idea what these people have in mind.' Aldin thought to himself.
"Okay, follow me, today I want to try something," Aldin said.
"Thank you," Ariz said.
"And before we leave what is your attribute?" Aldin asked.
"Wind," Ariz answered.
"Okay, then keep up," Aldin said and rose up in the air and flew to his destination, the Burmese woods.
Ariz was stunned for a second before he caught on and rose up in the sky and flew trying to catch up with Aldin but he found Aldin in the sky waiting for him.
"First thing I need you to learn is that mana does not serve only to create but also to control, instead of just propelling yourself, make a path for yourself ahead, now try to follow me and try and catch up," Aldin said and darted off.
Ariz flew to where Aldin had gone and as he was flying he used his wind magic to push apart the air in front of him he now felt able to add the speed he could use, and he went faster than he had ever flown.
But the mana output was way too much, up ahead he could see Aldin, he accelerated trying to catch up to Aldin but the distance never changed, always staying the same, he kept adding more mana to boost his speed but he would never be able to catch up.
Aldin suddenly stopped in the air. Azir flew past him before he stopped.
"You have now learnt how to truly fly, next is to improve it, You are just pushing yourself, rather than using it on your feet make wrap it around yourself only pushing in the direction you are going, and increase the pressure instead of the output. Now follow me again," Aldin said.
Aldin darted off and Ariz followed, following Aldin's advice he was able to fly extremely fast they got to where Aldin had meant and when they went down he saw where they were.
"Why are we at the Burmese woods?" Ariz asked.
"This is going to be our training area for today," Aldin said.
"What, but this is a danger zone," Ariz said.
"Yes, it is but with me here you have nothing to worry about,"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, now follow me,"
Ariz agreed and followed in, they walked, they walked for several metres, any beasts they would come across Aldin would kill.
"Walk ahead, and don't waste your spells," Aldin said and moved behind Ariz. Ariz wanted to walk back behind him but it was then that he found his feet were frozen to the ground. Then from behind him, Aldin roared to the sky.
Ariz looked over at him terrified.
"And use an area spell so that you can know where they are coming from," Aldin said.
Ariz then realised what Aldin had just done to him, he quickly used his area spell, echo to detect all the creatures that were around him by a hundred metres.
He was petrified by the results he got back, a horde of beasts were approaching him and fast. He had no time to waste he fired wind blades at them, the intensity of the spell killed them in an instant but the others kept on coming.
"Don't waste that mana re-use the spells," Aldin shouted from above him.
Ariz got what Aldin meant when he'd told him not to waste his spells. He used the wind blades he had formed to attack all the beasts that got close to him like a boomerang.
He kept this on for several minutes before he started feeling the toll it was taking on him but he still wanted to keep on going, unknown to him the urge to survive unlocked something in him, his body was responding to his urge to survive and his will grew, an adrenaline rush rose in him and gave him the stamina to push on sacrificing his mana to do so.
Meanwhile, Aldin was paying close attention to him and his body, he had noticed the reaction his body was having to the threat to its survival but he paid no great heed to it.
After almost an entire hour he was running out of juice to keep fighting. Aldin saw this and came down just as he was about to fall down. He held him as he fell to the ground. The beasts kept on coming. Aldin used an ice shard to kill the beast beheading them in an instant.