The atmosphere in the grand dining hall shifted. The lively chatter and celebrations carried on around Leonis, but beneath the surface, something far more intense was unfolding. His great-grandfather, the former emperor of Perdium empire, silent and watchful, his sharp eyes locked onto Leonis.
Leonis felt it before anyone else a creeping sensation, like venomous tendrils wrapping around his body, tightening with each passing second. His breath hitched as an invisible pressure settled over him, almost suffocating. It wasn't obvious to anyone else in the hall, but Leonis knew exactly what was happening.
The great emperor was testing him.
His great-grandfather, a wielder of an 8-circle mana, was using his aura, a skill known only to the most elite swordsmen. The pressure that descended upon Leonis was unlike anything he had ever felt. It wasn't just raw power, it was something more sinister. The aura felt like the bite of countless serpents, sinking fangs of venom into his very soul, coiling tighter and tighter around him, testing his will, his strength, and his resolve.
The aura was green, the unmistakable hue of a serpent, both venomous and calculating. Leonis felt the weight of his great-grandfather's power bearing down on him. It was almost unbearable. His muscles tensed, his skin crawled, and his mana shuddered under the crushing force. Every second felt like an eternity, and yet no one else in the hall seemed to notice the invisible battle that was taking place.
His father, Emperor Valerian, and his uncle, Lord Alistair, were the only ones who realized what was happening. Both of them could sense the shift in the air, the subtle application of aura control, but neither interfered. This was something Leonis had to endure on his own.
Valerian's eyes narrowed as he watched his son. He knew his father, the great emperor, was gauging Leonis's willpower, pushing him to see if he could stand under the weight of a power far beyond his own. Valerian had once been tested in the same way, though not quite as severely. His own aura, a fierce dark fiery red, flared subtly as he watched, prepared to step in if the test became too overwhelming. His uncle, Alistair, remained calm, his aura a calm, pure blue, flickering just beneath the surface.
Leonis gritted his teeth as the pressure increased. His mind raced, battling the intense pain that coursed through his body like poison. His great-grandfather was a master of aura control, capable of manipulating it so that weaker beings wouldn't even sense it. But Leonis could feel every drop of its suffocating presence, as if he were being constricted by a deadly snake.
Then, something deep within him stirred.
A faint golden light began to flicker around him... his own aura, hidden until now, began to surface in response to the overwhelming pressure. It was unlike anything seen in the Perdium Empire in generations. The color of his aura wasn't fiery red or serene blue. It was gold. Pure, radiant gold.
His father noticed it immediately, his eyes widening in surprise. His suspicions were confirmed, he had sensed this aura the moment Leonis returned, even without seeing it. There was something about his son's aura that was different, something that hinted at a prophecy long spoken of but never fully believed.
There were only two known people with golden auras, and now Leonis was the third.
The whispers of old legends filled Valerian's mind. Golden aura had always been associated with those of extraordinary destiny, often linked to the ancient prophecy that spoke of a chosen one, a figure who would unite the fractured world and bring balance to the empires.
Could Leonis be the one?
Leonis, for his part, didn't care about the prophecy at this moment. He only knew he had to endure the onslaught of his great-grandfather's aura. His golden aura began to intensify, pushing back against the venomous green that constricted him. The sensation of being bitten and poisoned by invisible snakes began to fade, replaced by a growing warmth within him.
The pressure that had once threatened to overwhelm him now seemed manageable. His aura flared brighter, more intense. The golden hue shimmered like the sun itself, expanding around him. Leonis stood his ground, staring directly at his great-grandfather across the room, their eyes locked in an unspoken exchange.
The former emperor's expression remained unreadable, but in his ancient eyes, a glimmer of approval could be seen. He had tested Leonis's will, his strength, and his potential, and the boy had not faltered. The test was over.
The green aura faded, the suffocating presence withdrawing as suddenly as it had appeared. Leonis breathed deeply, steadying himself as the tension left his body. The golden glow of his aura dimmed, retreating back within him, hidden once more from view.
For a moment, the room was still. No one else had noticed the silent battle that had just taken place, no one except Valerian, Alistair, and the great emperor.
Leonis's father gave him a subtle nod of approval, his expression proud but guarded. This was only the beginning.
His great-grandfather, still seated at the head of the table, finally spoke, his voice low and powerful.
"You've grown, Leonis."
The old emperor's words were simple, but they carried a weight that spoke volumes. Leonis nodded in response, his jaw tight, but his heart beat steady. He had passed the test, but the journey ahead was only becoming more complex.
The feast resumed as if nothing had happened, but Leonis knew that something had shifted. His great-grandfather had acknowledged him, and his golden aura, the sign of the prophecy, was no longer a secret, at least among those who understood its significance.
As the night drew to a close, Leonis felt a new sense of resolve settle within him. The road ahead was filled with challenges, but he would face them with strength, with courage, and with the knowledge that he was far more than the boy who had left the empire two years ago.