The night was quiet, save for the occasional rustle of leaves and the distant cry of nocturnal creatures. Arin sat by the campfire, his mind racing with thoughts of the day's training. Mastering water had been a grueling experience, but now he could feel the power of the element within him—calm yet forceful, adaptable yet strong. It had been a long day, but his body refused to rest.
His thoughts wandered to Rykan's words: Next is Space. Arin didn't quite understand what that meant. Space? How did someone control space?
Master Rykan, leaning against a nearby tree, seemed to sense his confusion. Without opening his eyes, he spoke, "I can tell you're restless, Arin."
"How can I be calm?" Arin asked. "What exactly is the 'Space' element? How do you control something that isn't there?"
Rykan chuckled softly. "You think space is nothing, don't you? But space is everywhere. It's the fabric that holds everything together. It's the vast emptiness between the stars, the distance between every breath you take. Without space, nothing can exist."
Arin blinked. "That's... pretty abstract."
"Not everything is as straightforward as fire or water," Rykan continued. "Space is subtle. It bends, warps, expands, and contracts. Those who control space can manipulate reality itself—distance, direction, even time."
The thought of manipulating space both excited and terrified Arin. He had come so far in such a short time, but this? This felt beyond him.
Rykan stood up, his expression serious. "It's time to start your training, Arin. But be warned—mastering space is not like anything you've done before. It requires both mental and physical balance. And the consequences of failure... are severe."
The two of them walked to an open field under the darkened sky. There, Rykan motioned for Arin to stand still. "The first thing you need to understand is how space can be warped."
With a swift motion, Rykan raised his hand, and suddenly, the distance between them seemed to stretch. One moment, Rykan had been standing a few feet away; now, he appeared to be several miles away—yet he hadn't moved at all. Arin's heart raced as the world around him bent and twisted.
"What the—?"
"This is the basic principle of the Akasha Sutra, the Art of Space," Rykan's voice echoed, distorted by the spatial warping. "You must learn to control the fabric of reality. Right now, you are seeing what it's like to lose control of your surroundings. Your task is to realign yourself with the true distance between us."
Arin blinked, struggling to comprehend what was happening. He tried stepping forward, but it felt like his legs were moving in molasses. Every step he took seemed to stretch out endlessly, like he was walking on an invisible treadmill.
"Focus!" Rykan's voice called out again. "Don't let the warping consume you. Feel the space around you. Know that the distance is an illusion."
Arin gritted his teeth, his mind racing. How was he supposed to fight something he couldn't see? Something that didn't even seem real? He closed his eyes, trying to center himself, to block out the confusion.
Space is everywhere... he reminded himself. It's the fabric that holds everything together. It's not about moving through space... it's about bending space to your will.
Arin focused on his breathing, grounding himself. Slowly, he began to feel the subtle energy of space around him—the slight distortions, the invisible folds. He concentrated on the idea that Rykan was not miles away, but still right in front of him.
With a surge of willpower, Arin forced the world to realign itself. The warping sensation faded, and Rykan was once again standing only a few feet away, watching him with a knowing smile.
"Well done," Rykan said. "You've taken the first step. But that was only the beginning."
Before Arin could catch his breath, Rykan's expression shifted, becoming deadly serious. "Prepare yourself. Someone's coming."
Arin's body tensed. "What? Who?"
Rykan didn't answer immediately. His eyes were locked on the horizon, scanning the dark sky. "There's a presence—an intruder. And they're coming fast."
Suddenly, a violent gust of wind tore through the clearing, sending dust and debris flying in all directions. Arin instinctively raised his arm to shield his face, but even before the wind settled, he felt it—a powerful aura approaching. It was cold, oppressive, and filled with malice.
Out of the swirling wind, a shadowy figure emerged. Tall and clad in dark robes, the figure floated just above the ground, its presence distorting the air around it. The ground beneath its feet cracked and warped, as if space itself was reacting to the figure's power.
"Who—?" Arin started, but Rykan cut him off.
"Dark cultivator," Rykan growled, his hand already glowing with energy. "He's manipulating the space around us. Be careful."
The intruder smiled, a sinister glint in his eyes. "So this is where you've been hiding, Rykan. And you've brought a little apprentice with you? How amusing."
Arin felt a chill run down his spine. The man's presence was suffocating, as if the very air around him was being pulled away.
The man's eyes landed on Arin, and his smile widened. "Ah, you must be the one I've heard about. The 'prodigy' who's been mastering the elements at an unnatural speed. I wonder... can you handle what's about to happen?"
Without warning, the dark cultivator raised his hand, and the world around Arin began to warp again. The sky twisted, the ground stretched, and Arin felt like he was being pulled in a hundred different directions at once.
This... this is different from what Rykan showed me! Arin's mind screamed. The warping wasn't just confusing—it was physically tearing at him, like space itself was trying to rip him apart.
"Arin!" Rykan shouted, stepping in front of him. With a flick of his wrist, Rykan sent a wave of spatial energy toward the dark cultivator, forcing him to step back.
The dark cultivator laughed, effortlessly dodging Rykan's attack. "You think you can stop me, Rykan? You're out of your depth."
Rykan turned to Arin, his expression grim. "This is no ordinary foe. He's a master of the Akasha Sutra. You need to stay focused, Arin. Control the space around you, or you won't survive."
Arin nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. He had barely learned the basics of the Akasha Sutra, but now he was being thrown into a fight with someone who had clearly mastered the element.
The dark cultivator waved his hand again, and the space around Arin warped even more violently. The ground beneath him twisted and cracked, and Arin felt himself being pulled into the distortion.
But this time, Arin didn't panic. He remembered Rykan's lessons, remembered how to feel the subtle shifts in space. He focused, willing the space around him to stabilize.
With a grunt of effort, Arin managed to stop the warping around him. The ground beneath his feet solidified, and the pulling sensation lessened.
The dark cultivator raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. "Not bad, boy. But let's see how you handle this."
The cultivator's hands moved in a blur, and suddenly, the sky above them darkened. Arin looked up in horror as the stars themselves seemed to be bending toward them, warping into a vortex of energy.
"What is he doing?" Arin gasped.
"He's collapsing space," Rykan said, his voice tense. "If he succeeds, we'll be crushed."
Arin's mind raced. He wasn't strong enough to stop something like that—he barely understood the basics of space manipulation. But Rykan was already preparing for a counterattack, his energy flaring as he faced off with the dark cultivator.
Just as Rykan was about to strike, the vortex above them began to spin faster, pulling in the surrounding air and light. The pressure was immense, and Arin could feel the weight of the collapsing space pressing down on him.
The ground beneath their feet began to crack, and the world around them twisted into chaos. Arin gritted his teeth, struggling to maintain his focus as the pull grew stronger.
The dark cultivator laughed, his voice booming through the distorted space. "Let's see you escape this, Rykan!"
Just as the vortex reached its peak, a blinding flash of light exploded from Rykan's hand, aimed directly at the center of the collapse.
And then—everything stopped.
The space around them froze, the vortex suspended in mid-air. The dark cultivator's grin faded as he realized something was wrong.
Rykan, panting heavily, turned to Arin, his face strained. "Now's your chance. Go!"
But before Arin could react, the dark cultivator's expression shifted, his eyes burning with rage. "You think you've won?" he snarled. "This isn't over."
With a final wave of his hand, the dark cultivator unleashed a torrent of energy, and the space around them shattered like glass, pulling them into the void.
To Be Continued in Chapter 12...