36: Dark Mages Attack 2
The serving girl returned with a steaming plate of roasted meat, thick slices of bread, and a hearty stew accompanied by a mug of amber liquid. She placed it on the table with a smile, though her eyes lingered curiously on Aiden's unfamiliar face.
"Enjoy," she said before hurrying off to tend to another table.
Aiden wasted no time, picking up his utensils and digging in. The flavors were rich and robust, the meal a welcome outlet of which he ate heartily, savoring each bite as the warmth of the food filled him.
As he ate, the conversations around him painted a picture of the kingdom's state.
"Did you hear? Some villages still haven't recovered from the last attack."
"They say the king's men are stretched too thin."
"Rumors of dark mages have been spreading like wildfire. It's like the war wasn't enough; now we've got internal chaos."
"Do you think the Third Prince will step in?"
"I don't think so. My cousin who also fought in the war said that not even the Gods could heal him."
"My Word. To think that someone called the strongest human would be in that state. How powerful were the enemies?"
Aiden's ears perked up at the mention of his name, but he kept his expression neutral, pretending to focus on his meal.
It was clear that the kingdom's people were uneasy, their fears feeding on uncertainties.
Finishing the last of his stew, Aiden wiped his mouth and set the mug down. He reached into his pouch, pulling out a few gold coins, and left them on the table. Without a word, he stood and exited the tavern, the cool night air greeting him as he stepped outside.
The region, known as Whispering Hollow, was a mix of quaint cobblestone streets and bustling market stalls, though it was quieter at this hour.
Aiden strolled through the streets, letting the sounds of distant chatter fill the momentary calm.
Eventually, he made his way back to the castle. As he stepped past the towering walls, a sudden, sharp sense of danger made his steps falter. He frowned, his instincts screaming a warning that sent a chill down his spine.
'What threat could make me feel this way?' he thought intriguingly.
He paused, closing his eyes as he sent out an imperceptible psychic wave. It rippled outward, unnoticed by any ordinary observer and instantly, his mind locked onto the presence of seven powerful magical energies, each unmistakably at the Archmage level.
Opening his eyes, Aiden exhaled slowly. A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he unclasped his cloak, letting it fall to the ground.
"Don't you think your actions are a bit unbecoming for Mages of your calibre?" he asked, his voice calm but carrying a razor's edge of warning.
Silence filled the air for a beat before the energy in the surroundings shifted. One by one, the seven mages stepped into view, their expressions varying between confident smirks and cold indifference.
As the seven mages emerged from the shadows, the air thickened with layered, intertwining energies, each distinctive in their own way, each a testament to their mastery.
Aiden's gaze flickered over them, assessing the weight of their presence, the invisible forces pressing against him from all sides.
The first mage, standing slightly ahead of the others, radiated an oppressive and simmering heat that warped the air around him.
It gave off an aura that made it seemed it wasn't just heat, but restrained destruction, a furnace barely contained within mortal skin.
To his right, a woman's presence was sharp and cold, like the edge of a freshly honed blade.
The space around her seemed thinner, stretched taut, as if she could cut through the very air itself. Her mana didn't flare wildly; it hummed in controlled precision, a silent warning of lethal intent.
Beside her, a third mage carried the weight of a storm.
His presence was less direct, more insidious, low, rolling pressure like thunder building on the horizon. The static in the air crackled faintly, a promise that with a single gesture, the sky itself might answer his call.
Aiden recognised this particular aura but didn't dwell on it as he shifted his gaze to the left, where another figure loomed, their aura slow and heavy, like roots digging deep into the earth.
It wasn't crushing in the way of brute force, but it seeped into the ground, merging with the terrain itself. A stabilizing force; unyielding, immovable.
Next to him, a woman cloaked in deep violet exuded an unnatural stillness. Her aura was not one of overwhelming power, but of absence, a void where energy should be.
It sent an instinctive shiver down the spine, as though standing too close might pull one's very essence into the abyss she commanded.
Further back, a mage whose energy rippled like an illusion stood with an easy smirk. His presence shifted unpredictably, mana flickering between forms, refusing to settle.
It was disorienting, slippery, as though reality itself bent around him.
And finally, the last figure exuded nothing but raw, unrestrained force. His aura crashed against Aiden's like an unrelenting tide, pressing from all directions with sheer, brute magical will.
It wasn't specialized like the others, it was raw, instinctive domination, the kind that sought to overpower by sheer magnitude alone.
Aiden inhaled slowly, letting their combined pressure settle against him, testing his limits. He could feel the weight of their expectations, their certainty in their superiority.
His smirk deepened.
"Interesting," he murmured. "I wonder, do you truly think numbers will make a difference?" The tension in the courtyard grew heavy as Aiden squared his shoulders, his presence remained commanding despite the odds.
"As expected of your Highness, truly an enigma to look up to." One of the mages intoned with a chuckle and then turned to his comrades. "See? Didn't I tell you we were wasting our magic on him?"
Aiden's eyes swept over the group, his expression unreadable as the mage who had spoken stepped forward. The man's eyes were filled with amusement as a fiery aura crackled faintly around him.
"Kael Dorn," Aiden said evenly, his voice calm yet laced with authority. "A pyromancer who once defended Atlan's borders. How far you've fallen to be skulking around like a thief."
Kael grinned, unfazed at Aiden's recognition of him. "Oh, your Highness, you flatter me. I'm merely here to do my part for the cause."
The other mage who Kael had spoken to, stepped up beside him, her sea-green eyes shimmering in the dim light. "You shouldn't be so quick to judge, Prince. After all, even the noblest tides shift."
"True, however, I didn't expect the tide to sink so low," Aiden replied, his gaze cold as he turned to the lady who just spoke. "Sylara Veyne, I presume?"
The woman narrowed her eyes in mild shock. She didn't have any relationship or acquaintances with anyone who was close to the Third Prince. 'How does he know my name?'
"You're probably thinking; How does he know my name? Eh? Well, that's for me to know and for you to find out." Aiden said with a smirk as he continued sweeping his gaze through the group.
The group bristled at his words as another dark mage, sneered as golden sparks crackled around him. "For someone facing seven Archmages, I wonder if that confidence will hold when we show you what true power looks like."
"Ah, you must be Valkir Zane. To think a Mage of the Tower would fall so low. Finn would be quite disappointed. You were his Idol." Aiden said with a hint of pity in his tone.
The Mage profession was not so much of a secret that only the Magic Towers had access to them. There were other schools of magic scattered around the world and many others who learned magic by themselves.
Being referred to as a Mage of the Tower meant that Valkir had learned under the tutelage of the magic tower and was one of the few individuals to have developed this level of Forbidden Magic to this stage.
Valkir growled as the golden sparks coming off him intensified much to Aiden's appreciation. He too had once seen this man as the perfect role model for Finn and he hadn't been wrong.
The sheer destructive might he could feel coming off those bolts of lightning was enough to make any weaker Archmage feel intimidated, however, Aiden's gaze didn't linger on him and turned to a dark mage who had remained silent, his shadowy form blending into the darkness.
He didn't recognise this one. Similar to his light element, the darkness elemental aura around this man was unique.
Aiden's gaze moved lazily to the last three, his expression coldly amused as he addressed them.
"Eryndor Valen, the unyielding rock of Atlan," Aiden said with a faint smirk. "Tell me, how does it feel knowing that the only thing you're good at is being a blunt instrument?"
Valen's aura didn't diminish at all despite the jab from Aiden but his hands balled into fists, veins pulsing on his temple but Aiden remained unfazed as his piercing eyes turned to Liora.
"And Liora Dray, the Wind Whisperer," Aiden said with a chuckle. "Your talent for running away faster than anyone else is legendary. Are you here to blow away the tension or just hoping to escape unscathed again?"
The air around Liora churned with anger, but she said nothing, her narrowed eyes locked on Aiden as he made sarcastic remarks on them and their infamous feats.
These were all what they hoped would never see the light of day if they could control it.
Aiden however, unconcerned of their feelings crossed his arms, his smirk deepening. "The three of you, masters of magic, are reduced to puppets for a cult. It's almost tragic. Almost."
Eryndor crossed his arms, his stone-like frame radiating unshakable momentum. "The boy doesn't even know when to be afraid. Typical of royal arrogance."
Liora sighed, the breeze picking up around her as she spoke. "We could've done this the easy way, but no, you just had to show off, didn't you?"
Aiden's lips remained curved in a faint smirk, his eyes gleaming with a calm intensity. "If I didn't, how else would I remind you why Atlan still stands?"
The air grew still for a moment, tension thick enough to cut. Kael's grin faltered, replaced by a flicker of unease.
The group exchanged glances, some bristling at his words while others hesitated.
"You may outnumber me," Aiden said, taking a single step forward, "but I promise, this will not end in your favor."
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