The faint glow of dawn crept over the Veylora estate, but the training grounds were already alive with energy. Magnus stood at the center, his presence commanding as he traced intricate runes in the air with golden light. Elijah watched, his arms crossed, as the symbols pulsed and expanded, creating a shimmering dome of spatial magic around them.
"This is the foundation of advanced space magic," Magnus began, his voice steady. "Before you face the chaos of the southern continent, you need to understand the principles that govern reality itself. Space is not static—it's fluid, malleable, and far more fragile than most realize."
Elijah nodded, his eyes sharp with focus. "And the void exists beyond that fluidity, outside the framework entirely."
"Precisely," Magnus said, glancing at him. "Which is why you must learn to stabilize space before you rely too heavily on the void. Without balance, your abilities will tear apart everything around you—including yourself."
Magnus gestured, and the dome began to shift, warping into a maze of shimmering pathways. "Your task is to navigate this space. Each path leads somewhere, but only one will bring you back to me. The others…" He let the implication hang in the air.
Elijah smirked. "You're testing my instincts."
"I'm testing your discipline," Magnus corrected. "Now go."
With a nod, Elijah stepped forward, entering the maze. The air immediately felt heavier, as if the space around him resisted his every move. He extended his senses, reaching out with the void energy that pulsed within him.
The pathways shimmered, their edges flickering like mirages. One step, and Elijah felt the pull of distorted gravity beneath his feet. Another step, and the air around him grew thick, like trying to move through water.
"Interesting," he murmured. "He's layered this with dimensional shifts."
He focused, summoning a sliver of void energy to his fingertips. The space around him rippled, revealing faint cracks in the illusion. With a single step, he folded the space ahead of him, bypassing a stretch of the maze entirely.
As he moved, the maze seemed to respond, shifting and reshaping itself. The shimmering pathways closed behind him, cutting off his escape. Elijah paused, narrowing his eyes.
"Clever, Grandfather. But not clever enough."
He raised his hand, summoning a small void rift. It hovered before him, spinning slowly as he concentrated. The rift expanded, revealing a glimpse of Magnus at the center of the maze. Elijah smirked and stepped forward—only to feel the space twist violently.
The void rift shattered, and Elijah stumbled back, his breathing uneven.
"Ah," Magnus's voice echoed through the maze, amused. "You're too reliant on the void. Space magic isn't so easily bypassed."
Elijah clenched his fists, his aura flaring. "Fine. Let's do this your way."
Closing his eyes, he focused on the flow of space around him. He imagined the maze not as walls and pathways, but as a single entity—a fabric he could mold. His breathing steadied as he extended his senses, feeling for the threads of magic that held the maze together.
"There," he whispered.
With a single gesture, he pulled at one of the threads. The pathway before him shimmered, unraveling like a loose strand. Elijah stepped forward, the maze collapsing around him as he approached Magnus.
The dome dissolved as he emerged, standing before his grandfather.
"Impressive," Magnus admitted, his expression neutral. "But you were too quick to fall back on the void. Remember, Elijah: The void is not a crutch. It's a tool, and tools require precision."
Elijah nodded, though his expression remained resolute. "Understood. But the void isn't just a tool for me—it's part of who I am. I'll master it, one way or another."
Magnus sighed. "Stubborn as always. Very well. If you're so determined, then you'll need this."
He reached into his robes and pulled out a small, ornate crystal. It shimmered with a faint silver light, pulsing in rhythm with Elijah's own aura.
"What is it?" Elijah asked, taking the crystal.
"A spatial anchor," Magnus explained. "It will tether you to this reality, preventing you from being lost in the void should you overreach. It's an artifact of the Veylora bloodline, crafted generations ago. Treat it with care."
Elijah studied the crystal, then nodded. "Thank you."
Magnus placed a hand on his shoulder. "Remember, Elijah: Power is meaningless without purpose. The demons in the south are a grave threat, but don't let your power blind you to the people you're trying to protect."
"I won't forget," Elijah promised.
Later that night, Elijah stood at the edge of the Veylora estate, gazing toward the southern horizon. The weight of his decision hung heavy on his shoulders, but his resolve remained unshaken.
The void pulsed within him, a constant reminder of the power he now wielded. He clenched his fists, his expression determined.
"The southern continent," he murmured. "The demons won't know what hit them."
With a single step, he opened a void rift and vanished into the night, leaving the estate behind.