webnovel
avataravatar

Chapter 12: Domain of Power

Aiden's maid: Alina 

Aiden's Mother: Elara 

The morning air hung heavy with anticipation as Aiden stood in the center of his secluded training ground. 

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, centering himself before extending his hand, focusing on the energy that pulsed through him. 

He could feel it responding, surging to the surface as he willed it into existence causing the air around him to begin to shimmer, bending and warping as his will took hold. 

A ripple of power spread out from him, distorting the space within a ten-meter radius around his body.

"Spatial Domination," he whispered to himself. 

The training ground seemed to shift as if reality itself had been altered as the space within Aiden's domain felt malleable, as though he could shape it however he desired. 

He raised his hand, and a boulder at the far end of the field began to levitate, defying gravity as it floated toward him. 

With a simple flick of his wrist, the boulder shattered into a thousand pieces, the fragments suspended in mid-air, each one perfectly controlled by his will.

Aiden smiled, marveling at the power he now held. 

Within this domain, he was like a god, able to manipulate space to his whim. He could create barriers, alter distances, and even crush objects with the force of his will alone.

There were two limitations though. 

One limitation was his own strength—those with greater physical or magical power might resist or even shatter his domain, but within it, he was the master. 

The other limitation was the range of his domain—currently, only ten meters—but within it, he was the master.

He turned his attention to a set of training dummies lined up nearby, all within his domain. 

With a thought, he summoned a barrier around them, a translucent field of energy that glowed with a soft, blue light. 

Clenching his fist slightly, the barrier contracted, crushing the dummies with pressure and a precision that left no room for escape.

The force of the contraction was immense, the pressure enough to obliterate anything caught within it as even the shattered pieces were held in place by the Spatial force within the Domain. 

"This... is incredible," Aiden murmured to himself, feeling the power thrumming through him. 

With this, the possibilities were endless. 

He could trap opponents, distort their perception of space, or even compress reality itself to his advantage.

Just as he was about to test another application of his newfound power, he sensed movement at the edge of his domain causing him to turn, and to his surprise, he saw Mira, Finn, and Jaxon approaching.

"Aiden!" Finn called out, waving as they closed the distance. "We were looking for you! Mira said you'd be out here testing your new powers."

Aiden let the energy of the Domain dissipate, and the distorted space around him returned to normal. He smiled at his friends as they reached him, their eyes already scanning the area, no doubt noticing the remnants of his energy.

"Couldn't stay away, huh?" Aiden teased, folding his arms across his chest. "I was just getting started."

Mira gave him a stern look. "We were worried you might be pushing yourself too hard. You just woke up after that experiment, and here you are, already back at it."

"Can you blame me?" Aiden replied with a grin. "I have to know what I'm capable of now."

Finn's eyes gleamed with interest. "We could tell. Whatever you activated, it's definitely on another level."

Jaxon, who had been quietly observing, nodded. "It's impressive, Aiden."

As sorcerers, they could all sense magical energies and could tell that Aiden's, despite being of the same quantity as theirs, gave off a fiercer feeling than theirs. 

"But how about a real test?" He suggested.

Aiden raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What do you have in mind?"

"A spar," Jaxon said simply, his tone matter-of-fact. "The three of us against you. Let's see what you can really do with this new power of yours."

Aiden's smile widened at the challenge. "You're serious?"

"Of course," Finn chimed in, already crackling with excitement as sparks of electricity danced across his skin. "What better way to test your abilities than against us? Besides, we've been itching for a good fight with you."

"It's been years since you locked yourself away and refused to fight with us." Jaxon said sullenly. 

"That's because there was nothing new I was learning from you guys and you got busy." Aiden defended himself with a shrug and turned to Mira. 

Mira sighed but didn't object, her gaze on Aiden. "We'll hold back, of course. Just enough to push you without overwhelming you." She said sarcastically, causing Aiden to chuckle. 

Aiden felt a surge of excitement at the prospect. 

Sparring with his friends was always intense. Although there was nothing to learn from them, it didn't excuse the fact that they were good. 

There was a special feeling battling them with the Wind and light Element alone, but now, with The Force, he wondered how far they could push him. 

He nodded, stepping back to give them space as they spread out, forming a loose circle around him.

"Alright," Aiden said. "Let's see what this power can do."

He activated his domain, and the air around him shimmered once more as [Spatial Domination] activated.

The ground beneath their feet seemed to shift subtly, and the distance between them warped slightly, creating an otherworldly atmosphere.

The three didn't think much of the change as this wasn't the first time fighting a mage with an area of effect distortion ability, and Finn, being the most hyperactive of the three, was the first to move with lightning crackling around his body as he charged forward with blinding speed. 

Lightning was not among the elements in Gaia. Water, Earth, Fire and Air. These were the four main elements.

The magic Finn was currently using was as a result of a high level forbidden magic engineered to give the caster a more active mana attribute using the principles of methodically controlling the mana particles in mana pool to clash into each other.

This clash would lead to minute levels of explosions in the mana pool could, if handled poorly, lead to an energy bomb being cast in the caster immediate environment which would lead to the unfortunate death, and, if handled properly would manifest as electricity, or lightning.

This wasn't without it's pros and cons.

The pro was that with every stimulation, Finn's body and mind gets enhanced giving him a flash-like appearance.

With his movements enhanced, he seemed to be a blur making its way to Aiden, but within the domain, he still held the advantage. 

With a thought, he extended the space between them, making it stretch out so that Finn's dash seemed to take twice as long as it should..

Finn's eyes widened in surprise as the distance between them grew, but he quickly adjusted and summoned a bolt of lightning which he hurled at Aiden. 

Finn was quite experienced and had been in many battles, so although he momentarily lost his perception of distance, he didn't let it get to him and quickly surmised that whatever Aiden cast only affected his movements.

And true to his he reasoning, the bolt of lightning surged forward with extreme speed, but Aiden raised his right hand, and the bolt veered off course, curving around him harmlessly.

"Nice try," Aiden said with a smirk. He wasn't unfamiliar with Finn and his ability, after all, he was the one to recommend the magic to him.

Finn was already hyperactive so what better magic to learn than that?... Was exactly Aiden's thought.

It wasn't that he was being heartless, but he was confident in halting and reversing the process should it fail. Fortunately it didn't and Aiden got himself a reliable speedster as a friend.

Jaxon, although momentarily stunned by the short clash between the two, quickly composed himself and took that moment to strike from behind, using [Earth Shrinking] spell which allowed him to meld with the ground and reemerge right behind Aiden.

His large frame moved with surprising speed and precision, his fist encased in a thick layer of hardened rock as he aimed a heavy punch at Aiden's back. 

But Aiden was ready as his senses picked up on his movements and summoned a barrier behind him, causing Jaxon's earth-infused fist to collide with it.

The impact reverberated around them and sent a vibration through the air, however, the barrier held strong, and Aiden used the opportunity to counter. 

The Barrier dispelled just as he twisted the space around Jaxon causing the ground beneath his feet to undulate and shift unnaturally, and before Jaxon could regain his balance, Aiden unleashed a wave of blunt repulsive force that sent him skidding backward, unable to resist.

At that moment, it was as though Aiden had suspended Jaxon in the air and hit him with a blunt force strong enough to push him away. 

Aiden was still getting used to the Force, hence the reason behind the lack of substantial repulsive force behind his attack. 

This point, he took note of.

Mira, who stood at the rear and had been observing from a distance and analyzing Aiden's movements couldn't help but furrow her brow in confusion at the exchanges that just took place.

Despite her fiery red hair, she didn't follow the cliché setting of having to be a fire mage but was a master of wood magic, and she finally made her move, her hands glowing as she summoned thick vines from the earth which snaked toward Aiden with incredible speed, their movements graceful and coordinated.

Aiden sensed the vines' approach, their sinuous forms closing in on him. But within his domain, he was in control. 

He raised his right hand towards the incoming wave of vines, and the vines slowed, their momentum gradually halting as they reached the edge of his barrier. 

Similar to Finn, extending the space seemed to have brought the spell to a halt.

Magic, when manifested, acted upon the will or intentions of its caster as well as the level of power behind it. In the case of Mira's vines, the simply could make heads or tails as to where Mira sent them to.

It was as though, upon reaching (X) location, the person they were supposed to entangle was gone. What were they supposed to do now?

And as though answering the question of the harmless spell, Aiden waved his left hand and he reversed the direction of the vines, sending them back toward Mira. 'Hmm. Interesting.' Aiden thought as he made an observation.

He didn't know he could actually reverse an attack aiming for him and had moved his left hand unconsciously and gotten that effect. 

'Perhaps…Extension and Redirection..?' He thought as he recalled extending the space between Finn and himself, now, he could redirect energy attacks.

Wasn't that cool?

Mira who saw her attack reversed reacted quickly, severing the connection causing the vines to crumble to dust before they could reach her.

Her eyes narrowed deeper as she was genuinely confused on what Aiden's new set of abilities were, however, she wasn't a novice to the fighting scene and quickly put that thought to one side and she summoned a shield of wood and barrier magic around herself, preparing for Aiden's next move.

Aiden however smiled and decided to change tactics. He was quite aware of how coordinated his friends were. They might think his head was always in the cloud when they regaled the details of their missions to him, however, he was merely creating a mental scene.

It was similar to watching a true life movie in your head as it's being narrated straight from the horse's mouth.

The best strategy now was to keep them guessing while pulling out new tricks out of his ass.

Reaching that conclusion, he focused inward, channeling The Force into his body, enhancing his physical abilities, reinforcing his muscles and sharpening his senses. 

"Damn. This is cool." Aiden muttered to himself as he felt the surge in strength and mental clarity and with a new perspective, he dashed forward, his physical abilities now matching Finn's, despite his lightning enhancement, and closed the distance between them in an instant.

Finn barely had time to react before Aiden was upon him, and before he could react, Aiden's fist connected with his chest, the impact sending him flying backward. 

Contrary to expectations, Finn recovered quickly midair, landing on his feet and skidding to a stop, his eyes blazing with excitement.

"That's more like it!" Finn shouted, his grin wide as lightning crackled around him. The spot Aiden's fist had connected with blaring brighter as a crystallised bolt of lightning dissolved away, indicating Finn's quick reaction time.

"Let's see how long you can keep this up!" Finn cackled in glee and in the next moment, his figure turned into a blur as he was once again upon Aiden.

This time around, Jaxon and Mira also moved in unison, attacking from opposite sides. 

Jaxon's Earth heavy damage Element and Mira's wood element precision were a deadly combination, but Aiden's control over space still gave him the edge. 

He twisted the ground beneath Jaxon's feet, causing him to stumble again before blasting him away, while simultaneously creating a barrier to deflect Mira's attacks.

Finn, Jaxon and Mira had a substantial amount of experience considering they were active sorcerers who took on tasks and left the tower. Aiden on the other hand, made up for his lack of experience with skills and calculated predictions.

The intensity of the sparring session escalated with every passing moment. 

His domain of spatial domination gave him an edge, but his opponents were skilled, coordinated and quite annoyingly...relentless.

Finn kept charging at Aiden with vigor, his body enveloped in crackling lightning. His speed was basically unmatched with each passing moment, but Aiden always adapted at the last minute. 

There was a slight problem though.

Aiden had just discovered it but he didn't let it bother him.

The problem was; With his Domain activated, the Energy of the Force was quite active, Hence, he couldn't use mana, aura or psychic energy.

This was a handicap in a way but Aiden wasn't bothered. 

He was already powerful enough before he got the Force, additionally, this was a spar to get his Force abilities under control and understand them better. Not Magic.

The Problem was one for the future.

Once again, with a thought, he created a barrier that blocked Finn's lightning-infused punch as he knew he wouldn't be able to physically react in time. 'Tsk' he thought in annoyance as Finn seemed like a well of unending energy the more they fought.

While this was going on, Jaxon who was still recovering from his recent clash while using his earth magic to stabilize himself. He found it rather difficult to understand as to how Aiden was able to always pick on him. 

It was as though he was venting at any moment he had. 

One should know that in a match up between a Wind mage and an Earth mage, if there were no external factors involved, a Wind mage couldn't get the upper hand against an Earth mage. 

Jaxon had used this to always remain the last man standing whenever they sparred in the past, but now, He was just realising how much of a grudge Aiden could bear.

He rose from the ground, fists clenched, and slammed them down, sending shockwaves through the earth aimed at Aiden. The ground rippled causing fissures to appear and the training field to tremble.

Aiden sensing this, reacted swiftly and manipulated the space to create an upward thrust of energy that neutralized the shockwaves by sending themselves skyward before they reached him. 

There was the option of retaliating with an equally repulsive force but Aiden wasn't sure his Domain could handle a clash of that calibre so he opted for reversing gravity upwards, effectively creating an Absorber which absorbed the shockwave and sent it away as compressed air. 

With the threat neutralized, the ground beneath Jaxon buckled once again, this time, instead of separating Jaxon from the ground, Aiden directly controled the earth to create a whirlpool of earth that temporarily entangled Jaxon, slowing his movements. 

'This is getting interesting.' Aiden thought excitedly. Anyone who saw him do that would assume he was an Earth Style mage, but…

Mira who was also on the attack, took advantage of Aiden's distraction with Jaxon and summoned a barrage of sharp, thorny spears that she shot toward Aiden. 

Her aim was precise and the projectiles flew with impressive speed.

However, Aiden sensed the approach and quickly adjusted the space around him, forming a temporary barrier that intercepted the projectiles while also defending against Finn's assault. 

"I saw yours too." Aiden mouthed towards the grinning Finn as their attacks crashed into the shield, splintering and dissipating harmlessly. 

Aiden could feel the strain of holding the shield but maintained his focus, his eyes scanning for Mira's next move only to see her also observing him. 

Realizing the need for a more direct approach, Aiden poured more energy into himself and launched himself at Finn, his speed amplified twofold. 

Finn was caught off guard by the sudden burst of acceleration, and Aiden's punch landed squarely on Finn's cheek, sending him sprawling to the ground.

Due to his Lightning element, Finn's body had always been sturdy. 

Even when compared with the Sturdy looking Jaxon, he still came out on top. This was what helped him quickly recover and flip to his feet before cackling madly and resuming his assault with renewed fervour. 

"Tsk." Aiden clicked his tongue in annoyance. He'd forgotten to enhance his strength at that moment and just threw a rather 'normal' punch. 

Lightning crackled around Finn as he dashed toward Aiden, attempting to overwhelm him with a series of fast, electrified punches.

Aiden simply manipulated the space, causing Finn's strikes to conveniently miss their mark at each turn.

And as if hit by an enlightenment, Aiden capitalized on a brief moment of relapse to counter with a spatial distortion, which pulled Finn toward him following which Aiden caught him in a surprise grapple which caused the two to get locked in close quarter combat, each trying to outmaneuver the other.

A lightning coated Finn and a Force Enhanced Aiden.

Jaxon who had already freed himself, saw this as a chance and used his earth magic to create a series of stone spikes that shot up from the ground, aimed at Aiden. 

The spikes were fast and deadly, but Aiden immediately turned off the enhancement and twisted the space around the spikes, warping their trajectory and causing them to veer off course in the opposite direction which was towards Mira. 

Mira didn't panic but used her wood magic to entangle the stone spikes in vines, redirecting them harmlessly into the ground. She then summoned a protective barrier of intertwining vines around Jaxon, reinforcing his defense as he prepared for another assault.

Aiden who was still locked in a CQC with Finn saw the synergy between Mira and Jaxon and realized that there would be a challenge in facing them as a cohesive unit. 

He needed to adapt quickly so he focused on enhancing his domain, amplifying its effects to exert greater control over the battlefield.

With a wave of his hand, Aiden extended his domain's range past the 10 meter mark, manipulating the space to create additional barriers and distortions around his opponents. 

The area within ten meters suddenly became a chaotic battlefield of shifting distances and warped realities as 'here' met 'there'.. 

Seeing this spectacle, Finn who now grew more cautious, adjusted his approach, already being used to the twisting of 'reality' when Aiden used his light illusions. 

So using his lightning to create diversionary bursts that illuminated the area, he managed to disrupt Aiden's spatial manipulations much to Aiden's shock. 

'What…?' 

Without realising the incredible feat of dispelling his Spatial hold on Finn, Jaxon and Mira continued working in tandem, coordinating their attacks to exploit any openings in Aiden's defenses but Aiden didn't let any attack through. 

'Is this due to the nature of his magic?' Aiden thought as he fought back against the duo of Mira and Jaxon, however his main attention was on Finn.

He had just proven to be a potential adversary...and a dangerous one at that.

As though seeing seeing the futility in their actions, Mira summoned a dense thicket of wooden branches that grew rapidly, aiming to ensnare Aiden within their grasp. 

The branches wove together, forming a cage of sorts, but Aiden responded by distorting the space around the thicket, causing it to elongate and warp, making it difficult for the branches to encroach on him.

With a smirk, he casually walked through the oversized wooden cage before setting his gaze on Mira as though showing her the futility in her action. 

Seeing this, Jaxon, leveraging the earth's strength, created a shield of rock around himself and Mira, reinforcing their defense before he then sent a series of seismic pulses through the ground, targeting Aiden's feet and attempting to destabilize his footing before he made a move.

As if sensing the seismic pulse, Aiden countered by shifting the space beneath him, creating a stable platform that resisted Jaxon's attacks. 

"Nothing really happens within this Domain without my knowledge, Jax." He said before he then focused on Finn, who was using lightning to create a series of blinding flashes with each movement.

While disorienting, they weren't a cause for concern since there were other ways to perceive one's presence within his domain-

Just as he thought that, 'reality' seemed to glitch in his perception but the glitch disappeared as soon as it appeared causing Aiden to come to a halt.

'What was that?' he thought to himself.

However, In that split second of disorientation, Finn took advantage and launched a powerful lightning surge directly at him.

And quickly gathering his wits about himself, Aiden quickly adjusted the space, diverting the surge away from him before following with a swift counterattack by using his telekinesis to pick up the broken pieces of Wooden and Earthen spikes lying around before launching them at Finn, forcing him to retreat.

And just as Aiden was about to switch to Physical Enhancement, he suddenly paused and began spasming while still on his feet. 

"Aiden?" Finn called out in confusion and worry at the weird behaviour Aiden was displaying. "Oi, are you alright?" He asked and took a step towards him. 

However, just as he took a step inside the domain, he was bounced out. The lightning cloak on his body scattered and hit Aiden's exposed body causing him to jerk before his eyes turned white, following which he fell unconscious. 

***

For more Chapters, Read extra Chapters on my Patre@n

patreon.com/JoshRichie2.

For more Chapters, Read extra Chapters on my Patre@n

patreon.com/JoshRichie2.

Josh_Richiecreators' thoughts