Elarion Academy — Two Weeks After the Ring
After two weeks of training with the Ring of Nature, Kian sat in the middle of Professor Theron Ashveil's lecture hall, his green aura pulsing faintly as he absently traced patterns in the air with his fingers. The lessons on magical history and artifact theory barely held his attention — his mind was on combat, strategy, and the raw power the ring had granted him.
The lecture ended, the final words echoing in the vast chamber. Students gathered their belongings and filed out. Kian rose, a determined glint in his eyes.
"Jack," he muttered to himself, standing, "time to see if you can keep up today."
He strode through the gardens where Jack was waiting, aura flickering with anticipation.
"You ready?" Kian asked, bow slung across his back.
Jack grinned, spinning his twin blades in hand. "Always. Let's see what that new toy of yours can do."
Kian smirked, green light pulsing stronger as he and Jack disappeared into their training routine, the air around them thrumming with concentrated aura.
---
On the Road — Aren Savoy
Meanwhile, Aren Savoy rode swiftly through the winding forest paths in his carriage. His expression was tense, mind racing with the discovery he had made after months of painstaking investigation.
He had identified one of Abyss's backers: the Obsidian Family. The implications were staggering. He needed to report this to Shadewatch Fortress immediately.
The forest was quiet, the horses' hooves pounding a rhythmic warning across the dirt road — until a sudden slicing sound tore through the air. A blade of aura streaked through the carriage.
Before Aren could react, a figure stepped from the swirling dust.
"I am Bren of Abyss," the man said coldly. "And today… you, Aren Savoy, one of the heirs of Savoy… shall die."
In a single fluid motion, Bren struck. The aura-charged blade met Aren's throat with merciless precision. The strike was instantaneous — Aren's head severed from his body, leaving him lifeless before he even sensed the attack.
The forest fell silent, save for the distant rustle of leaves and the echo of the fallen carriage wheels.
---
Shadewatch Fortress — Discovery
Earlier, Aren had sent a letter to Alden Savoy, letting him know he was en route with vital information. When Aren failed to arrive on schedule, Alden's unease turned to concern.
He dispatched the Shadow Striders, elite scouts trained in stealth and combat, to locate his heir. Hours later, the Striders returned, their expressions grim.
"Did you find him?" Alden demanded, his Manifested aura flaring, causing the courtyard to tremble slightly.
The Striders knelt, retrieving Aren's headless body and severed head. They carefully placed it before Alden.
"No… no, this can't be…" Alden roared, green aura exploding outward uncontrollably. Dust swirled and stone cracked beneath the force. His voice thundered across Shadewatch Fortress. "Aren… my son… my heir…"
The fortress itself seemed to shudder under his Transcendent aura, the pain, anger, and shock of losing a family member rippling outward.
---
The Aura of Grief
Alden immediately sent Shadow Striders to inform the other heirs. The news struck them differently, but all were marked by intense emotion:
Lucien's wind-based aura lashed out violently, cutting through trees as he clenched his fists in disbelief.
Selina's flaming daggers ignited unnaturally hot, the fire echoing her grief and fury.
Ronan's stone gauntlets cracked and shifted as his aura trembled with suppressed rage.
Cira's liquid blades surged, tears of water floating midair, glittering like fractured light.
Varen's lightning poles sparked uncontrollably, arcs of electricity dancing dangerously from the uncontrolled energy.
Kian, far away, felt the disturbance instantly — green aura surging violently, roots digging into the ground, sensing the shock, sorrow, and anger of the family.
Asia Savoy, Alden's sister and Kian's master, wept openly, violet-and-silver aura spilling across the courtyard in waves of sorrow.
Melina, mother of Kian, held herself tightly, aura rippling with grief, trying to maintain composure but failing.
Calix, father of Kian, remained stoic outwardly, yet the visible tremors in his aura betrayed the weight of loss.
Alden's gaze burned through them all, green light sharp as emerald daggers.
"This… this cannot go unpunished. Abyss… you have awakened a storm."
---
The Forest of Emotion
The news of Aren's death didn't just bring grief — it sparked a surge of aura energy, some crying, some trembling, others burning with rage. Shadows lifted, stones cracked, winds howled, flames blazed, water trembled, and lightning arced uncontrollably — every form of elemental aura reacting to the tragedy of a fallen family member.
Every heir and ally of the Savoy family felt it. The death of one of their own was a wound that could not be ignored, and the promise of vengeance lingered in the air like a storm on the horizon.
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