Chapter 4: Aunt.
The air was still and heavy, the atmosphere thick with lingering traces of lightning mana that had yet to fully fade from the duel earlier that morning. The garden that had held countless duels was now silent — the scorched patches of grass, faint crackles of static, and the deep footprints etched into the dirt stood as testaments to the brutal training that had taken place there for an entire year.
Aiden stood in the center of that silent garden, unmoving. His eyes were locked on the empty space where Rayan had just disappeared moments ago. The wind brushed softly against his hair, carrying with it the faint smell of burned earth and distant flowers. For the first time in a long while, there were no footsteps approaching him, no harsh voice scolding him, no fists, no pain — only silence.
He stood there, motionless, his hands hanging loosely at his sides, his breathing still faintly uneven from the earlier spar. His heart felt heavy. The emptiness in front of him was louder than the sound of Rayan's strikes had ever been. For a whole year, that man had been his Teacher — relentless, unmerciful, but Frank. And now, he had left, and his training had ended, leaving behind a quiet void.
Sara, who had been standing a little farther back with Jonathan, quietly walked toward her son. Her steps were gentle, almost hesitant, as if she understood what that silence meant for him. When she finally reached him, she placed a hand softly on his shoulder and said, "Don't be sad. You'll have a chance to meet him again in the future."
Her voice was warm, calm, trying to wash away the heaviness that clung to Aiden's heart. "He attends the friendly competitions between academies every few years," she continued. "And since you're going to join the magic academy soon, you'll meet him again during the years you spend there."
Her tone suddenly changed, turning playful and teasing as she smirked slightly, "And besides, why are you sad over that good-for-nothing? He only ever beat you up!"
Aiden blinked, slightly startled at her sudden shift in tone. But before he could reply, Sara's expression softened into something faintly reminiscent — almost as if she were reliving the year alongside him. Her eyes dimmed a little, and she added quietly, "Have you forgotten what that brat put you through this past year? You were beaten until you couldn't even move an inch. Your body was left so exhausted, I had to heal you every single night. You fell unconscious more times than I could count…"
Her words trailed off for a moment. She let out a soft sigh, both exasperated and relieved. Then she said with mock irritation, "You should be thankful that brat is not here anymore."
Aiden listened silently. At first, he couldn't help but smile slightly — a small, bittersweet smile that tugged at the corners of his lips. He looked down for a moment, letting his thoughts settle, then said softly, "Mom… even though he was harsh on me during training, he was doing it for my own sake — so that I can live a better life."
He raised his gaze again, his eyes glimmering faintly under the evening light as he continued. "He taught me how to really fight, and what a life-and-death situation feels like. And after every training, even though he looked cold, he was always… frank with me. I only have respect for him. He was my first teacher, and no matter what, I'll always respect him."
Sara's eyes widened for a second. Then her lips curved into a pout as she crossed her arms and said in a half-joking, half-mocking tone, "Oh, so you're taking that brat's side against your mother now, huh?"
Aiden froze, completely caught off guard. His eyes widened slightly as he quickly waved his hands as he said. "No, Mom! I was just telling you how I feel about my Teacher. You'll always be my number one!"
Sara blinked — then a soft, mischievous smile spread across her face as she leaned slightly closer to him. "You really are a sugar-coater, huh?"
Aiden was stunned again. He scratched the back of his head, his cheeks warming a little as he smiled awkwardly.
Jonathan, who had been standing silently nearby, finally let out a quiet chuckle and said, "Don't tease him so much, Sara."
Sara turned toward him with a grin. "Alright, alright. Come on, both of you — let's get some lunch."
The three of them walked toward the house together. The tension and silence from earlier had melted away, replaced by laughter and warmth that filled the air as they entered the kitchen. The smell of freshly cooked food soon spread throughout the house.
Lunch passed in comfort. For once, there were no training plans, no harsh commands — only quiet conversation and soft laughter echoing within the walls of their home.
After lunch, Aiden rested for a few hours to shake off the exhaustion that was still there because of his duel, and he felt sore in every muscle of his body. When he woke up, the sun was already setting, painting the horizon in hues of gold and crimson. He washed up and joined his parents for dinner.
As they sat together at the dinner table, the sound of utensils lightly clinking against plates filled the room. It was peaceful — almost too peaceful for Aiden, who was so used to harsh training, strict lectures, and physical strain.
Sara broke the silence as she said gently, "Aiden, tomorrow, your new teacher for light and earth mana will arrive."
Aiden paused mid-bite, lifting his eyes toward her in surprise.
"She's your aunt — my cousin," Sara continued. "She's not as strict as Rayan, so you'll be able to learn comfortably from her. So be prepared in the morning."
Aiden blinked, still processing what he had just heard. "Aunt?" he asked, curiosity flickering in his eyes as he said. "Mom… do I have any other relatives besides her?"
Sara froze for a moment. Her hand, which had been holding a spoon, stopped midway. The question seemed to pull something from the depths of her mind — something she didn't want to face or remember. Her expression shifted slightly, just enough for Aiden to notice.
After a few seconds of silence, she finally replied, "Yes… There are many more." Her tone was flat, evasive. Then, with a faint, forced smile, she added, "But you don't need to know about them."
Aiden watched her quietly. He could sense it — that hidden discomfort in her tone, that brief shadow that passed through her eyes.
He thought to himself, 'Does Mom have a conflict with her other family members?'
But he didn't ask further. Instead, he just nodded lightly and said, "Okay."
Dinner continued quietly after that. Jonathan glanced at Sara once or twice but didn't say anything. Aiden ate in silence, lost in thought, occasionally glancing toward his mother's unusually distant expression as she was in deep thought.
When dinner was over, he stood up and excused himself as he said. "I'll go to my room now," he said softly.
Sara smiled faintly, her earlier unease fading behind her gentle motherly warmth. "Alright, get some rest. Tomorrow will be another busy day."
Aiden nodded. He walked through the dimly lit hallway, the faint glow of the mana lamps casting his shadow long against the walls. When he entered his room, he sat on his bed for a while, staring out the window at the moonlit garden — the same place where so many of his memories with Rayan were etched.
After a moment, he closed his eyes and began absorbing mana. The familiar flow of energy circulated through his body, calm and rhythmic. He did this for nearly an hour, feeling the mana inside him grow denser and smoother.
When he finally lay down, the silence of the night settled over him like a soft blanket. His breathing steadied, his consciousness fading slowly into sleep.
But beneath the house — deep underground — something stirred.
There was a sound.
Thump… thump…
A heartbeat.
It was faint at first, but steady — powerful. Each beat echoed through the earth like a whisper from another world.
Thump… thump…
It was stronger than before, as though something deep beneath the ground was slowly awakening, pulsing with ancient, unseen life.
And as Aiden slept peacefully, unaware of what was moving below, the heartbeat grew slightly louder — its rhythm slow and deliberate, like it was trying to call someone, as if it was reaching out to something… or someone.
Outside, the night remained quiet, the moon glowing softly over the garden. Everything seemed at peace — but beneath that tranquility, something dark and unknown was breathing in the depths of the earth.
Author's Note:The silence that follows a storm often feels heavier than the storm itself. This chapter marks the end of Aiden's first cycle of pain, growth, and discipline — but the whispers beneath his world are beginning to stir. What he doesn't yet know is that every beat in the darkness is tied to his fate. The abyss is not sleeping — it's waiting.