Chapter 26: Corruption.
The warm glow of the sun had shifted across the sky, painting faint golden streaks on the garden floor where Aiden and Elizabeth stood. The faint sound of rustling leaves filled the still air as the breeze brushed through the trees.
Aiden's black hair swayed slightly, and his dark eyes reflected quiet determination. Elizabeth stood a few feet away, her elegant posture unmoving, her sharp brown eyes focused entirely on him.
Then Elizabeth continued, her voice soft but firm. "Light mana can also be used in battle. There are various spells that can help in battle, and if your opponent has evil desires or dark intentions, then light mana will be even more effective against them. It can burn people with evil hearts. And if any part of your body becomes corrupted, you can use it to remove that corruption."
Her words held both wisdom and warning. She paused for a brief moment, allowing the weight of her statement to sink in. The stillness of her gaze made Aiden instinctively straighten his posture, his eyes never leaving her face.
"There are various light mana spells," she continued, her tone now instructional, steady, and deliberate, "but at the moment, you can use only a few. The first is Purify." She raised her right hand, as faint light began to gather around her fingertips, shining like a miniature sun in her palm. "This is used to remove any corruption from the body. But remember, Aiden, it can also be used in battle. If your opponent possesses a pure evil heart, you can use this spell to purify them from the inside out — completely vaporizing them."
Aiden listened intently, every word entering his mind as he memorized it. He could almost feel the aura of the spell as faint waves of energy brushed against his skin.
Elizabeth continued, her tone growing more intense, " Then, there is Flash. It's a portable spell, something every light mana cultivator must learn early. You can use it to illuminate darkness, but in battle… it is far more useful. You can blind your opponent, stealing their vision, stunning them for a few seconds — and that brief window can determine victory or death. It is also called stun in battle."
She took a few steps closer, her boots softly pressing against the earth. The faint scent of morning dew still lingered in the air.
"After that," she said, her gaze locking with his, "comes Self Purify. As the name suggests, this spell allows you to purify your own body. It's extremely effective against parasitic mana cultivators. If a parasite ever tries to implant itself within your body, you can use this spell to purify the infection and eliminate it. This makes parasitism impossible. But remember this — it only works against those who are equal to or below your stage. A stage 2 light mana cultivator cannot purify a stage 3 parasite."
Her expression grew angry as she spoke those words. Aiden could sense the seriousness behind them, the unspoken memories of people who had failed to purify themselves in time.
Elizabeth paused for a moment, her eyes reflecting anger, perhaps memories of the past. Then she said in a heavier tone, "And finally, there is Light Ray. It is the most powerful attack spell for light mana cultivators. A beam of light so dense and compressed that it travels at the speed of light. It can pierce through a human body instantly — a single strike, clean and final. It's not an easy spell to master, but once you do, it will be one of your greatest weapons."
Aiden listened attentively, his heart calm. He was memorizing every word she spoke, as if engraving it directly into his mind.
Elizabeth stood there silently for a few seconds, watching him with careful eyes. The boy's focus reminded her of Jonathan — disciplined, unyielding, and sharp beyond his years. Then she said, "Now, I will teach you how to use Purify. If you can use it successfully, then that means you truly are a tri-elemental mana cultivator. So listen carefully."
Aiden nodded once. "Yes, Aunt Elizabeth," he said in a serious tone.
Elizabeth exhaled softly and began to explain. "To use Purify, you must have a pure and clear heart — without any bad or evil intentions. Your thoughts must be calm, your mind without hatred or greed. Then, while holding that clarity, you must think about purifying all corruption in the air, in the world, and in the person or object you're trying to cleanse. Only then will your mana respond."
Her eyes turned toward him sharply. "After that, release your mana into the air and direct it toward your target. For your training, you'll purify a dog that I caught in the jungle. It was corrupted by an unknown dark force. If you can purify it, the dog will live. But if you fail, it will die."
The last sentence struck Aiden deeply. His black eyes widened slightly as his expression turned solemn.
Elizabeth then raised her hand. The earth beneath her feet rippled faintly as if it were alive, and before Aiden could even react, she submerged into the ground and vanished completely.
A moment later, she emerged again, the soil parting like water as she resurfaced — holding a black dog in her arms.
The animal looked pitiful. Its fur was matted and filthy, and its body trembled weakly. There was a large black wound on its back, oozing with thick, dark black pus. The smell was foul, unnatural, and suffocating. The dog's eyes were bloodshot, its expression twisted in pain and madness. It whined in agony, low and pitiful, each breath shallow and trembling.
Aiden felt his chest tighten at the sight. His hands clenched slightly at his sides as sympathy filled his heart as he said. "Can't you just purify the dog?" he asked softly, his tone filled with sympathy. "I can train on other animals that are less infected — ones that can live even if I fail to purify them."
Elizabeth looked at him with calm eyes and shook her head as she replied. "You can't get a better infected animal than this," she replied firmly. "The black force inside this dog's body is unknown — and it has already killed thousands of people and animals. Compared to this dog, the others were in even worse condition. They suffered even greater pain and died quickly."
Her tone grew colder, more resolute. "If you can't heal it or practice on him now, there will be no other infected animal for a long time. Don't hesitate. I know you have a kind heart, Aiden… but in this world, sometimes you have to put your morals aside to grow."
Her words struck him deeply. Aiden stood there in silence for a few moments. His young face was calm, but his mind was conflicted. He didn't want to hurt anything — especially something that was already in pain.
Yet deep down, he knew Elizabeth was right. The world wasn't kind, and being merciful without strength only led to more suffering.
After a few seconds of deep thought, Aiden slowly nodded. His eyes hardened with resolve. He stepped closer to the dog, his heart firm.
The dog growled weakly, its voice filled with pain, as black smoke began leaking faintly from its wound. Aiden closed his eyes, exhaled softly, and steadied his breathing.
He focused inward — on the purity of his heart, the calm flow of mana inside his body, and the silent will to cleanse, not destroy.
His voice was steady as he murmured, "I have to completely purify this dog… so I can save him."
He had no ulterior motives, no hidden desire — only the will to save a suffering creature. As he concentrated, he extended his right hand forward.
Mana began to gather in his palm. It was calm at first — faint ripples of energy forming around his hand — but within seconds, it grew brighter.
The air around him shimmered faintly as a warm golden glow enveloped his arm. Then, with a deep breath, he released it.
The moment the mana left his body, it turned into pure, blinding light. The beam of light gently struck the dog's wound.
A sharp, echoing hiss filled the air as the black pus on the wound began to bubble and vaporize. The foul smell vanished, replaced by a faint, clean warmth that filled the garden.
The dog whimpered in pain, but slowly, the trembling stopped. Thick black smoke escaped the wound, swirling upward like dark mist dissolving under sunlight.
Aiden's eyes were closed, but his face remained calm. His mana flowed steadily, unwavering, as if guided by instinct. His body glowed faintly, and the air around him felt peaceful — pure.
After a minute or two, the black wound vanished completely. The corrupted flesh was gone, replaced by fresh red tissue. Clean, bright blood oozed out slowly — a sign of normal healing.
Aiden opened his eyes and looked toward his mother. "Mom," he said softly.
Sara, who had been watching silently from the side, immediately moved forward. Her long silver hair swayed as she crouched beside the dog. Her hands glowed with healing mana as she gently placed them over the wound.
The light mixed with Aiden's faint golden glow, and within moments, the wound closed completely. The dog opened its eyes slowly, breathing steadily once more.
Elizabeth stood still at the edge of the garden, her expression frozen. Her sharp eyes reflected disbelief as she whispered faintly to herself, "He really did it…"
For a few moments, she couldn't speak. Her thoughts were racing. The boy before her — her nephew — had truly used Purify on his first attempt. She stared at him, her expression complex, a mix of shock, admiration, and faint unease.
Aiden turned toward her, his expression calm but tired. His breathing was slightly heavy, sweat glistening on his forehead, yet his eyes were steady and pure.
Elizabeth's lips parted slightly as she whispered under her breath, "He truly is a tri-elemental mana cultivator by nature…"
Her heart trembled faintly as she continued to think. He's a true genius… not like those spoiled nobles who grow up in high mana zones, forcing their bodies to adapt artificially.
Her hands tightened slightly at her sides. This boy was born in a countryside village with barely any mana density — and yet he achieved something even the noble prodigies couldn't. Even when Jonathan and Sara told me he was a tri-elemental, I thought they were exaggerating… boasting about their son.
She took a slow breath, still unable to believe what she had witnessed. But it's true. Everything they said… is true.
For the first time in many years, Elizabeth felt genuine awe.
Sara looked at her son with soft eyes, pride and warmth flowing from her expression. "You did well, Aiden," she said softly, placing her hand gently on his shoulder.
Aiden smiled faintly, though exhaustion weighed heavily on him. "Thank you, Mom."
The faint sound of the healed dog barking softly echoed in the garden — a sign of its new life, pure and untainted.
The golden light of the afternoon sun filtered through the trees, illuminating Aiden's calm face and Elizabeth's still-unbelieving gaze.
Author's Note:This chapter marks the awakening of Aiden's Light — the spark of purity within darkness. Every miracle he achieves pulls him closer to the unknown depths of his destiny. Thank you for reading "Whispers of the Abyss", written by The Hymn of Evil.