Chapter 45 - 45: Trial And Error

Another night had fallen on the continent of Drotzi as the Journey continued. Aron was currently standing on the deck of the airship shirtless and breathing heavily with a thin light blue mist emanating from his body.

'It was bound to happen again, but this time it felt more potent. I could feel the urges of multiple beasts surging through my mind. I don't have the luxury of wasting time...' Aron thought to himself before sighing as the last of the mist dissipated from his body leaving him feeling invigorated.

"Just how did you always manage to keep that annoying smile on your face despite having countless urges surging in your mind for years, father?" Aron muttered in a low tone to himself before he recalled the first time he saw his father suffer from a backlash.

[Father! Are you ok?] A young Aron inquired of his father who had clenched his fists tightly and released low growls.

[Hmm? What are you doing asking useless questions, pup? Go train and bring back dinner while you're at it] His father turned to him wearing an arrogant grin before laughing wholeheartedly and chasing him off.

As Aron remembered this thought, he smiled before letting out a charming chuckle. It was only then that he noticed someone else had come to the deck. At that moment, his smile faded as his casual expression returned.

"Is something the matter, Jin?" he asked Jin who stood seemingly frozen just staring at him.

"Huh? Oh, sorry, it's just... never mind. I only came to get some fresh air but it seems you beat me to it, I can't sleep…" Jin explained before walking over to the rail Aron had leaned on and did the same.

"You seem to have a lot on your mind as well," Aron replied without bothering to turn towards him, Jin could only chuckle at this before giving a subtle nod.

"It's no secret that I dislike nobles, but I don't hate them all entirely. Today I had the chance to kill not one but multiple possible heirs to the top families but couldn't... Part of me is wondering if that's a mistake…but I don't know." Jin explained, causing Aron to raise a brow as he roughly understood what Jin meant.

"When someone is born into power it's very likely they'll look down on others beneath them. I've read multiple stories where nobles or persons of cherished bloodlines look down on others, so much doesn't surprise me at all. It is the nature of beings, other races look down on others in a similar way but it doesn't mean all are bad, sometimes it just takes a focal point to change them." Jin laughed at Aron's words as he gave a nod.

"You're surprisingly more open-minded than what I have thought, it's true. Most nobles of the younger generation are indeed kind and those that aren't are that way because of their upbringing. I've reached a point in my life where I just can't help but dislike them all, the scar they've left on me will never heal." Jin wore a strange expression as he confessed this fact to Aron who maintained his expression the entire time.

"Then do what you must. Kill, murder, steal, lie, in the end, it all doesn't matter what you do. What's important is that you're living and growing, never putting anyone else's needs before your own. The day you do that is the day you become a parent. Those were my father's words, I hope they give you some clarity; have a goodnight," Aron stated before giving Jin a nod and walking away.

[RULE#6: Never Put Anyone's Need's Before Your Own.]

Jin remained on the deck for some time contemplating on those words before he decided to leave as well.

But rather than head to his room, Aron had wandered further down the hall before reaching a door that had multiple glyphs on it. Without bothering to knock, he placed his hand on the door and glyphs began to move slowly until they aligned and the door opened.

Aron quickly entered the darkroom and closed the door behind him. The room remained pitch black until, out of nowhere, four glowing light blue lights appeared right in front of him; he remained unfazed.

"He...who...doesn't...fear...us," an echoed type voice muttered which Aron chose to ignore as he lit a nearby light crystal by infusing mana into it.

When the room lit up, it revealed Evanora's mana demon was just hovering mere inches away from Aron; staring at him with its cold lifeless blue eyes. At the center of the room, Evanora was sleeping soundly on her bed causing Aron to sigh as he walked past the mana demon and approached her.

"Evanora," he muttered in a low tone as he stretched out his hand and shook her shoulder lightly. "Uhm, mmm…" Evanora let out subtle sleepy sounds as she slowly turned towards the voice that called out to her, and opened her eyes.

As Evanora began to wake up, the mana demon let out a growl and slowly began to fade. By the time her eyes were fully open, it had vanished from the room entirely without a trace.

"Why did you wake Evanora~?" She asked in her ever sleepy sounding voice not at all noticing the creature that had just vanished. "Remember what I had asked you when we were still in the forest? I want you to try it." Aron explained briefly before stretching out his hands towards her.

"Evanora remembers, you want Evanora to take your mana... she shall try." Evanora brought her hands forward and held Aron's before taking a deep breath. "Evanora commands, that your mana become hers," she muttered, and almost immediately, a thin blue mist began to emerge from Aron and flow towards Evanora.

All seemed to be going well but the second the mist came into contact with Evanora's skin, she showed a pained look before pulling her hands away from his. "Evanora commands the pain to stop," she said before gritting her teeth in pain, a moment after she muttered these words, the mist began flowing back into Aron's body also causing him some great pain.

It took a moment for all the mist to return into Aron's body, he could only clench his fists from the pain while Evanora watched with a worried gaze. "I'm fine, I can handle this much." Aron eased her worries as he said this with a straight face. He had experienced this pain and far worse multiple times, so it wasn't at all hard.

"Evanora is sorry, she has failed," she muttered after the last of the mist disappeared into Aron's body and he sighed in relief. "It's fine, this was a gamble from the start. I had low hopes in this working." Aron shook his head and stepped away from Evanora only for her to look at his body with a complex gaze.

"Why do you want Evanora to take your mana? Is it not painful?" she asked as she never received an explanation as to why Aron needed her to try this. "There's a technique I wanted to practice that required some of my mana to be taken, but it looks too dangerous to attempt. At least I know now." Aron lied with a straight face while Evanora just nodded.

She couldn't trust nor not trust his words as the number of techniques that existed were countless. As for why Aron chose to take the gamble, anything that drew him closer to leaving or at least made it easier was worth a try. Saying he was practicing a technique was the best way to explain his odd request, although it still drew suspicion.

"Evanora agrees, it was very painful," she said while rubbing her shoulders and looking up at Aron. "It was, you should feel better after resting. I should also do the same." Aron replied before leaving.. Evanora could watch him do so before laying back down on her bed and closing her eyes.