A light green haze, barely visible against the glowing walls of the hall, enveloped my daggers like a soft veil. The metal trembled, but the weapons remained unbearable.
I tensed, my fingers trembling, and my breathing became faster. It felt as if the very aura was resisting my will.
The Fairy Queen, observing the scene with cold grace, raised an eyebrow slightly. Her voice was soft yet firm.
—It's too much for you at this stage. Too much mass for the weapon. Concentrate on something lighter. Do you have something suitable?
I blinked, remembering the loot from my recent adventures. With a menu-calling gesture, I opened my inventory, and the [Blood Rose Knuckles] appeared in my hands.
The fairies around me gasped when they saw the weapon. To them, it looked like more than just an object; it seemed to have a life of its own, with a crimson glow on its surface.
—Great! Now try again.
I closed my eyes and imagined the energy flowing out of my body. Once again, a green haze emerged from my palms, soft and fluid, like a stream of light woven from grassy hues. It enveloped the brass knuckles, penetrating every pattern and crevice of the metal.
[Learning progress: 45%]
The system window flashed before my eyes, and in that moment, something unexpected happened: the brass knuckles trembled, lifted off the ground, and began to rise.
At first, it was barely noticeable, just a couple of centimeters, but then it began to slowly levitate, as if obeying my inner call.
My eyes were wide open, and my heart was racing. It felt as if I were holding an aura instead of a weapon, and my own power was taking shape for the first time.
The apprentice fairies were buzzing with excitement.
—She made them rise!
—That's impossible!
—A true pioneer shouldn't be able to do that...
Their voices were filled with awe and fear. The Queen's ethereal double was smiling softly, watching me as I experienced the thrill of true control for the first time.
Mor Adelina, towering over the students with a majestic bearing, nodded slightly, her voice sounded soft, but there was a hidden power in it:
—I'm glad that I took you as a student, Disava. You're learning faster than I expected. If you can harness this power, you will not only be able to defend yourself, but also easily cope with the most difficult situations. The main thing is not to be afraid to use your full potential.
The apprentice fairies standing nearby looked at each other, whispered, and even turned away in disbelief. Their faces expressed a mixture of admiration and horror.
—This is abnormal... We haven't been able to lift even a feather for months!
—She seems to have been born with it.
Fritte, perched on my shoulder, proudly crossed his arms and declared loudly, ignoring their whispers:
—Of course, it's a miracle to you. But Disava is a pioneer sent by the Gods. People like her are always stronger than others. They move faster, learn faster, and go places that no ordinary mortal would dare to tread.
The fairies fell silent, and Fritte's words hung in the air like a heavy echo. Their envy and doubts only intensified the aura of importance surrounding me.
A transparent line appeared before my eyes:
[Learning progress: 50%]
I hadn't really realized how fast I had progressed when Mor Adelina clapped her hands, and a soft jingle rang out in the air, like glass bells.
—This concludes the theoretical training. Now you must continue in the arena. The true aura is revealed only in battle.
The Queen led me and Fritte down the corridor, with other students quietly following behind, eager to see what would happen next.
And soon they entered a space that bore no resemblance to a typical battleground. It was a vast greenhouse, a garden that shimmered with thousands of shades of green and pink.
Instead of cold stone walls, there were towering glass domes that reflected the light of the aether. Flowering vines stretched across the ground, and delicate streams trickled through the bushes.
But amidst this beauty, there was a sense of tension. The air was thick, as if it might explode at any moment.
Fritte whispered, looking at me:
—Don't be fooled, this is not just a garden. This is the Queen's arena. Every blade of grass can become a weapon against you.
I took a deep breath, clutching the [Blood Rose Knuckles] in my hands. My first real test was just beginning.
Mor Adelina smirked slightly, her eyes gleaming with a mysterious light.
—But remember, in this trial, you are not allowed to use your weapons as you are accustomed to. You must not grip them with your hands... will only use your aura to fight. Whether you can learn to control it will determine your victory or defeat.
These words rang in my head like a challenge. I felt a mixture of fear and excitement burning in my chest. A slight smile touched my lips.
—I agree! Let's start right away.
—Okay, get ready.
At that moment, the ground shook in the center of the arena.
Light poured from the cracks in the floor, and there was a grinding sound as if huge boulders were being broken.
Slowly but surely, a silhouette began to rise from the ground. Heavy chunks of salt and stone piled on top of each other, forming a crude imitation of a human body. It was shapeless, angular, yet strangely whole.
The golem creaked with every movement, as if its entire mass was made of cracking earth. It had no face, just a smooth, blank surface that reflected the dim light. Its "eyes" were two empty hollows that leaked a faint mist.
The air became heavy. The monster exuded a coldness, as if it had absorbed the power of the earth itself and the indifference of stone.
—Is he... is he the one I'm supposed to fight?" Using only aura?
The Queen's phantom calmly crossed her arms and nodded:
—Yes. It will be your first exam. This golem is an emotionless opponent, and he does not feel pain, fear, or fatigue. All he has is strength and endurance. You have to prove that the aura can replace your hands and become an extension of your body.
I took a deep breath, gritting my teeth. My palms were slightly trembling, but not out of fear, but out of anticipation. After the voice authentication [ Aura Separation]
The greenish mist of the aura had already begun to rise from my fingers like a smoky mist, ready to grasp at a weapon, but now it was to be my only defense and weapon.
The golem took its first step, and the ground shook and cracked.
The salted stone golem made a dull, cracking sound, as if a great boulder were falling from a mountain, and immediately rushed forward.
Despite the weight of his massive body, he moved with surprising speed, each step causing the ground to tremble and the salt to crumble from his surface, scattering into clouds of white sand.
He swung his arms, trying to swat me away like an annoying insect. His stone-like palms, covered in sharp salt crystals, crashed down on me with terrifying force.
But I dodged to the side, sliding on the edge of my reflexes. Every time the golem's blow hit the ground, a cloud of dust rose and fragments of stone flew. I felt that any direct hit would be the end for me.
The light green reflection hands, just barely visible, seemed to take on a luminescent flesh: they closed into fists, enveloping the [Blood Rose Knuckles] and increasing their power.
The system immediately responded with a cold but reassuring signal:
[ Learning Progress: 70% ]
—I like this, it feels like I have transparent hands.