Chapter 15 - The Magic of an Omen

The training yard smelled faintly of dust and sweat, the wide expanse ringed by weathered wooden posts and racks of dulled practice weapons. Aiden stood in the middle of the yard, the morning sun spilling over the stone walls and warming his skin. His muscles still ached from the apothecary fire, but Robert and Gloria had cleared him and Valerie for training, so here he was. Valerie stood at his side, her braid brushing over her shoulder as she adjusted her stance, eyes focused and steady.

Maximus strode before them, arms crossed, his heavy boots scuffing against the dirt. His stern expression was softened only slightly by the gleam of pride in his eyes. “You’ve come a long way. Now we see if it wasn’t just luck.”

Aiden swallowed, the tension knotting in his chest. Valerie reached over, lacing her fingers through his. The contact steadied him.

Maximus raised a finger, pointing at their hands. “Earth and air first. Let’s see it.”

Aiden drew in a steady breath, summoning the rumble of earth magic into his palm. Valerie mirrored him, wind coiling sharp and controlled at her fingertips. They pressed their hands together, their focus already practiced from the apothecary fire. The yard grew still as dust lifted from the ground, pebbles rising smoothly into the air. Wind wrapped tightly around the stone, compressing it into clean, seamless plates that encased Aiden’s forearm. A constant gale whispered through the joins, keeping the weight feather‑light. The armor held steady and true, no longer crude but controlled, before dissolving back into dust around his feet.

Maximus grunted in approval. “Better. You seem to have a bit more mastery over that combination."

Aiden smiled. They were improving, even if it had only been a week.

“Next,” Maximus barked. “Earth and water.”

Valerie shifted her stance, water swirling blue in her palm. Aiden steadied earth in his. They pressed their hands together. A ripple of green light pulsed outward, spreading a wave of soothing energy across the dirt. The ache in Aiden’s shoulder faded instantly, replaced with the cool clarity of healing. He let out a shaky laugh. “Restorative Spring…still works.”

Valerie giggled softly, her cheeks pink. “Feels stronger than before.”

Maximus’s stern face cracked with the faintest smile. “Good. Now fire and water.”

Aiden hesitated. Fire had always been volatile in his hands, extremely unpredictable. But Valerie squeezed his fingers reassuringly. Together, they summoned their elements. Flame roared in Aiden’s palm, water shimmered in Valerie’s. They pressed them together. For a heartbeat, steam hissed violently—but then it condensed, forming a cloud of translucent vapor that spread outward in a gentle wave. The drifting mist curled low to the ground, cool and weightless, veiling the yard in a harmless smokescreen without the sting of real smoke.

Several adventurers who had gathered to watch gasped, murmuring to one another. The mist glowed faintly blue, harmless yet oddly comforting, as if wrapping the yard in a protective hush.

Maximus rubbed his chin. “Interesting. Not destructive, but certainly useful. Keep working on it. Finally, fire and air.”

Aiden’s gut clenched. That combination had failed them before. But Valerie gave him a nod, steady and certain. He breathed deep, summoning fire, while Valerie gathered air into her palm. Together they pressed, and the clash of heat and wind split the air with a sharp crack. For a heartbeat Aiden feared it would explode again—but instead the energy compressed, fire sharpening into a long spear‑like shape. A blazing lance of flame formed between their hands, its tip gleaming white‑hot as compressed air honed it to a piercing edge. With a thrust, the javelin shot skyward, streaking like a fiery arrow before vanishing in a burst of embers high above the yard. It was the birth of their first true attack spell.

The crowd broke into whispers of awe. Aiden sagged with relief, sweat dripping down his temple. Valerie squeezed his hand tighter, her eyes sparkling with pride.

Maximus clapped his hands once. “Well done. You’ve managed all four combinations. Imperfect, but the seeds are there.” He gave them a rare grin. “Congratulations. You’re the first couple in this guild to wield all Heartlink combinations successfully.”

Aiden’s heart soared, but curiosity pricked at him. “Maximus…has anyone ever tried using both of their own magics at once? Like a man using earth and fire together?”

Maximus arched a brow, then chuckled. “Of course. Mages are always experimenting. Why don’t you give it a shot?”

Valerie’s eyes widened. “Wait—”

But Aiden had already turned inward, summoning the rumble of earth in one hand and the burn of fire in the other. He pressed his palms together, forcing the magics to merge. At first it seemed to work. Heat rippled up his arms, stone dust vibrated at his feet. Then—a pulse of dizziness slammed into him. His vision whited out. His knees buckled.

Where am I?

The world was blank, empty, white stretching endlessly in all directions. His thoughts scattered. His body felt weightless.

Am I…asleep? Dead?

He tried to move, but nothing answered. Panic clawed at him.

Valerie? Where are you?

Then, just as suddenly, the white dissolved. He blinked awake, gasping, to find himself lying on his back in the training yard. Valerie hovered over him, tears threatening her eyes. Maximus knelt beside her, grinning like he’d just seen a good show.

“Welcome back!” Maximus said cheerfully. “Have a nice little sleep?”

Valerie’s fear snapped into anger. She turned and smacked Maximus’s arm. “That’s not funny!”

Maximus raised both hands innocently. “What? He’s fine.”

Aiden groaned, pushing himself upright slowly. His head spun, but the dizziness faded after a moment. “What…happened?”

Maximus chuckled. “Every mage who’s ever tried combining their own magics passes out. The body stays awake, eyes open, but the mind goes blank. Like…hmm…like your mind just shuts down for a reset.”

Aiden winced. “So basically like a computer rebooting.”

Maximus blinked. “A…what now?”

“Never mind.” Aiden rubbed his temples. “So, note to self: don’t combine my own magic.”

Before Maximus could reply, a shout rang across the yard. “Maximus! We need help! Hurry!”

An adventurer sprinted in, his face pale with panic. The crowd parted as he stumbled forward. “Injured, lots of them!”

Maximus cursed under his breath. “Come on.”

He, Aiden, and Valerie rushed inside the guild hall. The smell of blood hit immediately. On one of the long tables lay a woman clad in shattered armor, no older than forty. Her body was mangled with cuts and bleeding gashes, her right leg twisted unnaturally with a clear break, her breathing shallow. Around her, three more adventurers slumped on benches—two men and a woman, all in their thirties. They bore bruises and smaller wounds, their faces drained of color. The woman sobbed quietly, her shoulders shaking. The men stared at nothing, fear etched deep in their wide eyes.

“Robert! Gloria!” Maximus barked. Someone shouted that a messenger had already gone. He turned to Aiden and Valerie. “Do whatever you can to heal them. Now.”

Aiden’s stomach dropped. “We can try, but I’m still feeling—”

“Let's do it,” Valerie cut in firmly, squeezing his arm. “We’ve got this.”

Her determination steadied him. He nodded, taking her hand. Together, they stood at the center of the room, facing the wounded.

“Focus on them,” Valerie whispered. “Just them.”

Aiden shut his eyes, drew in a breath, and whispered, “Restorative Spring.”

Green light burst from their joined hands, washing over the four adventurers. Gasps filled the hall as bruises vanished, cuts sealed, and strength seemed to seep back into their bodies. The three on the benches stared in shock, touching their once-broken skin with trembling hands.

The woman on the table, however, was slower to heal. Her leg twisted unnaturally, bone jutting beneath the skin. A sickening SNAP cracked through the hall as the bone shifted back into place. She groaned, color returning faintly to her cheeks.

The strain hit Aiden like a hammer, heavier than any weight he had carried. His knees buckled and he nearly collapsed outright, clutching Valerie’s hand as if it were the only thing keeping him upright. His chest heaved, every breath shallow and ragged, sweat pouring down his temple. His vision blurred at the edges, black spots threatening to consume it. It felt as though the magic was clawing the last scraps of strength from his body. The green light wavered, flickering weakly, then finally sputtered out and faded.

The woman on the table was breathing more evenly, her bleeding stemmed, but deep gashes still marred her limbs. Valerie knelt quickly, wrapping her arm around Aiden’s shoulders. “Are you okay?”

“I’ll…manage,” he muttered, sliding onto a bench. His vision swam.

The doors burst open again. Robert and Gloria rushed in, moving faster than their years should have allowed. They swept to the table, their practiced eyes taking in the injuries. Surprise flickered briefly across their faces before they pressed their hands down. Together, they whispered, “Restorative Spring.”

The room glowed green once more as their magic flowed. Minutes passed before they finally stopped, sweat lining their brows. “Move her to a room,” Robert ordered sharply. Adventurers scrambled to obey, lifting the still-unconscious woman carefully away.

Gloria hurried to Aiden and Valerie. She crouched, her eyes narrowing at the pale look on Aiden’s face. “Water magic. On his forehead. Now.”

Valerie obeyed, pressing her glowing hand gently to Aiden’s brow. Coolness spread instantly, soothing his pounding head. He let out a breath of relief, slumping back.

Robert crossed his arms, his gaze firm but approving. “We have the two of you to thank. Without you, that lady adventurer may have died before we could've healed her.”

Aiden chuckled weakly. “No big deal. I’m sure any healer could’ve done it.”

Gloria shook her head sharply. “Water magic can’t heal broken bones. What you two just did... It took Robert and I years of practice to accomplish. Even in our prime, we struggled to mend bones fully."

Valerie’s cheeks flushed. Aiden scratched the back of his head, embarrassed from receiving praise.

Robert clapped Aiden’s shoulder. “It’s your bond that gives you strength. But don’t let it feed your pride. Pride can be a slippery slope…isn’t that right?”

Aiden gave a hollow laugh, remembering Robert’s earlier story. “Yeah… it really can.”

Maximus came down the stairs not long after, his face grim. “Aiden, Valerie, Robert, Gloria—come with me. She’s woken up.”

They followed him into one of the side rooms where the injured lady had been moved. To their surprise, she was already sitting up, bandages fresh around her arms and leg. She looked exhausted, but her eyes carried sharp awareness.

“Thank you,” she said, her voice hoarse but steady. “All of you. My name’s Joana.”

Maximus addressed her first, his tone steady. "We’re glad you were able to make it back to us, Joana. Can you tell us what happened?"

There was a flicker of concern across her face. She exhaled shakily, then continued. “My party and I...we were out on an extermination quest.”

Valerie tilted her head. “Extermination quest?”

Maximus nodded. “From time to time, when monsters overpopulate and threaten the balance, the guild issues extermination quests. Adventurers are sent to cull their numbers, keep the ecosystem stable.”

Aiden interrupted, struggling to find the right words. "So that’s why you all came back so badly hurt?"

Joana pressed a hand to her leg, her voice tightening. “Not exactly. We were hunting wolves in a cave near the mountains. As routine as a quest could get. However… as we explored deeper, we stumbled into a tuskling encampment.”

Maximus stiffened, his brows furrowing. “That’s impossible. Tusklings don’t gather in groups larger than four or five.”

Joana’s eyes flashed. “I know what I saw! Do you think I’d mistake them after this?” She gestured bitterly at her still-bandaged leg.

Maximus went quiet.

Aiden frowned. “Tusklings? Never heard of them. Usually I can guess from the name, but…”

Maximus’s voice dropped. “Bipedal boar-like creatures. As tall as two grown men, thick hide, brutal strength, but dim-witted. And solitary by nature. The idea of an encampment makes no sense.”

Joana’s voice grew taut. “Well, sense or not, we were surrounded before we knew it. They captured us, dragged before their leader.” She paused, eyes narrowing. “He was massive...twice the size of a normal tuskling. He was an alpha through and through. What's worse? He spoke to us.”

The room fell into stunned silence.

Valerie’s eyes widened. “I’m guessing… that’s not normal?”

Maximus shook his head sharply. “Unheard of. Tusklings are mindless beasts like any other creature.”

Joana nodded grimly. “He told us humans had been trespassing on their land long enough—that they would bring the fight to us and wipe us out." Her lips trembled as she recalled it. “Then he smiled, a cruel glint in his eyes. He told his pack that before invading, he wanted to hear us squeal first, like we were nothing more than an appetizer before their feast.”

Valerie shuddered. Robert and Gloria exchanged uneasy glances.

Joana’s jaw tightened as she recounted the memory. “They dragged me forward first, told me if I didn’t fight they’d kill my party. I swung with everything I had and landed a punch square on his jaw. He laughed—didn’t even flinch. Then he caught me like I weighed nothing, slammed me against the ground, drove his weapon into my leg and snapped the bone before hurling me back toward my friends.” Her voice wavered but she steadied herself, unwilling to stop. “One of my comrades panicked and unleashed a fire spell. It staggered him just long enough for us to break free. We fought our way through the tusklings, dragging me with them, each step a battle. Somehow we made it out alive. But before we escaped, he bellowed after us—that we wouldn’t be safe in town, that destruction was coming.”

Silence pressed heavy in the room. Maximus’s fists clenched at his sides.

“So that means…” he started.

Aiden finished for him, “We have to warn everyone. We have to defend the town!”

Joana shook her head weakly. “I don’t think you’ll be able to defend against this one.”

Aiden glanced at Valerie. Fear carved itself across her features, mirroring the weight in his chest. His hands curled into fists.

This could be the end of everything we’ve been working to build here.