The Novel's Sidekick

Q: What are the common features of every Dominion?

A: All Dominions work in two ways. One is Against, and the other is With. Every Dominion can attack and defend against the same power.

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I woke up earlier than usual, however, I had no intention of leaving the bed in the slightest. Partially because of the cold, and partially, I was devising a plan. Well, a good meditation in the morning doesn’t hurt. Thinking that, I sat cross-legged in meditative posture on the bed.

After the journey yesterday, Shailyn brought me to her place and introduced me to her friends as well as the people I will work with on this mission.

We hadn’t discussed much about the warlock situation as I came quite late last night, however, I did pick up a couple of things here and there. I thought I would work fast and leave within a couple of weeks, but knowing it's Dark Deer, I think it would probably take more time.

Dark Deer was not just some notorious group. They have infamy in many places in the surroundings. In the book, it was Edward who dealt with this group on a mission, but that was a year later when their notoriety reached another level. But this is good as well. The faster these groups get what they deserve, the better it will be for the story. However, it would take away a stepping stone from Elinor and possibly could undermine her growth.

My only fear was that this case might delay my chance of getting hands on the power for another month. The dominion that I wanted was actually hidden in a sealed rift, and what's more, that sealed rift only opens once in a month for a few hours when the five moons came in the same sky.

The Night of Brilliance is tomorrow. I only have 36 hours to get there or I have to wait for another month. I checked the location on the map long ago and 36 hours was a lot of time to get there, considering I will be on my own the entire time. But what I need to focus was not all that time, but the exact time of the Night of Brilliance.

Sadly, my aunt wouldn’t let me be on my own. Though she lacked Rosalyn’s motherly nature, she was no less protective. With the fact that their elder sister was no more, she would do anything in her power to protect me.

It would take me about six-hours to get to the place, so I have to find the space in the evening tomorrow. Moreover, I heard the Warlock and his gangs were in the mountains, so probably finding the time wouldn’t be that difficult.

After the usual mediation for about an hour, I walked out of my room to find Shailyn was waiting for me with another person with her. A stern-looking woman with alabaster skin and pale blonde hair bound on her back. Shailyn introduced us last night. She was Noyar, Shailyn's partner, and of the same age. She had battle gear of light leather jerkins on her body, with a sheathed arming sword on her waist. Probably on her way to morning training.

Every mage needed a knight escort with them, and it was Noyar for Shailyn, though I knew they were more than just work partners. The young lady knight was half a head taller than my aunt with just a pretty face, though she was far stricter and didn’t talk too much. I reckon she and Lorne would have a great team together.

"I was just about to wake you up," Shailyn said. "Let's go to the yards. I would like to see the abilities of my arrogant nephew before filling you in on the mission."

“Sure,“ I agreed without complaining. Even if Shailyn didn’t consider it, I would’ve done something to show my abilities to get their confidence and approval or else how could they give me free rein on the mission? With that thought, I ran to my room again to bring back the nail sword as well as the leather jerkins. I did not want to show the other borrowed gear for now, as it would only ask for unnecessary gazes.

It took me about five minutes to prepare the armour, and then I rushed towards the large yards. The yard was cleaned off all the snow that had fallen last night, though the outside was covered in a thick layer of snow. Shailyn and Noyar were waiting for me there. Noticing my appearance, my aunt said, "So, who do you want to practice with?"

I considered it for a second and said, "You Knight, aunt.”

Noyar picked up her brows at my words, but she brought out her sword from the scabbard before taking a stance before me.

I did the same and brought out the Punisher.

"That's an odd sword you have there," Shailyn said, knitting her brows. "What happened to the other one, the one with the family crest?"

"It's a long story," I said, though it was not and Shailyn probably guessed it already. Luckily, my aunt knows better than to not embarrass me on that account. "Don't worry though, I'll earn it back." After all, it's a sword that only I could wield.

“Well, begin then.”

The duel began and none of us went straight to attack, but we kept ourselves at hand's distance while clashing in low swift slashes.

Honestly, I think I have better or similar physical or spiritual attributes compared to Noyar, but considering she could have one or more dominions and more experience, the duel could go anyway. If she was adept in over one dominion, then I have to say goodbye to my victory. Though two should be her limit and she could not possibly have the chance to earn over one in her short career.

“Noyar,” Shailyn called, “are you looking down on my nephew? Don’t hold back. Give him your best thrashing.”

Luckily for me, I was already aware of what dominion she had, and already had a feasible plan prepared to outclass it. I blasted a half-slash at her and she dodged with a swift, graceful movement, bending her waist. She even polished her movement skills, which I have not even learned properly yet, however, I could keep up with the residual instinct of the body. Barely.

What Scar had learned in the past was known as the Flame stance. it was something that was created before the third epoch and possibly in the hands of the ancestor who held the power of purgatory. The stances were profoundly linked to the Emberheart blood in my vein as well as the Purgatory.

Though it was considered sword stances, it was more about the usage of the sword with swift movements, manoeuvring the body differently to assault.

As I was mostly on the defensive trying to tire her out to use her dominion, she came up with a full-slash of the water attribute. Her arming sword lurched in a smooth arch of heavy water as she blasted it towards me.

I narrowed my eyes and swiftly moved away from the path. Though water attributes caused a lot less damage, it was immensely harder for me to dodge as the arch of heavy blades of water moved according to my path. This separates a graduate with years of experience and any greenhorns in the academy.

I quickly manoeuvred the second stance of the flame stance, Knowing the Flame. Unlike the third stance Young Flame, which was far freer, and uses sweeping technique, Knowing the Flame is more strict. My nail sword lit up in the ever glory of purgatory as I cast the tip of the sword backwards, elbows bending.

I rode over the blades of water to deal a full-slash. The scarlet flame rose higher than usual in the stance of Knowing the Flame, as it called for more spirit force as well. With the lung, I lurched the sword in a full arch swing, splitting off her full-slash.

Water vanished in that instance, as almost a full arch of the devastating flame rushed at Noyar. I knew these stances were more of an offensive skill than a defensive or movement, but seeing them with my own eyes impressed me further.

Noyar's blue eyes lit up, beaming with the mysterious power. She moved away swiftly as if already knew where the attack was coming and moving towards.

Dominion of Seer. It was the most fraudulent cheat among the dominions against someone who didn’t have the same kind. Dominion of Seer could peer through any flow of spiritual force or aura in the opponent's body to perceive their next attack. Simply put, anyone with even marginal mastery could render all the skills of an opponent of a similar calibre useless.

There was other usage of it as well. However, the most frightening was that someone with more expertise in this particular dominion could even see a few seconds into the future.

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