Disciple of Madness

"How dare you!" The voice growled again. It sounded like the person was gritting their teeth.

Adrian took a step back as he looked at the pillar, puzzled and wary.

[So there indeed was a security measure.]

Evelyn spoke with a sigh. Then with a slight nervousness in her tone, she whispered again.

[Adrian, that's the voice of Duke Versicos. The only good news for you is that he isn't here. Rather a part of his consciousness keeps this pillar secured.]

"How do you know it's his voice?" Adrian muttered lightly, afraid the pillar would hear his words.

[ That shouldn't be your worry at this moment. As I said before, you shall get to know things the people of Zenim have no idea of. ]

Before Adrian could reply anything, the voice came back from the iron pillar.

"You tried melting the pillar itself without harming any of the materials within huh? You seem to have a great deal of mastery over your arts." The voice almost sounded impressed.

Then suddenly a small part of the outer surface of the pillar rippled unnaturally for a moment. It lasted for a millisecond.

Without any warning, an iron spike perforated that surface and launched squarely at Adrian.

He dodged it by a hair's breadth, the wind scratching his cheek. The moment he dodged it, the spike rapidly pulled itself back into the surface of the pillar.

But a second later, just as Adrian sighed in relief another spike was launched at him.

He jumped as high as he could, trying to save himself from the sharp tip.

However the sole of his shoe got stuck by the spike as he suddenly fell on the floor.

Not giving him time,another spike aimed at his vulnerable back.

[Oh shit! Wai--] Evelyn however couldn't complete her words as Adrian rolled sideways at the very last moment.

His breaths came in short bursts as he looked at the pillar arranging itself back into shape.

Such control over actual objects? It was impressive and quite rare. Many among the scholars refer to it as telekinesis.

"... However that's not correct. This...this is only possible when someone reached the Master Stage of Ether Breathing. That's an entire stage above mine."

"You are correct there haha. Now let me gift you for the right answer." The pillar spoke as suddenly multiple branching spikes emerged from the pillar.

They twisted in midair as they all aimed at Adrian.

He hurriedly stood up and dodged the first spike that almost reached him. Twisting his torso he geipped the blunt edge of the spike and with maximum heat melted the entire thing into molten liquid.

His body then swayed with the directions of the spikes, it looked as if he was actually dancing with the numerous iron tips aimed at him.

He melted another one and danced again.

He twisted his torso, bent his knees, tilted his head...he performed every possible movements in his body, all just to dodge the endless waves of the spikes.

He melted several of them but then the moment he touched the next spike, the broader and the blunt surface suddenly sharpened. It cut through his skin and drew blood.

Adrian cursed loudly as he withdrew his hands.

[Terra Breathing: Crater]

Suddenly the compartment seemed to sink in the ground.

"Huh? What's that?" A confused voice came through the pillar as the ground gave in and the entire compartment fell in the crater that had suddenly appeared our of nowhere.

The pillar no longer finding the balance tilted and broke through the compartment wall with a loud crash. The clang of metal on metal resounded in the surrounding area as the battle outside paused.

All heads turned towards the once juggernaut sized "Joint Carriage" now just a broken object, derailed and lying on its side like a meek and abondoned animal.

The metal tracks on which the Joint Carriage travelled had bent down in the middle and lay twisted in the crater underneath it.

What was the most eye-catching thing was the iron pillar that jutted outwards through the compartment that had been reserved for the staff member of Duke Versicos.

What they didn't see was Adrian's figure who lay just beside the iron pillar, grinning in victory even through all the cuts on his body and his laboured breathing.

"Checkmate, Duke Versicos." He chuckled as he pushed himself from the ground and hid under a nearby debris.

The pillar trembled in its position. The person behind it must be clearly angry as it is.

"Brat, who are you? Do you even know who you are challenging here?"

"A mere Duke of a mere kingdom. Yes, I know who I am challenging. Though if you really do have so much power as your tone claims, kill me. Come on, do it. Do it." Adrian taunted the will of the Duke in the pillar.

However he knew the Duke wouldn't kill him.

Why?

"If only these guards wouldn't be present here, I would have ripped you to shreds. Ugh, getting outsmarted by a mere teen isn't the best way to end my way."

Indeed, the Duke couldn't kill Adrian in front of so many people. The fact that an iron pillar suddenly came out through the Duke's compartment was suspicious enough.

In fact many of the guards believed the pillar to be the reason the train had collapsed.

Now, if the pillar moved on its own it would comfirm the fact that the Duke himself was present in the pillar. Since he was the only person in the Evenstar Kingdom who had reached the Master Stage in Ether Breathing.

It was a known and popular fact among the public. Duke Versicos himself prided in it as well.

But now he couldn't even use it in front of the same public.

[ That was cool haha. Though give me some credits for it as well. I mean I did say you that this train was the starting of an ambitious project undertaken by the King in order to imitate our technology. Although you used the fact quite cleverly knowing the King would certainly punish the Duke quite harshly if the blame of this accident fell on the Duke. ]

"I guess, thanks for the information you gave me back on the train." Adrian said as he crept towards the pillar and melted one of the sidewalls.

The pillar trembled throughout the entire process but didn't dare to attack Adrian.

A hole formed on the wall as the aetherite crystals appeared in view.