NOVEL NEXT Chapter 64: Phoebe
"How much?" Hayden suddenly asked.
This reply caught Phoebe off guard so she took a moment to reply…
"Ahh… Well… Depending on the information?" She replied with hesitance as she wasn't really sure what she was about to learn.
"Fair enough…" Hayden replied.
Then, Phoebe's eyes widened as Hayden leaned in slightly…
She felt a bit nervous and shocked having a boy's face close to her.
However, the words she heard stunned her.
"I'm already an Aura Initiate…" Hayden confessed with a smile. Before she could reply, he immediately continued.
"But it's not official yet. The Headmaster's been away, so I haven't been validated. Until then, it's a secret."
Phoebe's jaw dropped, and she instinctively clapped a hand over her mouth to gasp.
"You're—?!" she muttered in shock, but Hayden quickly raised a finger to his lips.
"Ssshhh!"
He then glanced around to make sure no one else was within earshot. "Not so loud. I mean it. No one else knows yet."
Phoebe's eyes darted around nervously before she leaned in closer.
"Amazing..."
Her voice was low as she didn't want the news to spread. Even without explaining, Phoebe knew why this information must be confidential.
"But… how? You're only nine! Becoming an Aura Initiate is supposed to take years of training. Even the most talented students don't achieve it until they're at least Squires. You just took the exam to become Apprentice."
Hayden shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant, though a smile could be seen at the corner of his lips.
"I guess I'm just built different…" he said for a moment. "But seriously, don't tell anyone. I've already requested a meeting with the Headmaster. Once he's back, I'll get validated. Until then, I'm just… an Apprentice who got lucky with a horse."
Phoebe stared at him, her expression was filled with awe and disbelief. "You're full of surprises, Hayden," she said while still processing the information.
"No wonder Stormbreaker listened to you. You were using your Aura to calm him, weren't you?"
Hayden nodded. "Yeah. It's not something I can explain easily, but Aura can be used to connect with others or in this case, animals. I just… figured it out from some books I read. I didn't know if it would work, but I guess it did."
Phoebe was extremely interested in this matter. She couldn't wait to awaken her Aura and do incredible things.
"That's awesome. Right… As for the payment for this secret… What do you want? Money?" Phoebe asked. She felt compelled to give something after knowing Hayden's secret.
Hayden thought for a moment. He didn't want to ask for too much and scare her off, but he also didn't want to sell himself short. "Do you have five Dawn Points… three? I heard it could be transferred…"
"Hey! That's too much. I only earn one point a month… Two if I'm lucky. But that rarely happens. How about two Dawn Points?" Phoebe replied.
Hayden was actually unsure about the Dawn Points, so he didn't mind Phoebe's offer.
"I can accept that. But you must help me with the other practical classes until I get the hang of it. Deal?"
Hayden's knowledge was limited to books and the lectures he absorbed during their class. There were still many things he didn't know and it would be great to have Phoebe if he had some questions.
After all, his classmates in the first year weren't that reliable.
Phoebe smiled even more after hearing this.
"Deal… The transfer will be done in the administration office. I'll do it so you just wait for it." she said, extending her hand.
Hayden shook it firmly, sealing their agreement.
"Good…" He replied.
As she walked away, Hayden couldn't help but feel satisfied. He had not only tamed Stormbreaker but also earned a couple of Dawn Points.
***
Over the next few days, Hayden continued with his daily life at the Knight Academy.
His schedule was packed with classes designed to mold everyone in the academy into a well-rounded warrior.
It was fun. He found himself enjoying the various types of training and the knowledge was learning.
Aside from horseback riding, history, swordsmanship, and etiquette, Hayden attended other classes like 'Aura Theory and Application' and 'Survival and Wilderness Training'.
Both classes proved to be fascinating in their own ways, and unexpectedly, they also gave him the opportunity to grow closer to Phoebe.
The Aura Theory and Application class was held in a circular chamber within the academy's main building.
At the center of the room was a large sword, said to amplify the Aura of anyone who touched it. For those without Aura, it could be dangerous just by holding it.
In this class, Hayden sat beside Phoebe, who had insisted on partnering with him after their agreement.
The instructor, Master Xepher, a sword expert, began the lesson by explaining the fundamentals of Aura—how it was the life force that flowed through all living things and how knights, swordsmen, warriors, and others could harness it to enhance their strength, speed, and even their connection to the world around them.
However, these things were already taught in the lower years… The reason this class was made was actually to help students awaken their Aura!
"As you all learned before, Aura is not a tool or foreign object that you have to obtain. It is already within you. It is an extension of your will. To master it, you must first understand it. Today, we will practice sensing the Aura within yourselves and others."
Needless to say, Hayden already had a head start and didn't need this class. However, he was curious how other people awaken their Aura without the use of Aura Crystal and the modified Breathing Technique…
When it was time to practice, he and Phoebe paired up.
She closed her eyes and concentrated as she tried to sense her own Aura.
"I can't feel anything," she muttered after a few minutes and she was certainly frustrated by the tone of her voice...
"This is impossible." She added.
Hayden then tried to give a bit of advice.
"Try not to force it. Just relax and focus on your breathing. You should imagine your Aura as a warm light inside you, flowing through your veins."