Ancient War - TBATE

His Return

Arthur Leywin -PoV-

We lived a rigorous lifestyle for the past 3 months consisting of 3 hours of sparring against Tess, an hour of sparring against Zedd in the aether realm, and 5 hours of fighting against hundreds of golems in team battle situations, it reminded me a lot of my training with the asura, although Zedd and Sylvia's message told me that I will have to train my techniques from scratch due to my new body.

Tess's mana core and the beast will were completely healed according to Zedd, She also broke through to the light silver stage, courtesy of Zedd helping her in mana insight, although he would still tease me and Tess about being a couple, Tess and Sylvie also dueled me a few times without mana.

Sylvie also became a lot stronger, she finally unlocked her human form and is on the level of being able to beat a retainer by herself with minimal injuries, she also started learning to fight with a sword, both Tess and I started helping her with techniques and fighting style, while Zedd gave her a metal replica of Dawn's Ballad.

Although I had to rework my techniques they grew much faster and stronger, I guess that's the advantage of having a dragon asura body, most of the time I spent was in the aether realm training my reworked techniques.

"Arthur, it's time we move on to the next portion of your training," Zedd said, Turning around I can see Zedd setting up a barrier.

"So, what's the next part of my training ?" I asked starting to stretch.

"You are going to learn to control your destruction god rune," Zedd answered not bothering to turn back.

"Destruction?" I tilted my head at the name of the unfamiliar technique.

"I'll explain it in a very basic manner, Vivium is not the aether of life it is the aether of existence, that means life death creation, and destruction." He answered conjuring a bright purple fire.

"Unlike other aether arts, destruction does not change its form the more insight you gain, it takes the form of what you consider to be destruction, seeing as destruction does not have a physical form." He added.

"More so, destruction affects how you think-- asking you to destroy and kill, and it slowly destroys your body." He pointed towards a crack forming in his hand.

"Wouldn't that mean learning to control it is as dangerous as using it without control? It's dangerous for Art to learn it." Tess practically yelled.

"For any of the three races that would be the case, but Arthur is partly an Asura and has a healing factor further improved upon by aether." Responded Zedd trying to calm Tess down.

Glancing back at Tess and Sylvie they looked back at me with concerned expressions, hell any person would be concerned about a technique that affects the user's thinking, thinking about the risks I closed my eyes and recalled the message Sylvia left in my mana core.

She said that Zedd has probably reached out to me already, maybe even giving me a gift or two to help me reach my utmost potential, she asked me to trust him to trust his decisions and advice.

I also had to tell Sylvie that Agrona is her father and the reason he's doing everything and how Sylvia died, it didn't feel right for me to not tell her about her family and their history.

Opening my eyes I could see Zedd finished setting up the barrier and was staring back at me with anticipation, Tess and Sylvie looking at me with pleading expressions.

"How long would it take for the rest of our training? I'm sure the other retainers and scythes will be arriving soon." I asked as I recalled my encounter with the retainers and how I was one of the strongest lances and still almost died.

"I wouldn't worry about that if I were you." He answered.

"Wait, Why shouldn't I worry about that?" I asked as Tess and Sylvie looked just as confused.

"The Asura failed in assassinating Agrona, so rather than the Asura being killed they signed a treaty, while the Asura were allowed to leave, they are not allowed to help Dicathen in the war," Zedd replied conjuring a few thrones seeing this will take some time to explain everyone took a seat.

Those Asura bastards, as if making us fight their war wasn't enough they aren't even 'helping' us anymore, noticing that I accidentally let out some of my blood lust I can see Tess's and Sylvie's breathing become heavy, retracting my blood lust I apologize and turn to look at Zedd.

Zedd was looking at me with a raised brow, most likely intrigued by my blood lust becoming this strong.

"That just seems like more reason to worry about the state of the war." Added Sylvie, her breathing still heavy.

"Let me continue my explanation," Zedd replied with a somewhat annoyed tone of voice.

"Seeing as the Asura do not want to risk breaking the treaty they left Dicathen completely, that allowed me to set up a barrier around the entirety of Dicathen, the barrier allows anyone to leave but not to enter, the barrier is strong enough that the Asura won't be able to break it for at least another year." He explained as he stood up.

"Now rather than sitting around on your bums, you should go back to training, Tessia you will train your fighting style more until you're able to beat the golems with a 1-4 ratio, Sylvie you will train your pure mana until you're able to break through that with a single hit." He stated as he conjured a thick metal-looking wall.

Sylvie already started conjuring a pure mana spear and launched it towards the wall as soon as Zedd finished conjuring it, the spear wasn't able to break through the wall but got stuck in it, as soon as Sylvie canceled the mana spear the wall began healing.

Seeing Sylvie began her training Zedd's arm began to glow in purple, as he brought it down Tess was teleported to one of the many environments in the training grounds, Tess practically had no time to react as Zedd conjured hundreds of stone golems, half in blue and the other half in red.

*****

It's been 9 months since I started training to master destruction, Sylvie and Tess have also progressed a lot, Sylvie can now use Vivium to heal almost any injury, Tess has broken through to the white stage and duels Sylvie every day to improve their skills.

According to Zedd, I should master destruction this week, I also got multiple runes and god runes, I've got five runes in Spatium, three in Aevum and four in Vivum, I also improved my sword and mana techniques thanks to my draconic body.

I was absorbing the ambient aether and mana when I sensed aether beginning to teleport me, looking around I could see Tess being surprised while Sylvie and I seemed to know it was coming, looking around for the only person who could do this.

"Well then, it looks like you two are able to sense aether now. Very good." Praised Zedd.

"It's time for you to reach the next stage, Arthur." He stated.

I could see the ambient mana and aether move to his palm, minutes passed as Zedd continued to conjure whatever this is, taking longer to conjure whatever this is than everything else he conjured this past year combined.

Finally, Zedd finished conjuring whatever it is, he opens his hand and throws a marble at me.

"Use that," Zedd said as he conjured a chair for me.

Sitting down I started absorbing the elixir, feeling my consciousness leave my body, I black out the last thing I remember was Zedd staring at me with an evil grin, the sky turning blood red, and the screams of Tess and Sylvie.

"Welcome back, King grey..." Said Zedd his grin not wavering.

A/N: Noticed some people confused about Arthur's body, to put it simply he's almost half-half dragon.