4 Ari

Alexi's change in personality, if it could be called that, was a shock to everyone, but his unyielding loyalty to Xasha remained steadfast. Xasha was so elated at the news of Stormy transitioning to a beastman, he held a large celebration and took him under his wing as his personal disciple. For the next few years, Xasha, Alexi, and Alexi's senior Tulip took on the most intensive training regiment on the continent.

In a little over seven years, both Tulip and Alexi were at the peak of the Thorium Realm. The only problem was breaking into the Emerald Realm was not dissimilar to breaking into the Platinum Realm. One had to surpass their limit and gain the respect of the mana. That was easier said than done, evidenced by there being less than a dozen Emerald Mages on the continent fifteen years after its discovery.

Alexi's loyalty and admiration of his master led him to take Xasha's ambition of changing the world and carving out a place for Human beings on the continent as his own. Because of this, he trained day and night without rest. When he reached the peak and became stuck, he focused solely on improving his technique. He practiced and mastered every spell and combat technique in Stardust City, even taking the breathing technique Xasha taught him to levels never seen before.

He became famous for being elusive and for his outstanding performance in the assessments Xasha had set up to find powerful mages of the younger generation to join the army and his raid teams. One after the other, he flung these assessments far behind him, and those he failed he would train nonstop then return with a vengeance. At first, there was a group of mages trying to keep up with him, but after the 60th assessment, they gave up. Those levels were too arduous and they would only court death if they were to tackle them before they were ready.

The people gave him the moniker Rasing Dragon and proclaimed him the most powerful mage of the younger generation. His fame spread across the continent quickly. Young mages from all over the continent came to Stardust City to find him. Each of them confident, each of them powerful, each of them challenged him for the title and each of them left Stardust City with looks of both disappointment and respect.

His rapid growth also became a concern for some. At his current pace, he would surpass Xasha within a few years, and at that point, who knows what ambitions he might have towards Stardust Province? Who knows what ambitions he might have toward the continent? It was not lost on anyone that this young genius of a mage was not a human, but a beastman, and all beastmen had their innate nature. Some felt it was only a matter of time before Alexi's base instincts took over and he forgets all about his loyalty towards his master.

Xasha was not worried about any of this. He saw Alexi like his own son and was nothing but proud of everything he had accomplished. His one concern shared by the entire family was that Alexi only cared about training and nothing else. He had no life, no friends, no hobbies or interests outside of training. No concern for his looks, clothes, or hygiene. He showed no interest or Enchantment or Alchemy, only combat magic and martial arts. Xasha worried he might regret throwing his childhood away and not living his life. However, no matter how much he persuaded him to forget about training and live life, there was no change in Alexi's behavior. Eventually, Xasha gave up and left him to his own devices, and so did everyone else.

Alexi gulped and wiped a bead of sweat that formed on his brow. "I... I suggest we move first, launch an invasion, set up our outpost, and return to Henosis with a report of our findings. If the energy beasts and whatever else is out there is as powerful as we fear. When the others see what they are up against, they will think twice about setting foot in the wilderness without adequate strength."

Saxon shook his head at this statement. "This proposal will bring more harm than good. Who says we are powerful enough to challenge the wilderness ourselves? And us charging into the wilderness will have the opposite effect. The other powers will see that we have an advantage, that we are ahead of them and in a bid to catch up. They will storm the wilderness with no fear of consequences. These member states' greatest fear is falling so far behind us and the Devos Family in strength that they lose speaking rights at the table and become puppet states. If they have no deterrent, what's stopping us from taking their provinces for ourselves or say, "do as I say or I will kill you?" them teaming up against us is their only trump card. If the strength gap widens and this is no longer an option, they will become desperate."

"Desperate people do desperate things," Xara finished her husband's statement. Just like that, it was back to the starting line for the Stardust Council. After another few hours of silence and no suggestion thrown out, yielded any result. The group finally split and everyone returned to their posts.

"Master," Alexi called out, as he and Xasha walked along the corridor leading to the deck. "I still think we should do as I suggested. We don't have to announce our findings, but we also need to know what we're up against. We should organize a recognizance mission. I and my Ascending Dragon team would be honored to accept this responsibility."

"This is too dangerous a mission for your young and inexperienced raid team, especially since the number of Storm Dagons is actually so low. I will take on this mission myself. Of course, you can tag along. I'm sure Tulip will want to come as well. It can be a training mission for us all. "

Alexi's face lip up with excitement, Xasha noticed but paid him no mind, as he knew exactly what he was thinking. "Originally, I wanted to wait until we had a team of Emerald Realm mages before we launched this mission. But with things being what they are, I think we are short on options." He let out a long sigh. "Those assessments were designed to increase the power of our mages through adversities. Having them constantly push themselves to their limits and surpassing them. With this ingrained in their bones over the years, it made it easier to break past the Platinum Realm. The results of this are evident, as the number of Thorium Real mages under our Falling Stardust is countless."

"The problem lies in the elusive Emerald Realm. After 15 years, we only have a handful of Emerald Realm Mages. I had high hopes for you. I was sure that passing all hundred trials would be the key needed to transcending the Thorium Realm. The latter trials are so intense I felt it would be the catalyst needed to gain mana's respect. Now I need to think of something else. Maybe the answer lies in the wilderness and staying here mulling over it will do us no good."

Alexi remained silent as Xasha went on. He knew that at this point he was not addressing him, but voicing his thoughts aloud. Ari, strolling slowly behind, also seemed as distracted as her father, but it was more like she was in another world than considering things. Over the years, she had gone through many changes. She still held her kind disposition, flashing a polite smile wherever she went however, that was all about people got to see. No one can see beyond that polite smile that kept everyone at a distance, all her other emotions were reserved for a tiny subset of people.

Ari seemed to notice his stare and flashed him a polite smile, to which he responded with a polite nod of his own. He couldn't help feeling downcast in his heart. While he had seen the real Ari, he could only be said to have been there when it happened. She was not doing it for his sake. While he was not pushed as far away as others, he will never get as close as a Lili or even a Xander.

It was different when she was younger. She treated him no differently than anyone else. But as she got older, and he began to develop feelings for her, began treating her differently and she began treating him differently as well. If he had a secondary goal, it would be to gain Ari's acknowledgment once more. For her to show him her actual smile and not the polite one, she showed everyone else. For her to crack jokes and laugh around him as she did as a child.

It was a goal he was working hard towards, but not unlike training. He was stuck and saw no way for him to make any progress.

"Tell me, Alexi," Ari's gentle voice pulled him out of his reverie, "while you were taking the assessment, did you ever feel close to a breakthrough?"

He thought for a moment, then replied, "my body went through a lot of what you would call transitions. But, I never got the burning feeling in my lower abdomen that Wanton described."

"I see," Ari replied in an emotionless tone.

"Miss Ari, don't get me wrong, it does not mean challenging the later levels is worthless. While I haven't broken through to the Emerald Realm, I have gotten several times stronger than I was at the peak of the Thorium Realm several years ago. And unlike Wanton, maybe it's because of my body, but when I meditate, my body and energy sea still hungrily absorb it. It does not go to waste. If I didn't know any better, I would think that it's not that I can't transcend the Thorium Realm, but that I need to absorb more mana."

Ari looked up at him with a thoughtful expression, "maybe your body differs from us humans. This is all novel to us, after all. You should write down all your experiences during this breakthrough, Moonlight and the others will benefit greatly from the knowledge you leave behind. "

"I will do as you say, Ari."

"Only Ari? No, miss?" Ari asked playfully.

"Miss Ari, I'm sorry," Alexi stopped and gave a bow in apology.

"It's fine, it's just that you haven't called me Ari, not since we were children. It was nice to hear, I didn't realize how much I missed it." She grabbed his shoulders and reassured him with a warm smile, then passed him by, leaving him in a daze.

Alexi lit up, "that was, her.... real smile," he whispered under his breath.

Unbeknownst to him, Xasha had somehow disappeared. He must have been so focused on his thoughts that he forgot to say anything before he left. Alexi sighed and walked to catch up with Ari.

"Could it be that... I am the one who changed?" He thought aloud.

"You've definitely changed. You became obsessed with training and neglected everyone around you. This is the longest conversation we have had in years. I bet Moonlight and the others haven't seen you in months. You do not differ from that father of ours when he was our age."

"Neglected?" Alexi seemed horrified as realization dawned on him. It's not Ari who became distant, it's him who sacrificed their relationship in favor of getting stronger.

"I do not resent you. Like father, I understand your motivations. You want to protect those you care about and right now you feel weak and insignificant in the face of this big world, where anything can happen. You never want to feel the regret of, "If I had just trained harder. If I was strong only enough." I know I felt that way, especially when the horde attacked fifteen years ago and I lost so many people I cared about. I feel just as passionate about getting stronger as you do. But, I have other responsibilities as well and some things I can't sacrifice in the name of getting stronger. So I leave it up to you and the others like Tulip, who have the willpower to do it. It is you who we will rely on most in our time of need."

Alexi looked up at the sky. "Thank you, Ari. To know that you are relying on me makes all I've been through seem worth it. I know you are working hard and having a hard time as well. Your fight is different from mine. I'm not sure how I would cope not knowing how to use my power even though I'm the most powerful mage on the continent."

Ari chuckled, "that title belongs to you."

"We both know the truth. The moment you learn to use that power of yours to its limit will be the day you transcend the boundaries known to men and become Queen of the continent with everyone else underneath your boot."

Ari burst out in unreserved laughter, "that silver tongue of yours is sharp as ever."