At day break the following day, the Captains and Aiden had been summoned into the exam halls. Oberon was seated at the front with the Grand Magus standing to his side.

Thamoryn then addressed the captains and Aiden standing below the platform.

She explained that Dragonhold issued them a challenge, the Contest Of Champions and they were here to conduct a quick trial test with the captains so that they may decide if Aiden was the right fit to be chosen as champion.

Aiden had a smile arch across his lips after hearing that explanation. It meant that somehow Oberon was considering his request, but had to make sure.

Atleast it didn't have to resort to him strong-arming the Lord into doing his will.

Captain Cassian was the first to speak, "Lord Oberon, Why accept the challenge when we have a difference in numbers and not to add, we have the strongest mage force in the continent?"

Captain Torsten of the Hollow Pact guild followed with another question, "and even if Kingdom intends to accept the challenge, should we not have you, Grand Magus, as our chosen champion. You are afterall the Kingdom's strongest mage. No doubts Dragonhold will be doing the same with mumbleton"

Lord Oberon then replied, "This is merely a trial that I wish to see for myself. The Challenge is yet to be accepted"

Then Captain Finn spoke, "Pardon me my Lord, but I must ask, why Aiden of Ravens Grave? A trial to determine if he would be the Kingdom's champion? We acknowledge his magic potential but you posit that this mage here is as strong as we Captains?"

Captain Finn felt disrespected having to be in a trial against a mage who he still considered as beneath him.

"Finn, again, this is merely a trial that I wish to see for myself." Lord Oberon repeated, and with a straight looking demeanor. "Please proceed Thamoryn"

She nodded slightly, then turned towards Aiden "step forward" she instructed and so he did as asked.

She then turned towards the Captains and asked, "would any Captain like to face off against him"

"Tsk" Finn took a step forward. His entire intention was solely to teach Aiden a lesson.

"The rest of the captains should please come up the stage" Thamoryn gestured for them to come upwards after.

Now, Oberon, the captains, and grand magus observed from the elevated platform. Aiden and Captain Finn stood opposite each other, at the middle of the large spaced exam halls waiting for the signal to begin.

Then Thamoryn spoke from the stage, "Whatever happens from you both, restrain yourselves from causing irreparable harm. Begin"

Captain Finn of the Black Lions, was aged man with short hair and trimmed beards. He possessed the darkness magic affinity like his niece, Ynes, the senior ranked mage who lead the Assembly.

Finn moved first. He thrust both palms forward. "Dark Spear!"

A large lance of concentrated darkness materialized and shot toward Aiden at blinding speed. The spear seemed to absorb the light around it, leaving a trail of pure black in its wake.

Aiden raised his right hand which was covered in flames, towards the incoming attack. Then imbued his flame magic with an added effect of destruction.

[Destruction Authority: Effect Apply]

The tip of the spear struck Aiden's palm but the flames coating his palm acted as a protective layer against any force of power the spear carried and the destructive effect his fire magic was imbued with, instantly made the dark spear crumble on contact with his palm.

It was the first time Aiden was actually using this particular destruction skill that gave any magic he used along with it, have destructive capabilities.

Murmurs arose from the Captains watching, with Katherine having this worried look on her face. After all, Aiden was facing a Captain.

Finn's expression hardened, especially as he didn't think his attack would be made to look so insignificant. At that moment, several orbs of darkness magic took form around the captain.

Each of those orbs could deal very powerful explosive damage and with Finn motioning towards Aiden, they all shot forward at once.

"Is he not going to defend?" Katherine whispered to herself as she watched Aiden do absolutely nothing but fold his arms.

Captain finn watched Aiden to see how he would react to his numerous attacks this time instead of one.

But the last thing the Captain noticed on Aiden's face as the orb darkness closed in on him, was a smirk that appeared on his lips the last second.

The orbs of darkness erupted into explosions of purple flames around Aiden. It was difficult to know true outcome of the attack up until the smoke screen it created had faded away.

And when it did, everyone saw that Aiden was entirely unaffected.

[Space Authority: Phasing]

This left everyone watching with shocked expressions on their faces, Finn had it even worse.

Every single one of the attacks from the captain dealt exactly no damage because his body was made intangible.

Aiden sighed, even though his system copied each spell, he was still entirely disappointed by the attacks as he expected more from a captain.

Then he turned towards the stage and said "Grand Magus, I believe your rules of engagement limits the Captain's level of attacks. In a contest of Champions against Dragonhold, do you expect them to attack without trying to deal irreparable damage?"

Lord Oberon replied in the stead of the Grand Magus, "Captain Finn, it appears your attacks are considered too weak, by a magic apprentice"

Oberon for one agreed with Aiden and so uttered a provocative statement to push the Captain to action.

Thamoryn said nothing but watch.

Captain Finn had a grim face looking down, uttering no word at all. It felt as though Aiden was making a mockery of him. He hadn't even returned a single attack back in retaliation.

Suddenly, his magic power surged upwards, quaking the exam halls. He had so much Darkness magic aura emanating from him and it looked like his eyes glowed a red light.

Aiden grinned in anticipation, "now that's more like it"

Katherine's look of worry now only worsened. She could recognize when a Captain got serious. They could on the observing part of the hall, did.

"Devouring Abyss!" Finn yelled while stretching his hand towards the ground upon which Aiden stood on.

A void of darkness spread out beneath Aiden, and slowly started to pull him down into what felt like nothingness.

Aiden felt the pull, and with the urgent countenance, you could tell that he acknowledged this as Dangerous.

He snapped his fingers. "Banishment."

Using his Space Authority, he forcibly ejected the Devouring Abyss into his Pocket Domain. The massive void simply vanished, sent away into another dimension entirely.

"What?!" Finn exclaimed. He couldn't believe his eyes. This mage kept tossing his attacks away like it was nothing.

Some of the observing Captains gasped. Even Oberon leaned forward with interest

And now Aiden decided to return an attack back.

But he knew that a usage of any of his authorities or his flame magic to directly attack would for certain put the captain in a stage where healing would either not work at all or take forever.

So he decided to go physically.

The Captain had barely completed a full blink, when Aiden instantly dashed at him, delivering a punch to his gut that send him flying several meters backwards and crashing into the walls of the exam hall.

The movement felt so instant that Finn couldn't even react in time to deliver a counter against him.

"Hm.. He moves that fast? impressive" Oberon whispered to himself. Although it may have been difficult for the Captain to have followed, it wasn't for Oberon. His lightning affinity made him one of the fastest humans in the world, and so he could recognize when another moved at a decent speed, even if it wasn't on par with him.

Aiden didn't push forward after that attack. He felt his punch crack a bone or two on impact, and knew any more may probably kill the Captain.

Finn struggled to stand from the debris, with blood rolling down his forehead and side of his lips. This left other captains totally marveled. This magic apprentice was besting a captain and it looked like he wasn't even trying.

Finn's was huffing under the exertion and beating his body seemed to be undergoing, then he snarled in frustration and casted another spell.

"Darkness Magic: All Black"

And Suddenly, Aiden froze!

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