Sorcerer… Cyborg???

Chapter 188: Aura

"Alright, chief, I'll post the Nighthawks along these routes for the time being." Docara said, adjusting his hypnotic hawk mask. 

"That will be all, Docara. Now, I need to talk with Rufus, and I'd like to do it alone please. Understood, Docara?" Tam said pointedly, he knew that Docara had assigned many of the Nighthawks to watch over him, even while concealing their mana signatures as much as possible, Tam was able to sense them. 

"Of course, Grand Marshal Sir!" Docara nodded, and beckoned to the Nighthawks all around the room, who followed him out. Only a single Nighthawk remained, wearing a demonic mask, eyes glaring at Tam, mouth open in a snarl with a bright red tongue twisting out from it, as if it was tasting the air.

"Is that you, Rufus?" Tam looked carefully at the masked individual, he hadn't realized that Lucio had carved Kothar a mask. The tradition had begun years ago, when Tam had dispatched the first of the men who were to become Nighthawks.

Lucio had only been a young boy at the time, and Tam had saved him from slavers, who had captured him from the people who lived deep in the west. Amongst the sheer cliffs, they had found him, masked even as a child.

"It's me, Grand Marshal Tam." Kothar bowed deeply, since he still wasn't sure if there were other Nighthawks watching. Tam paused for a moment, his eyebrows furrowed. 

"We're alone, Kothar, there's no need for you to bow to me." Tam pulled Kothar up from his deep bow, and then pulled him into a bear hug, squeezing the breath from his lungs.

"I'm glad you're safe, Son. Good job on the mission north, and on taking out the Arena fighters." Tam pat Kothar on the shoulder, a little disconcerted, he was finding it difficult to unite the image of his young son with the demon masked Nighthawk in front of him.

"Thank you, Father." Kothar's response was simple, ultimately, after seeing Tam take on the Emperor, and completely dominate him in battle, Kothar was a little intimidated by his sheer power.

[Why don't you ask him about being able to take flight at the Advanced Rank, Kothar. ] Silane, who had been silent since the battle had begun, finally piped up.

[Alright.] Kothar answered, after all, asking Tam could do no harm.

"Father, after seeing you and Anteris take to the sky like that, as well as the Emperor, I've begun to wonder, is flight the requirement for one to be at the Advanced Rank? Didn't you tell me that the only requirement was to have a domain?" Kothar asked Tam, whose momentarily relaxed expression changed to one of seriousness.

"Kothar, I believe it is far too early for you to be worrying yourself about these things. But you seem to consistently surprise me, so I will tell you about this. Once one begins to be able to materialize a domain, then within that space, where one has complete dominion over the mana, mana can be compressed to such a degree that it has a physical form." Tam paused for a moment, letting his words sink in.

"This physical manifestation of mana or aura is different to the ordinary spells we cast. Unlike the spells that dissipate once one no longer supplies mana to them, aura is something that remains once it has been materialized. Utilizing this aura, once can shape it in different ways, one way of utilizing aura is crafting wings from it and taking flight." Tam explained, gesturing with his hands to show Kothar how the mana would be compressed and shaped.

"The reason why those of the Advanced Rank take flight is that at this rank, if an individual can take control of the sky above a battle, then they can single handedly decimate an entire army. You saw the attacks that Anteris used, if he flew above the Imperial forces unopposed, then what chance would they have." Tam's expression changed to one of concern, as he remembered the Storm Generals, who would surely be well on their way to Aznur.

"Of course. This goes both ways, if the Emperor was allowed to fly above our ships, he  could sink the entire fleet within a few minutes. This is the true might of those at the Advanced Rank." Tam's brow was still furrowed in concern.

"What about beyond the Advanced Rank? What is one capable of, then?" Kothar's curiosity had been piqued, after seeing the immense display of power in the skies above Aznur, he wanted to know the true extent of how a truly powerful individual could exert their power.

"That, Kothar, is something that is far too soon for you to worry about. As I told you before, don't bite off more than you can chew. Just focus on increasing your awareness of the mana around you." Tam had a kindly smile on his face, and he gave Kothar a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

[He's right, you know. My research concluded the same thing. To be honest, I think the Mana Sensing Lens may be holding you back in that regard, it makes it far too easy for you to detect mana, you should work on feeling the mana around you in detail without it.] Silane's voice was a little regretful, as she felt that she should have realized the importance of having an awareness of mana before.

[Don't blame yourself Silane, there was no way we could have known. And without the Mana Sensing Lens, I'd probably be dead by now.] Kothar replied, reassuring Silane.

"Alright, Son. I need to ask you a favor. Anteris truly respects you, to the extent where he wanted you to be his heir, in Graffius' absence. But now that Graffius has been found, although gravely wounded, he is taking his rage out on the wall of the Imperials. I need you to convince him to stop attacking the wall, and save his strength. For he will be needed, whether or not we manage to infiltrate the wall." Tam's expression was one of extreme seriousness. He knew that he alone could not hold off the Storm Generals, and they would surely be on their way.