Prior to the crystal shattering, Markus met Jessica in a secluded training area, enclosed and reinforced. Moreover it lacked a window but it did have a viewing room high above.
"What would you like to learn?" Jessica asked
"I can train constructs and manipulation by myself- as a stage three I can sense my control limitations better. However… I don't know much about whirlwind. Only that there is a Greater Spirit known as Whirlwind and that this spirit- apparently a dragon- has gifted humans the ability to use a stronger variant of the wind." Markus retold what Trissilia, the queen's sister, told him.
"Okay. Whirlwind is a more powerful type of wind. Unlike regular wind which you can conjure yourself and directly control it, whirlwind cannot be created from your essence unless you are a master. Alternatively, if you are the elemental lord, the Dragonlord, all the attacks become whirlwind attacks due to the closeness." Jessica said
"So you can make it?" Markus asked
"Yes. Albeit at a substantial cost of my essence. A master would only conjure it themselves when they are facing another master who is controlling any nearby wind areas. This is a wind domain clash which is not the point of discussion. What is the point is that unless you are fighting a master, you should always use your essence to exert control over your immediate area and gather whirlwind particles. They do not always listen and are much harder to control but equally they are far more powerful. Moreover… if you lose control of them or worse- cannot further control it, your own attack or construct may turn against you." Jessica continued
"Is that a big issue? My own wind attacks do not harm me nearly as bad." Markus asked
"Remember, whirlwind has a mind of its own. It won't care that you used it a moment ago. If it's intent on harming you, it will hurt you just as if an opponent of your exact same level were to hurt you." Jessica warned
"So it's proportional to your level if it backfires?" Markus asked
"Precisely. It is far more deadly at the master level however, a master is also less likely to lose control. Moreover a master is more resistant to all wind attacks- whirlwind or not. That does not mean they are immune or even very resistant, but they won't die from the sort." Jessica told him
"But why even use whirlwind? Sure it's more powerful but can't you just use regular wind and overwhelm your opponent that way? At no risk?" Markus asked
"Well- yes. That is a strategy. But if you fight someone above your rank, your only true chance is fighting them with whirlwind. It is powerful enough to compensate for a small rank difference if your skills are sharper and more fit for combat. I've read reports about you fighting above your rank a few times- using whirlwind will greatly help with it." Jessica informed him
"So it is good for fighting above my rank?" Markus asked
"It is useful at all times, kid. If ten attacks of regular wind were coming at you, one timed counter attack with whirlwind could not only destroy those attacks but send back an even more powerful attack. The more experience you have with whirlwind, the more powerful you become at the cost of risking a lot of pain and suffering from practice." Jessica corrected him.
Whirlwind was indeed the most powerful form of wind that regular people could use. It was the same of ice for water users. Blue flames were an incredibly rare but exceptionally powerful form for fire users. Lastly Earth users had actually long evolved to primarily use stones directly- however, they have also deviated and the use of crystals is a hereditary technique that is exceptionally powerful but tied to a small bloodline.
"So how do I use whirlwind?" Markus asked
"Begin by releasing your essence around you. Keep it formless and without intention." Jessica told him
He did as instructed
"Then focus on it and how despite it not being used, there is a fight over control in the area around you. It is fighting with whirlwind particles." She told him
Markus easily felt the disturbances
"Got it." He said
"Wha— already!?" She expressed
"Yes- what now?" Markus asked
"Lose the fight. Surrender your essence completely and let it almost vanish." She said
Markus struggled to let go but before long, he felt his grip over his own essence fade
"And now?" Markus asked
"Now they have merged. Using the dying fragments of your control, gently use that connection to cast a basic attack!" Jessica commanded
Markus converged the essence and clashed it against itself, creating an instantaneous wind blast!
With a harrowing boom, the floor and wall which were hit shattered in place. If not for the reinforcement, they would've been blown away hundreds of metres.
Instead, they shattered but remained in place, then were reconstructed.
Jessica looked at Markus for a moment. His body withstood the impact. But what was more stunning was his success.
"How did you do it? You've trained with it before?" She asked, demanding the truth
"I didn't even know how to do it until you told me literally just now!" Markus replied
"But how- you sensed your area perfectly! You conceded control very well and then still used your weak connection as well as you would have if you had a perfect connection! Not to mention the whirlwind particles obeyed so easily— it doesn't make sense!" Jessica said, flabbergasted
"Well… I'm very used to instantly creating shell around my body so I can constantly sense my immediate area. Then when I learned to make an elemental weapon- I kept shape shifting my shell to try to do it which weakened my control but it still took shape- only it didn't really stay in shape. Now I can do that better- so it was not exactly new or harder… as for the particles- I got lucky? I guess?" Markus admitted
"So… you had all the building blocks from other habits and failures? All you needed was the roadmap and luck?" She asked, unsure if this even made sense
"Pretty much…" Markus admitted
"… it seems I've underestimated you. This was the most basic use of whirlwind. If you want to enchant yourself with it, your weapon or even make a weapon out of whirlwind, you will need a lot more practice with me. But for now… just let yourself relax. Your hand is trembling." Jessica pointed out
"What..?" Markus asked looking down
It seemed that his hand was indeed shaking. He felt weak all of a sudden and realised how much that attack strained him.
Physically he was okay but mentally… he was dealing with his earlier actions and now this development strained his mind to the limit.
Dropping to the ground, he sat and just recovered. His mind was still a—
'It shattered.' Markus remarked
The Crystal given to him that was meant to twist his mind shattered. With it, a great weight was lifted off his shoulders. He breathed easier… but more importantly… he cried.
Without the crystal, the queen's influence diminished greatly and he felt the reality of his emotions.
He cried. For the mother who just tried to save her son. For the kid his age who did nothing wrong except being born an imperial vessel. For himself… for having taken their lives…
He wept for all of these reasons. Jessica, having kept quiet on purpose in the room, crouched next to him and just patted his back and sat with him. She had only killed her first person two years ago, when she was 27. She was greatly traumatised by this- and she was only an elite, meaning she was allowed to show weakness. She was allowed companionship and comfort.
As a master, she would never receive that help and comfort again as everyone assumed she was used to it and could handle the burden.
But Markus… was an imperial candidate but not an emperor yet. He was weak… moreover he was just a kid. Nobody is ever prepared for the psychological impact that sort of burden has as an adult… much less a thirteen and a half year old.
All further training was stopped for the day. Markus just cried his way through it until absolute exhaustion.
Enrique checked in on them at one point but he just saw the empty hall.
He panicked- fearing Jessica ran away with the imperial vessel to the Duke of Windbourne.
But before reporting it, he quickly ran and went to Markus' room where he saw him laying in bed, absolutely exhausted. Sitting on the ground at the foot of the bed was Jessica.
"What the fuck is wrong with us… training children for war. Allowing them to kill— risking their lives in the name of attaining power! They should be living calm and simple lives—" Jessica said, breaking down as she reflected on what truly took place
"Get ahold of yourself— this is our job! Do not see the Queen as your villain when the only reason she is doing this is the Dukes' disloyalty!" Enrique shouted quietly
"I'm not… blaming anyone. I'm saying this is all wrong- think Enrique! What has he done wrong?" She asked
"It does not matter. This is his purpose—" he justified
"Are you so blind to this! That you cannot see past your orders!" She asked
"Why is he not training?" He asked with a cold indifferent tone
"Because his mind is breaking!" She shouted
"Then fix it. Whirlwind is a challenging ability to use—" he said
"Oh- is that the problem? Well relax you dog- I'll give you a bone to show to your master. He was able to use a whirlwind attack on the first try. A once in a millennia genius and we're breaking down his mind instead of slowly letting him grow— you risk breaking him everyday in exchange for faster growth! What happens when he breaks!" She asked, angrily
"We try again with the next candidate—" he replied
"No. We will not." A woman's voice resounded from behind.
The queen had appeared behind Enrique out of the blue.
"Y-your majesty—" Enrique said as he bowed
"First try you said? I am satisfied then. He proved his conversion this morning. And his talent not much later… and his compassion shortly after that. He is not displaying any Destruction imperial traits… therefore we are threading unknown grounds. He is to be slowly nurtured for now. The forging is almost complete. Just one more rank and further social development and he is ready… I shall revise your orders by dawn." She said before leaving
Both masters were completely stunned.
Markus' use of whirlwind was his final step before being reclassified from a mere candidate to the primary focus… the person who would be nurtured to imperial ascension.