Affinity:Chaos

The Vaergahl family left after some time, but the atmosphere in the O'Brien family was a little tense. They might not be afraid of the Vaergahl family, but that doesn't mean they want to go to war with them as well.

The main issue now was this, where is Grey?

They've asked Ellis multiple times and even done a complete search on the mansion, but they haven't found him. Of course they didn't go near Thoma's room since the thought of Grey being there didn't cross their minds one bit. But just to be safe, they did ask the Elder who made the array to check on it, and after he verified that it was still normal, they didn't bother anymore.

….

The O'Brien family hall.

"Ellis, this is important. Even though we do not know if the kid has it, we have to present him to the Vaergahl family as well. Once they've confirmed that it's not with him, then they will see no reason to fight us, after all, they know they can't beat us, they might be strong, but we aren't weaklings either," One of the Elders said coldly.

"I'm just as stumped as you all, originally, I thought he left when I didn't find him in my room. This was why I said he was gone when Uncle asked, but now no one saw him leaving the building, which means he's still here," Ellis replied, a little worried about the situation.

He knew about Grey's abilities with arrays, but the Elder who made this array was someone that is over two thousand years old, and he had been an array master since he was thirty years old, so it goes to show how long and knowledgeable he is about arrays. If he didn't sense any changes in the array, it meant two things, either Grey never entered his father's room, or, Grey somehow found a way to hide from the array.

Of the two possibilities, the first one was more believable than the latter. But, he had confidence in his friend and is certain that he will never leave without even informing him. Thinking about this, a third possibility came to his mind.

'Was he kidnapped?' His expression turned even sourer than that of the Elders and Claude.

If Grey was kidnapped, it would make things more difficult. At least now he still had some hope of Grey being able to heal his father. Not just that, but also coming out. Given Grey's personality, he didn't feel he would want to put his family in a difficult position, so he would most likely hand over the blood essence if it's in his possession.

"Zylres said they will return at sunrise tomorrow, we have until then to find the boy. We might not know how he left the mansion, but one thing is certain, we have to find him, no matter what," The Elder who stood up to Zylres said.

The others all nodded to his words, before leaving the hall, heading in different directions. They all had loyal spies they could count on in times like this. Presently, some are even watching the movements of the Vaergahl family.

While all this was taking place, Claude didn't say a word, his head rested on his chin. He stared at the Elders as they tried to find out Grey's position.

After a while, he stood up, leaving the hall and entering the hallway. He took a few turns and he soon appeared in front of a family door, it was the one that led to Thoma's room.

'I wonder what brother would do in a situation like this?' He thought as he walked towards the door.

Compared to his brother, he wasn't the best decision maker. This was one of the reasons why their father gave the position over to him. Even when he was slightly stronger than Thoma, it didn't change anything. Thoma has always been cool-headed when dealing with conflicts since he was young and possesses the aura of a leader.

He took a few steps forward, standing in front of the door. Holding the doorknob, he turned it slowly.

Click!

It made the sound of it being opened, and just as he was about to push the door open.

"My Lord, the Young Lord is fighting with your son," A guard rushed over to report.

"Huh?" Claude raised a brow as he turned his head to look at the guard.

"Where are they?" He asked.

"Behind the garden," The guard replied.

"Alright," Claude turned around, closing the door before walking away.

'I'll handle this myself,' He thought as he disappeared from the hallway.

….

At the back of the garden in the O'Brien mansion.

Boom! Bang!

"Bring out that friend of yours, a thief will always befriend a thief," A young man said as he attacked Ellis.

Ellis dodged calmly to the side as he used the water element to push his cousin a few meters away from him.

"Gilliard, I don't want to fight you," Ellis said after casually brushing off his attack.

"But I want to, you've made us a laughing stock, bring trouble with you wherever you go," Gilliard said as he attacked with the wind element again.

Ellis made a few hand seals, and raindrops started to fall from the sky, "You're drunk, Gill, you can easily disperse the alcohol, but you choose to let it stay so you can say you're under its influence when you attacked me, pathetic,"

The rain began to pour down heavily from the night sky as Ellis started to levitate from the ground.

"I will show you what true power is, this time, I won't hold back," Ellis said as he continued to float higher into the sky, staring at Gilliard from above.

Gilliard raised his head to look at Ellis, his expression one of disgust, he spat on the ground before he summoned a small tornado that picked him up.

Claude and a few of the Elders were watching from the side, some youths were also watching as well.

"Is this who you want to lead the family, a drunk?" An Elder asked.

His question was met with silence from Claude, he only narrowed his eyes as he watched the two youths in the sky.

"I will settle this with one attack," Ellis said, his demeanor different from the one he always displayed.

This was the first time the Elders were seeing this side of him, and they couldn't deny it, they were impressed. He was just like his father, proud and confident in his abilities.

"Heh! Do you think you can trade blows with me?" Gilliard sneered before roaring out.

A large lightning snake covered by a tornado appeared before it charged at Ellis.

Ellis looked at the attack before shaking his head before muttering softly, "Everything before my domain shall fall,"

Rumble! Bang!

A large rumbling sound was accompanied by the explosion of the lightning snake. It was as if it self-destructed. It didn't even get close to Ellis before it exploded.

The Elders and the youths in the garden stared at Ellis in awe, they couldn't believe what just happened.

"Has he been able to awaken his domain?" One of the Elders asked in shock.

"Yes, I never took note of it until now. Even if there are five Gilliards here, they are still not his match, looks like the Young Lord has improved so much, he had been hiding his true strength," Another Elder said, changing the way he had been addressing Ellis.

A domain was something only those above the Sage Plane could use, and not all of them could awaken it, only a given few could.

After the Sage Plane, the next level was the Elemental Venerable, after that was Elemental Sovereign. Elemental Sovereigns are those who have been able to create their domains. Without a domain, there is no way an Elemental Venerable can get to the next level.

Only a few geniuses can awaken their domains before they become Elemental Venerables, most of them awaken it when they are already Elemental Venerables. Ellis was one of the few people in history who has awakened his domain while still in the Sage Plane, his strength has increased drastically, that it could almost be said that he was unbeatable in the Sage Plane, this is the advantage a domain has.

One has to know that Ellis was still in the Mid stages of the Sage Plane, yet with a domain, he could go against someone at the Peak of the Sage Plane. The pressure from his father almost losing his life, Grey's sudden disappearance, and the appearance of the Vaergahl family pushed him so much that he unknowingly awakened a power he shouldn't have access to now.

The greatest disadvantage with awakening a domain quickly was that, he couldn't support if fully because of the huge amount of essence it needed to operate.

"Gill, after today, know your place," Ellis spread out both hands and he shone with a blue light.