48 - Power and Portals
The decision to seek the Fountain of Wisdom had proven utterly correct.
With access to a vast energy source, Aaron's progress in mastering magic was worlds apart from before.
Portal magic was an advanced spell, voracious in its demand for magical energy.
Even Old Loki, with his millennia of experience, could not sustain it for long.
It was a bottomless abyss, its consumption doubling with increased distance and duration.
Previously, improving portal magic would have required Aaron to alternate between meditation and practice, with energy absorption taking longer than the training itself.
Now, everything had changed. Here, at the Fountain of Wisdom, Aaron could absorb energy freely. The fountain's energy seemed nearly boundless!
Each absorption provided enough power to practice portal magic extensively.
In less than a day, he had elevated his portal magic to level 5!
Aaron now understood why Kamar-Taj was so adept at wielding magic.
Asgard's mages learned magic methodically, often requiring centuries to become proficient.
In contrast, Kamar-Taj's mages could train a master mage in just a decade or even a few years.
They used long-distance portals with ease, showing no apparent strain from magical consumption.
This was because their magic was borrowed from Dimensional Demons, not their own, so they felt no loss in expending it.
In this regard, Asgard's magical system lagged far behind.
It placed greater demands on innate talent and lineage.
Perhaps only Odin, with his Odinforce, or Thor, with his divine power, could match Kamar-Taj's efficiency.
Others, like Heimdall, could use dark energy for a teleport or two before needing to recover.
As a result, even powerful mages hesitated to use their magic freely.
Mature mages were often relegated to enchanting artifacts rather than fighting on the battlefield.
No wonder the status of mages had long been undervalued.
Reflecting on this, Aaron realized that Irene's dream of elevating the mage's status might never come to fruition.
To uplift mages, a few heroic figures were insufficient. A fundamental reform in magical energy absorption was needed.
There had to be a more efficient way to harness energy, allowing mages to step from the shadows into the forefront.
Aaron's method of enhancing magic was unique to him, impossible to replicate widely.
Even if his power surpassed Thor's, eclipsed Odin's, and earned him the title of God of Magic, becoming the mightiest wizard, Asgard's mages would still struggle to elevate their status.
They would remain subordinates to warriors.
Aaron shook his head. He could not devise a solution for this now.
Nor did he intend to address it presently.
His primary goal was to grow stronger.
Everything else was a passing consideration in his spare moments.
Returning to focus, Aaron examined his upgraded portal magic—Space Teleportation (Level 5)!
During this surge in portal mastery, he had not yet fully tested the teleportation gate.
Proficiency in portals did not require passing through them; merely constructing the "door" sufficed.
According to Frigga's teachings, the simplest portals could only transport to locations within sight.
This was not due to a limited range but because the magic cost within visual range was manageable.
Beyond line of sight, the risk of insufficient magic reserves arose.
More critically, constructing a portal beyond sight could lead to instability or failure.
An unstable portal might cause spatial turbulence, potentially tearing the user apart.
Failure could result from positional errors, such as obstacles at the destination, or from excessive distance overwhelming the mage's magic reserves.
At higher levels, portal magic allowed free teleportation across Asgard.
However, reaching such mastery was extraordinarily difficult.
Frigga had admitted that even she could not achieve this.
Not due to lack of skill, but simply insufficient magical reserves.
Since becoming queen, Frigga had ceased practicing magic, and her reserves were now less than Loki's.
As for Loki, he might not even know portal magic.
If he did, Aaron had never seen him use it.
Thus, in Asgard, Odin held the highest mastery of portal magic.
Frigga claimed Odin had developed an advanced form of teleportation magic, capable of crossing galaxies!
Aaron remained skeptical.
Such teleportation might be an endowed ability.
Odin had granted Heimdall the power to control dark energy teleportation.
This suggested that dark energy teleportation was enhanced by the Odinforce.
It also implied Odin could bestow this ability on others.
These were mere speculations.
Rather than pondering Odin's intergalactic teleportation, Aaron focused on testing the limits of his space teleportation.
His first experiment was not an ambitious galactic leap.
He chose the secret passage point as his destination.
With a wave of his hand, he cast the portal magic he had practiced hundreds of times.
Perhaps because his energy was drawn from the Fountain of Wisdom, Aaron's magical aura was golden, unlike Amora's.
It resembled Odin's and Heimdall's.
The golden energy formed a circular portal.
The other end connected to the entry point where he had arrived in Jotunheim.
The portal materialized instantly, and Aaron stepped through.
In the next second, he stood at the secret passage's entrance!
"Magnificent!"
He sensed his magic reserves; about one-tenth had been consumed!
"Only ten uses, then…"
"I wonder if it could reach across galaxies at its peak."
Acting on impulse, Aaron returned to the Fountain of Wisdom to replenish his magic, then envisioned Asgard's settlement in his mind. His magic surged through his hands.
In moments, a golden portal materialized before him!
"Success!"
"But… it's still too taxing!"
"This move drains nine-tenths of my energy, severely weakening my strength."
"Until the magic reserve issue is fully resolved, I should avoid this unless absolutely necessary."
"Otherwise, I might not have enough power to return after teleporting."
Aaron was elated yet troubled.
He could now teleport across galaxies like Heimdall, even transporting others, but the magical cost was immense!
If attacked in this state, his depleted reserves could spell danger.
After some experimentation, Aaron dismissed the portal.
Returning to Asgard now would require lengthy recovery before teleporting back—a pointless endeavor.
Next, he needed to further refine his magic.
While absorbing and converting energy into his own magic, Aaron devised an improvement plan.
The cross-galactic portal was sufficient.
Further enhancement was unnecessary.
Instead, he would focus on his energy shield.
Bolstering his defensive capabilities was paramount.
Soon, his magic reserves were restored.
Aaron embarked on a new round of magical upgrades.
Asgard
In the days since Aaron's departure, no one had seen through his ruse.
Frigga visited his clone twice, using magic lessons as a pretext, but the teaching was postponed.
She harbored no suspicions.
Aaron's talent was undeniable, but magic mastery required time, even for a genius.
Loki, meanwhile, frequently passed by Aaron's residence.
He remained oblivious to the flaw in their prior invisibility contest, believing himself superior in that art.
This conviction drove him to check daily, hoping to "teach" Aaron again.
The thrill of mentoring a magical prodigy was intoxicating, and Loki yearned to relive it.
His ambitions were short-lived.
To deter Loki's persistence, Aaron had his clone use invisibility magic to deliver a sharp lesson.
After that, Loki steered clear.
Peace was restored.
Thor and the others also invited Aaron's clone for drinks.
Despite the passage of time, Aaron's popularity endured.
His rarity in public since the battle added a mystique to his prodigy persona.
The image of a diligent magical genius took root.
Amid fervent public demand, Thor and his companions, unable to refuse, dragged Aaron's clone to several receptions.
Fortunately, Aaron needed only a fraction of his mind to control the clone, navigating most scenarios without exposing himself as he nearly had before. Otherwise, he would have needed new excuses to fend off Thor's teasing.
In all of Asgard, only Amora vaguely sensed something amiss with Aaron.
As a teacher at the Magic Academy, she noticed Aaron's repeated deferrals of Frigga's lessons.
How could a magic-obsessed prodigy forgo learning new spells?
The only explanation was that something more pressing held his attention.
Recalling their prior interactions, Amora boldly surmised that the real Aaron had entered Jotunheim through unknown means, seeking the Fountain of Wisdom.
The thought was chilling.
It sparked deep unease.
The Frost Giants of Jotunheim were formidable!
Even Odin himself could not defeat their vast numbers.
Moreover, she had monitored the Rainbow Bridge.
There had been no signs of its activation recently.
Heimdall's loyalty to Odin was unassailable; he would never allow Aaron to pass without permission.
Thor might have swayed Heimdall, as the future king, but Aaron lacked such influence.
So, how had Aaron reached Jotunheim? How could he find the Fountain of Wisdom amidst countless Frost Giants?
After all this time, had he succeeded?
What power had he gained from the spring?
How strong was he now?
The more Amora pondered, the more alarmed she grew.
If Aaron had truly accomplished these impossible feats, did it mean his power had reached an unfathomable level?
She might never escape his control!
"But…"
"If Aaron truly achieved this…"
"Becoming his subordinate might not be so unacceptable."
Amora murmured softly.
Unwittingly, she had developed a reverence and submission toward Aaron's strength. For her, such a mindset was rare.
After all, she was a sorceress bold enough to defy Odin's rule. Only someone surpassing Odin could earn her loyalty.
Jotunheim
Aaron's training continued unabated.
The Fountain of Wisdom's boundless energy fueled his rapid progress.
His energy shield magic climbed steadily, enhancing his survivability.
Yet, his mind occasionally drifted to the Casket of Ancient Winters.
Securing it would solve his energy reserve issue permanently.
Laufey, its current keeper, was a manageable foe.
The vendetta for his parents' deaths only sharpened Aaron's resolve.
But he could not act rashly.
The Casket was in Laufey's lair, deep in Frost Giant territory.
Even with invisibility and portals, infiltrating undetected would be perilous.
He needed to wait for the right moment—perhaps when Loki's schemes, as seen in Thor 1, plunged the Nine Realms into chaos.
Until then, Aaron would bide his time, growing stronger in the fountain's embrace.
His path to godhood was clear, and neither Frost Giants nor Asgardian kings would stand in his way.
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