Chapter Nine — "Trials of Power"
Two months had passed since the heirs' Ether Armaments first awakened. Sweat, focus, and relentless drills had honed their raw power into controlled precision. Yet progress was uneven some surged ahead, others struggled to synchronize aura and element fully.
Kian, twelve, was the youngest but had displayed remarkable growth in his adaptive Nature aura. Lucien, fifteen, had refined his Wind whips into razor-sharp precision. Selina's fire burned hotter and steadier than before; Ronan's strength now combined force and control. Cira's water threads were fluid, slicing with deadly finesse. Varen had learned to direct his lightning with focused bursts. Aren's hammer carried weight and patience beyond mere muscle.
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Shadewatch — Training Hall
Sigurd's massive frame radiated authority as the heirs assembled.
"You have matured," he said, aura thrumming lightly, "but power without purpose is meaningless. Today, your skills will be tested beyond this hall."
He fixed his gaze on Kian and Lucien.
"A field mission awaits. Target: an Imbued-stage mage, thirty years old, wielding dark magic. His name is Karim. He has eluded capture and sows chaos among settlements. You two will confront him together. This is not a test of survival, but of application strategy, coordination, and mastery of your Ether Armaments."
Kian's green aura flickered. Two against one, and he was the youngest. Lucien's wind whips coiled silently.
"Control your power, and trust your instincts," Sigurd warned. "Remember your training. Let your weapons flow as extensions of your soul."
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Tracking Karim
The mission began with reconnaissance. For two days, Kian and Lucien tracked the elusive mage, moving through villages scorched by minor skirmishes, following whispers of dark energy and unnatural phenomena.
Karim's aura corrupted and shadowed left traces in the environment. Kian's Nature senses detected the taint on the soil, while Lucien's Wind affinity caught the faint air distortions caused by Karim's magic.
By the third night, they found him atop a cliffside ruin, shadows pooling around him like living smoke. Karim, thirty, exuded confidence and malevolence; his experience was evident in the ease with which he manipulated the dark energy swirling around him.
"So, children come to play," Karim said, voice smooth and venomous, black aura coiling like snakes. "Two against one? How predictable."
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The Battle
The fight erupted in a storm of energy. Kian's Nature armament surged, vines and glowing tendrils snapping toward Karim, while Lucien's Wind whips sliced through the air, forcing the mage to divert his attacks.
Karim countered with dark tendrils of shadow, striking with speed and cunning. Every blow from the heirs was met with a clever parry, traps of shadow exploding in response.
"Adapt!" Lucien shouted. "Use your environment, Kian!"
Kian shifted, merging his aura with surrounding plants and terrain. Roots erupted to bind, but Karim's experience allowed him to escape effortlessly, turning the roots to ash with a flick of corrupted energy.
The battle raged, aerial strikes, flowing energy, and bursts of magic lighting the night sky. Lucien and Kian combined strikes, experimenting with tempo and direction, forcing Karim to defend on multiple fronts. Yet the mage's skill kept them on edge — he anticipated combinations, countered adaptive strikes, and pressed his advantage.
"Not bad," Karim hissed, weaving through their attacks. "I almost expected more…"
Kian's armament pulsed with raw energy, tendrils snapping and merging with Lucien's air currents. Karim grunted, forced back — but never defeated. His experience and dark mastery made each exchange brutal, forcing both heirs to their limits.
The fight ended only when Karim, assessing his odds, vanished into shadows, leaving the battlefield in smoldering ruin. Kian and Lucien were left breathing heavily, battered but wiser, their coordination and mastery sharpened through their near-defeat.
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Return to Shadewatch
Upon returning, the elders praised their effort. The fight had not been a victory, but a lesson in adaptation, strategy, and the necessity of respect for a truly experienced foe.
"You learned more in that battle than any training hall could teach," Alden said gravely. "But now your paths diverge. Kian, you must choose the academy where you will continue to grow."
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Choosing a Path
The Shadewatch courtyard was quiet in the late afternoon. The heirs had returned from missions, some tired, others exhilarated, their auras still faintly glowing from recent training. The older heirs were already enrolled:
Lucien at Valerith
Selina at Elarion
Ronan at Ironclad
Cira at Elarion
Varen at Ironclad
Aren at Valerith
Alden gestured to Kian.
"Your path will not be dictated. The choice is yours."
Kian surveyed the four academies projected above the courtyard in golden light:
Valerith – training leaders and warriors
Elarion – the arcane and artistic
Ironclad – invention and battlefield integration
Celestara – society, espionage, and subtlety
Recalling his recent mission adapting to Karim, blending his Nature armament with Lucien's Wind, improvising tactics Kian felt drawn to the academy where creativity and adaptive magic would be tested.
"I… choose Elarion Academy," Kian said, confidence in his voice.
Alden nodded approvingly.
"Then it is decided. You will train under masters of arcane arts, creativity, and adaptability. But remember: growth demands discipline, risk, and trust in your instincts."
Sigurd placed a hand on Kian's shoulder.
"You have already proven your resilience and ingenuity. Your Ether Armament will be tested further, but you are ready for this next step."
Departure for Elarion Academy
The next morning, Kian stood atop the gates of Shadewatch Fortress, his bag packed with essentials, a small grimoire gifted by Alden strapped to his side. His green aura flickered lightly, blending with the rising sunlight.
Lucien approached, a reassuring smirk on his face.
"Try not to get caught in any tree roots on your first day," he teased, the tension of recent battles eased slightly.
Kian chuckled, though his heart raced with excitement and nerves.
Alden appeared beside him, voice firm but gentle:
"Remember, Kian. The academy is a test, but also a forge. You will be challenged — and you will grow. Trust yourself, your Ether Armament, and your instincts. The Savoy blood flows through you; let it guide your steps."
With a final nod, Kian stepped forward. The road to Elarion stretched before him, winding through valleys and forests bathed in morning light. Each step carried purpose, anticipation, and a promise — of knowledge, of power, and of the battles yet to come.
As the gates of Shadewatch faded behind him, Kian's aura flared brighter, intertwining with the very nature around him. The heir of Savoy was on his path, leaving childhood behind and stepping fully into a world where magic, skill, and cunning would shape his destiny.