The morning mist clung to the cliffs like a silken veil, the pale light of dawn barely cutting through its dense folds. Ethan Sixx moved steadily across the training grounds of the Iron Mountain Sect, a crystal fragment humming faintly in his pocket. The pulse had grown warmer in recent days, a quiet reminder of the hidden energies that lingered in the world around him.
Kael Veylan followed behind, muttering about unnecessary early excursions. "One day, Ethan, your obsession with these cliffs is going to get us eaten by some hidden monster or a rival sect. I swear."
Ethan ignored him, eyes scanning the far reaches of the plateau. Today's session was no ordinary exercise. Rumors had reached the sect that disciples from the Crimson Veil Sect—an aggressive, cunning sect known for ambush strategies—would arrive to challenge the Iron Mountain students in a demonstration of skill, strength, and tactics.
The first shadows appeared in the mist: slender, agile figures, each moving with lethal precision. Crimson Veil banners rippled above them, their red silk stark against the pale light of dawn.
Beatrice Tracy emerged from the training grounds, her azure robes billowing softly. Her eyes narrowed as she assessed the approaching challengers. "They've come earlier than expected," she said, voice calm but tinged with focus. "Be ready."
Ethan nodded, feeling the subtle hum of the crystal fragment respond to the rising tension. There was more than skill here—the energy of intent, the silent watchfulness of a faction that would exploit any weakness.
Kael muttered, "Great. Just what we needed. A war before breakfast."
The Crimson Veil disciples struck with synchronized precision, testing the Iron Mountain students' defenses. Ethan moved instinctively, his body flowing with the rhythm of the ground beneath him, predicting shifts in balance and timing before they occurred.
Beatrice mirrored his motions, responding to threats with subtle, controlled strikes. Together, their coordination was uncanny, a silent synergy that surprised even the experienced instructors watching from the sidelines.
A Crimson Veil disciple lunged at Beatrice from an angle neither could have expected. Ethan shifted instinctively, intercepting the attack and creating space for her counter. She spun gracefully, striking with precise force, sending the attacker stumbling back.
Kael watched, wide-eyed. "I've never seen anyone move like that… not even at the elder level."
Ethan allowed himself a faint smile, but his eyes remained fixed on the battlefield. There was more to this confrontation than mere skill—it was a test of intuition, observation, and awareness.
As the skirmish intensified, a faint scarlet shimmer appeared at the edge of the plateau, almost hidden behind jagged rocks. The crystal fragment pulsed strongly in Ethan's pocket, warmth spreading through his chest.
Beatrice noticed the faint glow and instinctively adjusted her stance. "Do you feel that?" she whispered.
Ethan nodded. "Yes. Something is… responding."
Together, they moved subtly toward the shimmer, their coordination flawless. Even amid the chaos of the skirmish, the unseen force guided their steps, hinting at powers beyond the ordinary Mortal Body discipleship.
The Crimson Veil disciples noticed their movement, attempting to exploit the gap. But Ethan and Beatrice, moving as one, evaded and countered with ease, each action precise, instinctive, and fluid.
By the time the skirmish ended, the Crimson Veil disciples had withdrawn, impressed by the synergy between Ethan and Beatrice. The instructors exchanged looks of quiet astonishment.
Master Korrath's gaze rested on Ethan, sharp and calculating. "You are… different," he murmured, almost to himself. "And your partner—there is more to her than I anticipated. The path ahead will not be ordinary for either of you."
Beatrice looked at Ethan, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "You move differently than anyone I've encountered. And yet, it feels… natural to move beside you."
Ethan inclined his head slightly. "Then perhaps we learn more together than apart."
Kael muttered darkly, "Great. Now it's bonding and sparring against secret forces. I am doomed."
Ethan ignored him, turning his attention back to the scarlet shimmer still faintly visible on the cliffs. Somewhere beyond the visible, beyond ordinary perception, forces older than the sect itself stirred quietly, patient and silent, awaiting the awakening of those capable of seeing, sensing, and responding.
And in that quiet pulse, Ethan felt it—the unspoken promise of challenges, secrets, and a bond forming between him and Beatrice that would shape the trials to come.