Valmor — The Training Grounds of the Council
The morning sky over Valmor was pale and clouded, a strange calm that hinted at the storm to come.The ground beneath Aryan's feet was cracked stone — an ancient training field once used by the first generation of Legion warriors. Around the arena, faint blue runes pulsed in rhythm with the morning light.
Roy stood in the center, his cloak swaying slightly in the wind. His tone was sharper today — no humor, no softness. Only purpose.
"Today isn't about endurance," Roy said. "It's about control."
Aryan, still bruised from the previous day's trial, clenched his fists. "Control?"
Roy nodded. "You awakened your Copy Soul. You've faced your fears. Now it's time to use that power in real combat."
He reached into his coat and pulled out a small obsidian cube, etched with ancient markings that pulsed with red light.
"This," Roy continued, "is a Soul Seal Artifact. It lets us summon low-tier Soul Beasts — fragments of chaos energy left behind after the Demon Invasion a century ago. They aren't demons… but they're what happens when soul energy mutates without guidance."
He placed the cube on the ground. The air immediately grew heavier. The rune circle glowed crimson, and from the cube rose a twisting vortex of black and red smoke.
A guttural roar split the silence.
What emerged was a hulking, half-formed creature — its body dripping with unstable energy, its form shifting between animal and shadow. Its eyes glowed like molten metal, and each breath it took burned the air around it.
Aryan's breath caught. "This… is a Soul Beast?"
Roy nodded. "A low-tier one. And yet, it's strong enough to rip through stone."
The beast let out a snarl, shaking the ground. Roy drew a faint blue circle in the air — a protective barrier sealing them in.
"You'll fight it alone," he said. "But remember my words: Control your emotions. Copy without losing yourself."
Aryan took a deep breath, stepping forward. "Got it."
The Battle Begins
The beast lunged, its claws leaving trails of crimson fire. Aryan dodged, barely — the air behind him exploding as the ground shattered.
He countered, striking with his staff, but the hit barely made the creature flinch.
"Too slow!" Roy shouted from behind the barrier. "Don't react — anticipate! Feel its soul energy!"
Aryan closed his eyes for a heartbeat, sensing the waves of chaotic power flowing from the beast. His Copy Soul pulsed inside him — like a second heartbeat.
Then, instinctively, he moved. His body blurred, matching the creature's movement exactly. He sidestepped its next attack in perfect sync, landing a blow at its jaw that sent the beast staggering.
Roy smirked. He's learning.
But then something changed.
The Copy Soul's light within Aryan flickered — and then flared. His aura turned crimson, veins of energy crawling across his skin. His pupils glowed faint red.
The power he'd copied from the beast started to grow.
"Aryan, stop—!" Roy shouted, but it was too late.
Aryan screamed, his voice distorting. The energy surged through him like fire and lightning fused together. His body moved faster than his mind could follow, striking the beast again and again, breaking its form apart.
Each strike felt intoxicating — like raw power pulsing in his veins.For a moment, he wasn't fighting — he was destroying.
"More… I can feel it…!" Aryan gasped, his voice shaking with frenzy. "This power— it's—"
Then the beast disintegrated — and Aryan turned toward Roy, eyes glowing blood-red.
Loss of Control
Roy's expression darkened. "Damn it."
He summoned a barrier sigil just as Aryan charged, moving with blinding speed. Their blades clashed — steel against energy — and the impact shattered nearby rocks.
Roy gritted his teeth. "This is what happens when emotion overtakes reason!"
He ducked a blow, spun, and struck Aryan's wrist with precision — forcing him back. Aryan roared, swinging wildly, every move charged with violent energy.
Roy's voice thundered over the chaos:
"Power without control is destruction, Aryan!"
Aryan's eyes flickered — red to blue — confusion breaking through the rage. "Roy… what's happening to me?"
"You're losing yourself to the soul you copied!" Roy shouted, parrying another blow. "The Copy Soul feeds on your emotions — anger makes it stronger, but it also consumes you!"
Aryan froze, trembling, struggling to breathe. The aura around him pulsed violently — until he screamed, slamming his fist into the ground.
A shockwave burst outward, throwing dust and debris everywhere — and then… silence.
When the air cleared, Aryan was on his knees, gasping for breath. The crimson glow had faded.
Roy lowered his sword, watching him with mixed emotions — frustration, relief, and something else… pride.
The Lesson
Roy walked over and knelt beside him. "You did well… for someone who almost blew up half the field."
Aryan gave a tired chuckle, still breathing hard. "I lost control, didn't I?"
Roy nodded. "Yes. But you also learned something important — your power reacts to emotion. That's both your weapon… and your curse."
Aryan looked up, confusion and curiosity mixing in his eyes.
Roy continued, "The Copy Soul doesn't just mimic. It absorbs. Every trace of the soul energy around you becomes part of your own — but if your emotions overpower your reason, it twists you into something else."
"So the stronger my emotion…" Aryan said slowly, "…the stronger the copy."
Roy nodded. "And the stronger the risk of losing yourself."
Aryan clenched his fists, staring at the fading ashes of the Soul Beast. "Then I'll learn to control it. No matter what."
Roy smiled faintly. "Good. Because when you face the real monsters out there, they'll do everything to break your focus. You can't afford to lose it again."
Aryan stood, wiping the sweat from his face, a new determination burning behind his eyes.
"I won't. Not again."
Roy looked at him for a long moment, then turned toward the setting sun over Valmor."The Legion Exam is only three weeks away," he said quietly. "And if this is what your Copy Soul can already do… then maybe the world isn't ready for you, kid."
Aryan's lips curved into a tired but confident grin.
"Then they'll just have to catch up."
The last light of day fell over the cracked arena, painting Aryan's reflection across the broken ground — half shadow, half light.
Somewhere deep inside, the Copy Soul pulsed again — silent, waiting — as if smiling in the dark.