The mansion was quiet that morning, yet the silence was not comforting. Every creak of the polished floor, every whisper of wind through the tall windows, sounded like a warning. Kairo moved carefully, feeling the familiar thrum of Aether beneath his skin, the mark on his arm pulsing with restrained energy. He flexed his fingers, sparks dancing lightly across his knuckles. Control, he reminded himself, always control.
Selene was already awake, perched on the balcony railing, sunlight glinting off her hair. "Finally awake, cold boy," she teased, letting a strand of silver hair fall across her cheek. "Don't tell me you've been sulking all morning."
"I'm not sulking," Kairo replied flatly, though he felt the faint stirrings of irritation at her grin. Sparks tickled his skin as he adjusted his stance. Control. Always control.
Raijin barreled down the stairs with a grin and a flash of lightning. "You should see what the Sensi set up for us today! It's insane!"
Before anyone could answer, the shadows shifted, and Akairo appeared at the top of the grand staircase. The air seemed heavier in his presence, every movement deliberate, every gaze sharp and cold. Kairo felt his mark thrum faster under the Sensi's scrutiny, a subtle warning vibrating through his nerves. Akairo's voice was smooth, detached, but sharp enough to make Raijin flinch. "You are here," he said. "Today begins your first proper test. Control, precision, and synergy. Fail, and the lessons will be… unforgettable."
The Pantheon tensed, sparks of Aether flickering across exposed skin. Kairo's mark pulsed, a small fire against his restraint. He glanced at Selene, who only smirked, clearly amused by his tension. At least one ally won't get scorched if I fail, he thought.
The training halls stretched out beneath the mansion, floors etched with glowing runes that reacted to Aether. Each rune hummed with energy, ready to punish recklessness and reward precision. Akairo's instructions were brief but absolute. He gestured at the runes, and the black sphere of his Aether expanded to fill the room. "These chambers will test your speed, control, and ability to work together. Overextend, and you will learn your limits the hard way. Focus your will. Some of you may speak a single word—a chant—to command your Aether. Others may channel it silently if you have the skill. But do not forget: misuse will injure or destroy."
Kairo felt the weight of those words settle over him. The system was simple but absolute: one word to direct the flow of Aether, spoken or unspoken, its effect magnified by focus. Beginners would speak aloud, amplifying precision. Advanced users could remain silent, letting pure concentration direct the energy, though the difficulty rose with each moment. He noted the words assigned to each member, letting them settle in his mind. Voltis, his own. Lightning. Controlled and sharp.
The first room demanded agility and reflex. Raijin moved first, blurring across the hall with arcs of lightning trailing in his wake. Kairo followed, slower but precise, letting his Aether hum through the runes without breaking them. Selene whispered her word, Luna, and illusions mirrored his movements, giving him a chance to test bursts of Aether without risking anyone. He tried channeling it silently, but the mark flared, reminding him that mastery required more than instinct.
The next chamber tested elemental control. Darius stepped forward, his voice firm as he said, Tide, and the water in the room surged upward, forming obstacles. Kairo responded, shouting, Voltis! Lightning cracked across the wave, evaporating portions with exacting precision. The mark burned against his skin, a sharp sting of uncontrolled energy restrained by sheer focus.
By the third room, Akairo had introduced sparring. "Pair up. Push your limits," he said. His eyes, cold and calculating, watched every movement. The room became chaos. Raijin's lightning collided with Darius's water, almost flooding the hall. Aurora's light bursts met Liora's shields, requiring careful timing. Kali and Orion disappeared into shadows and reappeared, testing stealth and reflex.
Selene stepped toward Kairo. "Storm boy, I'm yours."
They faced off, sparks of Aether crackling between them. Kairo shouted Voltis! while Selene mentally focused Luna. Lightning struck through illusions, forcing him to think fast, control Aether with both body and mind. The chamber shook, and his mark flared violently, but he held it, leaving him breathless yet victorious.
Akairo remained silent, his cold gaze cutting through the chaos. He made no gesture, no comment. Every error, every controlled success, was recorded in his mind. Kairo thought of the stories he had heard, of a cold mentor who pushed his student beyond limits, and he understood the parallel. Adept, yes, but never free of scrutiny.
Finally, Akairo's voice echoed. "Good. Most would have collapsed. Some would have destroyed everything. You are… adequate."
The word lingered like ice in Kairo's chest. Adequate. Not praise, but a warning. Selene nudged him, grinning, but Kairo remained silent, his mark humming softly. I'm only getting started. I will be more than adequate.
The rest of the session ended in controlled chaos. Raijin tripped repeatedly, Darius joked about nearly flooding the hall, and Selene pranked Kairo with illusions of himself stumbling. Yet the lesson was clear. Aether demanded control, discipline, and awareness. And above it all, Akairo's cold presence reminded them that while humor and banter were welcome now, the true missions ahead would demand nothing less than icy precision.
Kairo stepped onto the balcony afterward, alone. The sun climbed higher, glinting off the mansion's spires. Sparks of Aether danced along his arms, his mark pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat. Bonds were forming. Powers were tested. And the Pantheon's trials, under the cold watch of their Sensi, had only just begun