The day after Ironroot 1A's special training was full of twinges.
Within the boys' dorm, silence wasn't peace — it was soreness. Every limb carried the weight of yesterday's drills, the strain of roles tested and bodies pushed. The ache wasn't just muscular. It had nestled itself in Kaiden's lungs, in Rio's spine, in Nerim's shoulders. The pain of trying to become something the world told them they couldn't.
[ Kaiden ]
"She wasn't lying."
"Mrs. Maiven said we'd walk away with sore..."
"Everything."
He twisted his torso, a faint pop from his back drawing a grunt. He winced. Beside him, Nerim was face-down on the mattress, muttering something into his pillow. Kaiden barely caught a few words — "Augmenters suck" and "never again."
[ Rio ]
"It wasn't that bad."
Rio groaned as he stood up.
"...Okay, maybe a little bad."
Yesterday, Kaiden's sudden speed had caught them all off guard. He'd stepped into the Weaver role with finesse, dealing significant damage, then managed to dart out of the fray just in time to off-tank for Irna during their last clash against ITB 001 — buying Rio the precious seconds he needed to create an opening and for Peggy to steady Nerim for the final strike.
[ Nerim ]
"Y'know what I learned?"
"That every single role in the trinity wants to kill you."
[ Kaiden ]
"Yeah?"
"Guess that means we're on the right track."
Across the Academy's courtyard, the mood was quieter in the girls' dorm — though no less sore.
Peggy sat on her bed with a heat pack strapped to her thigh. Irna was crouched in front of the mirror, brushing her hair with the focus of a monk cleaning a sacred artifact.
[ Peggy ]
"So?"
"You settled on the role yet?"
Irna blinked at the reflection. Then resumed brushing.
[ Irna ]
"Shielders must stand."
"Reavers must leap."
"Augmenters must understand."
"I'm thinking..."
"I'd rather just not die next time."
Peggy laughed, then winced from the movement.
[ Peggy ]
"Right?"
"Reavers get flashy moments..."
"But they also get knocked through trees."
[ Irna ]
"You got knocked through a tree."
[ Peggy ]
"One tree."
"One time!"
"Okay, maybe three times."
The corridors echoed with chatter that morning, and the classes were bustling like usual. But whispers trailed behind, all the way to the Class of '51.
[ Vonn ]
"You see them?"
"They skipped Coach Trillian's class."
[ Nari ]
"Special training, someone said."
"Under Mrs. Maiven's supervision."
"Super hush-hush."
[ Derin ]
"Wonder if it's punishment."
"Or privilege."
Inside the classroom, Mrs. Maiven acted like nothing had changed. She scribbled over the æstherboard while the children settled, her voice crisp:
[ Mrs. Maiven ]
"Today's lecture: Dungeon Tiers and Spawn Rates."
"Page 78."
Kaiden's eyes met Rio's. Same thought, unspoken:
She's pretending we didn't just get spiritually dismantled yesterday.
Between classes, their classmates approached one by one, pretending to borrow notes — only to whisper.
[ Mirkos ]
"Maiven's training you for a Delve, right guys?"
[ Rio ]
"No idea what you are talking about, Mirks."
[ Derin ]
"Then where were you during P.E. yesterday?"
The Ironroot boys were startled by Derin's question.
Before they all synced.
[ Kaiden, Rio & Nerim ]
"Detention!"
Meanwhile, at the front of the class, the girls gathered around Peggy and Irna.
[ Karen ]
"Don't lie, Peggy."
"You have to tell me where you were yesterday, during P.E."
Peggy held up both hands like she was under arrest.
[ Peggy ]
"Even if I told you, it wouldn't make any sense, Karen."
[ Nari ]
"Irna?"
[ Irna ]
"Trust me, Nari..."
"If there's any other option, I would gladly choose Coach Trillian's training over this."
By the time the sun had dipped lower, the usual path toward the fields should have led to P.E. with Coach Trillian.
But Ironroot 1A veered off.
Again.
Unbeknownst to them, another set of footsteps quietly followed — keeping a precise distance. Matching pace. Timing. She slipped between groups like a shadow under a school uniform.
◈◈◈
The Old Training Field shimmered slightly with æsther residue — the aftertaste of yesterday's practice. A figure was standing beside Mrs. Maiven, calm and collected. The sunlight glinted against her silver summoner's bracer.
Kaiden's steps slowed.
[ Kaiden ]
"...Is that?"
[ Nerim ]
"The one with the flowers?"
[ Rio ]
"She helped us plant our seeds."
"First day..."
"Remember?"
[ Peggy ]
"The first instructor to hear all of our vows."
[ Irna ]
"Instructor Brielle..."
Mrs. Maiven waited with her, hands holding her parasol as usual.
[ Mrs. Maiven ]
"You kids remember Æsthercaller Brielle?"
"She was assigned to you during registration week."
"But today, you'll meet her properly."
[ Peggy ]
"Wait..."
"Æsthercaller?"
[ Mrs. Maiven ]
"One of the best summoners at Heavenreach Academy."
"Her specialty is..."
"Dungeon Ecology."
Brielle smiled warmly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
[ Instructor Brielle ]
"Pleasure to finally meet all of you again."
"And today..."
"I've brought friends."
The air shimmered with a sudden pulse of æsther as Instructor Brielle stepped forward, her hand tracing a complex glyph in the air. Silvery-blue strands of energy spiraled out like vines, embedding themselves into the ground with a low hum.
From the cracked training soil, small mounds of earth began to quiver.
Then — with a creaking groan — they rose.
Knee-high creatures no taller than two feet emerged, each one looking like a cross between a rotted tree stump and a sprouting bonsai. Their barkskin was dark, flecked with glowing green veins of æsther running through their limbs. Moss draped over their shoulders like shaggy cloaks, and tiny root-like legs writhed beneath them as they took shaky but purposeful steps forward.
Their eyes — twin amber knots glowing faintly in the wood — blinked slowly as if waking from a long slumber. Some had small sprouts or mushrooms growing from their heads, twitching with life.
Druven Saplings.
Despite their size, there was something eerie and almost ancient about them — as if they were memories of the forest, half-forgotten and pulled back into the world through æsther's calling.
A low chittering sound came from one of them as it tilted its head, regarding the children of Ironroot 1A with blank curiosity. Another gave a small hop, landing with a soft thud that sent a puff of spores into the air.
Kaiden took an instinctive step back.
They were cute.
But they were also…
Wrong.
[ HEART ]
[ Æsther Construct: Summon ]
Classification: Elemental (Earth)
Behavior: Protective
Weakness: Fire
Mortality: Æstherbound
Threat Level: Medium
His skill Identify kicked in, and then Awareness.
[ HEART ]
Name: Druven Sapling
Level: 4
______
Health:
200/200
______
Energy:
200/200
______
Attributes:
[ STR: 13 | AGI: 3 | INT: 3 ]
______
Resistance:
Physical 20%
Fire -20%
______
Trait:
Ironbark
Increases physical resistance by 20%
Decreases fire resistance by 20%
______
[ Rio ]
"…Are we supposed to fight those?"
[ Irna ]
"They are..."
"Kinda cute."
One of the Druven let out a hollow wheeze — not from a throat, but the sound of wind passing through split bark. It dragged one of its root-like limbs across the dirt, leaving behind a trail of sprouting clover.
[ Instructor Brielle ]
"Don't let their appearances fool you."
"They are as dangerous as any Vein dwellers."
Nerim took a step behind Rio, getting into position.
[ Nerim (whisper) ]
"I liked the training bot better."
"These tree stumps give me the creeps."
[ Rio ]
"Those aren't tree stumps..."
"Those are ghoststumps."
[ Peggy ]
"What is it with you and ghosts, Rio?"
"Last time, it was ghostbunnies..."
"Wait a minute."
"The sea prince is afraid of ghosts?"
[ Irna ]
"Hehe..."
Rio was silent. Beads of sweat began to drip from his forehead.
[ Mrs. Maiven ]
"The Druven Saplings are a common Tier-1 dungeon floraform in the Iron Vein."
"Passive by nature..."
"But that nature shifts drastically when clustered."
"Which makes them perfect for today's lesson."
Instructor Brielle raised one hand again, and more glyphs spiraled outward, carving the space between the students and the summoned creatures. A faint hum settled into the ground, like a resonating breath.
[ Mrs. Maiven ]
"Adaptation and restraint."
"These Saplings don't attack unless provoked..."
"But your mere presence is already considered a threat."
Peggy furrowed her brow.
[ Peggy ]
"So…"
"Don't move?"
[ Instructor Brielle ]
"Don't act like fools."
The children straightened.
[ Mrs. Maiven ]
"You will be paired..."
"Observe, identify, and predict each Sapling's behavior."
"I want you to learn their response patterns and resource ticks."
"Note what triggers their aggression, and what can deter it."
"Remember any æstheric changes you observe nearby."
[ Kaiden ]
"…So this is an observation exercise?"
[ Mrs. Maiven ]
"Every delve begins with knowledge, Mr. Stagin."
"Any fool can swing a blade."
"But the ones who survive?"
"They ask why the moss only blooms when your back is turned."
A moment passed, and then...
[ Instructor Brielle ]
"Begin."
The field became a slow dance of steps and second-guesses.
Rio and Irna moved together, cautiously circling one Druven Sapling who appeared to be the slowest. It turned as they did, mimicking their angle, arms dragging behind it like tangled roots.
[ Irna ]
"Why is it copying us?"
[ Rio ]
"It's not copying."
"It's predicting."
[ Irna ]
"Oh, good."
"Predictive trees."
One step too fast, and the Druven Sapling's amber eyes pulsed brighter. It flexed its stumpy arms outward, and a puff of green spores misted the air.
[ Irna ]
"That's not a bluff."
[ Rio ]
"Backstep!"
They rolled away just in time, watching as the spore cloud settled into the grass — where mushrooms began sprouting rapidly. Seconds later, the sprouts snapped upward, needle-thin stalks whistling like blades.
[ Irna ]
"…I changed my mind."
"I hate Druvens."
[ Rio ]
"Me too."
Meanwhile, Peggy and Nerim tracked a pair moving in tandem — twins in their shuffling gait, one dragging a root bundle like a limp arm, the other bouncing rhythmically on thick barky stumps.
[ Peggy ]
"They're pulsing."
[ Nerim ]
"Heartbeat."
[ Peggy ]
"No…"
"Rhythm."
He narrowed his eyes. Sure enough, both Druven pulsed faintly in sync — a green flash within their core bark, like veins glowing with bloodlight.
[ Nerim ]
"Æsther resonance..."
"They're synced."
[ Peggy ]
"If one's disturbed…"
[ Nerim ]
"…The other will respond."
"Like a relay."
They didn't have time to test the theory.
The bouncing Druven Sapling suddenly stopped — and turned.
Eyes narrowing. Arms twitching.
[ Peggy ]
"That's not curiosity."
[ Nerim ]
"It's targeting."
[ Peggy ]
"Cover!"
She pushed Nerim down as a cluster of fungus pods launched from the Druven's back, splattering harmlessly against the ground — but sizzling, smoking.
Corrosion.
[ Peggy ]
"All of them are..."
"One."
Elsewhere, Kaiden was assigned solo for the first run.
His Druven Sapling had a jagged break down its middle — like it had been split by lightning and left to regrow. It limped, sluggish and unsure, stopping every few steps to shiver violently.
[ Kaiden ]
"Are you…"
"Okay?"
He spoke without expecting an answer, but the Druven Sapling stopped. Slowly turned. Then, bowed its head slightly, lowering its trunk.
Kaiden hesitated, glancing around. No one was near enough to intervene.
Then he stepped forward — gently.
Nothing happened.
[ Kaiden ]
"Why are you…"
"Not hostile?"
The Druven Sapling lifted its head, glowing eyes narrowing into a different shape — almost sad.
Then it slammed both arms into the dirt.
A fissure cracked beneath Kaiden's feet. He stumbled back — barely missing a snare of vine that whipped upward from the rift.
[ Kaiden ]
"…Okay."
"I deserved that."
◈◈◈
The exercise lasted a few hours.
Not a single one of them escaped unmarked. Rio had green dust on his shoulder. Peggy's boots were corroded. Irna had a bark scratch across her cheek. Nerim's sleeve had been half-digested by fungal acid. Kaiden had dirt up to his knees from three close escapes.
But they were standing.
And they had notes.
Mrs. Maiven gathered them back with a snap of her fingers, eyes scanning each of them with sharp precision.
[ Mrs. Maiven ]
"Well done, children."
She didn't praise them for their survival.
She praised them for their observation.
"Dungeon creatures are not enemies."
"They are phenomena."
"Ecosystems."
"Evolution, pressured into the æsther."
"Regulated by the Vein."
[ Kaiden ]
"So, that means..."
"Each Vein is alive?"
"And the creatures inside..."
"They are just doing their job?"
[ Instructor Brielle ]
"Exactly, Kaiden."
"And your job as delvers is not to kill."
"It's to out-think."
"Remember why you are there in the first place."
[ Peggy ]
"…That doesn't sound heroic."
[ Mrs. Maiven ]
"Then you are finally learning what this work costs."
The sun was sinking by the time they were dismissed. The Druven Saplings had crumbled back into barkdust, their æsther returning to Instructor Brielle's glyphs. The ground was dotted with new fungal growth and moss scars.
As the group trudged back toward the dorm path, Kaiden glanced over his shoulder.
Someone stood watching from the trees.
A student.
Uniform pressed. Hair tidy. Eyes half-lidded in detached interest.
She didn't speak.
Dessie Marron turned slowly and disappeared between the trunks, like mist swallowed by deeper woods.
[ Kaiden ]
"…Who was that?"
[ Peggy ]
"No idea."
But Irna knew.
She always had.