Only a few weeks remained before Kael's second attempt. These were what he called the critical weeks before the test.
His training became even more intense as the day of the attempt drew closer. At the same time, he continued studying the newly revealed pages of the books and practicing the Sync Bilah technique taught by Liraen.
The contents of the three books were completely different from the invention blueprints found in the first pages of each books.
The X and Y books provided Kael with new inventions, while the Z book contained something he had never expected.
The X book revealed a detailed blueprint for what appeared to be a shirt, though it was far more complex than ordinary clothing. It featured multiple pockets, reinforced shoulder plates, fire-resistant and frost-resistant materials, and several belts woven into the design.
Even so, Kael knew it would take quite some time to create a complete set.
The Y book, on the other hand, offered something far more chaotic yet much easier to invent.
It contained the blueprint for a blinding powder. Useful as it was, the invention carried significant risks, much like the bombs described in the previous pages.
This time, however, the Z book did not focus on inventions or technology.
Instead, it contained something ancient yet essential something every Tangible Race in the realm, perhaps every living creature with a physical body, depended on.
A detailed step-by-step guide to proper warm-up and cool-down exercises.
SWOOOSH!
ZAPP!
THUD!
HREKKKK!
The infected Trevian's scream echoed through the forest as Kael's strike landed cleanly on its neck.
"Wow, Human... You seem much faster after that weird dance you keep doing," Nibsken said, sounding genuinely surprised.
"Yeah... actually, I'm surprised too," Kael replied.
"I feel a lot lighter after those warm-ups. It's like my joints are more prepared than usual."
He glanced down at his hands before flexing his legs.
Ever since learning the warm-up and cool-down routines, Kael's Tan'Mara and Satu training had become noticeably easier. He could complete more sets during strength training and recover faster afterward.
He had even come close to defeating Nibsken during their racial races.
But still he has plenty of room for improvement.
Compared to Grak'Mar, Kael was still average when it came to raw strength. Logically, it would be nearly impossible for him to surpass an Ogre like Grak'Mar anytime soon.
His Bilah training had improved as well.
Liraen was slowly recovering from his fatigue and had resumed dueling with Kael. Meanwhile, Kael continued practicing the art of synchronizing with his Bilah.
He still had much to learn.
Talking to his Tesseract, a mechanical sword with a long handle and four blades had become his nature.
Nylum and Liraen were both amazed by Kael's sudden progress.
They knew he would perform better during his second attempt.
Much better than his first.
During his Tawan training, Kael scattered tools and materials across his workspace as he worked on two inventions: the blinding powder and the tactical shirt.
The shirt would greatly improve his chances on this second attempt, while the blinding powder promised to create chaos on the battlefield.
But tonight, Kael delayed his Tawan training after hearing from Elvareth. She told him that tonight was the Ansalar Festival.
As the sun began to set, Kael and his friends gathered in the backyard. Kael, Reyvik, Nylum, and Brasskert stood on Volgran's shoulder platform.
Liraen hovered nearby, flying with his wind Might, while Nibsken perched in a tree, with Grak'Mar standing beneath it.
"Alright, Kael… are you ready for this festival?" Liraen asked excitedly, holding his Ansal Star in his hand as he flew up toward Volgran's shoulder platform using his wind Might.
Kael stood firmly on Volgran's shoulder platform. This was the first time he had ever truly paid attention to the festival. He knew the moon would eventually change color, but he had never learned about the Belan Blessing.
"Of course… not, Ren," Kael replied with a bored expression. "I told you, this is basic astronomy."
"Meh. You're the one who wanted to cancel your Tawan training for this, Humanz," Brasskert said with his rough, teasing accent.
"I may not be excited about the moon changing color," Kael said, "but I want to see whether the Belan Blessing is real… or just a hallucination."
Kael looked at Liraen, his eyes filled with curiosity.
"What do you want the moon to be, Ren?"
Liraen smiled softly. "As you already know, Kael… us Etherians just want peace to be maintained in this realm. So I hope for a blue moon that brings calmness and control for the entire year of the Belan Blessing."
He glanced at Brasskert, who nodded in agreement.
"What about you, Volgran? What color do you want the moon to be?"
"Volgran like green! So I can eat more!" he replied with a wide grin.
Kael laughed and tapped the giant's neck. "Hahaha! Me too, Volgran! I can eat more meat, fish, potatoes, and more!"
Then he turned toward Reyvik.
"What about you, Reyv?"
"Same as you, Kael," Reyvik replied calmly. "I'll accept whatever color it becomes."
He paused.
"As for my people, the Faundrakin… the moon is like a life compass. We need it to exist. I just don't want it to disappear."
"I hope it becomes red," Nylum suddenly interrupted, his watery form rippling as he looked toward the beautiful sunset.
"I don't know about the moons," Kael said quietly, "but somehow this sunset looks so fascinating… What a creation."
For once, he sounded genuinely amazed by something he had seen every day but never truly noticed.
Then his expression shifted.
"Realm Protectors must be struggling right now…" Kael thought, his gaze still fixed on the horizon. "I will become one of them… I will defeat those damned Mishanter."
He stood in silence for a moment.
"Alright… it's about to happen, guys," Liraen announced.
"Yeah… let's see," Kael replied, crossing his arms.
Slowly, the three suns began to disappear beneath the horizon.
And then, the fifteen moons began to show.
At first, they were only faint shapes against the darkening sky.
But gradually, they became clearer each one revealing its own color.
The group fell silent.
Something was wrong.
The colors they had hoped for… were not there.
"Huh?"
"What…?"
"Impossible…"
All of Kael's friends stood frozen in shock.
The colour of each moons… Is White moons.
That was not what any of them expected.
"White moons… Ogre! You see that?!" Nibsken suddenly shouted, leaping down from the tree.
"Yeah… we need to go back, Goblin," Grak'Mar replied, his gaze locked on the sky.
Meanwhile, Liraen, Reyvik, Nylum, and Volgran remained silent still in shock.
White?
Kael was the only one who didn't understand their reaction.
"What does that mean, Ren?" he asked.
Liraen still held his Ansal Star tightly in his hand. He didn't raise it.
"White…" he murmured. "The last time I saw this… was the same year I, Grak'Mar, and Volgran"
His voice stopped.
His expression darkened.
"The same year the Third Etherian Castle was attacked by the Mishanter… The same year we almost died in its ruins."
"Yeah, I know it's white," Kael said, frowning. "But what does it actually mean? Did all those so-called blessings already run out?"
Kael's tone is a bit mocking.
"No, Humanzz…" Brasskert interrupted quietly. "From what I know… white means uncertainty."
"Uncertainty?" Kael repeated, confused.
"Kael…" Liraen said suddenly. "Can we postpone our training tomorrow?"
"Hm? Why? Is there something you need to do?"
Kael looked around at Brasskert, Nylum, and Reyvik. They all gave him a silent nod.
"…Yeah," Liraen said. "And I believe all of them have the same reason."
Kael exhaled slowly.
"Wait. We need to talk about this first. Volgran, put us down."
Without hesitation, Volgran lowered his hand from the shoulder platform.
Thud.
Kael and his friends landed on the ground.
"Thanks, Volgran."
Kael walked straight to the wooden table. The others followed.
"Alright," he said seriously. "Explain to me what just happened. Why do we need to cancel training, Ren? I'm not forcing you if you have something to do but at least tell me."
"…You're right," Liraen replied. "First, we need to explain what the white moon really means."
His eyes moved across all of them.
Volgran. Nylum. Nibsken. Grak'Mar. Reyvik. Brasskert.
…and Kael.
The sight reminded Kael of something of the underground level, where stories about the Mishanter and Commander Aeronis's past were told.
But this time… it felt different.
It wasn't just a story anymore.
It was about what every race in this realm had to do when faced with something unexpected.
Liraen let out a small smile. Then he looked around at all his friends.
"Well, guys… you already know what this moon means, right?"
They all nodded.
Then Liraen's gaze settled on Kael.
"Kael… this moon represents uncertainty."
"Okay…" Kael replied. "So?"
"That means this year… There is no confirmed blessing. It could be anything blue, green, or any of the fifteen moon colors that grant the Belan Blessing."
Kael tilted his head slightly.
"So it's good then… still just a blessing."
"I hope so…" Reyvik suddenly interrupted.
He stepped forward slightly.
"Like the Elf said, it's uncertain, Human. That means it could be any of the fifteen Blessings…"
He paused.
"…but it could also be one of the fifteen Curses. The Belan Curse."
"Belan Curse?" Kael frowned.
"Yeah," Reyvik said quietly. "Each of the fifteen Belan Blessings has a counterpart… called a Belan Curse."
"So if the white moon curse is the green Belan Curse, that means this year… crops are having a hard time. That's an easy way to explain it to you."
Kael leaned back slightly, thinking.
"Alright guys…
"I think I need to show you something. Let me show you how probability works."
He grabbed a pen and paper from the table and began drawing. One by one, he sketched thirty circles, labeling each one with a different moon color.
"Alright, Ren… do you know when exactly this moon last appeared?"
"Yeah… I know exactly. It was twenty years ago," Liraen answered.
"And was it a blessing or a curse?" Kael asked.
"It was definitely a red moon curse, Human," Grak'Mar replied.
Liraen nodded in agreement.
"Ah… I see," Kael murmured. "So the last white moon was also a curse. A red moon curse."
He continued drawing.
"Okay, now tell me can the same color repeat in consecutive years? Like if it's blue this year… Can it be blue again next year?"
"No. It can't be repeated," Liraen answered. "It must always be a different color and a different Belan Blessing."
Kael nodded.
"Alright. So did the white moon happen before that red moon curse?"
"Yes… I think about ten years before that. And it was also a curse."
"I see," Kael said. "What curse was it back then?"
"If I'm not mistaken… It was a blue Belan Curse. That year was more chaotic than usual."
Kael paused.
"And for all your lives… Do you remember the last time a white moon brought a blessing instead of a curse?"
The group looked at each other in silence, thinking hard.
One by one, they shook their heads.
"I don't really remember, Kael…" Liraen said quietly. "It seems the white moon always brings curses to this realm."
Kael nodded slowly.
His hand moved again.
He drew lines across several circles.
One by one, he marked them with an "X."
Everyone looked at each other, still trying to process what Kael was explaining.
"Alright… you guys still don't get it yet. It's okay. I'll explain it again."
Kael turned the paper toward them.
"Here. Ren said all fifteen white moons appeared about twenty years ago, and ten years even before that. And Grak'Mar said it was definitely a red moon Belan Curse, right?"
They all nodded.
"Since last year all the moons are green, that means it's impossible for this to be the green Belan Blessing or Curse."
"And… you all said this white moon always makes people panic. It has basically become a pattern that it's treated as a curse."
Kael tapped the paper.
"If that's the case… the probability of this being a curse isn't as certain as you guys think."
"not only is the white moon rare… it's also said to be either a blessing or a curse."
"In probability terms… it's still fifty-fifty every time the white moon appears. A completely new trial."
He looked up at them.
"So yes… this time the curse could still happen. It's still a fifty-fifty chance. But remember it's rare for the same outcome to repeat consecutively."
Kael pointed at the circles he had drawn.
"I'm not saying it's unlikely to be a curse. I'm saying you don't need to assume it will always be one."
"So what you're saying is… this white moon is not likely to become a curse?" Reyvik's ears twitched as he asked.
"No," Kael replied immediately. "It still can happen. It's always fifty-fifty. Whether blessing or curse it's just a new independent trial."
"Are ya saying we don't need to prepare for the curse since it's rare, Humazzz?" Brasskert pressed.
Kael exhaled.
"I'm not saying you shouldn't prepare. I'm saying you don't need to panic. Prepare as usual but don't live in fear of something just because it feels familiar."
The Problem of Induction... Kael muttered silently in his mind while narrowing his eyes.
"How are you so sure, Human?" Grak'Mar crossed his arms.
"Sure?" Kael let out a short laugh. "There's nothing 'sure' about probability, Grak'Mar. That's the worst thing about certainty."
"But at least probability gives you something to hold onto. A framework. A grip. Not just waiting for miracles."
Then Reyvik spoke.
"And what if the curse still happens?"
Kael looked at him calmly.
"Then so be it."
"I'd rather die because of a miscalculation… than live because of uncalculated fear."
"Soooo then…" Nylum's watery figure rippled nervously. "We just have to hope it doesn't become a cuuuurse? But... I'm still afraid it will."
"Yeah," Kael replied calmly. "You can hope for that. But don't spend all your time worrying about something bad that hasn't even been confirmed yet."
"Why, Human?" Nibsken asked.
Kael paused for a moment.
"Well... there's an old saying I know."
"Anything that can go wrong... might go wrong."
Murphy's Law, he finished silently in his mind. He decided not to say the name aloud. The last thing he wanted was for everyone to start asking about another strange theory or unfamiliar phrase.
All of them nodded
Alright Kael… But we still need to prepare, right? Liraen asked
"Sure," Kael nodded.
"So we still don't have training tomorrow?" he added.
"Yeah… I think that's the best thing we can do right now. Prepare."
Kael gave a small nod of confirmation.
"Alright guys… I think that's it," he said with a faint smile.
Everyone nodded.
Grak'Mar and Nibsken touch Kael's shoulder and give him a thumbs-up before they leave, followed by the others as they head away from Kael's house.
"Bye Kaeeell!" Nylum called out, his body rippling as he was the last one to leave, leaving Kael alone at the wooden table.
After everyone had left, Kael sat in silence, thinking about the fact that there would be no training tomorrow and that his second attempt for Aeronis Training was coming soon.
Sigh… What should I do now?
His eyes landed on the bracelet CC Yiell had given him after his first attempt. He usually didn't wear it during training because its strange, liquid-like texture made him uncomfortable.
"Yeah… why not call CC Yiell…"
Kael grabbed his blade and lightly cut the edge of his finger.
Shhk.
A drop of blood fell.
He quickly placed the bracelet on.
At first, nothing happened.
Then—
A wave of wind hit his face.
ZOOOP!
"Woah! What is that—!"
Kael immediately stood up from his wooden chair and without even realising, there was a voice from his back.
"That's how the bracelet reacts, Kael."
A voice came from behind him.
A cold hand rested on his shoulder.
"Ahh! That fast? How did you get here, El?"
Kael turned around.
CC Yiell stood there calmly.
"Haaah… you need to expect more from a Commander Candidate, Kael."
"Yeah… heh heh." Kael scratched the back of his head.
"Alright, so? What do you need me for?"
"Well… you know my second at— wait, why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be preparing too? It's the White Moon, you know that, right?"
"Yeah… you're right. I was actually on my way back, but I overheard your conversation about the Belan Blessing and Curse… and somehow that made me a bit calmer."
"That's also why I got here faster. Normally it takes me five minutes or more to respond to your call."
He looked at Kael's wooden table.
"Alright then… I don't really mind. I'm just glad you understand, El."
"Haha… I almost fainted trying to process all that, btw." CC Yiell chuckled.
Kael sighed and gave him a bored look.
"How dumb all the races in this realm can be?…"
"Okay, El… You know my friends are all preparing for the White Moon tomorrow, so I don't have training. My second attempt is less than two weeks away,what should I do now?"
"Hmm…First of all," CC Yiell said, tapping his shoulder, "no need to panic, Kael. It's still only your second attempt out of four."
"Second… I can give you a few tips that might help."
Kael nodded as CC Yiell continued.
"As I remember… Before I went to the Academy Invocation Ceremony, my father and my brother who had already become Realm Protectors were the ones who trained me."
"But just like me now, they were busy with night patrols."
"One month before the ceremony… they were caught in a major war."
"They never returned."
"Not even after I became a Commander Candidate."
"Wait…What happened to them, El?" Kael asked curiously.
CC Yiell shook his head slowly.
"They were gone, Kael."
"That night… It was raining heavily. I waited for them to return, but instead, a few Realm Protectors of the Night came to my home."
"They told me both of them had fallen… while facing the Mishanter that had almost entered the Bale'par Region Zone where most of the Durvakian and Faundrakin live together."
CC Yiell exhaled.
"I… I was in despair back then. I could barely move from my place."
"I'm… I'm sorry, El," Kael said quietly, stunned. He didn't know what else to say.
He felt pity for CC Yiell… but also anger.
Anger toward the Mishanter.
Just how much trauma and loss had the Mishanter already brought upon this realm?
"It's okay, Kael. It's not your fault," CC Yiell said gently. "Let me continue."
"In my grief… I stopped training for almost a week. I even thought about giving up."
"Until…. she appeared."
"She?" Kael repeated.
"Yes. She is the one who made me return to the path of the Realm Protector."
"She is now the Commander of the South… Her name is Senera. Commander Senera."
"Just like you, she tested me but in a different way."
"She didn't test me through battle or duels. She tested me on consistency."
"She didn't teach me new techniques or skills. She said to me…"
Remember what your father and brother taught you. I cannot teach you anything new, because what they already gave you is enough.
"What I want to say is… continue what you've already been taught by your friends. That is how it works with me."
"So… I just practised what my friends already trained me?" Kael asked.
CC Yiell nodded.
"You will have your chance this time, Kael. You will… no you need to do better than last time."
"Yeah… I will, El!" Kael said, energized again.
"That's the spirit…. How about that chaotic plan against the Etherians I told you about? Have you tested it?"
"Yeah… but I still can't see how it would work against them."
"Haha," CC Yiell laughed. "Of course. You still need to be more chaotic, Kael. Etherians are easy to panic but for the one who is already used to it… Maybe you need more effort for it."
Kael nodded slowly.
"Thanks, El… and once again, I'm sorry for your loss."
"Nah… it's alright. Don't be sorry for something that's already in the past."
Kael nodded again. Listening to a Commander Candidate like him he didn't quite know how to respond properly.
"Kael… we are not immortal. We will eventually die whether from old age, accidents, or simply from protecting this realm."
"So just ask me whenever you need something. If I know the answer, I'll tell you."
"Because the knowledge we pass down will surpass what so-called immortality… That's one of the best things I learned from the Noble's of All Races book."
"Book?" Kael blinked. "Wait… you guys can read?"
Thud!
"Ou hey!" Kael winced as CC Yiell smacked him on the head.
"What was that for?!"
"Of course we can read, human…"
"Okay, okay, I get it… what's the book called then?"
"If I remember correctly… it's called Buku Lalu. All nobles of every race are required to read it to learn the history of the Fatamorgana realm."
"Wow… sounds cool! Can I read it?"
"Read it?" CC Yiell laughed. "Hahaha, that's only for nobles like me. If commoners try to read it, the words won't even be visible to them."
"Cheh… nobles…" Kael muttered, slightly irritated.
CC Yiell chuckled softly.
"Oh… it's about time, Kael. I have to go."
"Alright, El…" Kael still sounded a little annoyed.
"Remember what I told you. Stay consistent. Maintain what they already taught you. Don't try anything new yet your second attempt is near."
CC Yiell placed a hand on Kael's head.
"Show them, human… show them what your brilliant brain can do."
Kael met his eyes, determination returning.
"Yeah! I won't disappoint you, El!"
CC Yiell smiled, nodded—
And in an instant.
SWOOOSH!
He vanished from sight.
"…Maintain and be consistent," Kael murmured. "Got it, El."
With less than two weeks remaining before the second attempt, Kael focused entirely on what he had already learned.
Not to win the test.
But to prove what he had learned, failed, and improve.
End.