The training chamber pulsed with energy, its crystalline walls absorbing and reflecting fragments of light from the floating Veil Core at its center. The atmosphere was tense but quiet—broken only by the rhythmic hum of the core as Rudraen stood before Ariv and Rohit, arms crossed, his sharp eyes glimmering with expectation.
"Today," Rudraen began, his voice echoing, calm yet commanding, "you'll stop relying on instincts and start bending your Veil to your will. First Form: Combat Mastery. Until you master it, you're nothing more than children with loaded weapons."
Ariv smirked faintly. "Loaded weapons aren't so bad when the shot always hits."
Rudraen didn't smile. Instead, a thin wave of his aura rippled outward, a force so heavy it made Rohit's knees weaken. "Confidence without control is chaos, Ariv. Chaos gets your friends killed."
Ariv clenched his jaw. His eyes flickered toward Vaishnavi and Neel observing from the far edge of the chamber. Vaishnavi's calm gaze steadied him, while Neel's expression was cold, analytical—as if judging every movement.
"Show me what you have," Rudraen ordered.
---
First Attempt – Rohit's Struggle
Rohit stepped forward, rolling his shoulders. His fists tightened as molten cracks glowed along his forearms. The ground beneath him splintered, stone shards rising and swirling like dust devils.
"Come on, Terra Veil... obey me," Rohit muttered through gritted teeth.
The cracks flared, a sharp burst of heat erupting around him. A gauntlet of molten rock formed around his right arm—unstable, sizzling, chunks falling apart before they could harden.
"Hold it steady," Rudraen commanded, his tone cutting like a blade.
"I'm trying!" Rohit roared. The gauntlet solidified briefly—an impressive sight—but then exploded in fragments, leaving his arm steaming and raw.
"Not bad," Rudraen said flatly. "But if that were a fight, you'd be dead."
Rohit cursed under his breath, frustration seeping through his clenched fists.
---
Ariv Steps In
Now, all eyes turned to Ariv. He strode forward without hesitation, his boots clicking against the chamber floor. His aura was calm yet dense, like a storm waiting to break.
"Galaxy Zenith," he whispered, feeling the Veil stir inside him, coiling like a sleeping beast.
As his focus deepened, threads of shimmering light spiraled around his arm—colors bending like fragments of galaxies. Stars flickered in miniature bursts along the veins of his forearm. The energy condensed, forming a sleek gauntlet—not heavy, but sharp-edged and alive, veins of cosmic light pulsing like a heartbeat.
Vaishnavi's breath caught in her throat. "That... doesn't look normal," she whispered.
Even Rudraen's stoic expression cracked, just for a moment. So, he's already syncing with the Zenith Core instinctively... dangerous.
Ariv flexed his fingers, the gauntlet responding like an extension of his body. No strain. No instability. It was as if his soul and the Veil were one.
"Perfect balance," Rudraen murmured under his breath. Louder, he said, "Ariv. Do you even understand what you just did?"
"Guess I passed your little test," Ariv said coolly, lowering his arm—but his eyes flickered, sensing the depth of power still buried inside. This is only the first form?
---
Rudraen exhaled slowly, masking his concern. If this was only Ariv's first form... what would happen when the rest awakened?
"Training's not over," Rudraen said sharply, turning his back. "Tomorrow, you start on Second Form—Energy Surge. Fail that, and this chamber will be your grave."
As the chamber dimmed and the Veil Core's hum softened, Ariv glanced sideways at Vaishnavi, who gave him a faint smile of reassurance. But when he looked at Neel, the boy's cold stare hadn't changed.
"Impressive," Neel said flatly. "But power like that... tends to attract storms you can't handle."
Ariv didn't answer. He just clenched his fist inside the fading shimmer of the gauntlet. Somewhere deep inside, he could hear a voice—a whisper from the Galaxy Zenith:
Seven paths await you... and each one will test your soul.