The sky was still dark when Jett woke. The storm had left behind a heavy stillness. Puddles on the cobblestones reflected the first line of gray at the edge of the horizon.
Sparkpup lay curled against his side, tiny sparks flickering with each breath. Jett reached down and rubbed its head. The pup yipped and wagged, already awake.
"Morning," Jett whispered. "Guess we've got work."
He ate bread left from last night and shared a piece with Sparkpup, who chewed it noisily. Then he strapped the Bond Band tight around his wrist and stepped into the cool air.
The lighthouse loomed in the distance, black against the softening sky. Mira had said to meet her there at dawn. Jett tightened his hood and started the walk.
Training Grounds
Mira and her white stag were waiting by the base of the lighthouse. The stag's antlers glowed faintly, throwing soft light across the broken stones.
"You showed up," Mira said. "Good. Many kids take the bond one day and run scared the next."
"I'm not running," Jett said.
She studied him for a long moment, then nodded. "Lesson two: Every Keeper trains with their Arcling until they can move as one. No bond, no survival." She pointed toward a flat stretch of stone near the sea. "Show me your stance. Sparkpup at your side."
Jett stepped onto the stone, Sparkpup padding next to him. Waves slapped against the rocks below. The pup gave a bark, sparks dancing across its fur.
"First command," Mira said. "Have it move on your signal. Just a dash. Nothing fancy."
Jett took a breath. "Sparkpup—Quick Pounce!"
The pup darted forward in a blur, paws skimming stone. It landed, spun, and bounded back with its tongue out.
Mira raised an eyebrow. "Sharp reaction. Try again. This time, add aim."
She tossed a stick into the air. Jett shouted the command. Sparkpup leapt, snapped the stick in its teeth, and landed clumsily. The sparks on its fur dimmed with the effort.
"Good enough for now," Mira said. "But don't forget—every move costs. Push too hard, and your partner will burn out before the fight is over."
Jett knelt and scratched Sparkpup behind the ears. "You did great. We'll go slow."
The pup barked in agreement.
The Wild Encounter
A harsh cry split the air. Jett spun. A dark shape wheeled above the broken lighthouse windows.
"Another Rustbeak?" Jett asked.
Mira shook her head. "No. Smaller. That's a Clawfin—Wind type. They circle the sea for fish. Harmless alone, but this one looks curious."
The bird-shaped Arcling swooped low. Its body shimmered like mist, wings long and thin. Its talons scraped the stone and sparks of wind whistled at the tips.
"Your chance," Mira said. She held up a small glass seal. "A trial capture. If you can weaken it and focus your bond, the seal will draw it in."
Jett's pulse quickened. "Me? Already?"
"You want to be a Keeper?" she said. "Then prove it."
Jett stepped forward. Sparkpup tensed, fur buzzing.
"Sparkpup—Zap Pop!"
The pup leapt. A sharp crack of lightning burst in front of the Clawfin. The bird screeched and banked, wings beating faster. It sent a slice of wind down like a blade.
"Dodge!" Jett shouted.
Sparkpup rolled aside. The stone cracked where the wind hit. Jett swallowed. This was no fish crate. This was real.
"Close in! Quick Pounce!"
The pup dashed, claws scraping. It slammed into the Clawfin's chest. The bird staggered but didn't fall. Its wings whipped, throwing Sparkpup back.
The pup slid, sparks dim. It looked at Jett, ears flat.
"You're okay," Jett said quickly. "One more. Charge it up—Howl Charge!"
Sparkpup threw back its head. The howl rang sharp and clear. Lightning crawled over its body, brighter than before. It charged, faster than Jett could follow, and struck the Clawfin mid-wing.
The bird cried out, stunned, feathers flashing with static.
"Now!" Mira shouted. She tossed him the glass seal.
Jett caught it, nearly dropping it in his wet hands. The seal glowed faintly. He aimed it at the flailing Clawfin and thought as hard as he could: Come here. Be mine.
The seal shone. A line of light shot out, wrapping the Clawfin. With a flash, the bird vanished into the glass. The seal clicked shut, warm in Jett's palm.
Jett stared at it, chest heaving. "I… I did it."
"You did," Mira said. She folded her arms. "First capture. Not clean, not perfect, but yours."
Sparkpup barked and bounced, tail crackling with sparks. Jett laughed and scooped it up. "We're a team now. All of us."
The seal in his hand pulsed once, faint and steady, like a new heartbeat.
A Keeper's Promise
As the sun broke the horizon, light painted the sea in streaks of gold. Jett stood at the lighthouse steps, seal in one hand, Sparkpup in the other.
Mira's voice was calm but heavy. "A Keeper's road is long, boy. Today it feels like a game. Tomorrow it won't. But if you stay with your partners—if you listen—you may live to see the end of it."
Jett looked down at Sparkpup, then at the glowing seal. His chest swelled with something new—fear and joy tangled together.
"I'm not going back to crates and fish," he said. "This is it. This is my road."
Mira gave a short smile. "Then the road begins now."
The waves crashed, the lighthouse stood, and Jett Ember took his first step as a true Keeper.