The lighthouse stones still glistened from last night's storm. Waves slapped gently below, calmer now, as if the sea itself had tired from the fight.
Jett sat cross-legged near the base of the tower. Sparkpup dozed at his feet, tail twitching with tiny sparks. In Jett's hand, the seal that held Clawfin pulsed faintly, like it breathed in rhythm with him.
Mira stood a few paces away, her arms folded. Her stag, Lumenstag, grazed quietly on sea-grass that grew between the rocks, its glowing antlers throwing soft light.
"You held your ground yesterday," Mira said. "But fighting and capturing is only half the work. Today you'll learn to call your Arclings and to balance your bond. Too many young Keepers forget their partners are not tools. They are lives."
Jett nodded quickly. "I get it. Sparkpup's not a tool. It's… it's my friend."
The pup barked in its sleep, as if agreeing. Mira gave a faint smile.
"Good. Now, focus on the seal."
Jett lifted the glass capsule. The Clawfin's misty shape swirled inside, wings folded, eyes closed. He felt its tiredness through the bond—a thin thread, weaker than Sparkpup's but real.
"Think of it," Mira said. "Name it. Speak to it in your mind. Then call it into the world."
Jett took a breath. Clawfin… come out.
The seal flashed. Light poured out and formed into the bird, who landed on the stone with a soft rush of air. Its feathers shimmered pale gray, its eyes bright and wary.
Sparkpup woke with a sharp bark and hopped up, sparks flashing. The Clawfin hissed and spread its wings, but Mira raised a hand.
"Steady. They'll argue until you set the tone."
Jett crouched low. "Easy, both of you. We're a team now."
The bond lines pulsed—yellow for Sparkpup, pale silver for Clawfin—running from the stones in his band to his chest. For a heartbeat he felt them both at once, like two voices overlapping in his head.
Sparkpup's voice was a quick crackle: Let's go! Let's fight!
Clawfin's was a whisper of wind: Do not cage me. Show me the sky.
Jett blinked. "I can… hear them."
Mira's eyes sharpened. "So soon? Most new Keepers take weeks to catch whispers. The bond is strong with you."
Jett touched the band, awe in his chest. "What else can it do?"
"Much," Mira said. "But one lesson at a time. For now—make them trust each other. Trust is your armor."
First Team Drill
Mira tossed a wooden target into the air, a thick disk bound with rope. "Clawfin, midair. Sparkpup, cover."
Jett stood tall. "Sparkpup—Quick Pounce! Clawfin—Gale Slice!"
Clawfin's wings beat once. A sharp wind cut across the air, splitting the disk. Sparkpup leapt at the same moment, landing where the halves fell, sparks snapping to scatter the pieces.
The timing was rough, but it worked. Jett laughed out loud. "Did you see that? They actually—"
"Again," Mira said. "Until they move as one breath, not two."
They drilled until the sun rose higher. Clawfin grew steadier, Sparkpup quicker. Once, they even combined—Clawfin's wind push carried Sparkpup higher, letting it slam down with a Howl Charge that cracked the stone.
Mira called a halt. "Enough. Overwork them and you'll gain nothing but injuries. They've done well."
Jett knelt, panting as hard as his Arclings. Both partners pressed close, one warm with sparks, the other cool with mist. His chest ached in a good way.
"Not bad for a dock rat," Mira said.
"Not bad for a teacher either," Jett shot back.
Her mouth twitched, almost a smile. "You've got spirit. Keep it sharp, not reckless."
The Call from Town
A horn blew from Ember Coast. Three short blasts, then one long. Jett stiffened. "That's the harbor watch alarm."
Mira's face went serious. "Trouble." She whistled and Lumenstag lifted its head, antlers blazing.
"Come, Jett," she said. "Lesson three comes faster than I planned."
They ran down the rocky slope toward the village. From above, Jett saw smoke curling near the market. People shouted, running from the stalls.
At the center of the square, something heavy moved between the carts. A squat shape with jagged stone skin and eyes like burning coal.
"Gravelmaw," Mira said grimly. "Stone type. Wild. It must have wandered down from the cliffs."
The beast snapped its maw on a wooden cart, splintering it like kindling. Sparks flew as it chewed.
Jett swallowed. "We're fighting that?"
"You are," Mira said. "With my cover. Show me you can command both your Arclings in true battle."
Jett's stomach flipped. He looked at Sparkpup and Clawfin. Both were ready, eyes bright. His band glowed warm on his wrist.
He clenched his fists. "Alright. Let's do this together."
Clash in the Market
"Clawfin—Gale Slice! Sparkpup—Zap Pop!"
Wind and lightning struck in a cross. The Gravelmaw roared, shaking off dust, then slammed its stone fists down. The ground cracked, sending shockwaves through the square.
Jett stumbled, nearly falling. "Stay up! Hit its legs!"
Sparkpup darted low, biting sparks into one leg joint. Clawfin swooped, blasting wind into the dust to blind the beast.
The Gravelmaw swung wildly. A stone fist grazed Clawfin's wing and the bird shrieked, tumbling.
"Clawfin!" Jett cried. His chest burned. He felt its pain through the bond like a sharp cut.
Mira's voice was calm but urgent. "Balance them, Jett. Don't split yourself apart. Guide them as one."
Jett closed his eyes. He breathed deep. In his mind, two voices rose—crackle and whisper. He didn't force them apart. He pulled them together.
"Sparkpup, climb its back! Clawfin, give it lift!"
The bird swept low, blasting air that boosted Sparkpup higher. The pup howled, body glowing with charge, and landed square on Gravelmaw's shoulders.
"Bolt Bite!" Jett roared.
Sparkpup bit down. Lightning shot through the beast's stone hide, cracks glowing. The Gravelmaw staggered, bellowed, then collapsed with a thunderous crash.
Dust settled. The square went silent. Then the villagers cheered.
Jett dropped to his knees, heart pounding. Sparkpup limped back to him, fur smoking slightly but eyes proud. Clawfin circled once overhead, then landed near his shoulder, feathers ruffled.
Mira strode forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Not clean. Not easy. But real. You fought like a Keeper."
Jett laughed, breathless. "Then I guess… I really am one."
The Road Opens
By midday, the Gravelmaw had been sealed and taken to the wild cliffs. The townsfolk pressed food and thanks into Jett's hands. Old Bran clapped his back so hard he almost fell.
That evening, Mira met him at the dock. The sun set in streaks of red and gold over the sea.
"You can't stay in Ember Coast," she told him. "The bond road lies ahead. Trials, wilds, rivals. If you wish to grow, you must travel."
Jett looked back at the small house he had lived in, then at Sparkpup and Clawfin beside him. His chest tightened. But when he looked at the horizon, he felt something larger waiting.
"Where do we go first?" he asked.
Mira pointed north, past the cliffs and rivers. "To the Ember Coast Trials. Ten tests, each harder than the last. Pass them, and you'll earn your first Crest."
Jett grinned. "Sounds perfect."
He tightened his jacket, adjusted the Bond Band, and took his first steps beyond the town he had always known. Sparkpup barked. Clawfin spread its wings. The road had opened.