At six in the morning, both Mammys ascended to the top floor by elevator and silently opened the bed curtains, pausing to take in the sight before them.
Both Morgranna and Morgana tutted in annoyance: Bane was tangled in the middle of what could only be described as a pile-up, tightly enveloped by both Twins—limbs entwined around him even more thoroughly than an octopus could manage.
"Ha, at least Er's face isn't pressed into the pillow anymore," Morgranna grumbled.
"We only have to worry about Bane being able to breathe from now on," Morgana echoed, shaking her head at the trio's antics, even while asleep.
"Alright, time to wake them up. Get ready for extraction and possible rescue from instinctive attacks," Morgranna warned, counting them in.
"Yi, Er, Bane, wake up!" both Mammys called in unison, their voices firm yet gentle.
Bane's eyes snapped open, his body tensing and then relaxing, while the Twins slowly woke with groggy grumbling.
Both Mammys murmured as they carefully extracted Bane from the Twins' entangled limbs and bodies, sending him off to wash and dress first while the Twins continued to wake up on the bed.
As Bane brushed his teeth, a sleepy Yi padded to the washbasins, while Er stubbornly kept pressing his face into his pillow—much to Morgranna's frustration. Finally, she hauled him upright, deciding that he seemed intent on claiming the bed as an extension of himself today.
As Bane walked to his wardrobe to dress, Er waddled to the washbasins with Morgranna's exasperated help. By the time the Twins finished washing and brushing their teeth, Bane was already grooming his halo and brushing his hair.
The Twins then padded over to their closet, dressed, and, by the time they sat at their stools at the dressing table to groom their horns, were much more awake. Both Mammys worked together to tie their hair the way they liked, while Bane watched curiously.
When finished, the trio followed the Mammys down to the first floor for breakfast and coffee, which Bane—as expected—loved. They ate and sipped in companionable silence, gazing at the view before rising to begin their new training day as a trio.
Upon arriving at the training grounds by carriage, they had about fifteen minutes to wait for the Teachers, spending that time in the reception area finishing off their coffee. Students, spotting the Twins and Bane, began gathering nearby, ready to watch and record what would unfold today. Already, videos were being uploaded to Conclave and online discussions heated up.
Teacher Armorum then led the trio to the agora—a cavernous arena repurposed for their first trio module. The floor shimmered with energy grids, ready to simulate shifting battlefields. Today's lessons would go beyond duos: now, students would be tested in trios, with adaptability under pressure and newly Awakened Talents woven into every moment.
Armorum's gaze swept over them, both approving and expectant. "Yesterday, you set records as a duo. Today, you integrate the unpredictable—your Oath-bound bond, new Talents, and a third perspective. Stay fluid."
Peritus stepped forward and started the simulation: pillars surged upward, concealment fields spun across the room, and drone opponents materialised—programmed to exploit hesitation and outmanoeuvre lone wolves. Gravity shifted unpredictably, threatening everyone's balance.
The Twins adapted almost immediately, their wordless partnership drawing Bane into their current. Chaos Er darted forward, improvising around shifting traps; Chaos Yi countered with precise cover, his awareness now encompassing every move Bane made. Bane, momentarily overwhelmed by psychic echoes of his Talent, rallied—dimming the ambient chaos with a wave of existential calm and then striking as drones faltered.
Obstacles combined: a collapsing bridge required synchronous action, so Yi barked an order. Er spun, extended his arm, and Bane followed, the trio vaulting over the gap in perfect unison. Onlookers—faculty and students alike—clustered behind the observation barriers, holding their breath as the team solved each new challenge.
Near the end, the room transformed into even more hostile terrain, interference waves spiking. For a few seconds, even the Twins lost their rhythm—until Bane, usually silent, cut through the static: "In step, Chaos. Together."
Their bond stabilised. The Oath shimmered to life, now visible in their collective determination and seamless coordination. When simulacra of Academy instructors presented the final challenge, the trio moved as one: Er improvising flanks, Yi pacing the group, and Bane enforcing an eerie, suffocating focus.
When the final whistle blew, Armorum and Peritus conferred quietly, faces tinged with awe. "The Academy is going to have to rewrite the manuals for this generation," Peritus murmured.
The Twins, triumphant, nudged Bane—who only smirked. Above the arena, Conclave's feeds exploded with speculation and admiration. The bar for teamwork—and Talent—was raised yet again.
[Conclave Student Forum] - New: Trio Training Thread
Lightweaver22: Did anyone else see how Bane and the Twins handled that collapsing bridge? Unreal synchronicity. Never seen teamwork like that before.
FeralArchivist: The way Bane's Talent calmed the chaos was wild. Legit thought they were done for when the interference peaked. Can anyone explain their Oath?
AureliaSun: The trio's vault over the gap? That clip should be mandatory in strategy classes. I've replayed it five times already.
EchoedStorm: How do the Twins communicate so effortlessly with Bane? Mindlink, or just instinct? Whatever it is, the sim drones never stood a chance.
SpectraFan: The sim where the instructors showed up—ICONIC. Er flanked left, Yi covered the field, and Bane radiated pure calm. This generation is rewriting the playbook.
Sensorium: The Oath's shimmer looks like literal resonance syncing! Peritus basically said the old manuals are obsolete after today.
Pulsewatcher: Got chills when Bane said, "In step, Chaos. Together." The whole faculty seemed floored. Anyone else think this trio could go pro now?
InkedMage: Bet there'll be a surge in new team combos after today's run. Respect to the Twins for bringing Bane in so smoothly. Legendary teamwork—can't wait for the next stream!
As the trio ate lunch with the Teachers under the watchful gazes of the whole student body, Bane quietly asked, "Are the stares always this intense?"
"Hmm? Stares? I always ignore them so that I couldn't tell you," Yi replied, shaking his head. Er shook his head, too.
Teacher Armorum answered, "Today is a little more intense, probably because you're here, Bane. Get used to it; these two are watched like hawks by students and faculty alike. Like the Twins, just ignore it—unless you detect malicious intent, then you can act."
Bane nodded and continued eating, courtesy of Morgranna, while Peritus mused, "Bane, is your lunch identical to the Twins'?"
Bane gave a confused nod. Peritus explained, "The Twins have personalised lunches with B-level meat and the rest C-level, crafted by Morgranna herself. I'm surprised you're able to handle it as well."
"She wouldn't do it if she wasn't a hundred percent certain you could handle it!" Er clarified to the still-confused Bane.
"Pure C-level isn't enough for them, and pure B-level is too potent, so Morgranna makes them a tailored diet. That's why they always bring packed lunches instead of eating the Academy food."
"If they ate the Academy lunches, they'd eat like ravenous wolves instead of the 'normal humans' they resemble now," Peritus joked.
Bane, realising, nodded. "Now I get why my food was more filling and my portion of meat slightly smaller than theirs!"
"As long as you like the taste, that's all Morgranna needs to hear," Yi replied with a shrug.
As they finished eating and sipped hot tea, an online discussion sparked up again.
[Conclave Student Forum] - Live: Cafeteria Cam
SecondCupSeer: Did you see the Teachers' lunch table today? The whole hall froze the moment Bane sat with the Twins.
CloudByte: More stressful than today's sim, honestly. I'd lose it if the whole cafeteria stared at me like that... Yi and Er don't care at all!
TangledScroll: Bane finally asked about the stares! Glad someone said it. Er and Yi's total indifference is peak confidence.
SpoonTheory: Armorum just tells Bane to ignore it unless there's danger. Wonder what would actually make the Twins react.
HeraldOfFlavor: Morgranna personally cooks for them? B-level and C-level meat? Wild. No wonder they're thriving. Bane was so confused until Peritus explained.
Kettlewitch: Obsessed with their custom diets! Everyone else gets mass-produced food, and they have legendary bento. And the "ravenous wolves" joke—Peritus, never change.
TwinTheory87: Did you notice Bane's smaller meat portion? Ate it like a champ, so chill. Bet Morgranna triple-checked everything for him lol.
SipAndSpeculate: Every meal ends with tea and more chatter. Curious what the next lunch will bring—maybe food swaps?!
ForkedFates: Someone needs Morgranna's chef interview. She's the true MVP. (Sorry, Peritus.)
After lunch, the trio had just enough time to stretch and regroup before Teacher Armorum herded them back to the agora. The energy grids, now pulsing a deeper blue, signalled a more complex simulation ahead.
"Afternoon module," Armorum announced, his tone sharper, "focuses on adapting to elevated threats. You'll face reactive simulacra—smart opponents that adapt with every move. You'll need every ounce of that fluid teamwork you showed this morning."
Peritus started the new simulation as the arena's terrain shifted: raised platforms flickered on and off, gravity tunnels spun wild gusts, and the very walls seemed to breathe with hidden dangers.
The new sim-drones instantly coordinated smarter attacks, targeting even the most minor fractures in the trio's defences. Er darted about with even greater agility, luring enemies into crossfire; Yi read the labyrinth's shifting patterns and barked split-second directions, sometimes in patterns only Bane, already synced in, could follow.
Bane found his Talent tested by pressure waves designed to disrupt focus. Each time panic threatened, he steadied himself and his teammates with a calming pulse. The Oath's resonance now pulsed in waves—sometimes flickering when they struggled, always stabilising whenever they united.
When a secondary opposition squad—simulacra shaped like Junior Academy teams—appeared, the trio wavered. But Yi barked, "Reset! Centre with Bane!" and the rhythm snapped back: Er and Yi fell into their old choreography while Bane's calm transformed chaos to order.
By the end, simulation tallies flashed across the arena—not just for enemies defeated but for teamwork, rhythm, and recovery. Peritus' quiet pride echoed: "You're not just keeping up, you're setting the pace. Highest afternoon scores yet. Well done."
Again, whispers and message threads buzzed as students recorded and shared footage full of new awe.
For the trio—sweat-soaked and grinning—it was more than just another day of training. It was another leap forward in redefining what it meant to be a team.
As always, the Twins thanked the Teachers, and Bane followed suit as they climbed into their shared carriage to head home. Online discussions were already buzzing furiously about the afternoon's training.
As soon as they got home, they were greeted by Morgranna's scanning gaze before being ushered upstairs. The Twins decided to let Bane shower and bathe first, intending to go after him. Bane headed up to the top floor while the Twins sat on the first-floor balcony. Soon, Morgranna joined them with hot tea and shared what the Councils had decided about their Awakening.
"Your Awakening will take place three days from now, and there have been many requests for it to be streamed live on Conclave. The Councils have decided it's up to you, as it is your Awakening. Bane will be in the Chamber with you, as we expect him to experience something at the same time."
"You can discuss and decide amongst yourselves and let us know; we'll pass your decision on to the Councils. Even if you decline, there will still be an official stream on Conclave for those who must monitor and record Awakenings, especially yours."
The Twins thought for a moment before deciding that Bane should choose, since he had already undergone an Awakening and would know what to expect.
At that moment, Bane came downstairs, and the Twins went up, while Morgranna repeated what she had told the Twins, including their response. Bane considered everything and decided to allow the event to be livestreamed.
That evening, the trio had dinner and relaxed, preparing for their final day of training tomorrow, at least before the Twins Awakened.