The practice hall remained quiet after their discussion.
Only the faint hum of magic crystals echoed softly through the room.
The old book still rested open across the table between them, its aged pages shifting slightly beneath the movement of air.
For a while, none of them spoke.
Each remained lost inside thought.
Trying to understand not magic—
but each other.
Finally, Kael closed the book gently.
"Talking alone won't solve it."
Aevrin glanced toward him.
"So we test it directly."
Kael nodded once.
Elior straightened slightly.
"…What exactly are we testing?"
Kael walked toward the center of the practice hall.
"Theory."
The single word settled heavily.
Then he turned back toward them.
"If our synchronization stops because our instincts clash, then we need to stop fighting individually."
Aevrin immediately understood.
"We predict each other before acting."
"Exactly."
Elior frowned slightly.
"…That sounds difficult."
"It is," Kael replied calmly.
"That's why we keep failing."
The three moved toward the center formation circle carved into the floor.
Ancient magic lines faintly glowed beneath their feet the moment they stepped inside.
Kael looked toward Elior first.
"You focus on support and stabilization."
Then toward Aevrin.
"You control outer flow."
"And you?" Aevrin asked.
Kael's eyes narrowed slightly.
"I'll handle attack synchronization."
Aevrin smirked faintly.
"So aggressive."
"You say that like it's inaccurate."
"It isn't."
Elior sighed softly between them.
"Can both of you survive one conversation without fighting?"
"No."
"Yes."
They answered at the exact same time.
Then immediately looked at each other coldly.
Elior rubbed his forehead tiredly.
"…I regret asking."
A faint laugh escaped Aevrin.
Even Kael's expression loosened slightly.
Then—
Kael's voice lowered.
"Focus."
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Magic slowly began gathering around them.
Silver light formed first around Elior.
Dark crimson energy flickered around Kael.
Meanwhile Aevrin's magic spread outward smoothly like shadowed currents wrapping through the air.
The pressure inside the hall deepened.
Kael closed his eyes briefly.
"Don't force synchronization," he said quietly. "Feel the flow first."
Elior nodded slowly.
Aevrin watched both carefully.
Their previous attempts had always failed because someone moved too quickly.
Too independently.
This time—
they waited.
The three currents of magic slowly touched.
Carefully.
Cautiously.
At first, the synchronization stabilized normally.
But then—
Kael moved first.
Instantly, the balance tilted.
Aevrin's control magic reacted a fraction too late.
Elior tried stabilizing both flows simultaneously—
The entire synchronization collapsed violently.
BOOM.
Wind exploded across the room.
Magic scattered everywhere.
Elior stumbled backward immediately.
Aevrin caught himself quickly.
Kael exhaled sharply in irritation.
"…Again."
No one argued.
The second attempt began almost immediately.
This time Aevrin adjusted first.
His magic wrapped around Kael's attack flow earlier than before while Elior strengthened the center balance.
For a brief second—
the synchronization deepened further than before.
The hall trembled softly.
The combined magic almost formed properly—
Then Elior hesitated.
Only slightly.
But that tiny hesitation disrupted timing completely.
The resonance cracked apart again.
The magic shattered into unstable fragments before disappearing.
Silence filled the room afterward.
Elior lowered his gaze immediately.
"…Sorry."
"You hesitated," Kael said directly.
Elior nodded quietly.
"I was trying to predict both of you at the same time…"
Aevrin crossed his arms.
"That's the problem."
Elior looked confused.
Aevrin walked closer this time.
"You're trying to follow us separately," he explained calmly. "Stop dividing your focus."
Kael understood immediately.
"Treat us as one flow."
Elior blinked.
"One flow…?"
Aevrin nodded once.
"Don't think about Kael and me individually during synchronization."
Kael continued naturally.
"Think of the synchronization itself as alive."
Elior slowly processed the words.
Then his eyes widened faintly.
"…So instead of reacting to both of you…"
"You react to the movement of the resonance itself," Kael finished.
Silence followed briefly.
Then Elior slowly nodded.
Understanding settled into his expression little by little.
Aevrin glanced toward Kael afterward.
"…Third attempt?"
Kael stepped back into position.
"This time we synchronize movement first."
Elior inhaled slowly.
Then all three closed their eyes briefly.
The room quieted completely.
No unnecessary thoughts.
No rivalry.
No forcing control.
Only breathing.
Only awareness.
Magic began flowing again.
Silver.
Crimson.
Shadowed black.
This time—
none of them moved immediately.
Instead, they listened.
To breathing.
To movement.
To intention.
Elior felt Kael's aggression before it formed.
Aevrin sensed Elior's stabilization before the magic even shifted.
And for the first time—
Kael adjusted his attack timing naturally without needing to force it.
The resonance deepened.
Smoothly.
Naturally.
The air inside the hall began vibrating softly.
The magic lines beneath the floor illuminated brighter.
Aevrin's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…It's working."
Kael's voice remained steady.
"Don't break focus."
Elior's heartbeat quickened.
The synchronization continued expanding between them like a living current.
Not colliding.
Not resisting.
Flowing.
For the first time—
their magic no longer felt like three separate forces struggling together.
It felt unified.
Complete.
The combined energy slowly gathered above the formation circle.
A stable sphere of intertwined silver, crimson, and black light rotated smoothly in the air.
No instability.
No collapse.
No resistance.
Silence filled the hall.
Even the crystals along the walls flickered in response.
Elior stared upward slightly breathless.
"…We did it."
Aevrin looked equally stunned despite himself.
Kael remained silent for several seconds.
Then slowly—
very slowly—
a faint smile appeared on his face.
Small.
Barely visible.
But real.
"We progressed," he said quietly.
Not perfect yet.
Not complete.
But finally—
they had moved forward.
And somehow,
that single step felt more important than every previous success combined.
After that—
the atmosphere inside the practice hall changed completely.
The tension from before gradually disappeared, replaced instead by something quieter.
More focused.
For the first time since they had begun training together, the three of them were no longer trying to force synchronization through power alone.
They were learning each other.
Properly.
The practice continued calmly afterward.
Not explosive.
Not dramatic.
Just repeated movements beneath the glow of crystal light.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Sometimes Kael attacked first while Aevrin adjusted positioning around him.
Sometimes Elior stabilized the flow before either of them moved at all.
At first, they still made mistakes.
Small ones.
A slight delay.
A wrong prediction.
Magic overlapping at imperfect timing.
But unlike before—
they no longer collapsed immediately.
Because now they understood why the imbalance happened.
And understanding changed everything.
"Too early," Kael said quietly during one attempt.
Aevrin clicked his tongue.
"You shifted left before signaling."
"You should've predicted it."
"I did. Your reaction speed was simply annoying."
Kael narrowed his eyes slightly.
"…That sounds like an excuse."
Elior sighed tiredly nearby.
"Can both of you stop arguing while synchronizing?"
"No."
"Yes."
Again—
different answers.
At this point Elior no longer even reacted.
The practice continued.
Little by little, the rhythm between them improved.
Not perfectly.
But naturally.
Kael slowly began recognizing how Aevrin manipulated flow before controlling space.
Aevrin learned the exact moment Kael's attacks became irreversible.
And Elior—
Elior started understanding both of them in ways he hadn't before.
Kael's magic felt sharp.
Direct.
Like a blade that never hesitated once it chose a direction.
Aevrin's felt different.
Controlled.
Adaptive.
Like shadows constantly shifting shape around the battlefield.
Meanwhile Elior's own power unknowingly became the center holding both extremes together.
At some point, the practice stopped feeling like three people trying to synchronize.
And started feeling like three instincts slowly learning how to coexist.
"Again," Kael said calmly.
This time they moved faster.
Silver light spread outward from Elior first.
Aevrin redirected the outer flow smoothly.
Then Kael attacked exactly through the opening Aevrin created without needing verbal instruction at all.
The synchronization connected instantly.
Smooth.
Clean.
Natural.
Elior blinked softly afterward.
"…You knew he would move there?"
Aevrin smirked faintly.
"He's predictable."
Kael looked unimpressed.
"You noticed because I adjusted for your positioning first."
"That still means you predicted me."
Silence.
Then—
"…Tch."
Aevrin looked entirely too satisfied after hearing that.
Elior quietly watched the interaction beside them.
Something about it felt strange.
Not unpleasant.
Just—
different.
Because despite the constant irritation between Kael and Aevrin…
their synchronization had undeniably improved the moment they started understanding each other instead of resisting each other.
The realization lingered quietly inside Elior's mind.
Hours passed without any of them properly noticing.
The crystals along the walls dimmed gradually as evening deepened outside.
Yet the three remained inside the practice hall.
Training.
Correcting each other.
Learning.
At one point Elior miscalculated his stabilization timing again.
Before the imbalance could fully form—
Kael caught it immediately.
"Slow your breathing first."
Elior blinked.
"…What?"
"You stabilize emotionally before magically," Kael explained. "If your breathing becomes uneven, your magic follows."
Elior stared slightly surprised.
Then slowly nodded.
Aevrin crossed his arms nearby.
"He's right."
Kael glanced sideways at him.
"…You agreeing with me feels unnatural."
"Don't get used to it."
But despite the words—
neither sounded truly hostile anymore.
Not fully.
The old black book remained open nearby while the three continued practicing beneath crystal light and fading evening shadows.
Quietly.
Steadily.
Step by step—
their powers were learning each other.
And perhaps—
so were their hearts.
The practice eventually came to an end.
Not perfectly.
Not flawlessly.
But successfully.
For the first time, their synchronization no longer felt unstable or incomplete.
They understood each other better now.
Not fully—
but enough to finally move forward.
Kael understood the subtle shifts in Aevrin's control magic before they happened.
Aevrin could now predict the exact moment Kael's attacks would change direction.
And Elior—
Elior had slowly become the center connecting both flows together naturally.
The improvement was undeniable.
The atmosphere inside the hall had relaxed considerably afterward.
Their breathing slowed.
Magic faded gradually from the air.
The pressure lingering inside the room softened into quiet exhaustion.
Elior stretched lightly near the center of the hall.
"…We actually did it."
A faint smile appeared on his face afterward.
Bright.
Relieved.
Beautifully genuine.
Aevrin watched him silently for a moment before looking away first.
"…Barely," Kael replied calmly, though even his voice carried less tension than before.
The three eventually separated slightly afterward.
Kael remained near the table where the old black book rested open.
Even now, he continued turning through page after page carefully, studying every detail with quiet focus.
As though searching for something hidden between the lines.
Or perhaps making sure they had not overlooked anything important.
Meanwhile Elior wandered slowly through the practice hall absentmindedly, his footsteps quiet beneath the crystal light.
The hall itself had grown calmer now.
Peaceful.
Aevrin sat silently near one side of the room with his eyes closed.
Meditating.
His inner magic had remained unstable for days now, though he rarely allowed it to show openly.
Dark energy flowed carefully beneath his breathing as he slowly stabilized the imbalance inside himself.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Steady.
Little by little, the discomfort faded.
Finally, once the pressure inside his body settled enough, Aevrin slowly opened his eyes.
And immediately saw Elior standing nearby.
The silver-haired boy had unknowingly turned toward him at some point.
Then—
he smiled.
Brightly.
Warmly.
Without hesitation.
For a brief moment, the fading sunlight pouring through the crystal windows caught against Elior's silver hair, surrounding him in soft golden light.
Beautiful.
Almost unreal.
But what held Aevrin's attention most—
were Elior's eyes.
Dark.
Gentle.
Black like quiet midnight skies untouched by stars.
And somehow—
Aevrin found himself thinking that those eyes looked dangerously alive whenever Elior smiled.
Like warmth hidden inside darkness.
Like something capable of pulling people closer without them even realizing it.
Aevrin stared quietly.
And suddenly—
one dangerous thought entered his mind.
A flower.
That was what Elior resembled most.
Not fragile.
Not weak.
But something quietly beautiful enough to make people want to keep looking forever.
Something that made the world around it feel softer merely by existing.
And Aevrin understood then—
he did not want to pluck that flower for himself.
Because flowers taken too forcefully always withered eventually.
No matter how carefully someone tried preserving them.
No matter how tightly they held on.
So instead—
he wanted to remain near it.
Protect it.
Water it quietly.
And continue watching it bloom beneath sunlight day after day.
The thought lingered strangely inside his chest.
Elior walked toward him afterward before sitting down carefully across from him.
"How are you feeling now?" he asked gently. "Is there still any discomfort?"
Aevrin looked at him silently for a second.
Then answered quietly,
"No."
His voice softened slightly afterward.
"I'm feeling better now."
"Really?" Elior's expression brightened immediately. "That's good then."
Aevrin almost smiled again seeing the relief on Elior's face.
Then his gaze shifted briefly toward Kael.
Still distracted.
Still studying the book intensely.
Not paying attention.
Interesting.
Aevrin's eyes flickered faintly before returning toward Elior again.
"…Elior."
"Hm?"
"Do you want to see something?"
Elior tilted his head slightly.
"What is it?"
Aevrin chuckled quietly.
A low sound.
Soft.
"Wait and see."
Then slowly—
Aevrin lifted one hand.
Dark magic flowed quietly between his fingers at first, smooth and controlled beneath the fading evening light.
But unlike its usual coldness—
this time the magic moved gently.
Carefully.
Like something fragile was being created instead of destroyed.
Silver particles slowly began gathering above his palm.
Then—
a rose bloomed.
Deep crimson petals unfolded one by one beneath shimmering light.
Beautiful.
The fading sunlight caught against the flower softly, making the edges glow gold for a brief moment as tiny particles of magic drifted around it like scattered stars.
Elior's eyes widened immediately.
"…Aevrin."
There was genuine wonder in his voice.
Aevrin watched that reaction carefully.
And somehow—
it felt more rewarding than he expected.
The rose shimmered quietly between them beneath the last warmth of evening light.
Beautiful for only a moment.
Yet impossible to ignore.
Aevrin watched that reaction carefully.
And somehow—
it felt more rewarding than he expected.
The rose shimmered quietly between them beneath the last warmth of evening light.
Beautiful for only a moment.
Yet impossible to ignore.
But—
they were not alone.
Kael had already been watching the entire scene silently from across the hall.
From the very moment Aevrin first looked toward Elior.
From the moment Elior smiled.
From the moment the rose bloomed between them beneath golden light.
He had seen everything.
And for reasons he did not wish to examine too deeply—
something inside him had begun growing increasingly irritated.
No.
Not irritated.
Worse.
Possessive.
The atmosphere between Elior and Aevrin had softened too naturally.
Too comfortably.
And Kael disliked it far more than necessary.
Especially—
when Elior smiled like that.
That bright expression beneath sunset light.
The soft pink warmth at the edges of his cheeks.
The silver hair glowing gold beneath crystal sunlight.
And those eyes—
those golden eyes somehow reflecting light warmly enough to make people stare longer than they should.
Kael's fingers tightened faintly around the edge of the book.
Then slowly—
he closed it.
The sound echoed softly through the hall.
Aevrin glanced toward him immediately.
Kael approached calmly afterward.
Cold.
Sharp.
Controlled.
Though the irritation beneath his gaze remained obvious.
His eyes briefly landed on the rose.
Then on Aevrin.
"…Magic tricks to impress people now?" he asked smoothly. "What are you planning next? Luring children at festivals?"
Aevrin chuckled softly.
"Really?"
Then his gaze shifted toward Elior beside him.
"But Elior liked it."
His lips curved faintly afterward.
"And seeing him smile like that makes everything worth it."
Kael's expression cooled instantly.
Because annoyingly—
Aevrin was right.
Elior truly had looked happy.
Genuinely happy.
And somehow that made Kael even more irritated.
His gaze unconsciously shifted toward Elior again.
Toward the faint blush still lingering beneath his cheeks.
Toward lips naturally soft in color beneath evening light.
Toward silver strands falling gently around his face.
Kael stared a second too long.
Then another.
Something about Elior beneath sunset light felt unfairly distracting today.
Elior noticed the stare eventually.
"…Kael?"
The moment their eyes met directly, Elior immediately became self-conscious.
A faint red color slowly spread toward the tips of his ears.
Even down along his neck slightly.
Kael froze briefly.
Then looked away before his thoughts wandered somewhere strange again.
Dangerous.
Unreasonable.
So instead—
he redirected his attention elsewhere immediately.
Aevrin noticed the shift instantly.
And smirked.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Then suddenly—
"Ahem."
Aevrin lightly lifted another hand.
"Elior," he said casually, "do you like it?"
Elior blinked once.
"The rose?"
"Mhm."
Aevrin's smile deepened slightly.
"Then there's something else I want to give you."
Kael's eyes narrowed immediately.
Elior looked surprised.
"Another thing?"
"Wait."
Dark magic shimmered softly around Aevrin's fingertips again.
This time, instead of forming a flower—
a bracelet slowly appeared.
Elegant black silver wrapped together delicately like intertwining shadows beneath moonlight.
Tiny crimson crystals rested between the design like scattered drops of glowing light.
Refined.
Beautiful.
Yet strangely subtle.
Not overly extravagant.
The kind of object someone would unconsciously treasure once receiving it.
Elior's eyes widened softly.
"…It's beautiful."
Aevrin looked entirely too pleased hearing that.
"I made it myself."
Kael immediately disliked the entire situation.
Deeply.
Elior hesitated afterward.
"…I don't think I should accept something this expensive…"
Aevrin's expression softened slightly.
"It's fine."
Then quieter—
"I wanted to give it to you."
Elior visibly struggled.
But seeing the hopeful look lingering in Aevrin's eyes—
he finally accepted it carefully.
"…Thank you."
A small smile appeared afterward.
"I really like it."
That was enough.
Kael finally interrupted.
"It's getting late," he said coldly. "We should leave."
Aevrin lazily looked toward him.
"Someone sounds upset."
Kael smirked faintly.
"Temporary methods bore me."
Aevrin raised one eyebrow.
"Oh?"
"Trying to gain favor through objects only lasts briefly," Kael continued calmly. "Understanding someone emotionally lasts much longer."
His gaze sharpened slightly afterward.
"Learn the difference."
Silence.
Then—
Aevrin smiled slowly.
Dangerously.
"…That's rich coming from you."
Kael narrowed his eyes slightly.
Aevrin leaned back casually.
"Should I mention the mysterious object inside your pocket?"
Silence fell instantly.
Kael froze almost imperceptibly.
Elior blinked in surprise before looking toward Kael immediately.
"…Pocket?"
Aevrin smirked victoriously.
"Hiding things doesn't really suit you, Kael."
Kael's hand instinctively moved toward his coat pocket.
"…You're imagining things."
"Really?"
Aevrin stood slowly afterward before approaching him.
Then placed one hand against the table behind Kael casually, trapping him slightly between the furniture and his arm.
His voice lowered afterward.
"Then what exactly are you hiding?"
Kael immediately reached to push him away—
But Aevrin moved first.
Quickly.
Before Kael could stop him, Aevrin pulled the wrapped object directly from Kael's pocket.
"…Aevrin."
Kael's voice sharpened instantly.
But Aevrin already held the object up curiously.
Carefully wrapped.
Protected far too seriously.
"…See?" Aevrin said smugly. "You were hiding something."
"Give it back."
"It really was for Elior, wasn't it?"
"It wasn't."
Kael stepped forward immediately.
But before he could take it back—
Aevrin unwrapped it first.
Silence.
Then confusion appeared across his face.
"…A stone?"
Both Elior and Aevrin stared.
A small pebble rested inside the wrapping carefully.
Completely ordinary.
Aevrin looked genuinely shocked.
"…You wrapped a road pebble like a priceless jewel?"
Kael immediately grabbed it back with visible irritation.
"I told you it wasn't for giving."
Then colder—
"You have a bad habit of touching things that aren't yours."
Aevrin still looked deeply confused.
"…Why are you even carrying that around?"
Then suspiciously—
"Wait."
His eyes narrowed.
"You weren't actually planning to gift Elior a stone, were you?"
"…Of course not."
"Kael," Aevrin deadpanned, "are you secretly broke?"
Elior, meanwhile—
had gone completely silent.
His eyes remained fixed on the pebble now wrapped safely back inside Kael's hands.
Something about it looked familiar.
Very familiar.
Then suddenly—
his expression changed.
"…Isn't that…"
He stopped midway.
Kael immediately realized it.
And instantly felt a wave of unbearable embarrassment crash into him.
Because Elior had recognized it.
Of course he had.
The pebble from the road earlier.
The same one Elior had almost tripped over during the carriage ride.
The same stone Kael had secretly picked up afterward in irritation.
And somehow—
without even realizing why—
carefully wrapped and kept inside his pocket the entire day.
Silence spread awkwardly through the room.
Kael said nothing more.
For perhaps the first time all day—
he genuinely did not know how to explain himself.
Meanwhile Elior stared blankly in disbelief.
Inside his mind, confusion echoed repeatedly.
…Why did he keep that?
And more importantly—
why did he wrap it so carefully?
Why did Kael even pick that stone up in the first place…?
—by Aurea;"Some things become precious not because they are valuable…
but because of the moment, feeling, or person attached to them."