The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the dense forest just outside Eldarion's city walls. Ryoken followed Master Kaelen's slow, deliberate steps, his heart pounding in nervous anticipation.
"This is where your training begins," Kaelen announced, his voice gruff but steady.
Ryoken swallowed hard. "Master Kaelen, I… I don't even know where to start. How do I control the Infinity mana? What's this Divine Light? And what about Form 8? No one has ever explained anything."
Kaelen chuckled dryly, the sound like gravel scraping stone. "Few understand what you possess, boy. Even fewer can wield it. That Form 8 is your godly weapon—called Ishito, the Blade Made of Nebula. It's no ordinary sword."
Ryoken's eyes widened. "A blade made of… nebula? Like stars?"
Kaelen nodded. "Exactly. It's forged from cosmic energy, swirling galaxies trapped within its blade. Only you can summon it — if you know how. And if you fail... well, let's just say it can be messy."
Ryoken forced a weak smile, trying to hide his panic.
"Alright," Kaelen said, "First exercise: try summoning Ishito. Focus your mana, your Divine Light, and call it forth."
Ryoken closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and raised his hands.
"Ishito... come to me," he whispered.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then — a sudden whoosh! A blinding flash erupted, and when Ryoken opened his eyes, a tiny sparkling blade no bigger than a toothpick hovered before him.
He blinked. "Uhh… is this it?"
Kaelen's stern face cracked into a rare grin. "Well... it's a start. Not quite what I expected, but we'll work with it."
Suddenly, the miniature blade darted wildly, zipping around Ryoken's head like an angry firefly.
"Hey! Stop that!" Ryoken swatted the air, accidentally slicing a nearby tree branch, which came crashing down on his own foot.
"Ah! Master Kaelen, a little warning next time?" Ryoken yelped, hopping on one foot.
Kaelen laughed — a deep, hearty sound. "You've got spirit, boy. That's important."
Days passed with trials, failures, and small victories. Ryoken's bond with Ishito grew — slowly transforming from a mischievous spark to a steady, glowing blade.
He also learned to channel his Divine Light, creating small beams of radiant energy that made the forest glow softly at night.
But amidst training, Ryoken couldn't help but feel the loneliness creeping in. Was he truly meant to wield this power? Or was he destined to fail?
One evening, as Ryoken sat by the campfire, he noticed a figure approaching through the trees.
A tall woman with silver hair and piercing emerald eyes stepped into the firelight.
"Lost, are we?" she teased, a playful smile on her lips.
Ryoken stood quickly, nerves rising. "I… no, I'm just training."
She laughed softly. "I'm Aelira, Priestess of Light. I heard about your Infinity mana at the ceremony. Quite the talk of the town."
Ryoken scratched his head awkwardly. "Yeah, I'm still figuring it out."
Aelira's eyes sparkled. "Well, maybe I can help you. But only if you can keep up."
Ryoken smiled — maybe this new world wasn't so lonely after all.