The first light of dawn filtered through the academy's training hall, painting the polished floors in soft gold. Eryndor sat cross-legged on a mat, sweat still drying on his skin, muscles aching from the recent battle. Lyanna hovered nearby, her hands clasped nervously.
"You pushed yourself too far," she said softly, her voice betraying a hint of worry. "You could have—"
"I know," Eryndor interrupted, shaking his head. "But I had to feel it. I had to know what it means to push past my limits."
The partial awakening from the Expanse still lingered, a subtle hum beneath his skin. He flexed his hands and concentrated, letting his elemental affinities—lightning as primary, wind as secondary—resonate through him.
First, he felt the spark of Lightning Surge, an ability allowing him to propel his attacks with bursts of concentrated electricity, increasing both speed and impact. It flowed naturally through his hands, igniting arcs along his forearms.
"Okay…" he murmured. He focused on his legs next, feeling the wind respond. With a sudden pulse, Gale Step activated—a refined movement allowing instantaneous short-range repositioning, faster and more precise than his previous Pulse Step. He tested it with a small hop across the room, the air slicing quietly around his feet.
Next came an instinctive movement of his torso and arms. He felt a resonance deep inside—an ability tied to internal balance and focus. Crackling Palm emerged, allowing him to channel concentrated lightning energy into a single strike, capable of knocking back even heavily armored opponents. He practiced once, and a faint shockwave rippled across the floor.
The fourth ability unfolded as he rotated his wrists, combining wind and electricity in a spiral. Tempest Spin, a circular offensive maneuver, erupted from his body, sending a controlled pulse of energy outward. Lyanna's eyes widened as Eryndor demonstrated the effect, arcs of energy tracing perfect spirals in the air.
Finally, he tapped into his own intuition, the hard-earned instincts from the Eightfold Flow and trance techniques. Lightning Reflection activated—a defensive technique that let him partially absorb incoming kinetic or elemental energy and redirect it into a counterattack. He tested it against a suspended training dummy, and the impact surged back in a brilliant flash.
Lyanna's expression softened as she realized the depth of his growth. "Five… in one morning?" she whispered, half in awe, half disbelief.
Eryndor nodded, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Partial awakening… it unlocked more than raw power. It unlocked control, instinct, and the ability to manifest abilities I only thought I'd understand later. I can feel them… integrated into my flow."
He stood and stretched, electricity dancing faintly along his limbs, wind tugging lightly at his hair. "This is only the beginning. Each ability is a tool, a piece of the puzzle. Now I can face stronger opponents and adapt in real time."
Lyanna stepped closer, offering a small grin. "Well… I guess I'm going to have to keep up with you."
Eryndor's eyes sharpened, calm but alert. "And I won't hold back," he said. "If anyone thinks they can use the academy—or anyone here—against me or you… they'll learn exactly what I've become."
The morning light caught the glint of electricity along his fists, wind subtly rippling his clothing. Five new abilities, five new tools, and a mind honed by battle and awakening. The next stage of his journey had begun.