Episode 15 —
The massive steel door swung shut behind Clover with a soft, echoing thud. The chamber hummed gently, a living pulse vibrating through the floor beneath his feet. Aurora floated ahead, her light bright and playful, yet precise in its guidance.
Alright, Clover," she said, spinning in the air with a mischievous glimmer. "Seven days in here. Seven days of pure training. One hour here equals one minute outside. Are you ready to feel your Essentia like never before?"
Clover swallowed, gripping Aetherfang tightly. "Seven days… in a minute?
Aurora giggled. "Exactly. Time stretches, bends, and folds around you. Don't worry about the outside world; this is your moment."
Nyx, perched on a floating platform near the edge of the chamber, flicked her tail and gave a slow blink. The golden lynx seemed unimpressed, her paw drawing a tiny exclamation mark in the air—clearly a warning: Don't screw this up, human.
Clover adjusted his stance, taking in the chamber fully for the first time. The walls shimmered with shifting light—lavender, gold, and soft blue twisting together in patterns that seemed alive. Small, delicate platforms floated midair, suspended by nothing but pure energy. The floor beneath him pulsed faintly, almost breathing with anticipation.
"Let's start simple," Aurora continued, hovering above him. "Enhancer Essentia. Speed, reflexes, endurance… cranking your raw power without breaking yourself. Focus on your pulse, your energy. Feel it. Let it flow.
Clover nodded, closing his eyes. He concentrated on his heartbeat, on the faint thrumming of power inside him. Aetherfang began to glow faintly, resonating with his core energy. He jumped, landing farther and softer than he expected. The chamber seemed to hum in approval.
Nyx tapped the floor with her paw, drawing a spiral in the air—a silent well done from the lynx. Clover laughed nervously. "Okay… not bad."Aurora zipped around, creating shimmering clones of Aetherfang in the air. "Next: Conjurer Essentia. You can manifest constructs, tools, weapons. Let's start small. Focus on your intent, Clover."
He gripped his sword tighter, letting his mind visualize a blade of pure energy extending from the hilt. Slowly, it formed—a thin, gleaming sword hovering beside Aetherfang. It felt like an extension of his body, light and perfect.
"Yes! Beautiful!" Aurora clapped, her light sparkling. "See? You're already getting it. Don't stop now."
Hours—or what felt like hours, but were mere minutes outside—passed as Clover pushed his limits. He jumped from floating platforms, dodged beams of light, and swung energy blades against phantom opponents. Nyx stalked silently, occasionally flicking her tail, giving subtle hints, and offering the occasional judgmental stare.
Aurora darted around, teasing, correcting, and encouraging him in equal measure. "You're thinking too rigidly! Bend your Essentia! Play with it. Twist it. Break the rules a little!"
Clover gritted his teeth, sweat beading his forehead. "Bend reality, huh? Easy for you to say, glowing AI."
Aurora giggled. "Oh, don't underestimate me. I'm more than light and sparkle, Clover. Focus!"
He concentrated, reaching deeper than before. The energy around him warped, forming a blade that split midair and multiplied into a dazzling array of light constructs. Each reflected a fragment of his imagination—delicate yet deadly, precise yet chaotic.
Nyx gave a slow nod, paw tracing a satisfied checkmark in the air. Clover's chest rose with a mixture of exhaustion and exhilaration. "I… I think I'm getting it."
Aurora floated near, twirling in delight. "Getting it? You're evolving it! But don't get cocky. Specialist Essentia comes next. Unique abilities, one-of-a-kind techniques. Push boundaries, Clover. Creativity is your power.
Clover hesitated, staring at his own hands. "Special… abilities? How do I even start?
"Start with yourself," Aurora said simply. "What defines you? What's uniquely Clover Yeager? Your style, your instinct, your intuition—let it shape your power."
He closed his eyes again, feeling the rhythm of his own heart, the pulse of his energy, the weight of Aetherfang in his hand. Slowly, he visualized a spinning, ethereal disk of energy, weaving patterns of light that mirrored his twin blades' swings. He imagined Umbravian's dark aura flowing in harmony, feeding the construct with a shadowed power that amplified it without overwhelming him.
Light and shadow intertwined, forming a dual-edged projection that hovered in front of him, alive, responding to his smallest gestures. He swung, jumped, and twirled, watching as his own creativity dictated the battle—constructs weaving around him like ribbons of energy, each a reflection of his intent and skill.
Nyx tapped the floor twice, a silent applause. Even the lynx's eyes glimmered with approval.
Aurora's voice danced around him. "Yes! That's it! Specialist Essentia in action! Your power is you. That's the key to mastery."
Hours blurred into days—or what felt like days, though outside, mere minutes passed. Clover trained relentlessly, each session testing a different facet of his Essentia: endurance, speed, agility, imagination, and raw power. Aurora was ever-present, teasing and guiding. Nyx silently observed, judging, approving, or warning as necessary.
On the third "day," Clover paused, breathing heavily. Sweat dripped, muscles ached, but his mind was sharper than ever. He felt lighter, faster, more connected to his own energy than he had in his life.
"I feel… alive," he whispered, gripping Aetherfang and feeling the pulse of power coursing through him. "I… I think I'm ready for more.
Aurora's light twinkled, circling him like a living aura. "Good. Because the chamber doesn't just train your body or your swords. It trains your mind, your instincts, your connection to Essentia. Seven days, Clover. Seven days to evolve. Don't waste a second."
By the fifth day, Clover was moving with almost supernatural precision. Constructs of light bent around him seamlessly. Each swing of Aetherfang, each motion of his body, was mirrored in energy, perfectly synchronized. Nyx moved in tandem, shadowing his every move, giving him feedback in subtle paw-signs.
Aurora zipped around him like a playful storm. "See, this is what I was talking about. You're thinking, creating, reacting—all at once. Speed, creativity, instinct. You're evolving.The seventh day approached. Clover's body had adapted, his Essentia fully in sync with his thoughts and reflexes. The chamber hummed approval, light bending and pulsing with his every movement.
Finally, as the last shimmer of light cascaded across the chamber walls, Clover stood in the center, chest heaving, sword glowing with energy, constructs of light and shadow orbiting in harmony. Nyx curled near the door, tail flicking lazily, the faintest trace of a smile in her golden eyes.
Aurora floated above, clapping—if an AI spirit could clap. "Congratulations, Clover. Seven days in the chamber… just under three hours in real life. You're ready. Ready for whatever comes next."
Clover exhaled, feeling every fiber of his being thrumming with energy. "I… I can feel it. Everything's stronger. Faster. Clearer. I… I'm ready. The chamber pulsed gently one last time, light bending around him as if acknowledging his evolution. Outside, the real world ticked forward, blissfully unaware of the hero who had spent seven days mastering himself in just under three hours
Clover looked at Aurora and Nyx, a faint grin tugging at his lips. "So… what's next?Aurora twirled, her glow sparkling. "Next… the world. And your path to becoming more than just Clover Yeager. Your path to becoming a Vanguard."
Nyx gave a slow blink, her golden eyes unwavering. Clover felt ready, alive, unstoppable. Seven days of the chamber had changed him—and he knew this was only the beginning.
Clover exhaled, sweat dripping, chest heaving. Seven days of the chamber had reshaped him—his reflexes sharper, his Essentia more precise, his mind faster than ever. Aurora's glow flickered with excitement, Nyx's tail twitched approvingly.
"Not bad, Clover," Aurora said, her voice teasing but proud. "You're starting to feel… unstoppable.
He smiled, feeling alive like never before. But the chamber's hum changed—a low vibration rolling beneath the floor. Clover froze.
Above him, the coffin's lid creaked. Slowly. Deliberately. A shadow shifted beneath it. A deep, rumbling breath escaped.Ryker Jackson. Alive. Awake.
And Clover realized… he had no idea what kind of man would step out of that coffin