The knowledge Astraeus had gained in the restricted library was a double-edged sword. It was a weapon, a tool that would undoubtedly save his life. But it was also a burden, a terrifying glimpse into the true scale of the war he was fighting. The abstract concept of "dimensional collapse" now had a face—the face of a Void Lord, a being of unimaginable power that could consume worlds.
He left the library not with a sense of accomplishment, but with a cold, hard knot of fear in his stomach. It was a fear that propelled him, a fear that drove him toward the guild's training grounds with a new, desperate urgency.
Physical training, Kha'Zul's voice was a low growl in his mind. You're growing stronger in essence manipulation, but your body is still a liability. If you can't move quickly enough to dodge an attack, or endure a prolonged battle, all the essence in the world won't save you.
The advanced training facilities were in the guild hall's cavernous basement, a space that smelled of sweat, ozone, and old iron. It was a place of brutal efficiency, with reinforced walls, practice dummies that could absorb and measure the force of essence attacks, and a dizzying array of equipment for physical conditioning.
Astraeus found an empty room and began a training regimen that Kha'Zul designed on the spot. It was, without a doubt, the most grueling experience of his life. He was pushed to the absolute limit of his physical and mental endurance, and then pushed further.
He started with strength exercises, lifting heavy weights enchanted to resist his efforts, his muscles screaming in protest. Then came agility drills, a dizzying series of acrobatic maneuvers designed to improve his balance, speed, and reflexes. He ran until his lungs burned, his body slick with sweat, his legs feeling like lead.
And then came the combat forms.
"Again," Kha'Zul's voice was a relentless whip, cracking in his mind as Astraeus completed a set of essence-enhanced strikes against a practice dummy. "Faster. Your form is sloppy when you're tired. Combat doesn't pause because you're exhausted."
Astraeus repeated the sequence, his movements growing more sluggish, his control over his essence wavering. He could feel his stamina draining, his body screaming for rest.
"Again."
He pushed through the pain, through the exhaustion, his vision tunneling until the only thing that existed was the practice dummy and the sound of his own ragged breathing.
[SKILL IMPROVED: BASIC COMBAT TECHNIQUES (35/100 → 45/100)]
Two hours later, he was on his knees, his body trembling, his stamina completely depleted. He had never felt so utterly and completely spent.
That's enough for today, Kha'Zul said, his voice holding a rare note of approval. Rest and recover. Tomorrow, we do it again.
Astraeus staggered to the guild's bathing facilities, the hot water a blessed relief on his aching muscles. He felt stronger, yes, but he also felt… depleted. His rapid growth was coming at a cost, and he knew he couldn't maintain this pace without burning out.
Which was why, on the fourth morning of this new, brutal regimen, he decided to use his essence chamber allocation.
The chambers were on the second floor, in a quiet, isolated wing. A young attendant at a desk outside barely glanced at him as he approached. "Name and rank?"
"Astraeus Ren, Apprentice."
She consulted a ledger. "You have two hours per week. Chamber Three is available." She handed him a small crystal. "This will glow when you have five minutes remaining. Don't leave early."
Astraeus entered the chamber, the door sealing silently behind him. The room was small and bare, the stone walls covered in glowing blue runes. The air was thick with concentrated essence, a palpable energy that made his own essence pool tingle in response.
Let it flow into you, Kha'Zul instructed. Your pool will expand to accommodate it. This is how you grow.
Astraeus sat cross-legged and opened himself to the chamber's energy. It was an overwhelming sensation, like being submerged in a warm, powerful ocean. His essence pool, normally a calm reservoir, began to churn and expand, the boundaries of his power stretching, growing.
[ESSENCE POOL EXPANDING…]
[CURRENT CAPACITY: 90 → 120 (TEMPORARY)]
With this expanded pool, he practiced his techniques. He worked on the Resonance Seal, the mental exercise feeling easier, more intuitive in the essence-rich environment. He practiced his combat forms, his movements fluid and powerful, unhindered by physical exhaustion.
[SKILL IMPROVED: RESONANCE SEAL (DIMENSIONAL) (1/100 → 15/100)]
When the crystal in his pocket began to glow, signaling the end of his session, he felt refreshed, renewed. The two hours in the chamber had done more for him than a full day of rest.
He left the chamber feeling energized and headed for the dining hall, his mind already planning his next training session. But as he entered the main hall, he saw a commotion near the entrance. A group of mages, their robes torn and blood-stained, had just returned. One of them was being supported by two others, his face pale, his breathing shallow.
It was Garrett Thorne, Marcus's nephew.
Marcus himself appeared, his face a mask of grim concern. "What happened?"
"Voidborn," one of the mages, a woman with a nasty cut on her cheek, said. "Near Millbrook. Three of them. Garrett took a bad hit."
"Get him to the infirmary," Marcus ordered, his voice tight. "Now!"
Astraeus found himself following them, a cold knot of dread in his stomach. In the infirmary, he saw the extent of Garrett's injuries. Three deep gashes across his chest, the edges of the wounds blackened and corrupted. Dark veins spread from the injury, a clear sign of Void corruption.
"If it reaches his heart, he's dead," Marcus said, his voice barely a whisper.
A senior healer, a woman with sharp eyes and an air of authority, was already at work, her hands glowing with green healing essence. But the corruption was fighting her, resisting her magic.
"I can't stop it," she said, her voice strained. "The void essence is too strong. I need someone to contain the corruption while I heal the physical damage. Someone with sealing capability."
Marcus's eyes found Astraeus. "You. You've sealed rifts. Can you seal this?"
"I… I don't know," Astraeus stammered.
It's the same principle, Kha'Zul said, his voice calm and steady in the chaos of the moment. Use the Resonance Seal. Match the frequency of his natural essence. Isolate the corruption.
Astraeus stepped forward, his heart pounding. "I'll try."
"Don't try," the healer said sharply. "Do it."
Astraeus focused on the wound, on the dark tendrils of void essence spreading through Garrett's body. He gathered his own essence, not with brute force, but with a delicate, precise touch. He felt for the frequency of Garrett's life force, a low, steady hum, and matched it. Then, he created a counter-frequency, a dissonant note designed to repel the void essence.
Slowly, painstakingly, he began to separate the two, weaving a seal of pure, resonant essence around the corruption, cutting it off from the healthy tissue. The dark tendrils recoiled, pulling back, contained.
"Now," he said, his voice hoarse with the strain.
The healer went to work, her green essence flooding into the wound, knitting flesh and bone back together. With the corruption contained, her healing magic could finally do its job.
Minutes later, Garrett's breathing steadied. The blackened veins faded. He was alive.
Marcus let out a shuddering breath. "Thank you," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "Both of you."
The healer, whose name Astraeus learned was Helena, looked at him with a new, sharp interest. "Where did you learn to do that?"
"I adapted a dimensional sealing technique," Astraeus said, his voice still shaky.
"On the spot? While a man's life was on the line?" She shook her head in disbelief. "You have a rare talent, boy. Don't waste it."
[QUEST COMPLETE: SAVE GARRETT THORNE]
[EXPERIENCE GAINED: 150]
[REPUTATION INCREASED: THORNHAVEN MAGE GUILD]
Astraeus left the infirmary, his mind reeling. He had saved a life. He had taken the theoretical knowledge he had learned just days ago and applied it in a real, life-or-death situation. The feeling was intoxicating, a potent mixture of relief, pride, and a deep, bone-chilling fear.
He was getting stronger. But the threats were getting closer. And he knew, with a certainty that settled deep in his soul, that this was just the beginning.
He found his team in the dining hall, their faces grim. They had heard what happened. Lyra rushed to his side, her eyes wide with concern. "Are you alright? We heard you used your sealing magic on Garrett."
"I'm fine," Astraeus said, his voice still a little shaky. "It worked."
Darius clapped him on the shoulder, a rare smile on his face. "You did good, kid. Real good."
They ate in silence for a few minutes, the gravity of the situation hanging over them. Another Voidborn attack, so close to the city. It was a stark reminder that their victory in the Blackwood was just one battle in a much larger war.
"The attacks are getting more frequent," Thomas said, his voice low. "And closer to home."
"The barriers are weakening," Astraeus said, his voice barely a whisper. "It's happening faster than I thought."
They all looked at him, their expressions a mixture of fear and resolve. They were the only ones who knew the true extent of the danger. They were the only ones who could stop it.
"Then we have to get stronger," Lyra said, her voice firm. "All of us."
They finished their meal in silence, a new sense of urgency settling over them. The time for individual training was over. They were a team. And it was time they started acting like one.