CHAPTER 30: THE TITAN LEARNS
Training continued.
Day by day, the Vanguards pushed themselves further — refining strength, tactics, teamwork. But one of them still had the most to learn:
Zeraphon.
Though his cosmic might was undeniable, control was another matter.
⸻
The First Slip
It began during sparring.
Kael and Orion stood in the center of the arena — while Zeraphon prepared to demonstrate advanced striking techniques. Veyra, Cryalis, Zevak, Lyra, and Zero Step watched closely.
"Focus on control," Kael instructed. "No full force. This place won't survive it."
Zeraphon nodded — then stepped forward, gathering energy.
He threw a punch — slow, deliberate.
And the air screamed.
The force shattered the energy barriers, cracked reinforced walls, and sent a deep vibration through the Earth itself — tremors rippling outward for miles.
Above ground, birds scattered. Windows rattled. Civilians paused — confused by the sudden quake.
In the training chamber, dust swirled — the team bracing themselves.
Orion laughed.
"Damn — you're trying to punch the planet in half?"
Veyra shook her head, smirking. "He's got raw force… now we teach him restraint."
Zeraphon straightened, a faint frown on his face.
"My apologies… I… miscalculated."
Zero Step spoke dryly:
"Understatement. We felt that in the upper sectors."
⸻
Teaching the Titan
For hours that day, they trained him — each teammate offering guidance.
Kael sparred with him directly.
"Feel the flow. Strength without purpose is chaos."
Veyra helped with precision drills.
"Focus. No wasted energy. Every move must serve your intent."
Orion ran him through movement drills.
"Footwork first. Grounded power is balanced power."
Cryalis assisted with aura control — teaching him how to let off ambient energy without destabilizing nearby space.
"You're not a sun — don't radiate unless you choose to."
Zevak showed him visualization techniques — mental frameworks to better channel force.
Zero Step monitored everything — calculating progress with sharp accuracy.
"Adaptation rate: increasing. Continue."
⸻
Rapid Growth
And Zeraphon did learn — faster than expected.
His adaptive nature, once tuned to battle, now turned inward — processing every lesson, every movement.
Each hour, his strikes became more focused. His steps — more grounded. The tremors ceased. The air no longer shuddered with every motion.
By the end of the third day, he faced Kael again — and when he struck, the punch landed — solid, controlled, without shaking the room.
Kael grinned.
"Now that… is progress."
⸻
Reflections and Bonds
That evening, as the team rested, Zeraphon stood alone on the balcony — gazing at the stars.
Veyra approached quietly.
"You did well today."
He glanced at her.
"I have walked countless realms… yet this… learning here… it is different."
Veyra smiled. "Because here, you're not alone." Behind them, laughter echoed — Kael and Orion joking over sparring rounds, Zevak and Cryalis exchanging smiles in the corner, Lyra leaning casually against Orion as he rested, both of them quietly watching the others. Nearby, Zero Step recalibrated the chamber's energy fields, his mind always focused on the next step.
END OF CHAPTER 30