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Morning in the personal dimension carried a different kind of quiet than the night before. The stars had faded into pale light, the strange sun of this pocket world climbing slowly over the horizon. Dew clung to the scorched grass where yesterday's sparring had nearly torn the field apart. The faint scent of ash and ozone still lingered, but now it was softened by the crisp air.
Kaelthar sat awake before the others, his back resting against a log near the remnants of the fire. He didn't need much sleep—not with the constant awareness he carried—but he had allowed himself a moment of stillness. Kunou was still curled up, hugging her oversized pillow, her tail flicking lazily every now and then.
The creak of a door broke the silence. Rias stepped out first, her crimson hair a tangled mess, eyes heavy with sleep. She rubbed them slowly, looking more like a college student stumbling out of bed than the heiress of Gremory.
"Morning," Kaelthar said, his tone even.
She muttered something that could have been a greeting, then yawned.
Akeno wasn't far behind her, though she carried herself with a little more grace, even with her hair half undone. She smirked as she caught Rias stumbling. "Not very noble of you, Rias."
"Shut up," Rias muttered, brushing past her.
Kaelthar let a faint grin tug at his lips. "You two look like you lost to the pillows instead of me."
Akeno arched an eyebrow at him. "And you look like you didn't sleep at all."
"I slept enough."
She gave him a knowing look but didn't press further. Instead, she stretched her arms high, groaning softly as her muscles pulled.
Yasaka was already awake, kneeling at the small stream that cut across the field. She dipped her hands into the water, washing her face, droplets catching on her golden hair. She carried none of the sluggishness of the others; her fox-like sharpness seemed to make her mornings different. When she stood, she walked back with a calm, composed air, though her tail flicked once—always betraying the thoughts she didn't voice.
Kaelthar's attention shifted when a low groan came from the guest room. He was up in a breath, leaving the others behind as he pushed open the door.
Koneko was stirring.
She blinked slowly, her small frame sinking into the sheets, hair sticking out in uneven tufts. Her golden eyes found Kaelthar, hazy but focused enough to recognize him.
"You're awake," he said, voice lower than usual.
She tried to sit, but pain pulled a hiss from her lips and she slumped back. Her frustration was immediate. "...Feels like I got hit by a train."
"That's because you pretty much did," Kaelthar replied, pulling the chair closer to the bed. "Yasaka didn't hold back."
Koneko's fists curled under the blanket. "I was too slow. Too weak."
Kaelthar tilted his head slightly, studying her expression. "You lasted longer than most would have. That's not nothing."
Her jaw tightened. "I don't care about 'most.' I don't want to be left behind."
There it was. The raw honesty beneath her usual quiet front. Kaelthar didn't answer right away. He leaned back, arms crossing over his chest.
"You won't be," he said finally. "But chasing someone else's pace will break you. Your strength has to be yours. Trust it."
Her eyes flicked toward him, stubbornness still burning there, but it softened just enough. She exhaled slowly, closing her eyes again. "...Okay."
Satisfied for now, Kaelthar stood and left her to rest.
Outside, the others had gathered near the fire pit. Rias looked up first, concern flickering across her face. "How is she?"
"She'll be fine," Kaelthar answered. "Just sore. She'll need time."
Relief washed over them all in different ways. Rias let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Akeno leaned casually against the doorframe but her eyes softened. Yasaka only folded her arms, her tail swishing once in thought.
Kaelthar didn't let the quiet linger. "Good. That means the rest of you don't get to slack off today. Yesterday was about seeing where you stood. Today's different."
Rias frowned, immediately wary. "Different how?"
Kaelthar's lips tugged into a sharp line. "No powers. No destruction, no lightning, no fox fire. Just your bodies, your instincts, and your will."
All three blinked at him like he'd grown a second head.
Akeno let out a dry laugh. "You're joking."
"Do I look like I'm joking?" Kaelthar asked.
"Yes," she said.
"Well, I'm not."
Rias crossed her arms, irritation already rising. "But that makes no sense. Our powers are our strength—"
"And what happens when someone takes that away?" Kaelthar cut in. His voice wasn't harsh, but it carried weight. "If your strength disappears, and all you know how to do is throw power around, you'll die. I'm not training you to be strong only when everything's in your favor. I'm training you to survive."
Yasaka's gaze sharpened. She didn't argue, only nodded slowly, as if already accepting the logic. Rias bit her lip, but she didn't push further.
And so the day's training began.
It was brutal in its simplicity.
Kaelthar didn't allow a single burst of energy or a spark of magic. Every time one of them slipped, he shut it down with a single glare. He forced them into close combat drills, into learning how to move, react, and defend with nothing but their bodies.
Rias faltered the most. She relied on her Power of Destruction like an instinctive shield, and without it, her footwork was clumsy, her guard full of gaps. When Kaelthar swept her legs and sent her crashing into the dirt for the fourth time, she sat up, panting and furious. "This is impossible!"
"It's not," Kaelthar said evenly. "You just don't like feeling exposed."
Her cheeks flushed red, more from pride than exhaustion. She glared at him, then forced herself up again.
Akeno fared a little better, her stamina carrying her longer, but she was reckless. She lunged too much, left herself wide open, and Kaelthar punished every mistake without hesitation. By the end of the first hour, she was flat on her back, sweat dripping down her face as she groaned.
"Enjoying yourself?" Kaelthar asked.
"Sadist," she muttered, rolling onto her stomach.
Yasaka adapted quickest. Her instincts were sharp, her movements efficient, but even she struggled once Kaelthar pressed her. He read her tells, countered her every strike, and sent her tumbling more than once. Her pride kept her jaw tight, but her tail lashed the ground in irritation.
"Better," Kaelthar said finally, after sweeping her a second time. "But you still think too much before you move. Stop telegraphing your intent."
Her teeth ground together. "Easier said than done."
"Then keep doing it until it's easier done than said," he replied.
By midday, all three of them were gasping, drenched in sweat, and coated in dirt. Yet despite the exhaustion, Kaelthar saw it—the spark in their eyes, the realization that even without their powers, they weren't helpless. It was a small step, but it mattered.
He clapped his hands once, signaling the end. "That's enough. Rest. Reflect. Tomorrow we go again."
The women collapsed into the grass, muttering curses under their breath, too tired to argue.
Kaelthar let them have their moment. But even as he watched, his awareness shifted outward, stretching beyond this dimension.
That was when he felt it.
A ripple. Subtle, faint, but familiar enough to send a shiver through him. Vorath.
For the first time in weeks, he had a trail.
He masked his reaction before the others noticed. No need to burden them with this yet. Not when they were still crawling their way forward.
Still, his eyes lingered on the horizon of this strange dimension, where the ripple had brushed against reality before fading.
The hunt was far from over.
But it was finally beginning again.
---
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