The first light of dawn seeped softly into the Nerevian Arcanum, casting long, gentle shadows across the courtyard where Kaelen trained. The ocean's steady murmur drifted through open windows, mingling with the hum of mana that filled the air.
After yesterday's duel, the weight of his growing powers—and the Abyssal Current's dark whisper—pressed on his mind.
Today, however, was to be a lesson in control.
Master Selene's Instruction
In the Hall of Currents, Mistress Selene awaited Kaelen and the other Initiates. Her silver hair caught the light like moonlit waves, and her eyes held both warmth and an unyielding sharpness.
"Today, you will learn the art of Mana Flow," she announced, her voice like a ripple across still water. "Understanding your Mana Pool's ebb and surge is key to mastering Aqua Arcana."
Kaelen stepped forward, feeling the cool, liquid energy stir within him. He could sense the tension between his surface-level Aqua Core and the Abyssal Current lurking beneath.
Selene raised a hand, and a crystalline orb of water floated above her palm.
"Observe how the flow shifts," she said. "Too much pressure bursts the form. Too little and it dissipates. Balance is everything."
The Dance of Mana
Kaelen mirrored her movement, summoning his own orb. It shimmered uncertainly, wavering at the edges.
He closed his eyes, reaching deeper into his Mana Pool, coaxing the flow. The orb steadied, glowing with a soft aquamarine light.
"Good," Selene nodded. "Now, try blending a second current."
Kaelen hesitated, then reached for the Abyssal Current—a dark, cold thread weaving beneath his core.
The orb's color shifted, the water swirling with shadows and frost.
Suddenly, the orb trembled violently, then shattered.
Kaelen gasped, startled by the backlash.
Mistress Selene's gaze was calm but serious. "You've awakened something dangerous. The Abyssal Vein demands respect and caution. Attempting to force it before mastery can be disastrous."
Kaelen bowed his head. "I understand."
A Forbidden Discovery
Later, as the sun climbed, Kaelen retreated to the Tower's library—a vast chamber of glowing tomes and ancient scrolls, many of which were sealed behind enchanted wards.
He searched for answers about the Abyssal Current, about the Leviathan Abyssion, and the mysterious spirit Nairos.
Fingers trembling, Kaelen found a worn manuscript, bound in deep blue leather and etched with runes of water and shadow.
As he opened it, a chill swept the room.
The text told of an ancient pact between the Tidecallers and the Abyssal Leviathan—a bond of power and sacrifice, forged in times when the seas were wild and untamed.
Kaelen's pulse quickened. Could this explain his own bond?
An Unexpected Visitor
A soft knock echoed through the library.
Kaelen looked up to see Elder Aegir—the coral-skinned sea-lich with eyes like deep pools of wisdom.
"You delve into forbidden knowledge, young Tidecaller," Aegir said, his voice like the echo of crashing waves. "The Abyssal Current is not a gift to be taken lightly."
Kaelen met his gaze, unflinching. "I need to understand it if I'm to control it."
Aegir nodded slowly. "Then come with me. There are truths only shown, not written."
Into the Depths
Guided by Aegir, Kaelen descended a spiral staircase leading beneath the Academy, into the Abyssal Vault—a hidden chamber submerged within the island's core, where ancient sea magic pulsed like a heartbeat.
There, crystalline pools reflected swirling currents of dark blue and black mana, and statues of ancient Leviathans loomed, carved from abyssal coral.
Aegir gestured to a pool, its surface still yet alive with power.
"Touch the water," he instructed.
Kaelen hesitated, then placed his hand in the cold liquid.
Visions flooded his mind—storms raging across endless oceans, Leviathans rising from the depths, ancient Tidecallers wrestling with the darkness within.
He saw the cost: sacrifice, madness, and rebirth.
When the visions receded, Kaelen gasped for breath.
Resolve Forged in Shadows
Emerging from the Abyssal Vault, Kaelen felt a new weight within him—not just of power, but of responsibility.
The Abyssal Current was more than a source of strength—it was a legacy of sacrifice.
As he looked to the surface world, the ocean glittered beneath the midday sun, serene yet hiding untold depths.
Kaelen clenched his fists.
He would master both the light and shadow of the waves.
For only then could he protect those he loved—and the world that depended on the tides.