The pearlescent Aetheric Crystal in the Hall of Contemplation hung suspended from the vault, casting light that felt tighter, more restrictive than usual. The scent of mint and ozone was laced with the faint, almost imperceptible trembling of colliding Filaments—the subtle vibrations of nascent Aether as the students prepared for Resonance Practice. Elara Thorne stood in her secluded alcove, secretly rubbing a dab of Industrial Aether Catalyst onto her fingertips. The dull brown ointment dissolved on her skin, smelling like a mixture of machine oil and crushed herbs. According to The Rotting Earth Codex, this Catalyst could "reinforce industrial Aether links and blur the trace of heterogenous energy," making it the critical component for her to pass this test.
"Begin." Mentor Ilise Whisper's voice fell, and her Aetheric Staff tapped the floor, causing the silver-wire runes to glow faintly. Elara took a deep breath, pressing her palm against the alcove's metal railing—which connected directly to the workshop's abandoned steam conduits. Industrial Aether naturally clung to the rust inside those pipes. The instant the Catalyst took effect, the star-shaped scar on her palm pulsed with heat. A coarse yet stable wave of energy spread down her fingertips, weaving itself around her Simulated Aether.
A strand of dull gray Aetheric Filaments extended from her hand. It lacked the celestial clarity of a star-born source, instead carrying the characteristic mechanical tremor of Industrial Aether. When this strand linked with Lina's faint pink Filaments, the connection held steady. The Industrial Aether's oscillation acted as a buffer, isolating her Simulated Aether from the natural repulsion of the Native Aether. The Star Dust Sand in the central crystal spun into a stable vortex. Ilise approached, her eyes fixed on the nexus of the interlinked Filaments, and nodded: "Stable this time, Thorne. It seems that using the Shadow Ember Moss wash helped." She asked no further questions, but as she turned, the corner of her eye briefly lingered on Elara's palm—the extremely faint residue of the Catalyst had not entirely escaped her notice.
The relief of passing the resonance test quickly faded when the notice for the Group Practical Assignment was posted. The task was Aether Conduit Repair. Per Academy rules, it was the high-tier students who assigned the repair modules. Cecilia Frostborne stood by the bulletin board, the silver thread on her gray uniform collar glinting in the light. Her fingertips held the assignment roster, and her gaze swept the crowd, finally landing on Elara with a cold, predatory smile.
"Thorne, you will repair East Sector Conduit Three." Cecilia tossed a strip of paper at her. The requirements were listed: clear the Aetheric Turbulence within the conduit, repair three ruptured Aether Nodes, all within one hour, using only a basic Aetheric Stabilizer and half a piece of Star Dust Sand. Elara's fingers tightened around the paper. She had Lionel Evans check the conduit archives yesterday; East Sector Conduit Three was marked as 'Tier-One Controllable,' but its actual field intensity was near Tier-Two. Half a piece of Star Dust Sand was utterly insufficient to stabilize the nodes—this was a blatant parameter tampering, a calculated sabotage by Cecilia.
"Senior, isn't this assignment a bit too…" Lina began to object, but was immediately cut off by Cecilia's retainer. The retainer, wearing a silver-edged uniform pinned with the Frostborne House's ice-crystal crest, sneered: "When Miss Frostborne assigns tasks, do you think it's your place to interrupt? If Thorne can't handle it, she can admit it now and stop slowing us down."
Cecilia toyed with her cufflink, the mockery in her tone dripping with false charity: "After all, she's from Cinder Town. If you fail, I can speak to the Mentor about transferring you to the logistics team—perhaps scullery duty for the Aether Tower." She was certain Elara would fail. The task would strain even upper Tier-One students, let alone a mere Tier-Two Soother who supposedly 'relied on Kaelan's Patronage.'
Elara gripped the paper. The Catalyst was still active, and the surge of Industrial Aether allowed her to vaguely 'perceive' the turbulent nodes within the conduit. She offered no retort, simply turning toward the East Sector Conduit area—a landscape of thick rust and heavy mechanical oil mixed with the sickeningly sweet scent of Aetheric Turbulence, reminiscent of the sewage alleys in Cinder Town. She pulled out her Industrial Aether Catalyst, spreading a small amount onto her palm. Following the Codex's instruction to "lightly tap the conduit thrice, invoking the aid of the Industrial Aether," she tapped the rusted pipe wall with her fingertips.
Instantly, a faint tremor traveled back through her fingers—the Industrial Aether was giving a pre-warning. Elara closed her eyes, and using the Catalyst-enhanced senses, 'saw' the conduits' turbulence: the three nodes were boiling vortices, their surrounding Filaments twisted into chaos. She took out the basic Aetheric Stabilizer and, following the Codex's principle to "use the Industrial Aether as a guide to redirect the turbulent energy," she applied the Stabilizer to the crack. Simultaneously, she manipulated the Catalyst's energy, guiding the Industrial Aether's oscillation to seep into the crack—the turbulence in the first node quickly subsided, the Filaments re-forming into a stable light-net.
Time ticked away, and the Aetheric Stabilizer was almost depleted, but the last node's turbulence had yet to stabilize. Sweat beaded on Elara's forehead. She took out the remaining half-piece of Star Dust Sand, recalling the Codex's warning that "Star Dust Sand must be co-used with Industrial Aether to prevent energy runaway." She ground the sand and scattered it at the pipe's opening, then tapped the conduit wall again—the Industrial Aether's oscillation abruptly intensified, like countless tiny gears turning, evenly injecting the sand's energy into the final node.
"Ten minutes left!" Cecilia's voice echoed from the conduit entrance. She stood far off with her retainer, toying with an Aetheric Perception Crystal, her eyes full of anticipated failure. Elara ignored her, swiftly adjusting the direction of the Industrial Aether's guidance. Under her precise control, the chaotic Aetheric Filaments gradually wove themselves into a stable light-net. The last shred of turbulence subsided just as the timer rang.
Elara straightened up. The Catalyst had worn off, leaving only the faint scent of machine oil. Cecilia strode closer, her face instantly darkening as she observed the stable Aether Nodes on the pipe—she hadn't anticipated that Elara would not only pass but complete the work faster than many upper Tier-One students. "Consider yourself lucky," she spat, her voice tight with resentment. "The next assignment won't be so simple."
The surrounding students cast strange glances—surprise, curiosity, and a trace of awe. Elara knew that this success had not ended her troubles; it had escalated Cecilia's hostility from 'mockery' to 'strategic jealousy.' She glanced toward the distant pipe stacks, where Lionel Evans was hiding. He made an 'all clear' signal with his hand—he had checked the conduit's crystal monitor beforehand and secretly lowered its sensitivity, preventing the Industrial Aether's unique oscillation from being overly amplified.
The sunset streamed through the gaps in the conduits, casting distorted shadows on the ground. Elara knew Cecilia would not give up. The shadow of the Frostborne House was beginning to extend toward her—next time, the trouble wouldn't be a mere 'sabotaged task.' She touched The Rotting Earth Codex hidden in her clothing, its hard cover pressing against her heart. She suddenly recalled a sentence from the Codex: "All shadows that arrive must be used to gain leverage, thus securing a path to life." Perhaps she could use Cecilia's hostility to probe the depths of the Frostborne House—after all, the link between the Catalyst and the Industrial Aether held far more un-tapped potential.