The training dummy's head snapped back with a satisfying crack as Kaelen's aether-coated fist connected. He didn't pause... immediately following with a low sweep, then a burst of movement as Flash Step carried him behind the construct.
[–19 A.E.]
His breathing was controlled, steady. Sweat rolled down his temples, but his body moved with a precision that would have been impossible three days ago. The passive reinforcement of Aether Harden made each impact feel solid, and grounded.
The dummy spun, its arm whistling toward his ribs. Kaelen raised an aether shield—the construct formed instantly, a dense barrier of compressed energy that absorbed the blow without shattering.
BAM
[–15 A.E.]
Better. Much better.
He'd been at this since dawn, running through combinations, testing his new limits.
The dummy lunged. Kaelen activated Chrono-Perception, and the world fractured into slow motion. He saw the attack's trajectory, the slight imbalance in the dummy's weight distribution, the opening it created. He stepped inside the strike, drove his knee into the construct's midsection, and released Aether Burst point-blank.
[–57 A.E.]
BOOM
The explosive release of energy sent the dummy skidding backward across the mat, whiring in protest. It crashed into the far wall and powered down, its frame bent and smoking.
Kaelen stood in the center of the training room, chest heaving, his fists was still coated in faint blue light.
"That's the third one this morning."
He turned. Sera stood in the doorway, her arms crossed, expression unreadable as always.
"They're not built for this output level," she continued, stepping inside. "Especially not from someone who fights like he's still compensating for being weaker than he is."
Kaelen wiped sweat from his face with his forearm. "I'm not compensating. I'm adapting."
"You're compensating." She walked to the destroyed dummy and nudged it with her boot. "You charged twice as much aether into that Burst as you needed. Against Jax, that's the difference between winning and running out of energy in the first five minutes."
He knew she was right. The power felt intoxicating—after months of struggling with weak, unstable aether flow, having this stable energy at his disposal was like suddenly being able to breathe deeply after years of shallow gasps.
"Show me," Sera said, moving to the center of the room. "Aether Burst. Minimum effective output."
Kaelen joined her, raising his hand. He gathered aether, compressing it into his palm. The urge to pour more energy into it was strong, but he forced himself to hold back. Just enough for a controlled release.
He released it.
[–18 A.E.]
The burst was smaller, more focused. The air rippled outward in a sharp wave, but without the explosive violence of before.
Sera nodded. "Better. That's the version that lets you fight for fifteen minutes instead of three." She settled into a ready stance.
"Again. This time on me. Non-lethal targets only."
They sparred for the next hour. Sera pushed him relentlessly, forcing him to manage his aether expenditure, to choose when to use skills and when to rely on pure technique. Every wasted point of energy earned a sharp correction. Every efficient move earned an approved nod.
By the time they stopped, Kaelen's A.E. gauge hovered at [180/350]
She studied him for a long moment. "You're not ready. But, you're near enough." She turned toward the exit. "Rest this afternoon. Clear your head. Tomorrow big for you."
She paused at the door. "And Kaelen? Win."
...
Kaelen was crossing the main courtyard when his wristband buzzed.
>Lira: Western gardens. Now. Don't make me wait.
He smiled despite himself and changed direction.
The western gardens were one of the academy's silent spaces—terraced levels of manicured greenery that overlooked the lower city. Aether-infused plants that glowed softly in the afternoon light, their luminescence creating patterns of blue and violet among the normal foliage.
Lira sat on a stone bench near the edge of the highest terrace, her copper braid catching the sunlight. She wore the casual academy wear for females; a jacket over her tunic and skirt—but somehow made it look effortlessly put together.
She glanced up as he approached. "You look better than I expected."
"How better?" Kaelen sat beside her.
"Better than someone having his duel at their neck." Her silver eyes scanned him with the practiced assessment of someone who'd learned to read aether signatures.
"You broke through." It wasn't a question.
"Last night," he confirmed. "Initiate Basic Control."
Lira's expression shifted—surprise, then something like pride, then concern. "Kaelen, that's... You know that's insane, right? From Latent to Initiate in a week?"
"Technically four months since awakening," he said weakly.
"People will take up to a year, if they were in your shoes, Some will take more." She shook her head. "I don't know whether to congratulate you or check you for body damage."
"You could do both."
She laughed, a genuine sound that cut through the tension he'd been carrying.
"How do you feel?"
"Terrified," he admitted. "But also... ready? I don't know. It's complicated."
"It should be complicated. Jax has been cultivating since he was young. He's fought in tournaments, sparred with Sentinels and Elites. You've been awakened for four months."
"I know."
"And tomorrow you're going to fight him in front of the entire academy."
"I know that too."
Lira was quiet for a moment, her gaze drifting to the city below. "My parents died when I was fifteen," she said suddenly. "Conduit failure. Og course, you know that."
Kaelen nodded.
"After that, I had two choices. I could let grief consume me, or I could make their deaths mean something." She looked at him. "I chose the second. I came to this academy because I want to change things. Not for power or prestige... I want to make sure what happened to them doesn't happen to others. The government, the elders could have stopped the accident but they didn't. " She said in a low voice. "I refused to come here previously because i wanted to protect those home."
"Lira—"
"I'm telling you this because you need to understand something." Her voice was firm. "I'm not here to be a tool for the Elders. I'm not interested in their politics or their power games. I'm here because there are people in this academy... people like you, who might actually give a damn about more than rank and reputation."
She reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Tomorrow, when you're standing in that arena, remember why you accepted this fight. It's not because of pride or because of some drives. But because you saw someone in trouble and decided to help."
Kaelen felt something tighten in his chest. "I don't know if that's enough to win."
"It's enough to matter. And sometimes that's more important." She squeezed his shoulder once, then stood. "Now stop brooding and get some rest. You've got people counting on you not to die tomorrow."
She started to walk away, then paused. "Oh, and Kaelen? When you win... notice I said when, not if... you owe me a proper celebration. None of this stoic silence nonsense."
He smiled. "Deal."
She left, her copper braid swaying behind her.
Kaelen sat alone on the bench, watching the city lights begin to flicker on as evening approached. Lira's words settled over him like armor.
Not just power. He needs purpose.
...
Kaelen was heading back toward the dormitories when he spotted Daniel near the library entrance. The smaller boy was pacing, hands shoved in his pockets, clearly agitated.
"Daniel," Kaelen called out.
Daniel jumped, then visibly relaxed when he saw who it was. "Oh. Kaelen. Hi. I was, uh, looking for you. Sort of. Not stalking. Just... in the area."
Kaelen raised an eyebrow. "You okay?"
"Me? Fine. Totally fine." Daniel's hands came out of his pockets and immediately started fidgeting with the strap of his bag. "I mean, I'm not the one fighting a Sentinel tomorrow, so objectively I should be more fine than you, but subjectively I might actually be more nervous, which is ridiculous because—"
"Daniel."
"Sorry." He took a breath. "I wanted to give you this."
He pulled a small data chip from his pocket. "Updated combat analysis. I pulled three more matches from last semester. Jax has a tell when he's about to use his signature technique—this really aggressive aether surge move. His right foot pivots exactly 2.3 degrees before execution. It's subtle, but if you're watching for it..."
Kaelen took the chip. "You didn't have to do this."
"Yes, I did." Daniel's expression was unusually serious. "You stood up for me when no one else would. You took a beating for me. The absolute least I can do is make sure you have every advantage."
"Thank you."
"Also," Daniel continued, his nervous energy returning, "I might have... slightly... hacked into the school's systems and confirmed the dummy programming matches Jax's recent training patterns, so your practice sessions with Sera are as accurate as possible. Which is technically against regulations, but I figure since you're already risking your life, a minor rule violation isn't really—"
"Daniel."
"Yeah?"
"You're a good friend."
The smaller boy's face reddened. "Oh. Well. You know. Just doing what... yeah." He cleared his throat. "I'll be in the crowd tomorrow. Front section if I can manage it. I'll be the one having a panic attack."
"I'll try not to disappoint."
"Just try not to die. That would be extremely disappointing."
"It's not a duel of death, Daniel." Kaelen scoffed.
"Just saying..."
They parted ways, Daniel scurrying back toward the tech labs, Kaelen continuing toward the dorms with the data chip secure in his pocket.
...
The sun was setting when Kaelen noticed them.
Two figures standing near the western training wing entrance, silhouetted against the orange-gold sky. Even from a distance, he recognized them—the confident posture, the way they occupied space with casual authority.
Riven and Elai. The mysterious upperclassmen who'd intervened during his first fight with Jax.
They weren't doing anything. Just standing there, watching. When Kaelen's gaze met theirs across the courtyard, Riven nodded once—a small, deliberate acknowledgment.
Elai's expression was harder to read, but something in her stance suggested... assessment? Approval? It was impossible to tell.
Kaelen considered approaching them, but something told him they weren't there for conversation. They were merely observing.
He nodded back and kept walking. When he glanced over his shoulder a minute later, they were gone.
...
Kaelen had just finished a light dinner... nothing too heavy. His wristband chimed with a notification.
>OFFICIAL ACADEMY DUEL: REGULATIONS & PARAMETERS<
He opened it, and a holographic document unfolded before him.
>DUEL ROSTER<
Challenger: Jax Hanlay (Year 3, Sentinel Rank - Emerald)
Challenged: Kaelen Burn (Year 1, Unranked)
Date: Saturday,
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: Combat Dome 7, Western Wing
PERMITTED EQUIPMENT:
Standard Regulation: Artifacts Rank E and below
Unranked Privilege: Due to challenger/challenged rank disparity, Kaelen Burn is permitted use of any E-Rank artifact. Jax Hanlay is restricted to F-Rank artifacts for duration of match.
Personal weapons (non-enchanted) permitted
Academy-issued protective gear optional
PROHIBITED ACTIONS:
Lethal techniques targeting vital organs
Attacks continuing after opponent yields or falls unconscious
Interference from outside parties
Use of consumables above permitted artifact rank
MATCH CONDITIONS:
Victory by: Knockout, Yield, or Referee Stoppage
Match duration: Maximum 1 hour
Medical staff on standby
Aether-suppression fields active on arena perimeter
LEGAL NOTICE:
This is a sanctioned Academy duel. Serious injury is possible. Lethal force is prohibited but not always preventable. Both participants acknowledge risks and waive liability for non-lethal injuries sustained during combat.
By participating, both combatants agree to abide by Academy Honor Code and accept Disciplinary Board jurisdiction over outcome disputes.
ATTENDANCE:
Open to all Academy students and approved faculty. Estimated attendance
Kaelen read through it twice.
One PM. Not three. Earlier than he'd thought.
Serious injury possible. He'd known that intellectually, but seeing it in official documentation made it real.
The artifact restriction was interesting—him getting E-Rank privileges while Jax was limited to F-Rank. The Academy's way of acknowledging the power gap, presumably.
The Aether Chain Sera had given him qualified. That was good.
Possibly over thousands of students will watch.
His stomach tightened.
He closed the notification and sat on his bed, staring at the darkening window.
Tomorrow. 1 PM. Fifteen hours from now.
He looked at his left wrist, where the Aether Chain rested cool against his skin. At the F-Rank crystal in his desk drawer. At the data chip from Daniel sitting beside it.
He thought about Lira's words. About Sera's training. He thought about Jax—confident, powerful, experienced. And he thought about the scared kid in the cafeteria who'd thanked him with trembling hands.
Kaelen lay back on his bed, his crimson eyes reflecting the faint glow of the city through his window.
"Fifteen hours," he whispered.
Fifteen hours to rest.
Fifteen hours to prepare his mind for what his body would have to endure.
Fifteen hours before everything changed.
He closed his eyes, but sleep didn't come easily.
His mind kept running through combinations, scenarios, possibilities. Jax's patterns from the footage. The feel of Aether Burst releasing from his palms. The way Spatial Lance had looked tearing through reinforced metal.
Eventually, exhaustion pulled him under.
His last conscious thought was simple:
Tomorrow, I prove my worth.
...
In his dreams, Kaelen stood in an empty arena. The seats stretched endlessly upward, filled with faceless shadows that watched in silence. The air was thick, heavy, pressing down on him like invisible hands.
Across from him stood a figure wreathed in orange light—Jax, but not quite. Larger. More menacing. His eyes glowed like molten metal.
The figure smiled. And charged.
Kaelen tried to move, but his body felt sluggish, as if moving through water. He raised his hands to defend, but no aether came. His channels were empty. His core hollow.
The figure's fist connected with his chest.
Pain exploded through him—
He jolted awake, gasping.
His room was dark. Quiet. The clock on his wristband glowed softly: 4:23 AM.
Eight and a half hours until the duel.
Kaelen sat up slowly, pressing a hand to his chest where phantom pain still lingered. Just a dream. Just nerves. He stood, walked to the window, and looked out at the sleeping academy.
Somewhere out there, Jax was probably sleeping peacefully. Confident. Prepared.
Kaelen took a slow breath and activated his aether manipulation curculating aether. The energy flowed smoothly, steadily, filling him with quiet warmth.
He wasn't the scared Null who'd arrived at this academy.
He wasn't even the struggling Latent who'd barely survived his the first and second week.
He was Kaelen Burn. Chrononaut. Initiate Basic Control. S-Grade Unique.
And in Eight and a half hours, he would prove it.
He returned to bed and closed his eyes.
This time, when sleep came, there were no dreams.
Only the steady, patient rhythm of his heartbeat, counting down to dawn.