Morning fog hung low over the Iron Dragon Dojo, softening the sharp angles of the training grounds and giving the entire compound an ethereal glow. The metallic dragon crest at the gate gleamed faintly in the pale sunrise, as if acknowledging Aether's return.
Aether entered with a mix of unease and determination.
He had barely slept. Every time he closed his eyes, his mind replayed the trial — the traps, the movement, the effortless instinct guiding him. Even now, walking across the dojo courtyard, he felt the faint memory of that strange warmth behind his eyes.
But he ignored it.
Today wasn't about mysteries or destiny.
Today was about training.
Master Ryuga awaited him on the central platform, his arms folded behind his back. Even in the calm morning air, Ryuga's presence weighed heavily, like a mountain barely restrained.
"You are on time," Ryuga said, nodding. "Good."
Aether bowed politely. "I said I would come."
"That is one thing," Ryuga replied. "But accepting the path… is another."
He gestured outward.
The elite training grounds sprawled across an immense area — stone floors, reinforced pillars, massive boulders arranged in patterns, and suspended platforms that defied gravity through complex mechanical systems.
It was an entire world built for warriors.
And Aether felt strangely… at home.
Ryuga stepped forward with hands clasped behind him.
"Before you begin your training, there is something you must understand."
Aether straightened.
"In the Iron Dragon Dojo, strength is not measured by brute force — but by potential, adaptability, and the will to grow."
Ryuga's gaze sharpened.
"And you have all three… in abundance."
Aether swallowed, unsure how to respond.
"Today," Ryuga continued, "we begin with the foundation."
Ryuga guided Aether to a flat stone platform.
"This is the Iron Root Stance," the master said. "It is the beginning of everything — stability, instinct, strength, balance."
Aether positioned his legs as instructed, lowering his center of gravity.
Ryuga circled him like a predator evaluating prey.
"No," Ryuga said. "Your posture is too light. Again."
Aether adjusted.
"Too heavy. Again."
Another adjustment.
"Your weight is on your heels. Again."
Aether inhaled sharply through his nose, but kept calm. He repeated the stance dozens of times until Ryuga finally grunted approval.
"Now hold it."
Aether held.
Seconds passed.
Minutes stretched.
His thighs began to tremble.
Sweat dripped down his back.
His breaths grew uneven.
Yet… something inside him refused to collapse.
He pushed himself deeper into the stance.
Ryuga watched with unwavering focus.
"This is good," he said quietly. "Most students collapse within two minutes. You have held for nearly twenty."
Aether exhaled, shocked. "Twenty…?"
Ryuga nodded. "Your endurance is exceptional. Your will is sharp. But your control…"
He shook his head.
"…your control is still raw."
******
Ryuga led him to a long hall lined with polished metal panels. They reflected Aether's image over and over — hundreds of him staring back.
"This test examines movement and flow," Ryuga said. "Do not think. Do not plan. Let your body move naturally."
He stepped back.
"Begin."
Without warning, shadow-like training constructs emerged from the walls — fluid, silent, humanoid in form. They swarmed toward Aether at varying speeds.
Aether responded instinctively.
He slid, dodged, stepped, pivoted — each movement clean and fluid. His body flowed like water. His reflection shifted and twisted across the metal walls — a blur of momentum and precision.
One shadow swung — he parried.
Another lunged — he sidestepped.
A third slipped behind — he swept it away.
Ryuga watched intently.
"Your instincts are astonishing," he murmured.
"But your hesitation remains."
Indeed — moments of uncertainty flickered through Aether's movements. Split-second pauses. Small delays in reaction. Not enough to lose — but enough to show he lacked refinement.
The test continued for fifteen grueling minutes before Ryuga ended it with a single clap.
The shadows dissolved.
Aether stood breathless, sweat coating his skin, chest rising and falling.
Ryuga approached him slowly.
"You move like someone far beyond your level," he said.
"But you think like someone far below it."
Aether stiffened. "I… don't understand."
Ryuga's voice softened.
"You rely entirely on instinct. That is both your greatest strength… and your greatest flaw."
He placed a heavy hand on Aether's shoulder.
"One day, instinct alone will fail you. To grow, you must learn to control what is inside you — not just react to it."
Aether nodded, absorbing every word.
After hours of training, Ryuga dismissed him to rest.
Aether found a quiet corner near the dojo's meditation garden. The soft sound of flowing water soothed his mind. He sat on a stone bench, catching his breath, watching koi swim in glowing ripples.
He finally let himself relax.
But the silence didn't last.
Footsteps approached.
"Aether?"
He turned to see Mira — wearing her school uniform, holding her bag, eyes wide with worry.
"Mira…?" Aether stood quickly. "What are you doing here?"
"I followed you," she admitted, cheeks flushed. "You left school so abruptly this morning and you've been acting… different."
Her gaze swept the vast dojo grounds.
"And now you're training at this place? The Iron Dragon Dojo? Aether… what's going on?"
Aether looked away, unsure how to explain.
Unsure what he was allowed to say.
Unsure what he even understood.
"I don't know," he said finally. "But something is happening. And I need to understand it."
Mira stepped closer.
"You could have told me," she said softly. "I worry about you."
Aether swallowed. "I'm sorry. I just… didn't want to drag you into anything."
"You don't drag me into anything," she whispered. "I choose to care."
Aether's chest tightened with something unfamiliar — warmth, gratitude, something deeper he didn't yet understand.
Before he could answer, Ryuga's voice echoed sharply across the courtyard.
"Aether! Break time is over!"
Aether exhaled and turned back to Mira.
"I need to go."
She nodded slowly. "Then I'll wait outside."
And with that, she stepped away.
Aether inhaled deeply, steadying himself.
Then he returned to Ryuga — to training — to the path that was beginning to shape him.
A path far larger than he yet realized.
And though nothing cosmic awakened today,
something else did:
Resolve.