Scene 1 — TJ
"You want to funnel the world's astral energy into your body," I said.
"The best method is breathing control. Some of us use cycling methods to learn that control."
The group stayed silent.
"My cycling method is the Continuum, received from my teacher, Huginn the Explorer. Mine comes with a path already prebuilt."
I tapped the manual once.
"The one Director Chiron passed down trades a set path for a generalized foundation. If you've never possessed a cycling method, then Chiron's is the blessing past fail-outs would've killed for."
I paused, then waved.
"Start."
The training ground answered immediately.
The air tightened as the barrier around the Third Year Class A grounds activated. Ambient astral energy flowed toward the first years, rising in both quantity and purity.
It felt deliberate.
Like the eyes watching from the Headmaster's tower had turned the system on.
"Focus on absorbing even a hair's width," I said.
"That will teach you more than trying to swallow everything you feel."
Their breathing steadied.
"That's also how you ruin your foundations with impurities," I continued.
"One strand is enough per session."
A few shoulders tensed.
"Any more at C-rank will either bloat you or ruin the groundwork we're trying to build."
Someone reached too far.
I moved without hesitation.
One strike to the side of his neck and he dropped instantly.
He'd tried to digest more energy than his system could handle.
I let my own astral energy invade his unguarded body and flushed his system clean.
It wiped his gains completely.
Better to start fresh at early C-rank than reach A-rank with impurities.
"Remember," I said, "each cycle you focus on one strand."
I laid him down and stood.
The rest followed my words exactly.
Somewhere nearby, the sound of bodies hitting stone echoed through the walls.
Thomas.
Javi was probably taking the worst of it.
"Once you reach mid C-tier foundations," I said, "we move to combat training. Then we swap with Javi's group."
A few heads lifted.
"Anyone who earns Thomas's approval gets access to my faction's marketplace."
That got their attention.
"You'll trade for manuals, recorded techniques, and combat references."
I let the silence stretch.
"You're the tenth class of Odin Academy. My group graduates early next year into fifth years as Traveler aides. We're already A-rank."
That landed.
"So whether this system succeeds or fails depends on you."
A few of them drifted too deep.
I laced astral energy into my voice.
"Wake up."
Their eyes snapped open all at once.
Shock crossed their faces as they felt the subtle growth in their cores.
I chuckled.
"Good. Remember what it felt like when you didn't steal more than you could handle."
Scene 2 — Amber
"I've already told you, Ren," I said, turning the page of my book.
"Megan is my childhood friend. I'm not siding with you because TJ burned her emblem."
"She dropped it," I continued.
"She's focusing on building her astral core."
Ren stood in my doorway, frustrated.
"That's not the point," she said.
"He destroyed our group's reputation and is using third-year training grounds for first years. It's unfair."
She hesitated.
"Thomas almost sent his boys after us when we demanded a chance in."
I paused.
Even we weren't allowed into Class A grounds.
"Not my issue," I said.
"The only reason I joined the group was for the trading rights. You ruined that."
She opened her mouth.
"You're digging us into a deeper hole," I continued.
"If they don't want you there, why force it?"
I turned another page.
"You can ask Megan to use her personal training room. Otherwise, there's nothing I can do."
Ren scoffed.
"Leave the teachers out of it," I added.
"Mr. Simon isn't known for friendliness."
That shut her up.
I returned to my book.
A compiled list of traveler madness reports from the last twenty-five years.
Accounts of people seeing things that weren't present.
Perception shifting as astral density increased.
Sometimes it wasn't madness.
Sometimes it was the world finally responding.
I tuned Ren out completely.
Scene 3 — Javi
"Eat," I said.
"Or we won't have a chance to fight back tomorrow."
I forced the food down, ignoring the bruises Thomas left behind.
Across from me, Xavier's face was swollen and purple, but he still sat upright.
"This is your fault," he said.
"You didn't warn us about Thomas's methods."
I looked up slowly.
"Yes I did," I said.
"I told you he's a smart idiot."
He blinked.
"The fact he baited you with personal training and higher-level techniques should've been a red flag."
I rubbed my cheek.
"That doesn't help," Xavier muttered.
"We got beat up for nothing. I should've played dumb and joined TJ's group."
I stared at him, then pushed the thought away.
"Quit whining," I said.
"You're making us look weak."
Gabe didn't look up from his tray.
"He's right," Gabe said.
"Quit whining. You're embarrassing us."
Xavier's glare burned across the table.
No one backed him.
The rest of the group stayed quiet.
I kept eating.
Not because I was hungry.
Because tomorrow was coming whether we were ready or not.