Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Lessons of the Hidden Fla
The next morning at Skygate Academy felt different.
News of Aether’s victory had spread across the entire campus overnight. Even students who hadn’t been present in the arena were now discussing the battle as if they had witnessed it personally.
So exaggerated details.
Others analyzed strategies.
But one thing was clear.
Aether had beco one of the most talked-about students in the academy.
Despite that, Aether’s morning began the sa way it always did — with training.
The eastern training grounds were quieter than the central arena, especially early in the day. The sun had only begun to rise above the tall towers of Skygate, and the air still carried a cool calmness.
Aether stood at the center of the training field.
The Fire Pup sat beside him, its flas steady and controlled.
Aether raised his hand slowly.
"Let’s begin with control exercises."
The Fire Pup tilted its head.
"Yesterday’s battle pushed your output," Aether continued. "But power without precision wastes energy."
The small beast barked once in agreent.
Aether stepped back and created several small floating targets using a training device from the academy.
Five glowing spheres appeared in the air.
"First exercise," Aether said. "Minimal fla bursts. One at a ti."
The Fire Pup focused.
A thin spark of fire shot forward and hit the first target.
Perfect accuracy.
Aether nodded slightly.
"Good. But we’re not stopping there."
He adjusted the device again.
Now the targets began moving.
Random directions.
Different speeds.
"Second exercise. Movent tracking."
The Fire Pup’s eyes sharpened.
Flas flickered.
One by one, it launched controlled bursts of fire, hitting the moving targets with surprising precision.
Not explosive.
Not overwhelming.
Just accurate.
From a distance, soone was watching.
Liora leaned against one of the training pillars, observing quietly.
"You really are treating this like a research project," she said after a while.
Aether didn’t turn around.
"Everything is a research project."
She walked closer and watched the Fire Pup destroy the last moving target.
"I thought most tars just trained power."
Aether replied calmly,
"Most tars lose because they only train power."
Liora smirked.
"That explains yesterday."
The Fire Pup wagged its tail proudly.
---
Later that morning, Aether attended one of the academy’s core classes for advanced tars.
It was held in a large circular hall where dozens of students gathered around a central platform.
This class was known for being particularly difficult.
Not because of physical training.
But because of knowledge.
The instructor, an older man nad Professor Halvren, was known for teaching things that most academies didn’t.
When Aether and Liora entered, several students imdiately noticed them.
Whispers spread again.
But the professor ignored all of it.
He walked to the center of the platform and spoke calmly.
"Today’s topic is beast evolution theory."
That imdiately caught Aether’s attention.
The Fire Pup, sitting beside his chair, also looked up.
Professor Halvren activated a projection.
A massive diagram appeared showing different evolutionary branches of beasts.
"Most tars believe evolution is simply a matter of feeding beasts resources," the professor began.
"But that is only the surface."
Several students leaned forward.
"True evolution depends on three things," he continued.
"Environnt. Resonance. And compatibility with the tar."
Aether’s eyes narrowed slightly.
That was interesting.
The professor continued.
"So rare individuals possess a natural resonance that accelerates beast evolution."
Several students murmured.
"However," the professor added, "these cases are extrely rare and poorly understood."
Liora glanced at Aether.
He pretended not to notice.
The Fire Pup quietly looked up at him.
Almost as if it understood the implication.
Professor Halvren continued explaining advanced theories, including how certain tars unknowingly influence their beasts’ growth.
But then he said sothing unexpected.
"There is a rumor that in ancient tis, so tars could evolve beasts without using materials at all."
The entire room reacted.
"That’s impossible."
"That would break the system."
Professor Halvren smiled slightly.
"Yes. That’s what most people think."
Aether remained silent.
But inside his mind, he was paying close attention.
Because that rumor was not a rumor.
It was his reality.
---
After the class ended, several students approached the professor to ask questions.
Aether stayed behind.
Professor Halvren noticed.
"You have sothing to ask," the professor said calmly.
Aether nodded.
"You ntioned resonance earlier."
The professor studied him carefully.
"Yes."
"Can resonance change over ti?"
Professor Halvren paused for a mont.
"That depends on the individual."
Aether continued,
"And if soone had an unusual resonance... could it attract certain beasts?"
The professor’s expression changed slightly.
"That’s a very specific question."
Aether didn’t deny it.
Professor Halvren folded his hands behind his back.
"Yes," he said eventually. "It can."
The Fire Pup looked at Aether.
The professor added one more sentence.
"Especially ancient or rare beasts."
Aether nodded.
"Thank you."
As he turned to leave, the professor spoke again.
"Be careful."
Aether stopped.
"Why?"
"Because the mont rare beasts start noticing you..."
The professor looked directly at him.
"...other things will notice too."
---
That afternoon, the academy’s tournant continued.
But Aether did not have a match scheduled for the day.
Instead, he spent ti observing other competitors.
One of the most impressive battles involved a student from an allied faction.
His beast was a lightning falcon capable of extrely fast attacks.
Liora watched with interest.
"He’s strong."
Aether nodded.
"Yes. But his defense is weak."
"You noticed that already?"
Aether shrugged.
"It’s obvious."
But as the battles continued, Aether noticed sothing else.
So of the participants were not just competing for ranking.
They were testing him.
Watching.
asuring his reactions.
And among them...
He spotted soone new.
A group of students with unfamiliar uniforms had arrived.
Their insignia matched one of the TopFactions of the Lower World.
A faction known for controlling rare beast territories.
Liora noticed them too.
"That’s not good," she said quietly.
"Why?"
"They don’t usually send observers unless sothing important is happening."
Aether glanced at them calmly.
"Then sothing important must be happening."
---
That evening, Aether returned to the study hall again.
But this ti, he was not alone.
Liora sat across from him while reviewing maps of the Ashen Wildlands.
"You’re serious about going there," she said.
"Yes."
"That place is full of dangerous beasts."
Aether nodded.
"I know."
"And yet you’re still calm."
Aether leaned back slightly.
"Because sothing there is calling ."
The Fire Pup’s flas flickered again.
The signal was growing stronger.
Liora sighed.
"Fine. But we need to prepare first."
Aether agreed.
"Training. Research. And allies."
She smiled slightly.
"You really plan everything."
Aether replied simply,
"I prefer winning."
But deep inside, he knew sothing important.
The Ashen Wildlands was not just a dangerous place.
It was likely connected to the second beast he would obtain.
And according to the pattern he had already noticed...
The timing was approaching.
However, before that happened...
There would be more battles.
More rivals.
And the academy itself had only just begun revealing its true complexity.
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