Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Foundations of a Tar
The next few days at Skygate Academy passed with a strange mixture of calm and rising tension.
For most students, the academy was entering the most exciting period of the year — the Internal Ranking Tournant. Matches continued daily, alliances were forming, rivalries were becoming sharper, and instructors were watching closely for talents worth recomnding to the great factions of the Lower World.
But for Aether, this period ant sothing slightly different.
Preparation.
Not just for the tournant.
But for everything that was slowly beginning to move around him.
The signal from the Ashen Wildlands had not disappeared. In fact, if anything, it had beco clearer over the past few days.
Still distant.
Still hidden.
But definitely real.
And Aether had decided that before moving toward it, he needed to strengthen both himself and the Fire Pup in a more structured way.
Which was why, early one morning, he was walking toward one of the most specialized buildings in the academy.
The Beast Studies Pavilion.
Liora walked beside him, looking around curiously.
"You really plan to attend every advanced class available, don’t you?"
Aether nodded.
"Knowledge reduces unnecessary risk."
She smirked.
"That sounds like sothing a strategist would say."
"It is."
The Fire Pup trotted happily beside them, occasionally leaving small sparks of fla on the stone path.
When they reached the entrance of the pavilion, they found a surprisingly large number of students already gathered there.
This was one of the few classes open only to higher-potential tars.
Which ant many strong students were present.
Among them, Aether noticed a few familiar faces.
Including Riven.
The tall student stood near the back of the hall, arms crossed, observing quietly.
Their eyes t briefly.
Riven nodded once.
Aether returned the gesture.
Neither spoke.
But the tension between them had not disappeared.
---
Inside the pavilion, the classroom was shaped like a circular arena rather than a traditional lecture hall.
In the center stood a large platform surrounded by multiple containnt barriers.
Professor Halvren walked in shortly after the students settled down.
"Today," he said, "we move beyond theory."
The students imdiately beca more attentive.
"We will be discussing combatsynchronization between tar and beast."
The Fire Pup looked up at Aether with interest.
Professor Halvren continued.
"Many battles are lost not because beasts are weak, but because tars fail to understand how to coordinate properly with them."
He activated a projection showing several battle scenarios.
In one example, a powerful beast lost simply because its tar issued commands too slowly.
In another, a weaker beast won through perfect timing and coordination.
Aether watched carefully.
Although he already had a natural connection with the Fire Pup, there was always room to improve.
Professor Halvren gestured toward the center platform.
"We will begin with demonstration exercises."
Two senior students stepped forward.
Their beasts appeared monts later.
A wind hawk and a steel-armored wolf.
The demonstration began.
The hawk attacked with speed while the wolf relied on defense and counterattacks.
Professor Halvren explained each movent.
"Notice how the tar anticipates the beast’s reaction."
"Notice how commands are not shouted, but tid."
"Notice how energy is conserved."
Aether paid attention to every detail.
Liora whispered beside him,
"You’re analyzing everything again."
"Yes."
She smiled.
"I expected that."
---
After several demonstrations, the professor addressed the entire class.
"Now it’s your turn."
Students were divided into training groups.
Aether and Liora were placed in the sa group.
And surprisingly—
Riven was also assigned to them.
Liora looked slightly amused.
"Well, this should be interesting."
Riven shrugged.
"I’m here to learn."
Aether nodded.
"So am I."
Their training area was located near one of the practice arenas inside the pavilion.
The professor instructed them to perform controlled sparring exercises rather than full battles.
The goal was to improve coordination and understanding.
Riven summoned his beast first.
A sleek shadow-panther erged beside him.
Fast.
Silent.
Dangerous.
Liora whistled softly.
"That’s impressive."
Riven replied calmly,
"It’s fast, but still developing."
Aether released the Fire Pup.
The small beast stretched slightly before flas flickered around its body.
Several nearby students watched curiously.
Riven studied the Fire Pup carefully.
"You don’t give many commands during battle."
Aether answered,
"Because it understands most of them already."
Riven nodded.
"That’s rare."
---
The sparring session began.
Instead of fighting directly, they practiced coordinated movent and reaction exercises.
The shadow-panther dashed across the training field with incredible speed while the Fire Pup responded with controlled bursts of fla.
Aether focused not on attacking, but on improving timing.
He tested small adjustnts in movent.
Energy flow.
Command timing.
The results were imdiate.
The Fire Pup began reacting faster.
More precisely.
Even Riven noticed.
"You’re improving mid-training," he said.
Aether replied,
"That’s the goal."
Liora joined the exercise with her own beast, a wind-type spirit creature that enhanced her mobility.
The three of them continued training for nearly an hour.
By the end, even the instructor observing them seed impressed.
Professor Halvren approached their group.
"You three are progressing quickly."
Liora smiled.
"We try."
But the professor’s gaze lingered on Aether.
"You’re different."
Aether didn’t respond.
The professor continued,
"You don’t just train strength. You build foundations."
Aether nodded slightly.
"That’s the plan."
Professor Halvren looked thoughtful for a mont.
Then he said sothing unexpected.
"If you continue like this, you’ll surpass many students faster than you realize."
---
Later that day, Aether and Liora walked through one of the quieter sections of the academy gardens.
The Fire Pup followed them while playing with small sparks of fla.
Liora stretched slightly.
"That training was actually useful."
Aether agreed.
"Yes."
She glanced at him.
"You’re preparing for sothing bigger than the tournant, aren’t you?"
Aether didn’t deny it.
"Yes."
"The Ashen Wildlands?"
"Yes."
Liora sighed.
"I knew it."
She sat on a stone bench.
"You realize that once we go there, things will beco much more dangerous."
Aether looked toward the distant horizon beyond the academy walls.
"I know."
"But you’re still going."
"Yes."
The Fire Pup suddenly stopped playing and looked toward the sa direction.
Its flas flickered again.
Stronger this ti.
Aether felt it too.
The signal.
It had intensified.
Liora noticed the change imdiately.
"It’s getting closer, isn’t it?"
Aether nodded slowly.
"Yes."
Sothing in the Ashen Wildlands was responding to him.
And based on what he had learned recently...
It was very likely a beast.
Not just any beast.
But one connected to his resonance.
Which ant the mont he stepped into that region...
The next major step in his journey would begin.
However—
Before that happened, the academy tournant was still ongoing.
More rivals were waiting.
And sowhere within the academy...
New enemies had begun to notice him.
Because Aether was no longer just another student.
He was becoming sothing far more interesting.
And the Lower World had started to pay attention.
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