Chapter 8: Chapter 8: The Hidden Currents
Morning arrived quietly over the Skygate dormitory. The sunlight spread across the hill where the building stood, illuminating the training grounds below and the distant towers of Ashvale City. The academy was already alive with activity. Tars were practicing with their contracted beasts, instructors were giving orders, and faint roars echoed through the air.
Inside his room, Aether opened his eyes slowly.
He had slept well, but the strange vision from the previous night remained in his mind. The broken gate, the battlefield, and the two figures standing against overwhelming enemies felt too vivid to be dismissed as a dream.
The Fire Pup was already awake.
It was sitting near the window, watching the sunrise with surprising seriousness for such a small creature.
Aether sat up.
"You’re up early."
The pup turned and barked once.
Aether stretched slightly before standing up. As he moved, he could feel the subtle change within his body. Ever since forming the contract and completing the trial, his senses felt sharper.
It was as if the bond with the Fire Pup was strengthening him as well.
He walked toward the window.
Outside, several faction mbers were already training.
So were sparring.
Others were practicing control over their beasts.
Aether leaned against the fra and observed quietly.
The Fire Pup jumped onto the windowsill beside him.
"Looks like we have work to do," Aether said.
The pup barked in agreent.
A knock ca from the door.
Aether didn’t turn.
"It’s open."
The door slid aside and Liora walked in, carrying two cups of steaming tea.
"You’re awake," she said.
"Seems like it," Aether replied.
She handed him one of the cups.
"Welco to your first official day as a Skygate mber."
Aether took the cup.
"Thanks."
Liora glanced outside at the training grounds.
"Normally, new recruits start with basic training and beast compatibility tests."
Aether raised an eyebrow.
"Normally?"
She nodded.
"But after yesterday, the elders decided to skip so steps."
"That sounds ominous."
"It ans they want to see your limits."
Aether smiled faintly.
"They might be disappointed."
The Fire Pup barked proudly.
Liora took a sip of her tea and studied the pup.
"It’s stronger than yesterday."
Aether nodded.
"Yeah."
She frowned slightly.
"That’s what worries ."
Aether looked at her.
"You say that like it’s a bad thing."
"For you, maybe not," she replied. "But for the academy? Rapid growth attracts attention."
Aether already knew that.
And from the strange eting happening sowhere beneath the city last night, it seed attention had already arrived.
---
Later that morning, Aether and Liora walked toward one of the central training arenas inside the Skygate compound.
Several faction mbers were already gathered there.
Unlike the academy arena, this place felt more serious. The tars present were clearly more experienced, and their beasts radiated powerful energy.
As Aether entered, many eyes turned toward him.
One of the tars whispered,
"That’s the one from the trial."
Another replied,
"The Fire Pup guy."
Aether didn’t seem bothered by the attention.
The Fire Pup trotted beside him confidently.
At the center of the arena stood the silver-haired elder from the previous day.
"Good," he said as Aether approached. "You’re here."
Aether nodded.
"You said you wanted to test limits."
The elder smiled faintly.
"That’s right."
Several instructors stepped forward, activating a barrier around the arena.
Energy walls rose around the training field, ensuring that whatever happened inside would not affect the surroundings.
Aether looked around calmly.
"This seems serious."
"It is," the elder replied.
Liora stepped aside, joining the other observers.
Aether noticed that many of the tars present were much stronger than beginners.
So even had beasts that looked powerful enough to dominate entire battlefields.
"So what’s the test?" Aether asked.
The elder gestured toward the opposite side of the arena.
A tall young man stepped forward.
His presence was sharp and confident, and beside him stood a sleek silver wolf whose eyes glowed with electric energy.
"This is Rovan," the elder said. "A rank-two tar in the faction."
Rovan looked at Aether with interest.
"So you’re the new prodigy."
Aether shrugged.
"I’m just here to train."
Rovan smirked slightly.
"We’ll see about that."
The silver wolf growled softly.
The Fire Pup responded with a playful bark.
Aether glanced down at it.
"Don’t get too excited."
The elder raised his hand.
"This will not be a full battle," he said. "We only want to observe Aether’s combat capability."
Rovan nodded.
"Understood."
Aether stepped into position.
The arena fell silent.
For a mont, nothing happened.
Then the elder spoke.
"Begin."
---
Rovan moved first.
His silver wolf dashed forward with incredible speed, leaving sparks of electricity across the ground.
The Fire Pup imdiately responded, rushing forward as well.
The two beasts collided in the center of the arena.
A burst of fla and lightning exploded outward.
The observers leaned forward.
One of the instructors muttered,
"That pup is keeping up."
Liora crossed her arms, watching closely.
Aether remained calm.
"Right side," he said quietly.
The Fire Pup moved instantly.
The silver wolf’s attack missed by a narrow margin.
Rovan narrowed his eyes.
"Not bad."
The wolf circled again, its electricity intensifying.
This ti, the attack was faster.
But sothing strange happened.
The Fire Pup’s flas suddenly deepened in color again.
A faint second tail of fire beca clearer behind it.
The observers noticed imdiately.
"It’s evolving again."
"That’s impossible."
The silver-haired elder didn’t speak, but his gaze sharpened.
Inside the arena, the Fire Pup launched forward.
Its flas surged, pushing back the silver wolf.
Rovan’s expression changed.
"Wait... that’s too fast."
Aether watched quietly.
Inside his mind, the reddish-golden glow was responding once more.
But this ti, he wasn’t surprised.
Instead, he was thinking.
Carefully.
Because the strange feeling from last night was growing stronger.
And sothing told him this was only the beginning.
The Fire Pup landed another strike, forcing the silver wolf to retreat.
The arena fell silent.
Rovan raised his hand.
"Enough."
The wolf stopped imdiately.
The Fire Pup also returned to Aether’s side.
For a mont, no one spoke.
Then the elder said slowly,
"Interesting."
Rovan looked at Aether again, this ti with a more serious expression.
"You’re stronger than I expected."
Aether smiled slightly.
"We’re just getting started."
But high above the arena, unseen by everyone present, a small chanical drone hovered silently.
Its sensors recorded everything.
And far away, in a hidden facility belonging to the Genesis Evolution Authority, the data was being analyzed in real ti.
One of the researchers stared at the screen.
"It’s confird."
Another asked,
"The subject?"
The researcher nodded.
"Yes."
Then he said quietly,
"Target: Aether... has awakened."
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