The dawn broke over the Black Shrine, spilling gold across jagged stone and shadowed corridors. Birds did not sing here; even the wind seemed hesitant, as though the world itself respected the weight of what was about to happen.
Inside the central courtyard, the eight warriors gathered again, boots scraping stone, breaths visible in the cool morning air. Their eyes, sharp and alert, traced Sensi's every movement. He stood at the center, tall, pale, silver hair shimmering faintly in the early light, eyes cold but burning with scrutiny. The air around him pulsed, the invisible thrum of Aether wrapping itself like a cloak around all who dared step near.
Kairo, as always, lingered slightly behind. His black hair fell over his storm-grey eyes, one of which occasionally shimmered gold with Aether. He had barely slept, muscles tense from the previous battle with the Cyclops. Even now, the memory of that strike against his face made his fists tighten. The dual god energy inside him was restless, twitching like caged lightning.
Sensi's voice cut through the quiet, calm, almost surgical.
"Today, you will awaken a new branch of your Aether. Some of you may fail. Some may surpass even my expectations. And some… will almost die trying."
The gang shifted. Lysandra smirked, adjusting her bow.
"Almost die? That's very reassuring," she said, tone dripping sarcasm.
Ayo chuckled, cracking his knuckles. His metal-hardened veins glowed faintly orange.
"Bring it on. My forge can handle a little heat."
Kasai's golden eyes narrowed, and he exhaled faint flames from his hands. The miniature sun he carried flickered and pulsed, a reminder that Amaterasu's line always demanded control over one's emotions.
Sensi ignored the banter. Instead, he waved a hand toward a set of stone gates at the edge of the courtyard. Beyond lay a circular arena, carved from obsidian, etched with runes from every major pantheon.
"Your first trial is simple in concept," he said. "You will each awaken a new technique. A burst of power beyond what you know. Use the runes and the arena. Push yourself. But remember: Aether feeds on thought, intent, and fear. If your mind falters, the arena will punish you."
The group approached the arena in unison, a single entity of anticipation and silent tension. Kairo's pulse raced. Every fiber of his being screamed that today would be unlike any day before. He glanced at his companions.
Lysandra's bow glimmered with green Aether. She had been practicing duplicates, trying to perfect her forest mirroring technique. Ayo's veins pulsed, his molten metal aura flickering with anticipation. Kasai's miniature sun stretched, warming the stones beneath their feet. The twins, Kaito and Reina, moved in unison as always, their hands brushing, lightning crackling around one, water flowing around the other. Dagon flexed his clawed fingers, teeth sharp, muscles tightening. And the new Hades-lineage boy lingered near Sensi, shadowed and unreadable, as though already asleep in a world of death.
Sensi's cold gaze swept over them.
"Begin."
The First Burst
Kairo stepped into the arena. He did not chant. His fingers twitched, Aether surging inside him, chaotic but potent. The dual power—a mix of cold, calculating ancient force and blazing, passionate energy—pushed outward, warping the very air.
The blue-and-red energy clashed inside him like opposing storms. Pain flared as the dual Aether tried to establish dominance. His vision blurred. The arena pulsed in response, runes lighting up under his feet.
"Focus!" Sensi's voice cut through the chaos. "Balance the forces, do not let one dominate!"
Kairo clenched his fists. He imagined the energy as a river, flowing in both directions but contained, harmonized. Slowly, the storm inside him shifted, finding a rhythm. With a flick of his hand, he released a burst of pure Aether, the waves forming a translucent shield that rippled outward, warping space around him.
The others watched, impressed. Ayo's jaw tightened.
"Not bad for a latecomer," he muttered.
Lysandra grinned, her green Aether twining around her bow as she created three mirrored duplicates, each firing spectral arrows in perfect precision.
Kasai's flames burst into a miniature solar storm, heat bending the air so the arena trembled. Kaito's lightning spiraled into the sky, meeting Reina's water to form a violent storm inside the arena. Dagon slammed his clawed fists into the ground, causing shockwaves of primal Aether to ripple like tidal waves.
Even the Hades-lineage boy moved—stepping lightly, summoning shadow tendrils that probed the arena, brushing against walls, floor, and ceiling as though tasting the space itself.
Sensi watched, arms crossed. His cold, unreadable face betrayed nothing. But Kairo sensed… satisfaction.
Awakening Artifacts
Sensi motioned to the stone pedestal at the center of the arena. Upon it sat a small obsidian cube, faintly engraved with glyphs from all the major pantheons.
"This is a Catalyst Artifact," Sensi explained. "It channels the arena's Aether and amplifies your awakening. Only one may touch it at a time. But beware—the artifact mirrors your mind and fear. If your intent falters, it will punish you."
Ayo stepped forward first. The cube pulsed as his molten metal Aether intertwined with it. Sparks flew. For a brief moment, his veins glowed brighter than ever, and he unleashed a metal-hard skin technique that had not existed before. But the artifact recoiled, sending a shockwave that nearly toppled him.
One by one, the others approached. Each awakened a new branch of power:
Lysandra enhanced her forest mirroring, summoning five duplicates at once.
Kasai created a solar flare shield, able to blind or burn anything nearby.
Kaito and Reina synchronized a storm vortex, blending lightning and water into a miniature hurricane.
Dagon's claws emitted a poisonous Aether mist, capable of corroding stone and flesh alike.
The Hades-lineage boy's shadow tendrils became solid, blade-like constructs, slicing the air before dissolving.
When it was Kairo's turn, the artifact pulsed violently as if recognizing the dual-god energy inside him. Pain shot through his chest. His vision doubled and blurred. Red. Blue. White. Colliding. His hands shook.
Then, a voice—soft, almost familiar—echoed inside his mind:
"Control me… or be destroyed."
Kairo gritted his teeth. He reached deep into the duality of his Aether, allowing the energies to flow in harmony. With a burst, he released a massive wave of intertwined power. The artifact shattered in a brilliant flash.
The arena trembled. Stones cracked. Flames and lightning danced across the sky.
When the light faded, the gang stared in awe. Kairo stood, breathing heavily, his eyes faintly gold and silver.
Sensi's cold voice broke the silence.
"Interesting. Very interesting."
Kairo felt it too—a shift inside. His first true awakening had begun. But deep down, a whisper remained. Something about Sensi. Something about his father. Something he wasn't ready to face.
And yet, the path forward had begun.