The sun had barely risen over the Black Shrine, its golden rays bleeding through cracks in the obsidian walls. The courtyard was alive, but not with birds or insects—this place breathed differently. Every shadow seemed to hum with the memory of gods, past and present.
Kairo leaned against the edge of the fountain, still feeling the aftershocks of the arena trial. His hands trembled faintly, Aether crackling along his veins like wildfire restrained by invisible chains. The shattered artifact from yesterday still haunted him in his mind, but more than that, it was the whisper—the voice in his chest, soft, distant, calling him to control something he didn't fully understand.
He wasn't alone. Lysandra's boots clicked across the courtyard. She leaned casually against the fountain's rim, bow slung over her shoulder, green eyes sparkling with amusement.
"First awakening trial complete," she said, smirking. "Not bad… though I expected more screaming."
Kairo rolled his eyes. "Yeah, because screaming helps channel dual-god energy, right?"
She laughed lightly, a sound like forest wind. "You'll learn that some abilities prefer subtlety… and some like theatrics. You're… unpredictable, I'll give you that."
Before Kairo could reply, Ayo swaggered into the courtyard, his molten metal veins still faintly glowing from yesterday. "Unpredictable is good," he said, voice deep and amused. "Means you're dangerous. Means we can have fun watching you survive."
Kairo shot him a flat glare. "Very comforting, thanks."
Kasai emerged next, golden eyes bright, small flames dancing along his fingers. "You're not the only one who surprised the artifact," he said. "I almost burned a hole in the floor. Almost… doesn't count."
Kairo looked at him. "Yeah, sure. Almost."
Dagon leaned from the shadows, grinning. His green reptilian eyes glimmered in the morning light. "It's funny. You struggle with control, and yet the artifact recognizes you. Feels… natural."
Kairo didn't reply. There was something about Dagon's tone—playful, yet slightly knowing—that made him tighten his fists.
The twins, Kaito and Reina, stepped forward in perfect sync. Lightning crackled faintly around Kaito's fingers while water gathered along Reina's ankles, coiling like a snake. "Not bad, Kairo," Kaito said with a teasing grin. "Your burst nearly blew the arena apart."
Reina's eyes narrowed slightly, cold and precise. "Be careful with that dual Aether," she said softly. "It can kill everything around you if you lose control. Including yourself."
Kairo's chest tightened. He nodded, but said nothing.
Finally, the Hades-lineage boy emerged from near Sensi's shadow, moving silently. His presence was unsettling, but quiet—like a calm before a storm. He didn't speak, didn't smile. Just observed.
Sensi stepped from the shadows then, tall, pale, silver hair glinting in the sun. His gaze swept over the group, but lingered slightly on Kairo. "Impressive," he said, voice cold as ever. "Few have survived the artifact test on the first attempt. Even fewer have produced a new branch of power."
Kairo shifted uneasily. There was that faint flicker of… recognition? That trace of something unspoken, buried behind Sensi's icy mask. He ignored it—for now.
Sensi continued, walking toward the shattered remains of the obsidian artifact. "You have awakened potential, but that is only the beginning. Potential is meaningless without control, intent, and discipline. Today, we hone that."
He lifted a hand, and fragments of the artifact floated into the air, orbiting him like tiny stars. "Each shard contains the memory of previous wielders. Use them, learn from them, or be consumed."
Ayo's grin widened. "Now we're talking. This is gonna be fun."
Sensi ignored him and stepped back. "Pair up. You will train using the shards. Push your abilities, discover the limits, and find how your Aether interacts with artifacts. This will not be a sparring exercise. Mistakes will be punished."
Lysandra raised an eyebrow. "Punished? You mean… we survive, right?"
Sensi's cold gaze didn't waver. "Perhaps. Or perhaps the arena will decide differently."
Training Begins
Kairo paired with Lysandra, mostly by default. He could feel her calm green Aether radiating subtly, like a guiding forest. Their first test was simple in instruction but deadly in execution: integrate shards of the artifact into a simulated battlefield, controlling them with Aether bursts.
He released a faint pulse of dual-god energy, watching it ripple outward. The shard near him reacted violently, spinning and lashing out. Kairo barely caught it in time with a translucent Aether shield.
"You have two forces," Lysandra said, moving gracefully. Her duplicates flickered in and out, guiding shards to move in tandem. "Balance them, or they will tear each other apart."
Kairo gritted his teeth. He channeled the fiery passion of one Aether line and the calm, calculating force of the other. Slowly, slowly, the shards stabilized, orbiting him without collision. His pulse raced. The first time the dual energy had truly harmonized in combat.
Lysandra's grin widened. "Finally. Not bad, storm boy."
Meanwhile, across the courtyard:
Ayo slammed molten metal against shards, each impact resonating with a deafening clang. Sparks flew like fireworks.
Kasai enveloped shards in mini solar flares, bending light and heat around him, creating a dazzling display.
Kaito and Reina synchronized a lightning-water vortex, shards caught in their storm, spinning like moons in orbit.
Dagon sent poisonous Aether clouds to corrode shards, testing control under extreme aggression.
The Hades-lineage boy moved with a shadow's grace, shards bending into dark, blade-like shapes at his command, cutting and reforming in silence.
Sensi observed, arms crossed, silent as ever. But Kairo could sense the subtle shift—the faint spark of attention lingering a second too long, a trace of calculation that went deeper than instruction.
The Aftermath
When the dust settled, the courtyard was a mess of scorch marks, fractured stone, and lingering Aether energy. Everyone was panting, faces flushed, yet strangely exhilarated.
Kairo stared at his hands, feeling the residual pulse of dual energy. Something had changed. The Aether inside him was no longer chaotic—it hummed, alive, aware.
Sensi finally spoke. "You have survived today. But remember this: artifacts are mirrors. They reflect not just your power… but your intent, your fear, your hidden truths. Those who fail to understand themselves will fail in the field."
Kairo's gaze flicked briefly to Sensi. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was more, something hidden in Sensi's calmness, something about his father's stolen power.
He would find out… eventually.
But for now, there were new abilities to master, new shards to control, and missions waiting beyond the gates of the Black Shrine.
The world of gods, clans, artifacts, and ancient secrets was only beginning to reveal itself. And Kairo? He was standing at the center, dual Aether blazing, ready—or dangerously close—to discovering the truth.