The air inside the training hall buzzed faintly with energy.

Sparks of fire, flashes of lightning, and ripples of wind moved about as young awakeners practiced their newly learned spells.

The faint scent of scorched stone clung to the walls, proof of mistakes made and lessons learned.

On one side of the hall, Nyra and Rael were warming up. Rael's fists were wrapped in faint arcs of lightning, his ice layering around his knuckles as he traded quick strikes with Nyra. She countered smoothly, her wind bursts propelling her steps while shards of ice formed at her fingertips.

They weren't pushing their limits, just moving to keep their bodies sharp.

A little farther off, Arden had drifted away from them. He flexed his fingers, watching as his life energy shimmered faintly. With a grin, he called used one of his life signatures.

"Feedback Loop."

A pulse of energy ran through him. His muscles tightened, every movement restoring just a sliver of stamina.

He rolled his shoulders, the rhythm almost familiar now. But then he called a second.

"Echo Pulse."

His aura spread outward, faint waves rippling across the ground. The two skills overlapped for a heartbeat, and then Arden's grin widened. He focused, his eyes narrowing as he pressed them together.

The energy pulsed sharper, his body jolting forward as a strike of his fist sent a faint ripple bursting out like a wave.

He could feel the Feedback feeding into the Echo, the rebound restoring him while the outward surge carried force beyond his strike.

"Not bad," he muttered, stepping back. He tried it again, refining the timing, adjusting how much energy he fed into each side.

The tremors beneath his feet grew heavier, faint flashes of light dancing across the floor with each motion. He swung again and again, his breathing steady, his eyes calculating.

Every mistake became a note, every improvement tucked away.

He didn't realize the eyes gathering around him.

Other elemental users had stopped to watch, their sparring forgotten as the shockwaves from his strikes rolled across the sturdy ground.

The training hall had been built to withstand power, but even its foundations groaned faintly under the repeated impact.

"Arden!" Nyra's voice called out, half scolding, half amazed. "You're drawing too much attention."

But Arden didn't hear her, too caught up in perfecting the flow.

It wasn't until he heard an amused chuckle behind him that he snapped back.

He turned, brushing sweat from his brow, only to see the Lord of Greyhold standing a short distance away.

The man's presence was calm but commanding, and his smile carried quiet approval.

"Lord," Arden said, straightening quickly. His tone was polite but not stiff.

The lord raised a hand, brushing off the formality. "No need for that. I only came to see what had the hall shaking. And I see now."

His gaze swept over the group, then lingered on the young awakeners who had been staring. "You should all take note," he said firmly. "Strength like this doesn't come overnight. It is built on hours of discipline, of practice, of sweat. If you want to stand tall one day, remember that."

The young ones bowed slightly before slipping back to their training, murmuring among themselves.

When the last of them dispersed, Arden exhaled lightly. "Didn't think you'd stop by just to watch us spar," he said with a crooked smile.

The lord chuckled. "Nothing official. I heard you were here and thought I'd take the chance." He paused, then his tone softened. "Though, truthfully, I came for Nyra."

Nyra blinked, caught off guard. "For me?"

He turned to face her fully. His expression wasn't the commanding mask of a leader but something quieter, tinged with regret. "I know I've not done much as a father. I wasn't there to guide you, not in training, not in your awakening. You learned to stand on your own without me." He sighed, his voice steady but faintly heavy. "But I watched you in that battle, Nyra. The way you controlled your spells, the way you held your ground. I was proud. And I thought… perhaps it isn't too late to do something. You and I share the ice. If you'd allow it, I'd like to train you personally, at least until you leave Greyhold."

For a moment, Nyra froze, her usual calm breaking as color rose faintly in her cheeks. She glanced at Arden, searching.

Arden gave her a reassuring nod. "You should take it. You'll learn things from him that you can't find in a book or through sparring with us. He's refined his ice in real battles, over years. You'd be foolish to let that chance slip."

Nyra hesitated only a second longer before she bowed her head. "Then… yes. I'd like that."

The lord's expression softened even more. A faint smile tugged at his lips. "Good. I'll not waste your time. Tomorrow morning, we'll begin."

Zephyra gave a low rumble, tilting her head. "Another teacher," she said, her tone more statement than question.

Arden smirked. "Better him than me trying to lecture on ice when I barely keep my own elements in line."

Rael chuckled, slinging a towel over his shoulder. "Finally, someone else to deal with her stubbornness. Good luck, my lord."

Nyra shot him a glare, but the heat in her eyes couldn't hide the quiet joy that shone there.

The lord inclined his head slightly to the group. "Keep to your training. I'll not disturb you further."

With that, he turned and left, his steps measured, leaving behind a silence that lingered a moment longer.

Arden broke it first, clapping his hands together. "Alright, enough gawking. Back to work."

Rael groaned. "You just rattled the whole floor, and you're telling us to work harder?"

Arden smirked. "Exactly. If I can shake the ground, you can at least keep up."

Nyra rolled her eyes, but there was a faint smile tugging at her lips as she turned back to Rael for another spar. Zephyra padded closer to Arden, her fiery eyes following his movements.

"You push too much," she said in her low rumble.

Arden wiped the sweat from his brow again, grinning faintly. "Maybe. But if I don't, how else will you grow stronger?"

Zephyra didn't reply, but her gaze stayed fixed on him as if silently agreeing, even if she'd never admit it aloud.

And so the training hall filled with the sound of sparring once more. Rael and Nyra exchanged blows, their laughter mixing with the clash of elements.

Arden returned to his quiet experiments, though this time more restrained, mindful of the eyes that lingered on him.

The day passed in sweat and effort, but under it all, a quiet anticipation stirred. For tomorrow wouldn't just be another day of training.

For Nyra, it marked the start of something new, a bond of blood and ice that had been too long delayed.

A/N:

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