CHAPTER 106: CHAPTER 106: QUIET PROGRESS

As the spar ended, The lord stepped forward calmly. From within his robes he withdrew a small vial, uncorking it. "Drink."

Nyra didn’t hesitate, downing it in one gulp.

The effect hit instantly, her chest steadied, her limbs no longer shaking. Aether rushed through her veins, knitting stamina back into her body faster than Arden’s healing could manage.

Arden whistled low. "Well, guess I’m out of a job for today."

The lord crouched slightly, his gaze steady on his daughter. "That was good. More than good. You’ve talent, Nyra, but more importantly, you’ve the will to push. Be ready tomorrow. I won’t make it easy."

Nyra’s lips curved into a tired but wide smile. "Yes, father."

He gave one last approving nod, then stood and walked out. His steps were slow, but Nyra felt the weight of them linger long after he’d gone.

Arden leaned over, eyebrow raised. "So, how does it feel to get lectured and praised at the same time?"

Nyra’s face warmed though she tried to scowl at him. "Shut up."

Rael cracked his knuckles, grin already spreading. "Well, since you’re alive again, how about a spar? Let’s see if you actually learned something."

She shot him a sharp look, but her excitement betrayed her. She stood, brushing her hair back. "Fine. Don’t expect me to go easy."

Zephyra’s low rumble echoed from the corner. "Again," she muttered, her voice somewhere between disapproval and amusement.

And just like that, the hall came alive again. Nyra, no longer drained, charged at Rael with her renewed energy, eager to test every word her father had given her, every correction, every encouragement. Her exhaustion had faded, but her determination only grew sharper.

The days that followed settled into a rhythm.

Every morning, Nyra rushed the group out of bed, too excited to waste daylight. Training filled the hours, sparring against her father’s steady patience.

What surprised them all was how fast she caught on. Her ice became sharper, more precise, and her use of wind no longer felt like an afterthought. She was learning to let it ride alongside her frost, carrying her forward in bursts of speed or curling into her attacks to make them unpredictable.

Rael often joined in, never letting the chance slip by. He sparred Nyra when the lord demanded it, his gauntlets crackling with lightning, sometimes frosted with a thin layer of ice when he tried to copy her techniques. When they clashed, it was wild, but the lord’s calm voice cut through the noise.

"Rael, don’t let your second strike trail after the first. Commit with both."

"Nyra, your wind is too scattered. Gather it tighter, then release."

And when they did better, his tone shifted just slightly, enough to show approval. "Yes, like that. Again."

He never raised his voice, never wasted words. The two of them adapted quickly, feeding off each other’s effort.

From the side, Arden watched. He didn’t interrupt much. He only smiled when Nyra landed something clever on Rael or when Rael answered back with raw force that made her stumble. They were growing, both of them. He could see it clearer than anyone.

The lord stood with his arms crossed, and though his face looked calm, his eyes followed every movement. These children were not ordinary. His daughter had finally found companions who would not only push her but also protect her. That thought eased a burden he’d carried for years, though another worry lingered. His gaze slid to Arden.

The boy was strange. Too strange. He had seen him fight in the city’s defense, wielding not just two affinities but more, weaving them into techniques he shouldn’t have been able to grasp so young.

He was reckless, but he carried a focus that made the lord uneasy. Even now, while the others sparred, Arden wasn’t watching them anymore. His eyes were unfocused, his breathing steady, like he wasn’t in the hall at all.

Arden was lost in his own work. He let the faint hum of life energy circle around him, not forcing it but letting it move.

Since stepping into his new realm, it felt easier, almost natural, like the energy wanted to listen to him now. He tested the flow, spreading it outward, then pulling it back into himself, then splitting it between both.

His aim wasn’t a flashy technique but something deeper, something that would let him affect more than just his body. He hadn’t cracked it yet, but he wasn’t in a hurry.

Every attempt left him learning something small.

A faint tremor rippled across the ground as his energy pulsed out. He steadied it quickly, muttering to himself, "Too rough. Needs control."

The others paused briefly, glancing at him. Rael shook his head with a grin. "He’s at it again."

Nyra blocked one of Rael’s counters and glanced toward Arden. "He doesn’t even look like he’s here half the time."

The lord’s eyes lingered on Arden longer, but he didn’t call him out.

He only noted silently that the boy’s growth was no less than his daughter’s. More worrying, it was faster.

Zephyra lay off to the side, her tail twitching against the floor. Her sharp eyes followed the sparks and shards flying between Nyra and Rael, but every so often they drifted back to Arden.

"Again," the lord commanded, bringing Nyra and Rael back to focus. They threw themselves at each other with even more effort.

Nyra summoned frost along the floor, trying to trip Rael, while Rael blasted the ice apart with lightning, the sound cracking through the hall. She wove wind into her strikes, speeding her steps, making it harder for him to predict. He countered with sheer force, gauntlets smashing through her shields. Both were breathing heavy, but both refused to back down.

The lord nodded, just once. "Good. Adaptation. That’s how you survive."

Arden let out a quiet laugh from his corner. "And here I thought you were going easy on them."

The lord’s lips twitched faintly but he didn’t turn. "If they want easy, they can sleep in."

Nyra’s laugh slipped out even as she caught a strike from Rael on a frost wall. Her arms shook, but her eyes shone brighter. She had never been more eager.

A/N:

Please, Send Powerstones, Tickets and Gifts.

Encourage my work with Gifts.. it’s been less motivating lately 😪🤲🏽

Also, Engage by leaving Comments and Reviews( pleaseeee🥺)

Thanks for sticking with me thus far.