CHAPTER 66: AN AURA SOWED IN PANIC

"You have got fire in you, Kelvin," Rorik said and extended a hand. "I’m in." At this point the Crest’s unity was mended and Kelvin’s synchronizing ratio reached 72%, a triumph born of persistence.

Lyra and Darius stepped in, Lyra’s shadow runes calmed the lingered disputes, Darius’s soulstone drills fostered teamwork and their synergy sealed the victory.

In the male dormitory, Kelvin and Darius laid down in their room, Kelvin shared his relief with a steady voice. "Rorik is with us, and the rune worked.

Caelum’s crucible paid off." Darius grinned as he tossed a soulstone. "You are a legend, man. Let’s keep the Crest blazing."

The Tide’s Crest and their mentorship movement, had solidified with Rorik’s allegiance and its unity a beacon that fueled Kelvin’s drive.

His Adept Rank 3, with a 72% synchronizing ratio and a very high stability bond with Xerion, the Level 8 Legendary End-Tyrant, was a foundation he trusted, but a summon from Master Kaelus had shifted his focus.

A solo mission to subdue a Level 8 Veilspawn terrorizing a mining outpost awaited, a challenge that sparked both anticipation and doubt in Kelvin’s heart.

.

The day began with Master Torren’s combat seminar in the Obsidian Yard. Torren drilled them on suppression Convergences techniques to subdue beasts without destruction.

"Veilspawn thrive on chaos," Torren said. "Suppression requires control, not force. Today, you will face a Level 7 construct, syncing your bond to dampen its aura."

Kelvin was paired with Soren, the second-year with a Level 5 Voidstalker, whose shadow instincts complemented Xerion’s fire.

The construct was a hulking mass of pulsing soulstream energy that radiated chaos and its aura unsettled Xerion, whose flames flared restlessly.

Kelvin dove into his bond and felt Xerion’s fierce loyalty tempered by a drive to dominate. He channeled a suppression pulse, a controlled flame that wove soullight into a calming net and dampened the construct’s chaos.

The construct slowed its glow and it gradually faded but Torren’s nod was firm. "Good instincts, Kelvin. You are ready for more." His combat grades soared but the looming mission weighed heavy on Kelvin, Kaelus’s summons echoing in his mind.

Lyra’s shadow suppression was flawless, Salaris’s talons weaved a dark veil that calmed the construct which earned her Torren’s praise.

"Your precision is unmatched, Lyra," he said, urging her to share her tactics. Her combat grades were top-tier, her shadow veil rune became a defensive cornerstone.

Darius struggled initially but Rhoam’s blunt charges clashed with the construct’s chaos, but he adjusted, synchronizing a soulstone pulse to steady the beast which made him to earn a passing grade.

"You are learning control, Darius," Torren noted and his approval was a spark.

As the seminar ended, Kelvin sought Torren with his gauntlet glowing faintly. "Master Torren, Kaelus summoned me for a Veilspawn mission. It’s solo, and I am not sure I am ready."

Torren’s gaze was steady. "You unified the Crest, Kelvin. Trust that strength. Kaelus will guide you." His words were brief but grounding and that pushed Kelvin toward his meeting with Kaelus.

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The next class was Master Veyne’s soulstream seminar. Master Veyne lectured on resonance under pressure and urged tamers to maintain bonds in chaotic scenarios.

"A Veilspawn’s aura can disrupt your soulstream," she said. "Today, you will craft a resonance pulse against a chaotic construct, holding your bond steady."

Kelvin paired with Taryn, whose Frostboar snorted nervously. The construct was a crystalline orb pulsing with discordant energy that mimicked a Veilspawn’s chaos which made Xerion’s flames to flicker.

Kelvin closed his eyes and felt Xerion’s loyalty anchor his doubt and channeled a resonance pulse which was a steady flame that countered the construct’s discord.

The orb dimmed, and Veyne’s nod was warm. "Your bond is a pillar, Kelvin," she said. His soulstream grades remained high, but the mission’s weight pressed harder, his doubt was a shadow in his mind.

Lyra’s shadow pulse was a silent current that neutralized the construct with ease, earning Veyne’s praise. "You are a beacon, Lyra," she said.

Darius’s earth pulse was steadied, Rhoam’s aura synchronizes better and his grades climbed. "You are finding balance," Veyne noted while her approval boosted his grin.

After class, Kelvin met Master Kaelus in a secluded chamber, its walls etched with battle runes. Kaelus stood beside his Level 10 Shadow Drake, Umber with its scales rippling with latent power.

"A Level 8 Veilspawn which is a serpent-like beast that threatens a mining outpost," Kaelus said with a calm voice but unyielding. "It is sowing chaos, and you are tasked to subdue it, alone. Are you ready?"

Kelvin’s heart raced with his Adept rank feeling small against a Level 8 threat. "I have never faced something this strong," he admitted. "How do I suppress it without breaking?"

Kaelus’s eyes softened with his voice low. "My first solo mission was against a Level 9 wraith. I doubted myself, but Umber’s trust carried me.

Suppression is about balance, channel Xerion’s fire into a calming pulse, not a strike. Train with me this afternoon and we will refine your technique."

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Midday saw the trio in the male dormitory’s courtyard, a space of sparring and soulstone bets. Kelvin shared his mission with his voice tense. "It is a Level 8 Veilspawn, and I am alone.

I am training with Kaelus, but I need your help to prepare." Lyra nodded. "I will craft a shadow rune for stealth which Sereth’s aura inspired it."

Darius grinned and tossed a soulstone. "I have got soulstone suppressors, Rhoam’s earth can anchor them. You will crush it, man." Their support bolstered Kelvin, their bonds were a united front.

Lyra retreated to the female dormitory, her bunk was a haven of journals and glowing orbs. She crafted a shadow rune that weaved Salaris’s instincts into a sigil that cloaked Kelvin’s aura, her precision was a quiet triumph.

Her roommates cheered her up and their laughter warmed the air, her bond deepened as she prepared to mentor the Crest in Kelvin’s absence.

Darius worked with Rhoam, forging soulstone suppressors which is a small, pulsing stones that dampened chaotic auras. His control improved and his grades climbed, his enthusiasm was a spark for the Crest.

Kelvin meditated with Xerion and felt his restless fire drive while preparing for Kaelus’s training.

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The afternoon brought Kelvin to Kaelus’s training ground, a rocky arena where Umber’s shadow aura cast an eerie haze.

Master Kaelus guided him through a suppression Convergence and instructed him to weave Xerion’s fire into a calming pulse. "Feel Xerion’s loyalty, not just his power," Kaelus said.

Kelvin channeled a flame pulse and synchronized it with a soullight, but it flared too hot and collapsed. Kaelus’s voice was firm. "Balance it not to force it."

After hours of practice, Kelvin’s pulse stabilized a steady glow that calmed a training construct which earned Kaelus’s nod. "You are ready, Kelvin but you have to always trust your bond."

Master Sylva’s intuition seminar followed, in a courtyard where vines pulsed with soulstream energy. Sylva focused on anticipating beast reactions in chaos.

Kelvin’s anticipation with Xerion was sharp, sensing his fire’s drive to lead which earned Sylva’s praise.

"Your mission is sharpening you," she said. Lyra’s intuition was flawless, her grades soared, while Darius improved, his bond became steady. "You are growing, Darius," Sylva noted.

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The evening saw Kelvin’s depart for the outpost, Lyra’s shadow rune cloaked his approach while Darius’s soulstone suppressors is in his pack. The mining outpost is nestled in a rocky valley which was shrouded in chaos.

The Veilspawn’s serpent-like form was a writhing mass of shadow and venom which coiled through the mines, its aura sowed a panic.

Villagers huddled with their faces pale, as Kelvin arrived, his gauntlet glowed while Xerion’s fire was a blazing anchor.

Kelvin’s doubt surged and his Adept rank felt inadequate—but Xerion’s loyalty steadied him. He channeled Kaelus’s suppression pulse and weaved fire and soullight into a calming net, using Lyra’s rune for stealth to approach unseen.

The Veilspawn hissed with its venomous aura lashing out, but Kelvin held firm and his pulse dampened its chaos. Darius’s soulstones, embedded in the ground, anchored the suppression and slowed the beast.

Pain seared Kelvin’s arm as a venomous lash struck, but he pushed through, his bond remained unyielding while subduing the Veilspawn into a dormant coil.

The villagers cheered and their gratitude washed over Kelvin as he staggered, wounded but triumphant. His synchronizing ratio surged to 76%, his rank rising to Adept Rank 5, a testament to his leadership.

The outpost’s elder clasped his hand. "You saved us," she said with her voice thick with relief.

Kelvin returned to the Sanctum at dawn with his arm bandaged, his bond with Xerion was a fiery crest. Lyra and Darius met him in the Obsidian Yard, where the Crest had trained in his absence.

Lyra had guided Riven’s sparrow to a stronger veil, her leadership was sharp, while Darius rallied Taryn’s frost pulse as their skills growed.

"You did it," Lyra said with her voice warm. Darius grinned and tossed a soulstone. "l told you, man that you are a beast."