Rain fell again over the Central Academy.
Not the peaceful drizzle Kael liked to nap through—this was the sharp, stinging kind that made the air hum with static mana.
Captain Iris Valen stood in the open training field, hair plastered to her armor, sword gleaming with runic light. She didn't seem to notice the storm.
Kael did.
"You're aware it's raining, right?"
"Good observation," Iris said. "Now draw your summons."
"You're serious?"
"Always."
Ember appeared in a burst of gold and steam, feathers flickering against the downpour. Aegros followed, his steel fur gleaming silver.
"Today's lesson," Iris said, "is maintaining control under external stress. Wind, cold, mana turbulence—conditions where even trained mages lose balance."
Kael yawned. "You could've just said 'we're testing in bad weather.'"
"Less dramatic," Iris replied.
The Drill
Professor Thalric's voice crackled through the speaking crystal from a nearby shelter. "Sensors are ready! If the summoner faints, please fall away from the equipment!"
Kael muttered, "Inspiring confidence, as always."
Iris pointed her blade toward the arena's rune circles. "Activate the simulation."
The field shimmered. Dozens of mana projections materialized—phantom beasts of wind and flame. They circled slowly, eyes glowing blue.
Kael glanced sideways. "You said training, not suicide."
"They're set to non-lethal," Iris said. "Mostly."
"Define 'mostly.'"
"Fifty percent."
Kael sighed. "Perfect odds."
Rising Pressure
The storm intensified. Thunder rolled across the sky, and each flash of lightning seemed to answer Kael's heartbeat. Ember's flames sputtered briefly in the downpour before reigniting with stubborn defiance. Aegros dug his claws into the soaked earth.
Kael took a deep breath and extended his hand. The resonance sigil flared faintly, a soft golden pulse against the cold air.
"Formation three," he said.
Ember shot upward, circling like a comet. Aegros crouched low, ready to spring. The first wave of phantoms lunged.
Kael moved on instinct. Fire spiraled across the ground, steam exploding where it met rain. Aegros's claws tore through the nearest illusions, scattering blue motes.
"Good," Iris called over the wind. "Keep your output stable!"
Kael's mana flow surged. He could feel the energy pulsing stronger—faster than usual. Too fast.
The sigil on his hand brightened.
"Uh, Iris?"
"Focus, Draven!"
"Yeah, about that—"
A shockwave rippled outward. The air shimmered blue. Every projection froze mid-motion.
Iris's eyes widened. "He's overloading!"
Resonance Break
Kael's vision blurred. The world slowed, then fractured into blue light. The rain stopped midair.
He could see the mana threads around him—glowing lines connecting everything, every drop, every spark, every heartbeat.
At the center of it all pulsed the sigil on his hand.
A voice whispered faintly through the static.
Open the gate.
Kael's teeth clenched. "No."
The mark flared brighter, heat burning up his arm. Ember shrieked in alarm, swooping down. Aegros howled, claws sparking silver.
"Containment circle!" Iris shouted, activating her sword's runes.
Winds howled around Kael, forming a barrier as lightning struck the ground nearby.
Kael gasped, forcing mana control back into rhythm. "Ember—counterflow! Aegros—anchor me!"
The phoenix dove, releasing golden fire that wrapped around his arm. The wolf slammed both claws into the ground, channeling stabilizing energy upward.
For a few agonizing seconds, the entire field glowed blue and gold—Riftlight mixing with flame.
Then, suddenly, silence.
The rain resumed, falling softly again. The sigil dimmed.
Kael stood panting, smoke rising faintly from his coat. Ember and Aegros knelt beside him, exhausted but unharmed.
Aftermath
Iris approached slowly, sword still faintly glowing. "Status?"
Kael flexed his hand. "Tired. Slightly crispy. Otherwise fine."
Thalric's voice crackled through the comm. "The energy readings… astonishing! You just suppressed a Rift resonance mid-surge without outside aid!"
"I call that Tuesday," Kael muttered.
Iris frowned. "That wasn't luck. You pushed your beasts to absorb the overflow. That shouldn't be possible without losing synchronization."
Kael shrugged. "Guess we're good at teamwork."
"Or something deeper," Iris murmured.
Thalric entered the field, notebook already scribbled full. "Marvelous! Your resonance didn't rupture—it stabilized under stress. You might've developed partial resistance to Rift interference."
Kael groaned. "Fantastic. I'm becoming immune to disasters by surviving them."
"That's literally what evolution is," Thalric said.
"And I hate it."
The Conversation
Later, as the storm faded, Iris stood beside him at the training ground's edge. The sunset painted the wet stone gold.
"You handled that better than I expected," she admitted.
"You mean 'better than predicted' or 'better than hoped'?"
"Both."
Kael smirked. "You're getting soft."
"Don't test it."
They watched Ember and Aegros playing near the edge of the field—flame and steel reflected in the puddles like stars.
"You know," Iris said quietly, "the more we study your resonance, the more it resembles the early Rift energy from the first war. But it's… cleaner. Like it's learning to adapt."
"So my magic's a mutant with manners."
"Something like that."
Kael looked at his hand. The sigil pulsed softly, no longer painful—just present.
"Feels almost alive," he said.
Iris's eyes met his. "Maybe it is."
Nightfall
Back in his quarters, Kael flopped onto his bed, dripping water everywhere. Ember perched on the windowsill, glowing softly; Aegros stretched across the floor, tail thumping once in relief.
Kael stared at the ceiling. "So, we survived again."
Ember chirped in agreement.
Aegros rumbled.
"I should start a club," Kael said. "People who nearly blew up the Academy but didn't."
The sigil on his hand flickered once—steady, calm.
Kael smiled faintly.
"We're getting the hang of this, huh?"
Outside, thunder rolled once more—but this time, it felt like applause.