Anir glanced around the room, feeling anticipation mixed with a hint of uncertainty. "Wait, how are we going to train, and… where exactly?"
Ebdo simply smirked and gestured for Anir to follow. They walked downstairs to the basement, where Ebdo reached beneath the staircase and pulled open a hidden door, revealing a corridor leading to an expansive training space.
The room was like nothing Anir had ever seen—massive, with walls made entirely of polished metal that reflected dim lighting, casting eerie glows across countless weapons and armors displayed meticulously on racks. To the right, a sturdy door led to another area. Anir peeked inside and found an even larger room. One section held practice targets, carefully positioned and marked, while the other was a vast open area with floors marked by faint lines for sparring or more intensive training. The air felt slightly charged, as if it held secrets from countless training sessions that had taken place there.
As Anir took it all in, he couldn't help but feel excitement mixed with a hint of awe. "So… how are we going to train?"
Ebdo smiled knowingly. "First, let's test your elements. We'll start with ranged abilities—try hitting that target with fire."
Anir hesitated, his brow furrowing. "But… how do I shoot it? I've never done it before."
Ebdo sighed, rubbing his temples. "Wait… don't tell me it wasn't mentioned in your father's diary. I thought for sure he'd included at least that much."
Anir shook his head. "No, it wasn't mentioned… I think."
Ebdo waved a hand dismissively. "Alright, alright. Let me teach you. First, imagine the fire building up inside you—summon it like before. But this time, picture it falling, like a drop of water from your hand, releasing it toward the ground."
Anir closed his eyes, concentrating. He visualized the flame forming, felt its warmth, and then imagined it gently falling to the floor. Within seconds, a small fire appeared and dropped harmlessly onto the ground, flickering out.
Ebdo chuckled, clearly impressed. "Not bad at all. Your father took much longer to get the hang of that."
Anir allowed himself a small smile of satisfaction, a spark of confidence beginning to grow within him. Ebdo continued, "Now let's move on to shooting it. First, you need to—"
Before he could finish, a fire shot from Anir's hand, racing through the air and striking the target dead-center with surprising force and accuracy. Ebdo stared, momentarily speechless. This kind of speed and accuracy usually took others hours of practice, but Anir had done it on his first try.
Ebdo's gaze sharpened, his thoughts echoing, This kid is going to be a monster.
Out loud, he said, "It seems we have a rare genius here. What you've just done takes most people months, even years, to perfect. Congratulations."
Anir's chest swelled with pride, his motivation only growing. Ebdo then led him to a practice pool at the side of the room. "Next up, we'll focus on water. Let's see if you can shape it."
Anir approached the water, crouching beside it. His mind raced with memories of the few times he had succeeded with the water element, but he had never tried to manipulate it freely. Following Ebdo's instructions, he focused on the image of water gently rising. He pictured it moving with ease, shaping itself to his will.
Slowly, he felt the element respond, and a small column of water rose from the pool, wobbling as Anir struggled to maintain his focus. He gritted his teeth, concentrating harder. The water steadied, forming a smooth sphere that hovered above his palm. A triumphant smile crept onto his face as he spun it, causing the sphere to glide gracefully in the air, then split into smaller droplets that circled around his hand.
Ebdo nodded approvingly. "Not bad at all. You've got control, but let's see if you can go further. Try turning it to ice."
Anir focused once more, imagining the droplets freezing, each one solidifying mid-air. But nothing happened. Frowning, he intensified his focus, picturing the water growing colder and colder. After a few moments, one droplet froze, then another, until all the droplets had transformed into tiny, crystalline spheres.
Ebdo whistled softly. "Impressive. You're catching on faster than expected."
They moved on to wind training. Ebdo instructed Anir to summon the air around him, guiding it with his hands as though shaping invisible currents. Anir tried, focusing on the feeling of air rushing around him. Slowly, a faint breeze stirred, swirling gently at first but gaining strength as he practiced. He directed it toward a stack of wooden blocks, and a gust knocked a few of them over.
Anir grinned, exhilarated by the newfound control. Ebdo took note, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Good. But let's try a combination. Merge water with wind."
Combining the two elements proved more challenging, requiring an intense level of focus. Anir visualized the wind swirling around a stream of water, both elements moving in harmony. His brow furrowed as he struggled to maintain control, and the two forces clashed initially, water spraying in all directions. But after a few more attempts, he found a rhythm, creating a swirling water stream within the gust of wind that he directed toward a target, striking it with precision.
Ebdo clapped slowly, visibly impressed. "Very impressive for your first day. You're well ahead of the average trainee. Your father would be proud."
After hours of training, with Anir testing and experimenting with various elemental combinations, Ebdo finally called an end to the session. Anir was exhausted but exhilarated, his muscles aching but his heart racing with excitement.
"Tomorrow, we'll step things up. We'll spar using elements, and I'll also teach you how to wield a sword," Ebdo said, his tone serious. Anir felt a thrill of anticipation, but then something tugged at his mind—a question he hadn't yet asked.
"What about my shadow and space elements?" he asked cautiously.
Ebdo's expression grew unreadable. "To unlock those elements, you need to go deep within yourself and try to awaken them. The initial awakening revealed what you're capable of using, but truly accessing those powers is up to you. That journey… is a personal one."
Anir nodded, both intrigued and a bit apprehensive. That night, as he lay in bed, he turned his thoughts inward, wondering how he could draw out those elusive elements. His father's diary sprang to mind, and he flipped through its pages again, hoping for a clue.
Finally, he stumbled upon a hidden message he hadn't paid attention to during his first read-through. It was his father's musings on the shadow element: "This element relies on its surroundings. Shadows don't exist in rooms filled with nothing but light. Nor do they thrive in total darkness. They're born from contrast, from the meeting of light and darkness. The secret lies not in creating shadows but understanding the balance that allows them to exist."
The words felt cryptic, and yet something in Anir stirred. The next morning, he went outside, searching for a rich shadow cast by the morning sun. Standing within it, he felt a strange sensation—the same rush he'd experienced during his awakening. He closed his eyes, letting the feeling take over, and imagined the shadow moving, extending from his feet.
It didn't respond immediately, but he didn't give up. He took a deep breath, concentrating on his heart and mind, and then… he felt it. The shadow moved, ever so slightly. He practiced, imagining it wrapping around his hands, and soon, it formed a glove-like shape. Excitement bubbled within him as he tested his control, moving it across his arms and forming different shapes.
On his way home, he experimented with every shadow he encountered, each time gaining a bit more control. But one question lingered: What was the true purpose of the shadow element? At home, he re-read his father's notes, discovering descriptions of techniques his father had mastered.
The first technique, "Shadowed," allowed him to merge with shadows, moving through them like a form of teleportation. The second, "Shadow Control," enabled him to shape shadows into objects or weapons, their quality and durability improving with experience. And the final technique, "Shadow Taming," allowed him to tame shadow creatures from another world, a skill that required immense mental strength.
As night approached, Anir made his way to Ebdo's training room. This time, he found Ebdo sparring with a doll that seemed to be made of earth, his sword slicing cleanly through its neck before the doll dissolved back into the ground.
Ebdo turned to Anir, gesturing to an array of armor along the wall. "Choose your armor for tonight's sparring session."
Anir scanned the options, uncertain. His eyes landed on a sleek, black set of clothing that looked more like ordinary attire than armor. "Is this armor too?" he asked, intrigued.
Ebdo nodded. "Yes. It's designed for speed. Lightweight but durable, perfect for quick movement."
Anir selected it, feeling the fabric's weightlessness, and after changing, he rejoined Ebdo in the sparring zone.
Ebdo's gaze was intense as he drew his sword. "Now… let's begin."