Thea stood across from me in the clearing we’d picked for our spar. I’d already explained it to both her and Elric that this wasn’t about refining technique or trading moves. It was a test. A way for me to adapt to Luna’s pressure along my arm, shifting dominance between the Water Force and Fire Force. Or, ideally, holding them in balance.

Thea, of course, was more than happy to help, though I could see it in her eyes. That slight glint of disappointment. It was obvious she wanted a real battle. 

“I promise we’ll have a real match soon, Grandmaster,” I said, giving a warm smile to her before sinking into a ready stance. The first thing I wanted to do was find my water again. Not just a balance, but a complete dominance. Regaining my old abilities.

She summoned her spear with a flick of her hand, the weapon crackling to life, blue lightning coiling around the haft in flickering arcs, and shook her head. “This is more important right now. All we need to do is make sure you’re prepared as possible.” 

I didn’t summon my own gloves, instead, whispering a request to Luna. Could you extend up? To my shoulder like before? And press down.

It took only moments before I felt her presence tightening around me. Leaves stretching, vines wrapping around and flattening. Is this good enough? she asked, her voice at the edge of my thoughts. A gentle but firm constriction pressed along my arm.

Thea was already moving.

Not quite there yet. I responded, barely having time to answer Luna just as Thea reached me, spear slicing wide through the air. I dropped low, ducking by instinct. The training was paying off. More than anything, my movements started to feel like a natural reaction now. 

Luna tightened again, and this time the sensation was sharper. The energy flow slowed and that fusion of Water and Fire interacted with each other. Stuck together before, indistinguishable, and yet also separate, now a true fusion starting to take root.

Mimicking the Core Dust technique Drake used, I formed a capsule at my palms, a blend of ice and that unstable, explosive force. As I shifted backward from her strike, two dark-glowing pellets formed in my palm, veins flickering like lava, running across their cold surfaces. But I didn’t launch them yet, keeping them close.

Thea didn’t hesitate, coming in again, faster this time.

When she was just within arms, actually, spears-length, I tossed each one.

They burst on impact. Each one erupting into a bloom of frost and searing heat that expanded outward, causing her to retreat, but too slowly. Right after, a small explosion from within them caused sections of the capsule to break apart midair, and fly out like shrapnel. Ever the battle talent, she reacted in time, erecting a barrier of her own Internal Force cracking under the strain, but holding steady.

Well... I’ll admit, the shrapnel idea had been sitting in the back of my mind for a while. A hollow sphere, a bit of intent, and the final ingredient: an explosion.

Still I was surprised, I hadn’t put much into those, far less than I usually used when crafting a Spiritual Object anyway. And the result? Cold mist bursting out in a blinding flash, followed by a warping heatwave and a scatter of high-speed projectiles.

Unfortunately, my other goal failed. It was just too hard right now to focus on creating the trail of gas-like energy while everything else was happening. Movement was becoming more instinctual, but not my techniques. They required focus.

But… that was the point. Practice always has failure, and I’ll keep going. 

So we did. Match after match, we continued. Luna had to take occasional breaks, and Thea didn’t make it easy. But she also didn’t go so hard that I couldn’t adjust, and after vaulting over a crackling arc of lightning she flung from her spear.

The entire time Thea and I were sparring, Luna and I kept up a quiet mental conversation. Half banter, half analysis. Trying to figure out just the right amount of pressure she needed to apply to my arm to get the right balance for what I needed.

There were times where I had a good fusion, times with Water Force in charge but not quite solo, and times of failure—when she got tired.

But eventually, we found what I wanted. Honestly it was a little painful to endure, but it was just about the pressure—it was about where. When. To what degree? Adjustments having to be made with every movement, but she did it. 

A delicate rhythm of compression and release that let me hold Water Force solely in one hand. Inside me, the three powers stayed in a melded-state, but the other was almost totally muted from within. 

A thin stream of water formed from my fingertips. I looked at it with happiness, as if it was some old friend I hadn't seen in a long time. Then, I changed it.

A shard of ice grew in my palm, sleek and jagged, no veins glowing across its surface. When I shot it out at a tree, it didn’t detonate. It just... landed.

We stopped after that. No words were exchanged at first. Only the sound of our breaths accenting the rustle of the leaves. 

“Peter, you were able to do it,” she said, panting, having already guessed what my goal was.

I gave her a short nod, still staring at my right arm where Luna sat coiled like a rose again. We hadn’t had the chance to nail the balance between raw, in-control Fire Force in my left and the mixture in my right, but this was a good step. 

Still, time was running out.

It was already night. Which meant, at best, I had two days. Maybe less. I wouldn’t be surprised if Serith shows up a few hours early.

Elric walked up from behind, patting my shoulder with a firm slap. “Well, at least you won’t be totally helpless in your fight.”

He smirked, but his tone was more serious than usual. “Let’s just hope it doesn’t go like last time. But for now, you should keep going like this. If you need to convert energy quickly, just wake us up.”

“Thanks,” I said. “You can get back to your own stuff. If you need help from the snake, ask. Or just ask the snake directly, I guess. Thing’s smart enough like you said.”

Thea gave a small laugh as she walked over, demanifesting her spear. She leaned in, gave me a light peck on the cheek, then stretched. “I’m gonna work on Spiritual Refinement more.”

I smiled as she turned away, heading back toward the Dragon Vein, but Elric lingered.

"Something wrong?" I asked.

He let out a long sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. “No, not really. I’m just… surprised. Frustrated.”

I raised a brow. “With what?”

He gave a half-hearted chuckle. “I haven’t really failed much before, or not since you helped me. Before that was different though… I kinda thought I’d form an elemental essence first try, and now, seeing your progress just really showed me how important this is.”

He shrugged half-heartedly. “What a complaint, right?”

I wanted to laugh, but he looked genuinely bothered. This guy had been overlooked by his family, barely even acknowledged. I imagined wanting to be successful was a statement to them as much as it was to himself.

So instead, I reached out and clapped his back. “Dude, you’re seriously hung up on one thing? I doubt it'll take you more than a few more tries, if even that.”

I shrugged. “I mean, if you were in my position, you’d probably already have this mess figured out. I’m still out here trying to balance it with the flower around my wrist.”

He chuckled again. It was still a little forced, but better. “Yeah… I guess. It’s just not what I’m used to. I’ve always had to be exceptional. The moment I wasn’t, my family dropped me. No goodbyes. Nothing.”

He paused, eyes distant. “Only one who stuck around was Drake. Even then, we couldn’t talk while I was in the camp.”

He shook his head with a smirk plastered across his face. “But it’s not like I’m in the worst position. I’m still better than you at basically everything else.”

I rolled my eyes. “Wow. Inspirational.” 

There was a brief pause between us, and I could still feel that tension from him. I wonder… “Elric, you know that we won’t ever kick you out. Never. Lyra and Sia would probably kill me if I even thought about it anyway.”

He stared at the ground, not laughing. “I know. Of course,” he said, voice barely a whisper. 

I decided to try a different topic. “Eight months… crazy to even think about it. I can only imagine you don’t plan to raise your child like you were.”

He did laugh lightly this time. “If you want to talk about Lyra or Sia killing someone, just bring up that idea.” He shifted his feet in loose circles on the ground. “Lyra… She had many problems when we were kids. Her family—” He shook his head, cutting himself off. 

“Anyway. I only want to be strong enough to protect them. All three—four. I’ve never seen a Starborn in action, but knowing what I do about Lucan now…” He let He must be something beyond a monster. Ageless, strong enough to have embarrassed Kris to the point of killing you as some twisted revenge.”

I nodded understanding. “It’s the same with me,” I started, but didn’t focus on that topic, still trying to lighten his mood. “You don’t think Sia’s jealous?” I prodded with a smirk.

He scoffed, letting out a quick breath of air. “Her and Lyra were so close that I was starting to feel jealous before I left. Lyra felt bad that she was… first,” he admitted. He shrugged. “But, when we get back—”

“Okay,” I cut him off, raising my hands in a surrender. “No need for details. We are all gonna get families, I get it.”

He grinned. “Thanks, Peter.” Then turned and headed off toward the dragon vein, probably to prepare himself for another try at forming an essence again, cutting the conversation shorter than I thought it would be.

I turned my attention back to Luna, still nestled quietly as the rose on my wrist.

“How’re you feeling?” I asked.

She pulsed faintly. Exhausted, she admitted. Keeping that up was hard. Even with the breaks. It’s even harder than I thought it would be. Fluctuating pressure like that across your whole arm… Peter, I really think you need to study hard at planty-ness. It won’t be easy.

I nodded slowly. Yeah. I figured. But I’ve got a good teacher.

Well… she mumbled, even her leaves turning a light pink, The best you have around.

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