CHAPTER 124: LOOMING MISSION

Darius strode beside them, with his mind sharp and determined, his scars on his chest, shoulder, and leg were faint.

But visible beneath his tunic, his soulstone glowing with Peaks’ soulstream gems, labyrinth runes, griffon feathers, shadow claws, shadowdrake fangs, riftclaw pincers, altar runes, psychic gems, riftbeast scales, psychic crystals, riftlord spines, and riftmonarch scales, its light bright in his hand, a beacon of his unyielding spirit.

His Veilbane Medal shone proudly, with a mark of his defiance against the Veil’s flames, its surface was catching the hall’s glow.

Rhoam, his iron-plated panther, prowled at his side, his massive plates clinking softly, their cracks now faint lines, gleaming with restored strength, his scratches healed but visible, the honor rune etched in the infirmary glowing faintly.

The panther’s low growl echoed through the halls, a quiet promise of protection, his bond with Darius anchored him through the lingering memories of Ironholt’s destruction, fueling his resolve to rebuild.

The trio’s return to their dorms was a triumphant homecoming, met with a roar of cheers from students, their voices echoing off the rune-etched walls, the Sanctum’s community embracing them as heroes who had shattered the Veil’s hold.

Classmates swarmed around them, their eyes wide with awe, offering words of admiration and small gifts rune-etched stones pulsing with fire essence, vials of shadow essence, and psychic shards glowing with mental clarity, each a token of respect for their triumph over Veyra, Torin, and the Sovereign.

Kelvin nodded gratefully, his arm was strong but cautious, his scars were tingling as he accepted a fire rune from a young tamer, Xerion’s hiss a soft acknowledgment of the crowd’s admiration, the serpent’s scales flaring briefly.

Lyra smiled, her gauntlet flaring as she thanked a group of shadow tamers for a vial of gloomstalker essence, Salaris’s screech was a sharp note of pride and her feathers were shimmering in the hall’s light.

Darius tossed his soulstone with a grin, joking with a rival tamer who offered a soulstream gem, Rhoam’s growl was a quiet warning to any who lingered too long, his plates were gleaming despite their scars.

The dormitory were lined with rune-carved bunks and small beast pens, which felt like home again, the familiar movement of student life was a balm to their lingering trauma, their Veilbane Medals was gleaming as they settled into their rooms, the stone walls were warm with the glow of protective runes.

The trio resumed there light training on the Sanctum’s fire grounds, a sprawling arena of scorched earth, rune-etched pillars, and glowing targets, where tamers honed their beast synergies under the watchful eyes of instructors.

Kelvin synced with Xerion, channeling a fire lance through his gauntlet, with its flames weaker than in the Primordial Rift but precise, the serpent’s scales was flaring as they moved in unison, their bond was a steady rhythm that eased Kelvin’s lingering guilt over his father’s death.

The effort tested his recovery, though his scars scratching faintly, but no pain flared, which was a sign of his body’s healing.

He practiced weaving fire runes into his gauntlet, with their glow enhancing his attacks, his thoughts were drifting to Valebreach’s mines, where a rogue beast awaited.

Lyra wove a shadow runes with Salaris, the raptor darted through the arena, her talons were carving faint arcs in the earth, with their synergy fluid as Lyra’s gauntlet pulsed, her movements were cautious but confident, her sister’s memory was a quiet weight that she carried.

She tested shadow cages, their tendrils snapped shut around practice targets but Salaris’s screeches were guiding her focus.

Darius sparred with Rhoam, the panther’s iron bulk that charged through rune-etched obstacles, his soulstone blasts shattered the glowing targets with deadly accuracy and their bond was unyielding despite the faint ache in Darius’s shoulder, while the flames of Iron Holt was a distant echo in his mind.

The training was a test of their recovery, pushing their physical limits without any injury, their beasts’ strength was a mirror of their own, their scars was a shared testament to their survival through the Veil’s brutal trials.

The Sanctum’s halls was a whirlwind of activity, the trio dove into classes that filled their days with purpose and sharpened their skills.

In rune-forging workshops, which was taught by Master Katana, a stern instructor with hands that are scarred from decades of crafting, Kelvin excelled, etching fire runes into a new gauntlet plate with meticulous precision, the process was intricate but familiar, his experiences was in the Rift sharpening his focus.

He carved runes with wyrm essence and their glow enhanced his gauntlet’s fire output, each stroke was a reminder of the fire lance that had pierced the Sovereign’s core.

He spent hours shaping the runes, the forge’s heat was a familiar comfort, his thoughts drifted to Valebreach, where his next challenge loomed.

Lyra thrived in shadow tactics classes, which was led by Master Sylra, a woman with a knack for stealth, her voice was sharp but encouraging.

Lyra wove a shadow cages with her gauntlet, their tendrils were filled with fluid and was precise, her battles against riftprimals formed her strategies, Salaris’s screeches guides her focus as she outmaneuvered practice drones, though her sister’s ghost lingered in her quiet moments, but that was a shadow she faced with strong determination.

Darius dominated soulstone precision classes, that was taught by Master Toren, a grizzled tamer with a sharp eye and a voice like gravel.

His blasts were enhanced by riftborn gems, that struck targets with deadly accuracy, his experiences in the Rift sharpened his aim, while Rhoam’s growls was a steady rhythm as he fired, though the memory of Ironholt’s ruins was a weight he carried but refused to let it break him.

The training grounds were a spectacle of beast spars, the trio’s participation drew crowds of students that were eager to see the Veilbane heroes in action, and their cheers echoed across the scorched earth.

Xerion clashed with a rival wyrm, a sleek, silver-scaled beast named Vyrath, its flames were fierce but was not a match for Xerion’s fiery vortex.

The serpent’s scales flared as Kelvin channeled a precise fire lance, its heat scorched the arena, with the crowd roaring as Vyrath yielded and its tamer conceding with a respectful nod.