Virion also expressed his thoughts. "Think of it like blending two discordant songs into one melody. Neither disappears—they just learn to coexist."
I frowned, already feeling the challenge ahead.
The chest Locus pulsed steadily, while the spinal one remained stubbornly irregular. Getting them to work together sounded like trying to mix fire and ice.
"Where do I start?" I asked, bracing myself.
Zephyr placed a hand over his own chest. "First, identify their natural states. My warrior Locus is aggressive—it wants to expand outward. My channeler Locus is controlled—it pulls inward." His fingers twitched as if demonstrating the push and pull. "Yours will have their own tendencies."
Following his lead, I closed my eyes and focused inward again. The chest Locus burned bright and eager, its energy wanting to rush forward like an unleashed tide. The spinal one... I concentrated harder. It was denser, heavier—like molten stone flowing reluctantly.
"One wants to move," I murmured. "The other resists."
Zephyr nodded. "Then your harmony must balance motion and stability. Don't force them to match—find the rhythm where both can exist without conflict."
Easier said than done.
I took a deep breath and tried to bridge the gap between them. At first, it was like trying to merge two rivers flowing in opposite directions—the moment I nudged them closer, they recoiled. The chest Locus flared hot, the spinal one digging in like roots.
Pain lanced through my meridians, sharp enough to make me gasp.
"Easy," Zephyr warned. "Too fast, and you'll damage the connections."
Virion's tail tapped my shoulder. "Jie jie~ Let them argue first! They need to learn each other's limits before they'll compromise."
Gritting my teeth, I slowed my approach.
Instead of forcing them together, I let their energies brush against each other—testing, resisting, but gradually... adapting.
The chest Locus's tide slowed, its waves gentling as it lapped against the spinal Locus's unmoving shore. The stone-like pulse warmed slightly, its rigidity softening just enough to allow the flow around it.
A fragile balance began to form.
"It's... working?" I whispered, hardly daring to believe it.
Zephyr's voice was quiet but firm. "Don't celebrate yet. This is just the first step. True harmony takes—"
A sudden spike of dissonance cut him off as the two Loci clashed violently inside me.
"GRAH-!"
I doubled over, a strangled cry escaping my lips as fire and stone warred inside me.
The pain exploded through my body like wildfire, searing along my meridians as the two Loci violently rejected each other. My vision whited out for a terrifying moment, my muscles locking up as if electrified.
Just as quickly as it began, everything stopped.
Virion's tail tapped gently against my forehead, and the warring energies inside me stilled instantly.
"Careful, boy," he chided, though his voice lacked its usual teasing edge. "It's a bit soon to die, don't you think?"
I gasped for air, my body trembling as the pain receded. Sweat dripped from my brow onto the floor between my shaking, sweaty hands inside the bandages.
That... didn't go as planned.
Zephyr's hand came to rest on my shoulder, steadying me. "You pushed too hard," he said, his tone firm but not unkind. "Next time, go slower. Let them adjust to each other's presence before forcing a connection."
I nodded weakly, still trying to catch my breath.
The memory of that near-success haunted me—how close I'd been to finding that perfect balance, only for everything to shatter at the last moment. There was something I was missing, some crucial insight that remained just out of reach.
Taking another deep breath, I gathered my resolve to try again—
"Enough for today," Zephyr said, his grip tightening slightly.
Virion nodded in agreement, his tail wrapping around my wrist to pull my hands away from my knees. "Even prodigies need rest. Your body's still healing, and your Loci need time to settle after that little tantrum."
I opened my mouth to argue, but the protest died on my lips as another wave of exhaustion hit me. My bandages felt heavier than before, the lingering ache in my meridians a stark reminder of my limits.
"...Alright," I conceded at last, letting my shoulders slump. "But tomorrow—"
"Tomorrow," Virion cut in, his tail flicking dismissively, "you will learn theory from Zephyr. Now—rest."
Zephyr nodded in firm agreement.
I opened my mouth to protest, but before I could speak, my body suddenly lifted gently into the air, floating backward before being deposited onto a large, impossibly comfortable bed that hadn't been there moments before. The moment my bandaged form touched the sheets, a wave of drowsiness crashed over me.
The bed—no, the relic—seemed to cradle me, its soft surface molding perfectly to my aching body. My thoughts, still buzzing with frustration and lingering pain, quieted almost instantly.
The last thing I saw before my eyes fluttered shut was Virion's grinning face and Zephyr's watchful gaze.
Then—nothing.
_____ ____ _______
Zephyr and Virion stood in silence as Aman's breathing evened out, his bandaged chest rising and falling steadily. The bed beneath him pulsed with a faint, soothing glow—a relic designed to induce deep, healing sleep.
After a long moment, Zephyr spoke, his voice low. "Is it from Luna's clan too?"
Virion's tail twitched before whipping out to lightly smack Zephyr's head. "Do you really take me for a thief? Or some poor fella who steals from others?"
Zephyr didn't flinch. "...It's from Luna's clan, right?"
Virion sighed dramatically. "...Right." Then, sensing his theatrics hadn't fooled his senior disciple, he quickly added, "But as we explained earlier, these are rightful compensations! That old hag has been messing with you, Luna, and me for years. Now she even nearly let your junior brother die. So, consider it small backpay for all that suffering."
Zephyr exhaled through his nose. "...Alright."
His gaze returned to Aman, lingering on the bandages. "How is he, really? I doubt he walked away unscathed from that explosion."
Virion's playful demeanor faded slightly. "Hmm." His tail coiled thoughtfully. "He was in bad shape. But as he said, that relic of his saved him—and what he doesn't know is that his awakening played a bigger role than he realizes."
Zephyr's eyes sharpened. "You mean—"
"He likely developed an affinity for the void during the awakening. It probably dampened the blast's impact. And his energy Locus... it might have shifted because of that."
"I see." Zephyr processed this, his mind racing through implications. "Then... do you think he—!"
Virion's tail shot up, pressing against Zephyr's lips to silence him. "Shh. It's better to let him discover it himself. Spoon-feeding answers won't do him any good."
Zephyr frowned but nodded after a moment. Virion was right—some truths had to be earned.
But, there really was a chance that he would've succeeded now if not for 'that'...
A slow, rare smile curled at the edge of Zephyr's lips as he watched Aman's sleeping form. The boy had nearly synced two Loci on his first attempt—something that had taken Zephyr weeks of grueling practice.
If he keeps this up…
The thought sent an unfamiliar thrill through him. Not jealousy. Not worry.
Anticipation.
Aman wasn't just talented—he was hungry. And if Zephyr didn't push himself harder, his junior might just outpace him sooner than expected.
Virion noticed the smile and let out a low chuckle. "Jie jie~ Finally feeling the pressure, Senior Brother?"
Zephyr didn't deny it. "I'm heading out."
Virion flicked his tail, and a swirling portal tore open beside Zephyr, its edges crackling with unstable energy. "Don't overdo it. Unlike some reckless disciples, you still need sleep."
Zephyr ignored the jab and stepped through without hesitation.
The portal snapped shut behind him, leaving Virion alone with Aman's sleeping form. The serpent's emerald eyes gleamed with amusement.
"Kids these days are sure hardworking~"
Meanwhile, Zephyr emerged atop a windswept cliff, the night air sharp against his skin. Below him, an army of training dummies stood frozen in combat stances.
He cracked his knuckles.
First, he'd refine his own techniques. Then, he'd redesign Aman's training regimen.
If the kid was going to be a monster, Zephyr would make sure he was a bigger one.
"This is going to be fun."