The Next Day
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8gyfp0qSEJ
The morning sun had only just begun to rise, casting soft golden light across the cobblestone courtyards and misty rooftops. Temu loud footsteps echoed throughout the halls of castle walls, she stormed over to Kaida’s room and burst through the door.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0dAzjzG4ZJ
“RUNT! Rise and grind if you’re not up in the next five seconds, I’m dragging your sorry ass by your-”
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2B8OWD8se
She stopped short.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCXdQfMJPN2
The room was empty.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYpkv1dPKfX
Bed neatly made. No trace of Kaida in sight.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKke4EeaP4
Temu’s ears twitched, tail stilling mid-flick. She narrowed her eyes and turned sharply on her heel, footsteps echoing through the palace halls as she tracked down the others.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs9XhxExxCh
She found Alric first, as he was tightening his gauntlets near the barracks.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNhdgEPoKZV
“Have you seen the runt?”
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTI0MFRgXa
Alric looked at Temu, he blinked, proceeding her question. “Kaida? No, I assumed he’d be asleep with you in his ear.”
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡptmr5YyPSK
“I thought so too…but the runt is not in his room” She said with a low growl, rubbing the back of her head.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDVj6h0c8BN
Alric took a moment to think. “Ask the others, maybe they’ve seen him” he said while fixing onto his arm straps.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB9CfSboqkF
“I guess…” she said, turning to continue her search.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpICqDYsHOc
Next she ran into Lorien, carrying a pile of books. He shook his head.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqIY7Q8Okfl
“Bookworm, have you seen the runt?” She barked at Lorien.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtN1rm81QGN
“I’m afraid not, I assumed he’d still be sleeping. He usually is.”
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkAj9Cwg5uf
She clenched her fist “Damn…thanks for nothing” she said walking off.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdyhiO0B4qq
“Jezz…is she that upset she didn’t get to bully him on wake up?” Lorien said under his breath.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5qC8rh96n
“Damn right!” She said, yelling across the hallway, leaving Lorien stunned when she heard him.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ZH1tQOXB0
As she continued to storm down the hall she ran into Seraphina, sitting on a bench in the hall yawning.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy12Lqvz9Cf
“Seraphina, have you seen-”
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcXCwc4dJuY
“I heard you yelling at Lorien, if you’re gonna ask me if I seen the boy around then nope, sorry ma’am. Too tired to see much of anything. Think he snuck off to get extra sleep? He seems like the time” she giggled.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuHx5Jw5R6E
Temu grumbled and continued her search.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpg1JsbebmZ
After about fifteen of searching the inside of the castle she met up with everyone who still didn’t know where Kaida was, they all eventually ran into Lysara leaning against a pillar as she looks out the window. Her face unreadable but her eyes were focused.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBSogQnbfy9
“Princess,” Temu asked, “Have you seen Kaida?”
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLeNG1Gvp0l
She didn’t answer.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1yHA5Bl2U8
Without turning heard, Lysara raised her hand and pointed toward the training field holding a small smile on her face.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBVfxF5sNyY
The group gathered beside her, peering through the window following her gaze.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2UXQiT2mcD
Outside, down on the training field, Kaida was running laps.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Lw8XMPbjI
Full gear on. Sweat soaking through his clothes. Feet pounding the track with steady determination.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd4jBWadnBM
“What the hell…” Seraphina muttered.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKImd5n7LbV
“When did he even get up?” Alric asked.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUYj3xWTADb
Lysara finally spoke, her voice calm but proud. “He’s been at it for a while now, I’d guess a little over thirty minutes or so.”
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHQh3Kybgx
They all stared in shock, even Temu was frozen for a moment. She let out a low pleased grunt as a satisfied grin curved her lips.
After a bit of time the group made their way down to the field. Down on the field, Kaida spotted them walking towards him. He raised a hand mid-stride, grinning despite the sweat streaming down his face.
“Hey, guys!” He shouted as he slowed his jog. Alric being the first to jog up beside him.
“You training already?” Alric asked.
Kaida wiped his forehead with the back of his arm. “Considering I’m further behind compared to all of you I decided I wanted to catch up. So I thought I’d get ahead today.”
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ZbG87I6nI
Seraphina whistled. “Well look at you, overachiever alert!” She said with a smirk on her face.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5HbWrEQcgN
Kaida chuckled a bit “Hardly, but I do appreciate the compliment.”
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqN7PPisAQ6
Lorien pats Kaida on the back “This is a big step forward for you Kaida, taking the initiative to better one’s self is not always an easy task. Actually it’s the most difficult, so don’t downplay your efforts.”
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnXxKawgyc
“Huh, I…didn’t think of it that way,” Kaida said, rubbing the back of his neck.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkuUM0LD3Dz
“Try to keep that in mind”
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXtTdsKF5El
“Hey runt,” Temu said, stepping up to him cracking her knuckles. “Today, you’re training with me. Personally. And for the rest of you—Standard drills. Alric, takeover here!”
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2gdEoKdDn
Alric gave a mock salute. “Yes, ma’am.”
Before Kaida could object to the idea, Temu had already grabbed him by the back of collar and started dragging him off to the far side of the yard.
“H-Hey! I can walk, you know!”
“I know,” Temu said, smirking. “But this is more fun.”
Seraphina waved to Kaida “Later Kaida” she said with a grin on her face.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Wm7XWVVk7
“That boy is in for a rough day…” Lorien said, Alric patting his shoulders “Yup…welp nothing we can do about it now but pray. Well everyone, let’s start are drills.” Alric said to everyone.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPUc6waM6uZ
Meanwhile Kaida stands before Temu on the opposite side of the field, he has his arms crossed as he looks at her.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIb4pDogi2R
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpoDqWbTgZi
“So… what kind of training are we doing today?” Kaida asked, shifting nervously. “Please don’t say weapons training… I’m not trying to die today.”
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfrLm9Ts8m
There was a noticeable edge of panic in his voice.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWAFEPyMM6
“No, not that,” she replied calmly, arms crossed. “If we did weapons training, I’d probably kill you by accident.” She gave him a deadpan look. “Instead, we’re focusing on mana control. You’re running around activating abilities without understanding the basic flow of energy in your body. That’s a fast track to overloading your system and passing out. Or worse.”
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGOx9xqBUM0
Kaida let out a breath of relief. “Oh… okay, that sounds better. So, uh… what’s first?”
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiESptVbHjd
She didn’t answer right away.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVjlKMvwd5J
Without warning, she stepped in close and drove her fist into his gut.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh68w9sv5tH
“UGHH—What the FUCK?!” Kaida doubled over, arms instinctively wrapping around his stomach as he dropped to one knee. “What was that for?!”
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp2va5gkZbd
“Focus on the pain,” she said flatly, as if it were the most normal instruction in the world. “And breathe.”
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS9mqk50k8M
Kaida shot her a glare, eyes narrowed in frustration. But after a second, he did as told. He closed his eyes and took slow, deliberate breaths. His focus centered on the ache in his abdomen, the raw throb of it pulsing with each heartbeat. It didn’t make sense—what was this supposed to accomplish?
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwv45T1mlFB
Then, slowly, something shifted.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWhBuHJ4MGy
The pain started to fade.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHsXhtslQj
Confused, Kaida opened his eyes and touched the area where she’d struck him. The sharp ache was gone—completely gone.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0QBk8ZVcbH
“What… what just happened?” he asked, staring up at her in disbelief.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5V0fkqRuOC
“You just used your mana to heal yourself,” she explained, her voice even and instructive. “Mana isn’t just some external force you manipulate. It’s an energy that exists both within and around you. It responds to intent. If your body is in danger and you instinctively want to protect or fix it, mana can answer that call—as long as the demand fits within the natural function it was trained for.”
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnF5E4B6133
She paused, giving him a moment to absorb that.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50m5bMSRtL
“Say, for example, you were born with the ability to manipulate elements without needing a special focus item, like me. Let’s say your affinity was fire. Your mana would naturally respond to your will when generating heat or flames, because it aligns with your internal vibration—fast, energetic, destructive. But if you suddenly wanted to shape water or use ice, your mana would resist. That vibration is slower, calmer. It requires discipline and retraining to make that shift.”
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOtlwpxKn8z
“So… mana reacts to emotion and intent… but also to some kind of internal frequency?” Kaida asked, trying to piece it together.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQBEsVEUo6
“Exactly. Hot, aggressive emotions usually link to fast vibrations—fire, lightning, things that burst outward. Cool, focused emotions link to slow vibrations—water, ice, things that flow or freeze. Master your emotions and your focus, and you’ll master your mana.”
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5dXQacTRmU
“That’s… a lot to process,” Kaida said, rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to absorb everything she had just explained. His brow furrowed, clearly overwhelmed but intrigued.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQy9EOp4Ym
Temu gave a confident smirk, placing a hand over her chest with exaggerated pride. “Don’t worry. Under my expert command, you’ll be a master of mana manipulation in no time.”
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKE3erQPBHD
Her tone was boastful, almost theatrical, like she was announcing it to a crowd.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR5Y2LoxMZA
Kaida chuckled and gave her a playful look. “Even better than you?”
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNnF7X9lxLG
There was a beat of silence.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jej8Znkhx
Temu’s expression shifted—her eyebrow arched as she slowly turned toward him. Without a word, she slung an arm around his shoulders in a mock chokehold. Her other hand came down on his head with a rough, almost violent pat.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1N361uU2Sf
“In your dreams, brat!” she said, voice loud and full of playful menace. “The day I let you surpass me is the day I get on my knees—and there’s only one man I’ve ever knelt to, and that was the king himself!”
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoGSz7p5KM2
Kaida grunted under her hold but couldn’t stop himself from laughing. “Just wait and see… you big house cat!”
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLDgXzn7c6P
That comment made her ears twitch visibly.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0GRydbCfEi
She froze for a moment.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsTbLpp1Ufe
“…What did you just call me, you little shit?!”
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WnenDTIfE
Her grip tightened around his neck as she shouted, shaking him like an unruly kitten.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKsoNVHxOb
“AAAGH! It was a joke! A joke!!”
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQkexxQhyUC
The sudden chaos caught the attention of everyone nearby. Heads turned, and in moments the tension gave way to laughter echoing through the training grounds. The sight of Temu wrangling the overconfident rookie was just too good to ignore.
48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxY8ClLolXe
It was loud, rowdy, and full of life—and for once, Kaida didn’t mind being the center of it.
