They didn't risk lingering in the main foundry chambers. The unsettling, organized air currents near the core extraction site spurred them to find shelter quickly. Rhys scanned with his dwindling Aether, identifying a relatively intact side structure – a former observation deck or control room overlooking the main testing chamber, its entrance partially blocked by fallen debris but the room itself structurally sound and shielded from the main wind flow.
Boulder efficiently cleared the entrance enough for them to slip through, then barricaded it from the inside with salvaged metal sheets, creating a defensible, hidden refuge. Compared to the damp chill of the sewers or the toxic fug of the industrial conduits, the air here, while still dusty and smelling of ozone, felt breathable, almost clean, energized by the foundry's lingering Air resonance. It was the best place Rhys had found for cultivation practice since the sewer junction.
While Boulder rested and methodically checked their gear, Rhys dedicated himself to recovery and integration. He sat cross-legged on the grimy floor, drawing in the ambient Air-aspected Aether. It flowed into him more easily here, less tainted than elsewhere, allowing his Aether Pool to replenish at a much faster rate. He simultaneously practiced his Air Attunement, solidifying the connection he'd felt during the catalyst extraction. He focused on the element's qualities: lightness, speed, pressure, vibration. He felt his Aether becoming subtly quicker, more responsive, aligning with the foundry's dominant energy.
He then turned to rudimentary Air Weaving practice. He didn't waste Aether on mere gusts. Instead, he focused on control. He practiced creating small, sustained breezes, directing them precisely to lift specific dust particles or ruffle a loose edge of Boulder's tunic across the room. He attempted minor levitation again, focusing on a small pebble. He managed to lift it a few centimeters off the floor and hold it there for several seconds before his control wavered and his Aether drain became too severe. It was a significant improvement over previous attempts. He also experimented with subtly manipulating the air currents around his own body, trying to enhance his agility. The effect was barely perceptible – a slight quickening of his reflexes, a feeling of reduced inertia – but clumsy and unsustainable, costing far too much Aether for practical use yet. Air Weaving, he confirmed, was a discipline demanding finesse and efficiency.
The core of his practice, however, centered on a more ambitious goal: three-element balance. The near-disaster with Water Attunement and the inherent volatility felt during his Fire experiments convinced him that single-element focus was dangerous. The fragmented clue mentioning "Elemental Harmony Protocols" hinted that balance might be key.
He cautiously drew upon his established affinities: the cool fluidity of Water, the contained heat of Fire, and the light quickness of Air. Trying to hold Water and Fire simultaneously had resulted in internal conflict. Now, he introduced Air into the mental equation. He visualized his Aether Pool not as a single entity, but as a space where three distinct energies could coexist. He pictured Air swirling between the opposing forces of Water and Fire, acting as a buffer, a medium of exchange.
It was incredibly difficult. His mind felt stretched thin, trying to maintain three distinct resonances at once. Water wanted to quench Fire; Fire wanted to evaporate Water; Air felt like it was being pulled in both directions. Maintaining the equilibrium required constant, minute adjustments of will and Aether flow. Yet, when he managed it, even for brief moments, the effect was palpable. His Aether Pool didn't feel calm; it felt dynamically stable, like a contained storm. Potential energy hummed within him, a sense of readiness far exceeding the simple sum of the individual elements. It felt volatile, yes, but powerful. During these moments of fragile balance, the Weaver Slate beside him emitted a distinct, low hum, and the shard in his pouch pulsed rhythmically, seemingly aiding the harmonization, preventing the energies from tearing each other apart. This confirmed his suspicion – balance was integral to this path.
After several cycles dedicated to recovery and this demanding practice, Rhys felt ready to utilize the Starfall Ore Dust. He carefully measured out a small portion, mixing it with filtered water retrieved from their dwindling supply to form a gritty, shimmering paste. Following Kaelen's charcoal diagrams, he identified the primary meridians running down his legs – pathways he had struggled immensely to clear using willpower alone. He applied the paste directly onto his skin along these lines.
Taking a deep breath, he settled into the required strenuous posture and began the Meridian Dredging technique, guiding his Aether into the targeted channels. The effect of the catalyst was immediate and stunning. The searing, scraping pain that had characterized his previous unaided attempts was muted, replaced by an intense, focused ache, like a deep tissue massage targeting knots of solidified resistance. The Starfall Ore Dust seemed to resonate with his Aether, amplifying its dissolving properties while simultaneously soothing the surrounding tissues. Blockages that had felt like solid rock now yielded like dense silt, washed away by the catalyzed Aether flow. He could feel the meridians widening, the internal friction lessening, energy flowing more freely, more smoothly than ever before. In a single, long, exhausting session, he achieved more progress clearing and strengthening his leg meridians than he had in weeks of agonizing effort before.
The efficiency gain was staggering. It hammered home the crucial importance of the catalysts. They weren't just helpful; they were accelerators, transforming the arduous, potentially damaging process of unaided body refinement into something achievable, manageable. Completing Kaelen's regimen, finding the Moonpetal Dew and utilizing the Crimson Root Powder fully, became an even more urgent priority. A solid foundation was within reach, if only he could acquire the final component.
Confidence surged through him, born of tangible progress. His body felt stronger, his Aether flowed more cleanly, and the fragile three-element balance hinted at greater potential. Feeling bolder, empowered by his replenished Aether and refined meridians, Rhys pushed his Echo Sense outwards from their control room sanctuary, scanning the Whisperwind Foundry more widely, further than he had dared before.
He swept past the familiar chaotic energies, the structural stresses, the dormant machinery... and then his sense snagged on something unexpected, deep within the foundry's bowels, several levels below their current position. Faint, rhythmic Aether pulses. They weren't the random fluctuations of decaying tech or the chaotic signatures of mutated life. These pulses were structured, repeating, almost like a slow, mechanical heartbeat or a coded transmission. Not aggressive, but deliberate. Awake.
Had the foundry's dormant systems truly reactivated? Or was something else stirring in the depths, awakened by their intrusion, listening to the echoes of their presence in the whispering winds? The newfound confidence faltered, replaced by a familiar, chilling unease.