[INT. ELITE TRAINING CHAMBER – EARLY MORNING]
Sweat glistened on every brow.
The divine crystal arena echoed with the clash of steel and the thrum of elemental power.
Elarion walked among the ten students like a storm held back by will — his gaze sharp, silent, testing.
But today's training was different.
No longer individual drills.
This time — paired formations.
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> Elarion (commanding):
"You will fight in pairs. Strength means nothing without synergy.
Trust your partner — or fall."
---
The ten nodded, breath held tight in their chests.
The pairs formed naturally.
Lyrion with Veloria.
Kairo with Syleria.
Sylion with Aria.
Auron with Cyra.
Ray with Rika.
And just like that, they moved.
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[TRAINING – LYRION × VELORIA]
They didn't speak. They didn't need to.
Lyrion's blade was light and precision.
Veloria's magic, a whisper of time folded to his rhythm.
---
> Veloria (softly, between motions):
"You're always three steps ahead… even when I'm bending time."
> Lyrion (smiling faintly):
"Maybe because I'm always looking at you."
Her breath caught.
She nearly missed her next spell — almost.
Their hands brushed briefly mid-combo.
The touch lingered longer than it should have.
And then they broke apart — flushed, but smiling.
---
[TRAINING – KAIRO × SYLERIA]
Theirs was chaos.
Sparks. Ice. Water. Wind.
Their arguments blended with elemental roars.
---
> Kairo (grinning):
"Stop slowing me down with your snowflakes!"
> Syleria (firing back):
"Control your flames before you roast your own hair, fire boy!"
And yet — when Syleria slipped mid-dash,
Kairo was there instantly, steadying her with one hand at her waist.
He didn't say anything.
Neither did she.
But their magic moved cleaner afterward.
---
[TRAINING – SYLION × ARIA]
Flowing, silent precision.
Sylion's gravity magic shifted weight and force.
Aria's nature magic bent vines and stone to his timing.
They never missed.
Never argued.
Just a shared rhythm.
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> Aria (softly, after a perfect take-down):
"We move like wind and earth."
> Sylion (nodding):
"Like we always have."
---
[TRAINING – AURON × CYRA]
They were explosive — in personality and technique.
Auron's strikes were fast and flashy.
Cyra's material-shaping ability made walls, blades, shields from anything around them.
---
> Cyra:
"I'm making the tools. You better use them right."
> Auron (laughing):
"I always do — especially when I get to impress you."
Cyra blushed but said nothing.
He grinned wider.
---
[TRAINING – RAY × RIKA]
They were the quietest pair.
Ray was methodical. Rika, controlled.
But something subtle stirred between them.
Not just rhythm.
Recognition.
---
During a short pause, Ray leaned close.
> Ray (quietly):
"You… fight like someone who's carrying a storm."
> Rika (tilting her head):
"I'm just trying not to drown in it."
A pause.
Then they smiled — not big, but real.
A beginning.
---
[INT. TRAINING CHAMBER – LATER THAT NIGHT]
Training had ended.
The students lay in small clusters — some talking, some half-asleep, some still practicing breathing techniques.
Veloria and Lyrion sat near the window, side by side.
---
> Veloria (quietly):
"Do you ever wonder… if we're ready for what's coming?"
> Lyrion (looking at her):
"I don't think we have to be ready.
We just have to be together."
She looked down, cheeks warming.
Her fingers touched his briefly.
He didn't pull away.
---
In another corner, Kairo tossed a rock at Syleria's head.
> Kairo:
"Hey, ice queen — admit I was better today."
> Syleria (rolling her eyes):
"You were… less unbearable."
> Kairo (grinning):
"Progress."
They smiled at the same time — and didn't notice.
---
Ray and Rika trained in silence across the room.
But now and then, they looked at each other.
And this time — neither looked away.
---
[EXT. ABYSSAL PLAIN – ZYREN'S DOMAIN]
Darkness coiled and snarled at the edge of the broken realm.
Zyren stood still, his eyes closed, arms crossed.
Something stirred — far below the surface.
Something old.
Something he had waited for.
---
A presence emerged from the abyss — not walking, not flying… simply appearing.
She was tall.
Elegant.
Wrapped in shadows and silk.
Her eyes glowed violet.
Her voice was pure velvet wrapped in poison.
---
> ??? (smiling):
"You called, little prince of ruin?"
Zyren opened his eyes.
Unflinching.
Unimpressed.
---
> Zyren:
"I was wondering when you'd crawl out of the abyss,
Lady Nyxara."
> "My second blade."
She bowed once — mockingly.
---
> Nyxara:
"You forged an army of monsters.
Now… shall I forge their minds?"
Zyren smirked.
---
> Zyren:
"Welcome back to war."
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TO BE CONTINUED...