CHAPTER 26 — The Bridge of Rhythm
The morning light returned gently to Sabharangam, radiating its brilliance across the horizon. The wind caressed the surroundings, and the trees danced in the breeze.
The stillness of the night long became history as the students all gathered once again in the massive, golden-threaded Sabharangam Hall. The Inimainaishi sisters assembled the young children and students in order, and the Peak and Forge students stood in the galley, eagerly looking forward to their juniors' showcase once more.
Some stood with excitement.
Some with quiet determination.
And some with anxiousness and nervousness.
The Sabharangam path seemed to make way as they entered- the Madhabucho, along with the Headmistress and the other faculties. The whole sabharangam hall stood in unison, and everyone gave a gentle bow back with little smiles. The madhabucho, the headmistress, and the faculty gave a little head nod back raised their hands back as if they blessed the whole hall.
The Headmistress headed up to the podium along with The Madhabucho as all other faculties took their seats.
The Headmistress stepped forward, the thread-lantern glowing softly in her hands.
"Yesterday," she said gently,
"You learned how to build together."
She paused as she and The Madhabucho exchanged little glances with a little smile.
The hall grew still.
"Today, you will learn how to carry."
A murmur spread among the students.
The Madhabucho stepped beside her.
His gaze moved across the whole sabharangam hall
"In this next trial, you must learn not to break what you carry."
The great doors of Sabharangam slowly opened behind the podium.
Beyond them stretched a long woven bridge of threadlight, curving softly across the arena.
Two circular checkpoints shimmered faintly along its length.
At the far end, a final platform glowed quietly beneath the morning light.
A soft wave of nervous whispers spread among the students.
The peak and the forge students themselves gave smiles and looked forward.
The headmistress now stepped forward.
"This trial," she said gently,
"It is called the Bridge of Rhythm."
As she said this, a golden orb slowly emerged from the great doors, floated onto her palms, and then hovered softly in the air.
It seemed like it was alive and throbbed.
"This is a Thread Orb."
"It will not remain with strength."
"It will remain with balance."
"You will move in teams of three."
" I request the Inimainashi sisters to guide the Craft section A to their trial."
The inimainashi sisters then immediately gathered the Craft section A students and guided them in order to the great doors.
Sister Riva stepped forward and said gently as her threads drifted softly around her.
"One of you will stand at the beginning."
"One at the first checkpoint."
"And one at the second checkpoint."
Her eyes moved across the children.
"None of you will walk the entire path alone."
The students exchanged glances.
"The orb will begin at the starting point."
"It must be carried and transferred across the bridge."
"At each checkpoint, the orb can only be passed when both threads are in harmony."
"If you force the transfer."
The orb flickered suddenly.
"It will not remain with you."
"And if it falls…"
She paused.
"You will begin again together."
Oh, and of course, there will be a timer that will run on the arena within which this trial should be completed.
Unlike the Cradle trials, the teams for Craft Section A had not been chosen through the Thread-Chit Box.
The Kazan Weavers themselves had arranged the students through resonance observation.
They did not seek similar threads.
They sought the possibility of harmony.
Silence settled gently across Sabharangam as the great doors closed behind the Craft Section A students.
"Ok, students organise yourself according to your Kazan Weavers resonance arrangement."
Teams slowly took their positions across the woven bridge.
The teams formed one after another- one team consisted of Ena, Reth, and Luma.
Another team consisted of Keyn, Veral, and Sira.
Thus, 17 different teams formed one after another, bringing different threads and resonances together.
"Time for their threads to synchronise with each other, or this trial could get on their nerves," said Tom eagerly.
Tamara and Kodo agreed.
The whole Sabharanagam castle itself looked on with such eagerness as to what was about to unfold.
At the center of the arena, a great woven structure slowly descended from above.
A Resonance Draw Loom.
Golden thread-strips floated softly within the circular loom, each carrying the names of a Craft Section A team.
The loom pulsed gently as the Kazan Weavers guided their threads through it.
One by one, groups of teams slowly emerged from the woven light.
A soft murmur spread among the students as the first round was announced.
At the beginning of one lane stood Ena.
At the first checkpoint stood Reth.
At the second checkpoint stood Luma.
Though separated by distance, the three quietly looked toward one another.
Around them, other teams prepared themselves as well.
Another lane, Keral stood in the beginning,
Some students stretched nervously.
Some closed their eyes to steady their breathing.
Some tried to hide their fear behind confidence.
Above each starting runner, a Thread Orb slowly descended.
One.
Two.
Three.
Some glowed steadily.
Some trembled faintly.
One flickered too early.
"You may begin," said the Inimainashi sister Riva as the first round of the three teams went underway.
The first footsteps echoed softly across the woven bridges.
Different rhythms.
Different breaths.
Different emotions.
Keral moved first among the nearby teams.
"Come on," he said quickly. "I am going ahead. This trial is mine to win."
His orb flickered above him.
But he ignored it.
Beside him on another lane, Ena took her first step.
The orb hovered above her head.
It felt light.
But her breathing was not.
Her threads flickered softly, uneven and unsteady, around her shoulders.
Behind her, distant voices and footsteps echoed across the arena as the other teams advanced.
Pressure slowly crept into her chest.
Ahead, she could see Reth waiting at the checkpoint.
Then a thought slipped quietly into her mind.
What if I drop it…? as sister's words echoed through her mind
The orb trembled.
Her footsteps slowed.
"Ena…"
Luma's Calm and Steady voice reached her softly from the second checkpoint.
Ena blinked slightly.
"Don't hold it."
"Just let the orb stay with you."
She shook her head a little as the orb shook a little and flickered, but stayed
She wondered what she was doing and tried to soften her breathing little by little.
Her shoulders loosened, and her threads flew with harmony as the threads danced with the orb
The orb steadied again.
Ahead, Keral had already reached the first checkpoint as he rushed with ferocity.
"Take it! Time is running out," he said quickly.
Veyn hesitated.
"Wait, there is still time. Just cal-"
Alas, it was too late.
The orb flared violently.
A sharp crack of unstable light burst between them.
It slipped, and the orb thudded against the woven bridge.
The lane fell into silence, and their movement stopped instantly.
The orb dimmed weakly.
For a brief moment, Veyn did not look at Keral.
But with something quieter.
Something distant.
Something that did not reach out.
Meanwhile, Ena finally reached the first checkpoint.
Reth stepped forward immediately.
"Alright, give it—" cried Reth
The calm Reth was suddenly feeling the pressure.
"We don't have time—" said Reth nervously as his threads flickered.
"The orb isn't ready."
Ena's threads still flickered unevenly.
Reth's threads were sharper and faster.
They did not match.
The orb pulsed almost unstably.
OH NO, IT'S ABOUT TO THUD THOUGHT BOTH
Reth exhaled sharply.
"…Fine."
For the first time, he paused.
Ena closed her eyes and tried to organise herself
Reth slowed his breathing reluctantly.
Little by little, their threads began aligning.
The orb softened and hummed a little symphony as it slowly shifted.
The orb floated with resonance of the humming threads, throbbing and dancing across the resonance, slowly resting above Reth.
A faint whisper seemed to drift through the arena itself.
First Harmony witnessed that spectacle that awed the whole sabharangam.
Reth moved immediately and faster now.
More confident.
"This is easy," he muttered quietly.
The woven bridge narrowed ahead.
But he did not slow.
The orb flickered harder this time.
The threads beneath his feet wavered.
"Reth, what are you doing? Slow down!" Ena shouted.
"I've got it—" as he rushed through, bulldozing his way.
The orb suddenly dipped and was almost falling.
Then, something else moved within it.
A thin, sharp crimson flicker arose pulsing through.
High above the arena, Tamara stiffened immediately.
"Kodo, he is at it again."
Kodo's gaze sharpened.
"Why that glacial mongoose! Where is he?"
But Eiroh was just folding his arms as he stood across the gallery.
"What? He is just standing there, folding his arms! Then, from where does this crimson come from?"
Reth froze.
"What, what is happening?"
The orb trembled violently above him.
Ahead, Luma stood up from the second checkpoint.
"Reth."
He looked toward her.
"Don't fight it."
Her threads reached outward calmly, evenly, and steadily.
"Match me."
Reth exhaled slowly.
The tension in his shoulders loosened.
The instability slowly eased as both their threads combined into one massive thread pulse wave.
"Kodo, look at that!" gasped Tamara as her threads pulsed too, along with that thread wave.
That massive thread pulse wave vanquished those crimson flickers.
The orb steadied once more.
Reth finally reached the second checkpoint.
This time, there was no rushing.
The rhythm of Reth and Luma matched harmoniously this time.
The orb hovered quietly between them and then slowly shifted.
The orb is now resting above Luma.
A second whisper drifted softly through the bridge.
Second Harmony, shared without force.
Luma turned toward the final stretch.
The path ahead curved gently upward beneath the morning light.
She walked forward steadily
Behind her, Ena and Reth remained at their checkpoints, watching silently.
Without realizing it, their breathing had aligned.
The orb glowed softly above Luma, warm and gentle.
She stepped onto the final platform.
The orb lifted gently into the air and then shone and shimmered.
Across another lane, Keral's team still stood motionless.
Another team also stood motionless.
Their orb dimmed weakly between them.
No one spoke as they realised the outcome is now beyond their grasp.
The Bridge of Rhythm glowed and glistened as if appreciating the first round teams.
Thus proceeded the Trial of Craft section A, with ten more teams finishing the Bridge harmoniously, while others had to witness that spectacle and soothe their eyes and nerves.
The students who could not clear the trial stood with their heads down, some crying, some panicking about their homes, wondering about the reactions from their parents.
As the inimainashi sisters saw this, they spread their gentle threads around, "Let those tears flow out! Of course, it is heartbreaking, but hope and belief always exist as long as the threads in your hearts pulse and throb. This isn't failure, but a slight setback. The bridge always waits for you all to glisten again in the next trial.
The whole sabharangam stood up and applauded for the marvelous spectacle and harmonious display as the great doors opened with the morning light graciously shining upon the halls of Sabharanagam castle.
Above the arena, Tamara continued watching carefully.
Her expression did not soften.
"It stayed longer this time."
Kodo nodded slowly.
"Yes, but Eiroh stood completely motionless. What other strings is he pulling to cause this?"
"As I said, Kodo, Eiroh is not to be underestimated. This orb could also have been affected by his threads before the trial as well."
Kodo, though, recalled that massive golden pulse wave- "What was that wave about, though, Tamara? It was something else."
"That is The Resonance Bloom - it has been passed down in our houses that it arises when two people's empathetic threads synchronise harmoniously, and it needs absolute trust and transparency between the people."
"Whoa, I can't believe such powers are within even our juniors and children."
"As we said, Kodo, Mounagiri Gakuen should not be underestimated as well."
"This is going to be down the wire, and Eiroh should be caught red-handed sooner or later."
And somewhere within the flowing rhythm of the woven bridge and Mounagiri, something unseen had begun moving beside them.