The winter in Silver Star City always carried a cold that seeped into the bone marrow. The Aetheric Shield glowed with a milky, cold light beneath the lead-gray sky, shrouding the Academy's spires and Steam Conduits in a hazy aura. Thick frost layered the pipes; the occasional drip of condensation struck the ground as fine ice granules, mixing with the faint ozone—the metallic trace of High-Tier Aetheric Scrutiny resonating with the atmosphere. This made the residual Industrial Aether Catalyst on Elara Thorne's fingertips burn faintly, its resonance frequency unusually chaotic, clearly disturbed by some external interference.
In the abandoned conduit alley on the Academy's west side, Lionel Evans crouched behind a pile of old scrap iron, wrapping a half-ounce of Shadow Lichen three times in coal slag before mixing it into the Serfdom's refuse pile. This was the 'anti-surveillance method' he'd learned: coal slag absorbed Aetheric Fluctuation, preventing the material from being caught by Aetheric Detection. "Thorne, the material is hidden under this pile of scrap iron, covered with a black cloth. No one will notice it," Lionel Evans whispered, his eyes keen with a practiced wariness.
Elara Thorne nodded, running her fingers over a loose flagstone next to the pile—where The Rotting Earth Codex was hidden. She never touched it in front of Lionel Evans, only referring to it as an 'old book from home.' Over the past six months, she had used the Codex and this hidden corner to maintain her Tier-Two Soother facade and subtly reinforce Lionel Evans's Aether—using water boiled with Star-Glow Moss (a supposedly 'Folk Remedy for Aetheric Stability'). Lionel Evans believed it deeply. As for Gideon Valerius, their bond was unspoken: he would use his Vigil patrol duty to discreetly warn her if 'patrols were checking the West Conduits,' and she would coach him on 'breathing to the Aetheric rhythm' to suppress his Rage, neither asking for the other's secrets.
"Gideon Valerius just passed by on patrol. He said the Academy is organizing the first Joint Field Exercise next week," Lionel Evans suddenly spoke, pulling a crumpled conduit map from his coat. "The location is the Abandoned Mine Shafts outside Silver Star City. It's for practicing 'Aetheric Extermination of Simulacrum Abominations.' Teams need to have at least two people, a Vigil and a Weaver. He asked me to tell you that if you didn't have a partner, he's ready to team up. He also said Senior Kaelan already contacted the Vigil Instructor and paired the two of you."
Elara Thorne's movements froze. Kaelan Blackwood was maneuvering again. Choosing Gideon Valerius meant two things: he was reliable enough not to reveal her anomaly, and his Vigil status could 'supervise' her actions. Before she could ask for details, two quick taps on the iron pipe sounded from the alley entrance—the emergency signal she shared with Rust-Nail.
Elara Thorne motioned for Lionel Evans to return to the Serfdom, then moved along the pipe wall to the entrance. Rust-Nail's single eye gleamed faintly in the twilight. He didn't enter, merely passing a thin, rolled-up scrap of paper. His voice was a grating whisper: "Someone wanted me to warn you: the Academy brass is hunting for 'Aberrant Aetheric Fluctuation,' and there's 'something wrong' with the Aetheric residue near the mine shafts. I checked the scanner logs: the fluctuation is similar to the Industrial Aether Catalyst you bought last time, but the resonance frequency is chaotic. It was clearly detected."
As she sealed the conduit alley entrance, Elara Thorne gripped the scrap paper. The anomaly in the Industrial Aether Catalyst was likely residue from when she had used it to stabilize Gideon Valerius's Rage, which had been caught by an Academy sensor. She touched the Aetheric Stabilization Tincture in her pocket; the Tracking Powder inside still emitted a faint Aetheric pulse—Kaelan Blackwood wasn't just giving her supplies; he was planting monitors.
Before she could process the information, the Communication Crystal in the Seventh Spire lit up—it was Kaelan Blackwood's Aetheric signal. When Elara Thorne reached the Spire, Kaelan was standing by the window, the hem of his silver-edged deep blue uniform sweeping the floor. He held the Joint Field Exercise roster, his fingertips radiating a stable, Tier-Three Aetheric Fluctuation. His tone was his usual blend of warmth and unyielding control: "I originally wanted you to partner with me for protection. But Association rules forbid high-tier students from teaming with low-tier direct dependents. So I arranged for you to be paired with Gideon Valerius." A subtle frown crossed his brow at the name, betraying his low opinion of the Vigil cadet, but he concluded, "He's a Tier-One Sensor; he's adequate for the Simulacrum Abominations. Stick close to him, and don't wander off."
Elara Thorne lowered her eyes, concealing her wariness. "Thank you, Senior Kaelan. I will cooperate well with Gideon Valerius." She knew Kaelan Blackwood's 'arrangements' were never acts of goodwill.
"And make sure you bring enough Aetheric supplies for the exercise." Kaelan handed her a small leather pouch containing three bottles of basic Aetheric Stabilization Tincture. "These are Association issue. They contain a little Tracking Powder. If you get separated, I can track your Aetheric signature and find you, so you don't get lost in the mine shafts." He spoke lightly, but Elara Thorne's hand tightened—the 'Tracking Powder' was clearly an enhanced surveillance sigil. Kaelan Blackwood's net was tighter than she had imagined.
Leaving the Seventh Spire, the Aether-Lights in the corridor cast a stark, white glow. Elara Thorne rounded the corner and collided with Cecilia Frostborne. She wore her silver-edged high Tier-One uniform, her Frostborne House crest pinned to her chest. Her eyes swept over the leather pouch in Elara's hand, a cold smile curling her lip: "Relying on Senior Kaelan for handouts again? Don't hold that Vigil back during the field exercise. If you get scared and hide behind him, don't embarrass the Seventh Spire."
"Thank you for your concern." Elara Thorne side-stepped her without another word. Cecilia Frostborne's hostility pricked at her back, but it was far less daunting than Rust-Nail's warning or Kaelan Blackwood's 'Tracking Powder.' She touched The Rotting Earth Codex in her coat. The invisible ink on the flyleaf subtly emerged under her Aetheric touch: "Where the undercurrents rise, seek the rift. The breaker must use the Rotting Earth as foundation, and dissonance as the blade."