Aurelia let the question settle in the back of her skull as she packed: three days, three edicts to sharpen, three ways to be less surprised.
She thought them through the way a smith thinks of steel, what each did best, and how the three could be made to work together.
Manipulation, she told herself first, was the hand on the loom. It was the skill that coaxed the raw current, the Aether, into obeying commands.
Quick fingers, exact pressure, tiny corrections; with Manipulation, you could take a stray thread of Aether and braid it into shape, hold several thoughts at once, steer a flash of light so it answered you and not the wind.
It was pattern and direction: the art of making the world do what you asked in the moment.
Harmonization was the breath that kept that hand steady.
It was not force or shape, but attunement, learning to let your heartbeat and the Aether's pulse match, so your work no longer felt like pushing against a rope.
Where Manipulation bent Aether, Harmonization taught you to listen so the current bent for you.
It smoothed muscle and thought into a single rhythm: emotional clarity, a steadied temperament, the ability to let feeling become fuel instead of noise.
Harmonization made the small, repeated acts of control become second nature, it was why some folk seemed to move the world without effort.
The Elemental edict was the body of the three. If Manipulation was the hand and Harmonization the breath, Elemental was the thing that took shape under those hands, the fire that kept its edge, the water that would hold a blade's contour, the stone that would not crumble when struck.
Elemental called raw presence into being and taught it endurance and character. Where Manipulation could make a flash of flame, and Harmonization could steady its pulse, Elemental made that fire keep form, a pillar that did not gutter, a blade of ice that kept its edge, a wind that could carry weight.
It was less about spectacle and more about reliability: making an element behave as an object, with temperament and intent.
They fit together, like gears. You manipulate the current to cut a shape; you harmonize so the pattern becomes effortless, and you give that pattern substance with Elemental craft.
Her thoughts drifted to the Velykin, mountain people who claimed the ranges taught them to hear the current like a song.
Their bodies had grown with the flows: broad shoulders for wind, feet sure on slick rock, hearts used to the world speaking back.
No surprise they favored Harmonization. When the land itself answers you, listening becomes the first lesson.
Three days. She folded the notions into a plan: practice quick control, deepen the rhythm of breath and feeling, then force that rhythm to hold an element steady under strain.
If I could pull the three together even a little, I'd be able to go into the tournament not as someone hoping to survive, but as someone who could make the world answer on my own terms.
Aurelia paused at the edge of the training yard, the sound of steel clashing against steel pulling her attention.
A rack of practice swords stood in the corner, blades of varying weight and make, gleaming faintly under the afternoon sun.
Her hand hovered over one, fingers brushing the cool metal before she whispered, almost without meaning to,
"Sebastian."
The name came out soft, as if saying it might disturb the air itself.
Memories surfaced, her brother's patient voice correcting her stance, the firm pressure of his hand guiding her grip, the long hours spent beneath the old courtyard trees until the sun bled into the horizon.
"Aether is your calling, Aurelia", he once told her, but a sword teaches you how to stand."
And yet, she had let that part of her fall behind.
Her fingers wrapped around the hilt, the weight of the sword both foreign and familiar.
It wasn't the cleanliness of the blade that drew her, it was the imperfections, the tiny notches and worn edges that spoke of persistence.
The story of a weapon that had survived countless strikes and still held true.
She lifted it, testing its balance. Her Aether pulsed faintly in response, like a heartbeat reaching toward an old rhythm.
It would be difficult, no, near impossible, to balance both paths.
The discipline of the sword demanded instinct, while the mastery of the Edicts required composure and stillness.
One drew from movement, the other from silence. But if she could bridge the two… if she could make Aether flow through her blade the way it flowed through her veins—
She smiled faintly.
Otherwise, her brother's lessons would fade into memory, unfulfilled.
The choice lingered in her mind as she looked back toward the glowing runic circles etched across the training ground.
Hone the Edicts… or honor the blade.
Both paths called to her. One as a scholar, the other as a sister.
Aurelia's grip tightened around the hilt, the faint hum of Aether brushing against her fingertips.
For a moment, she simply stared at the sword, its edge reflecting her face, sharp yet uncertain.
Am I really a genius?
She had asked herself that question before, in the quiet hours when her studies consumed her.
Once, she would have answered without hesitation.
Of course, she was. A prodigy of the Caelistra line, the pride of her division, the student who could weave Aether like silk.
But that illusion had cracked the moment Kael defeated her in the arena.
That single loss had unsettled everything she thought she knew about herself.
Now, as she stood alone in the training yard, she thought of everything since then, the friendships she never expected, the challenges that shaped her, the lessons that humbled her.
If I can't do something as simple as this, she thought, her brows knitting, how can I ever call myself a genius again?
The Caelistra name wasn't just one of nobility. It was an expectation, an inheritance of brilliance that she was supposed to carry forward.
And yet here she was, doubting if she could even merge blade and Aether.
Her resolve hardened.
She raised the sword before her and breathed deeply, letting her Aether pulse outward in delicate waves.
The trick wasn't forcing it, it was communion. She coaxed the blade gently, the same way Aura users bonded their spirit to their weapon.
But this time, she guided the flow of Aether into the steel, wrapping it like silk threads around its essence.
The sword vibrated faintly, emitting a low, resonant tone that filled the air.
Faint lines of blue light traced its edge, like veins awakening beneath its surface.
Aurelia's lips parted in awe. "It's… responding."
The resonance deepened, a soft hum rising to a steady thrum.
She could feel it, her will and the sword's essence intertwining, not through brute control, but through harmony.
"How," she whispered to herself, "could I ever let this go?"
Her gaze softened, the determination in her eyes turning inward. "I'll become like you, brother," she said quietly, her voice carrying into the empty yard, "but in my own way."
The light along the blade flared brighter for a heartbeat, as if acknowledging her vow.
The courtyard was quiet, save for the faint hum of Aether drifting through the air.
Aurelia stood alone at its center, the twilight light catching the silver edge of the sword in her hands.
The air around her shimmered faintly, as though reality itself bent to watch what she would do.
She inhaled. Aether is not to just be controlled… It's to be felt as well.
Her grip tightened, her pulse steady. The Caelistra name thrummed in her chest, not as a burden, but as a challenge.
She swept the blade forward, weaving invisible threads through the air.
The first swing was crude, the second a little steadier.
Then, with the third, Aether rippled around her like water stirred by wind.
The sword began to hum, not with sound, but resonance.
So this is what you meant, brother.
Her lips curved faintly as she drew another stance, her body remembering Sebastian's form while her mind channeled Aether into the steel.
The lines of her runes glowed faint blue along the blade, pulsing in time with her heartbeat.
But the rhythm faltered.
A flicker too much, and the Aether surged back, erupting in a wave that threw her several feet backward.
Aurelia landed on one knee, panting, a sharp twinge of pain flaring in her side as she struggled to catch her breath.
Hair spilled across her face, obscuring her view as faint sparks danced along her glove.
The sword hissed, the glow dimming.
And yet, she laughed. A soft, breathless laugh that echoed faintly in the still yard. "Too much," she muttered. "Always too much."
A gentle clap came from the pillar behind her.
Cassian leaned casually against the marble pillar, his white cloak catching the light. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to set the yard on fire."
"Just a… miscalculation." She brushed her hair back, picking up the sword again.
He stepped forward, eyes glinting. "Headmaster Veyron's called for an assessment match, informal, but public. A prelude to the tournament."
Aurelia turned, eyes narrowing. "A test?"
"Something like that," Cassian replied. "Each division is sending representatives to gauge readiness. Your name came up first."
Her gaze lowered to the sword, its metal still faintly thrumming with the echo of Aether.
For a heartbeat, she could almost see Sebastian's reflection there, smiling faintly as if proud.
She rose, the blade resting easily in her hand now. "Then I'll go. I was looking for a reason to test this."
Cassian smirked. "Try not to break the arena this time."
"I'll make no promises."
As she walked past him, the evening wind stirred, and the Aether around her flickered in reply, no longer wild but listening.
And as the sound of her footsteps faded toward the dueling grounds, the sword glowed once more, soft and steady, like the pulse of something awakening.
—
The dueling grounds were a vast stone courtyard, banners of each Division fluttering in the evening breeze.
Students lined the edges, murmuring in anticipation.
The sun had dipped low, casting long shadows, and the air smelled of polished stone, smoke, and faint ozone from Aether currents.
Aurelia stepped forward, the sword humming faintly in her hand, blue runes pulsing along its blade.
The training yard was buzzing with anticipation as representatives from each division gathered to test their skills.
Aurelia adjusted her grip on the sword, Aether weaving along the blade in faint, controlled pulses.
Then he appeared.
Aurelia froze for the briefest moment, the familiar stark contrast of white hair and crimson eyes catching her immediately.
The son of the Archduke, a Martial Path prodigy, stepped forward, Aura coiling subtly around him, every motion precise and controlled.
The resemblance of the Archduke to his twin, the Emperor, was impossible to miss in their shared facial structure, yet everything else was inverted.
Where the Emperor was light and warm, radiating energy like a sun, the Archduke's son carried the weight of shadow. White as snow hair framed a sharp, commanding face, crimson eyes burning with intent.
It was said that while the Emperor could charm armies and command Aether with ease, his twin had been cursed by life, war, and legacy, a being whose presence demanded fear from all who faced him.
Some whispered that it was not merely skill, but the Aura of dread itself, inherited or earned over time, that cursed his appearance.
Aurelia remembered the stories, how his family line was intertwined with power, expectation, and a tragic destiny.
The Emperor's and Archduke's father had white hair, and their mother was blonde. Yet the twins diverged more than anyone could explain: golden and blue eyes gave way to crimson and sky, light and dark divided them.
The duel was announced, Arcanum versus Martial Path, and the yard seemed to quiet in expectation.
Aurelia squared her shoulders, meeting the crimson gaze head-on. The son of the Archduke regarded her with an unreadable expression, one hand casually resting on the hilt of his blade.
Aurelia's mind raced. This isn't just a duel. This is a test. A glimpse of what the Martial Path division is capable of. And I won't falter.
He lunged first, Aura flaring around his blade like molten fire. Aurelia countered, Aether snapping to life as she deflected with her own sword, the clash sending sparks of energy dancing across the yard.
Each movement was precise, deliberate, a symphony of elemental control and martial prowess.
Aurelia's thoughts flicked to her brother, Sebastian. If he were here… No. I'll honor him and my name in my own way.
Instinct took over. Aurelia weaved her hands, channeling Harmonization into the blade. A thin blue barrier sprang up around her, and the elemental strike shattered against it. Sparks danced along the edge of her sword, lighting her face.
So this is what it's like… balancing everything at once.
The Archduke's son shifted his stance, Aura flaring crimson, a challenge in every movement. "Aurelia Caelistra," he said, a hint of nostalgia threading through his calm voice. "It's been a long time."
Aurelia smirked, gripping her blade tighter, her eyes narrowing. "Cut the crap, Arthur. Let's just fight."
He chuckled softly, an amused glint in his gaze. "You're as impatient as ever," he replied, preparing for their clash.
The first real clash came with the force of a storm, their swords meeting in a flash of light and shadow, energy coiling around each strike, the yard alive with the intensity of their duel.
Around them, the other students watched, the reality of the Martial Path versus Arcanum dynamic laid bare: control versus instinct, precision versus raw power.
Every strike was a test of skill, of strategy, of the edicts Aurelia had honed.
And through it all, the memory of the Archduke's shadowed reputation pressed against her resolve, forcing her to prove that the Caelistra name could shine even against the legacy of a crimson-eyed prince.
Aurelia's sword and Aether moved as one, a flowing extension of thought and intention.
Every strike she made carved through the air with purpose, her Harmonization Edict subtly bending the battlefield to her will.
The ground beneath the Archduke's son rippled faintly as her Aether resonated with the sword, forcing him to adjust his stance, Aura flaring defensively.
Kael and Lysandra crouched behind a low barricade, eyes wide.
"She's… she's doing both at the same time," Lysandra muttered, voice barely above a whisper.
Kael's brow furrowed. "I didn't think she could manage Harmonization, and Manipulation simultaneously. And with a sword?"
Aurelia pivoted, the blade carving an elegant arc that forced her opponent back.
Sparks of silver and sapphire danced across the courtyard, painting her strikes in light and shadow.
Her eyes, sharp and focused, flicked to the edges of the field, reading his movements like a scholar deciphering a manuscript.
"She's restraining him," Lysandra muttered, nudging Kael with her elbow.
"Not just restraining… she's bending the environment to her advantage," Kael replied, eyes narrowing. "That ripple along the ground, he can't anticipate it."
The Archduke's son lashed out with a flurry of strikes, crimson Aura lashing like fire, each blow precise, each movement calculated.
Aurelia met him blow for blow, weaving Aether around the sword, her Harmonization Edict subtly connecting her motions to the natural ebb of energy in the yard.
A faint pulse radiated from the blade with every strike, forcing him to retreat incrementally, his crimson Aura brightening with exertion.
Lysandra's whisper was tinged with awe. "I… I can't believe she's doing this without even a pause."
Kael shook his head, lips tight. "That's pure focus. No hesitation, no fear."
Aurelia's movements accelerated, the Aether around her sword coiling like liquid silver, tracing patterns that disrupted her opponent's aura flow.
She felt the Manipulation Edict respond to her intent, the Harmonization Edict connecting her to the rhythm of the courtyard. At the same time, the Elemental Edict subtly infused her strikes with a controlled spark of wind and fire.
The Archduke's son gritted his teeth, red eyes narrowing, realizing the advantage slipping from him.
Each strike he made was met with precision, every feint countered, every advance subtly redirected by Aurelia's Aether.
Lysandra leaned closer to Kael, voice trembling. "She's… she's brilliant. I've never seen someone fight like that."
Kael exhaled slowly, muttering, "And calm. She's completely calm. Even against him."
The final sequence of strikes came in a blur. Aurelia's sword danced through the air, a symphony of steel and Aether, and the Archduke's son finally stumbled, forced onto one knee as her Harmonization Edict subtly amplified the pressure of her controlled battlefield.
His crimson Aura flickered, then dimmed as he fell backward, resting on the ground, exhausted but unharmed.
Aurelia stepped back, breathing evenly, sword held lightly. The courtyard was quiet except for the faint hum of residual Aether energy.
Kael and Lysandra remained silent for a moment, absorbing the display.
"He… he didn't stand a chance," Lysandra finally muttered.
Kael only shook his head. "She's not just powerful… she's on another level. Is this Stage two of the Manipulation Edict…"
Arthur took the loss well, his voice steady as he remarked, "Impatient as ever."
Aurelia gave a hand, "As powerful as ever too."
He accepted Aurelia's hand with a nod of appreciation, rising to his feet. A hint of admiration flickered in his eyes, acknowledging the strength and skill she had displayed.
Aurelia's small smile returned as she met his gaze, recognizing the mutual respect that had been forged in their battle.
From the sidelines, Marlec's eyes followed every sweep of Aurelia's blade, every subtle pulse of Aether around it, "She's improved," he murmured to himself. "If she's able to wield both sword and Aether at the same time properly… she might be on the brink of Stage Two of the Manipulation Edict."
Seris, leaning casually on the railing, grinned. "You've been paying attention, I see."
Before Marlec could respond, a group of arrivals appeared at the edge of the yard, the professors of the Martial Path Division.
One of them, Professor Selwyn, a tall figure with a commanding presence but with a kind smile, stopped to watch Aurelia intently. "She… she reminds me of him," he said, almost reverently. "Her brother, Sebastian, when he first joined the Academy. Aura and swordsmanship intertwined so naturally… she carries the same spirit. Truly one of a kind."
Professor Mira, shorter and more abrupt, crossed her arms. "Have you considered transferring her to the Martial Path Division? I dare say she might thrive more there than here. Her talent is wasted, confined to Aether."
Marlac's eyes narrowed instantly, a glare sharp enough to slice through stone. "Excuse me?" he growled.
Before tensions could escalate, Seris stepped forward, slinging an arm around Mira's shoulders in an easy gesture of camaraderie. "You're trying to steal our star talent," she said with a playful grin. "But unlucky for you, Aurelia is ours. Arcanum Division. She belongs here."
Mira sighed, visibly frustrated but resigned. "Very well. If she chooses to stay… but mark my words, the Martial Path Division would have offered her opportunities you might not even imagine."
Aurelia, still catching her breath from the spar, felt a mixture of pride and quiet amusement at the exchange.
Her sword hummed faintly in her hands, the Aether flowing along it, a subtle reminder that she was finally beginning to harmonize the two.
Marlec muttered under his breath, still glaring at the interlopers, "One day… they'll see she's ours to guide, and that guiding her isn't something you meddle with lightly."
Seris chuckled softly, patting his shoulder. "Don't mind them. For now, just focus on what you've been doing. Guiding the future for our students. Everything else… will follow."
The courtyard seemed quieter after that, but the undercurrent of expectation was stronger than ever.
Aurelia's gaze fell on her sword, and the faint pulse of Aether at her fingertips whispered of possibilities she hadn't yet dared to reach.