I stood up from my bed as soon as the sun was up. A towel hung loosely around my neck as I walked lazily into the bathroom. After freshening up, I moved to the mirror to comb my hair.
My reflection reminded me of the stone that hung around my neck.
Was I any closer to controlling my powers? When would it gain its second color? I couldn't help but wonder.
My thoughts drifted back to my dream. This was the second time now, and it began to worry me. Was it trying to tell me something? Or was I just missing something important? It didn't feel like an ordinary dream—it felt like I was watching someone else's memories.
"Oi! You're gonna miss breakfast. What are you doing—admiring yourself, you narcissist?"
Only Zayn would get out of bed just to annoy me.
"Give me a minute," I replied calmly, refusing to fall for his ragebait.
He scoffed in disappointment and left. I quickly combed my hair, threw on some clothes, and headed downstairs.
"I beat you to breakfast!" Jace yelled the moment I entered the dining room.
"As long as we aren't serving pancakes, Hunter will never be early for breakfast," Katara teased while pouring water into our glasses.
"That's not true. I just woke up late today."
The room went silent. Everyone gave me the look—raised brows and smug smiles.
I sighed in defeat. "Alright, fine. You're right."
They all burst into laughter. I was slightly embarrassed but couldn't help smiling too.
"Master?" Cody called out suddenly.
We all froze, then stood at once. "Good morning, Master," we said in unison, bowing slightly.
"Hmmm," he murmured, walking to the head of the table.
"Will you be joining us today, Master?" Iris asked—the question on all our minds.
It was rare. Usually, he had breakfast either before us or long after.
"Apparently," he replied with a small chuckle.
"Well, this calls for extra meat for everyone!" Annabeth shouted.
The rest of us cheered in delight.
The girls usually handled the cooking and cleaning—though we kept our rooms and did our chores—but meals were their specialty. This was a rare privilege.
Soon enough, we began to eat.
Breakfast didn't last long. Once the laughter died down and plates were cleared, Master rose from his seat. The room fell silent again almost instantly.
"I told you I'd be teaching you about the Erasure Method," he said, voice steady and low. "Follow me."
We exchanged glances. No one dared complain — not when Master's tone meant business.
Cody sighed under his breath. "Guess the peace is over."
"Was it ever peaceful?" Tyra muttered, earning a quiet snort from Zayn.
We followed Master into the living room. The morning sun filtered weakly through the curtains, casting long shadows across the floor. He stood by the center table, a small wooden box in his hand.
"We will commence your training now," he said, his expression grave.
Cody frowned. "But I can't teleport us to our usual training ground. The Purge Units might detect us."
Master smiled faintly — the kind of smile that meant he already had a plan.
He opened the box and revealed three smooth, earthen-colored stones, each engraved with runic symbols that pulsed faintly with golden light.
"This," he said, holding one between his fingers, "is an Earth Rune. It has the ability to conceal magical energy from detection."
He dropped the rune to the floor. It cracked with a soft snap, releasing a thin swirl of smoke that spread across the air like mist before vanishing completely.
The air around us suddenly felt… muted.
Calmer.
Empty.
"Back in the Onyx Dimension," Master continued, "these were used in wars — for ambushes and safe retreats. They were extremely rare, even then."
"I see…" Zayn said, folding his arms. "So it's like those Aetherytes, except instead of restricting our power, it hides it. Temporarily renders us invisible to detection."
He smirked. "Not bad."
Master gave a faint nod, mildly impressed. "Correct."
"Is this the method you mentioned, Master?" Iris asked, her curiosity bright in her voice.
"Not exactly," he replied. "I'll be teaching you to act like this rune — to suppress your own aura, to render your abilities undetectable without needing an artifact."
We all froze.
"Wait…" Jace said slowly. "You mean permanently erase our magical aura? That's even possible?"
"It is," Cody replied before Master could answer. "But it takes more than focus — it takes control. If done wrong, you could erase part of your ability itself."
That silenced everyone.
"Enough talk," Master said. His tone softened, but the authority in it remained. "Sit, or take any position that feels most comfortable."
He folded his legs and sat on the floor. One by one, we followed.
Except Zayn.
He leaned lazily against the wall. "What? He said any comfortable position."
We all sighed in unison.
"Close your eyes," Master instructed. "Take a deep breath."
I obeyed, letting the air flow in slowly, then out. The noise of the world — the birds outside, the quiet breeze, even the faint hum of the house — seemed to fade.
The faint scent of the rune smoke still lingered in the air, mixing with the earthy smell of dust and wood.
"Now," he continued, "I want you to find the pulse of your magic. The current that flows through your veins. Don't force it—just listen."
It was faint at first, like a whisper buried under noise. But as I focused, I could feel it — the hum beneath my skin, the soft rhythm that had always been there.
"Good," Master said quietly. "Now imagine it fading. Let it shrink, let it quiet down until it's no more than a breath. Picture it sinking deeper into your core… and locking away."
My chest tightened. The hum faltered, then dimmed. A strange emptiness crept in — cold, unfamiliar.
"Don't lose control," Master warned. "You are suppressing energy, not destroying it. Let it rest, not vanish."
I could hear Tyra exhale shakily beside me. Someone—probably Jace—grunted under his breath.
I opened my eyes. Everyone looked dazed, sweat forming on their brows.
"Good," Master said, scanning each of us. "That feeling you sense — that emptiness — that is what Erasure is. To any detector, you are invisible. But lose focus, and the current will return stronger than before. So be careful."
"Feels… weird," Tyra muttered, rubbing her chest. "Like I stopped existing for a second."
"Exactly," Master replied. "Because, for that moment, you did."
The words sent a chill down my spine.
Zayn chuckled nervously. "He says that like it's supposed to be reassuring."
Master ignored him. "You must all learn to enter and exit that state at will. The faster you can fade and reappear, the better chance you'll have against the Purge Units."
Purge Units. The name alone made the room feel colder.
"Now," he said finally, "let's see who among you can maintain the erasure longest."
And just like that — the real training began.