Chapter 3: The Scholar's Radiance
The morning sun poured over the Grand Aether Academy's main arena and painted the marble floor in sheets of gold. The air rang with the clash of swords and bursts of elemental energy that echoed between the tall crystal towers. A thin mist hung over the ground, giving the arena a soft, dream-like glow.
At the center stood Soso, her silver-white hair shining under the sunlight, like threads of starlight. Her robe shimmered with faint enchantments, the golden phoenix on her chest glowing soft and subtle in magic. The sword in her hand gleamed pale blue, with light trails wherever it moved.
Two older boys, one with noble birth and the other a prodigy, danced around her cautiously. They knew her reputation well. Soso was not only strong but sharp-minded, a fighter who thought several steps ahead.
The duel began.
Soso's first move seemed so simple: a straightforward lunge. Her opponents reacted fast, blocking with a clash of steel. Yet, the true depth of Soso's skill lay not in strength but in reading her opponents before they moved.
When one of them slashed down at her left side, she pivoted smoothly, spinning into a kick that knocked him off balance without using any magic.
The other charged, lightning crackling along his blade. Soso's eyes flicked to his hand — she saw the twitch that came before every spell. She leapt, twisted mid-air, and struck his shoulder, breaking his focus.
From the shadows, Echo watched closely. His gaze followed every shift in her form, every pause between strikes.
"She's not reacting," he thought. "She's predicting. If I could combine that with my reflexes. I could even counter magic itself."
The fight grew faster. Soso's sword moved in smooth glowing arcs, her rhythm perfect. Her opponents tried to attack together; she separated them easily, finding the gaps in their timing.
She twisted her wrist mid-strike, deflecting a fireball that shot toward her chest. It flew past harmlessly into a training dummy.
Her footwork never wavered; with every step, she maintained her distance, ever prepared to counterattack.
Echo's mind moved in time with her rhythm, calculating every step. His keen intelligence substituted for the absence of magical ability. He imagined himself in her position:
If that fireball came for me… I'd roll forward, sweep low, and disarm him in one move.
But if two attacked together… I'd kick off the wall, spin, and use a dagger throw and elbow strike at once.
A quick pulse ran through his body, his Overdrive. His heartbeat quickened, muscles tightening with excitement.
The duel was over in an instant as Soso simultaneously disarmed both opponents, touching the shoulder of each to declare defeat. She stood calm and confident, a quiet joy alight in her eyes.
The arena erupted in applause. "She's unbeatable," someone whispered. "Strategy, not just skill."
In the shadows, Echo felt admiration rise inside him… and something more.
After the match, Soso went over her notes, making small adjustments to her sword-magic timing. Echo followed from a distance, studying her like a living lesson.
The tiny angle of her wrist that guided her sword's magical arc.
Timing her steps so that she was always just out of reach of fast attacks.
The calm focus on her face, showing her thought process even when she smiled.
A soft breeze brushed her hair across her face. Echo's chest constricted. Without noticing, he shifted his stance slightly — as if ready to defend her from danger that wasn't there.
Around the academy, the usual order showed itself again: nobles walked proudly, their magic bright and visible; commoners like Echo faded into the background, unseen. But he saw everything — arrogance, careless confidence that so often blinded the powerful.
Soso was different: brilliance marked with humility.
She explained defensive stances to a younger student without a hint of pride.
Her voice was soft and melodious, gentle yet firm.
Echo felt his pulse quicken every time she smiled, even from afar.
He could never tell if she noticed him, but a part of him actually hoped that she did.
Later that day, the paired sparring session took place: Soso was up against Lyren, a fire-element specialist who fought very aggressively.
Flames burst when their match started. Lyren attacked with slashes of flame, fast and unpredictable, but Soso stayed composed.
She somersaulted through the air, cutting through a fireball to send it bursting harmlessly behind her.
Her follow-up kick sent Lyren stumbling, and before he had managed to recover, she thrust forward again, forcing him to move backward.
Her sharp eyes tracked every movement, predicting each strike before it came.
Echo, concealed around the corner, strained toward every movement. In his head, he mimicked her cadence, practicing in silence.
If that attack came at me, I'd watch the energy build up, slip into the blind spot, and hit clean. No wasted motion.
For a second, his Overdrive flickered once more, a surge of speed, consciousness, power, and then it faded.
Soso finished the match with another clear win. She didn't overpower Lyren; she simply out-thought him. Her timing, her control, and calm precision left no opening. She bowed politely and even helped him up, smiling.
Something stirred between them from across the arena, and Echo glanced in his direction to that shadowed corner, her gaze lingering on him as if sensing him. He smiled faintly but didn't come into view.
That evening, Echo came back to his secreted courtyard. The place was silent — broken pillars, cracked marble, runes along the walls glowing faintly. Perfect for training.
He began his drills.
Hand-to-hand: quick punches, sharp kicks, low sweeps, elbow and knee strikes.
Daggers: throws, spins, disarms, precise mid-air catches.
Movement: rolls over rough stones, leaps off pillars, runs across walls.
His Overdrive flared again - small but real. His body felt light, fast, alive. Reflexes sharpened, movements flowed.
"It's real," he whispered. "Slowly growing… but real."
Yet, no magic resided in him; just his body, mind, and will.
At dusk, Echo climbed up the stairs to the rooftop. Below lay the shining academy, wards flickering like stars. He saw Soso heading towards her dormitory, her sword hanging at her side.
He watched silently.
Her robe fluttered with every step she took.
The sword behind her back shone faintly.
She had stopped at the fountain, its soft light dancing across her features.
A fierce determination filled him.
"I will protect her. I will rise above all of them. I don't need magic; I will create my own strength. When the time comes, I'll fight for her."
The night deepened, stars blinking into view. The wards' light met and mingled with the darkness, wrapping the academy in silver and blue. Deep inside Echo, something powerful began to awaken-silent but strong.
The fragile, sure connection was there between him and Soso. Her brilliance that morning had lit more than the arena. It had kindled fire within him-a fire to burn brighter with every trial to come.