In the Midst of Training

Under Commander Herley's strict and demanding training regimen, Auralis and Lon grew stronger, though they constantly struggled to keep up. Herley, a veteran commander known for her ruthless yet fair approach, put them through grueling routines that pushed their bodies and minds to their limits. She made them spar while resisting the pull of a spell that created an almost unbearable gravitational force, testing not just their strength but their mental resilience. This, she claimed, was merely their "warm-up."

"You two are talented," Herley remarked one day, as they both fought to keep steady under the strain. "The training I'm giving you is considered extreme, even by military standards, yet you're holding up." Her words were both an acknowledgment of their potential and a warning of the challenge they still faced.

After these intense sessions, they would be granted a rare moment of rest. It was during one of these breaks, as they leaned against the worn stone walls, catching their breath, that Lon opened up about his background.

"My father is half-giant, and my mother…well, she's a resurrected human," Lon said with a bashful smile, his eyes bright with pride and a hint of wonder at his own origins.

Auralis looked at him, taken aback. "Your mother was… resurrected?" he asked, astonished.

Lon chuckled. "Yeah, she was brought back by a powerful sage. She has no memory of her past, but her kindness and strength have guided me since I was a kid. I don't remember a day she wasn't there, and my father says she was given a second life for a reason."

Hearing this, Auralis couldn't help but feel a pang of respect and amazement. "So, what are your dreams, Lon?" he asked.

Lon grinned, his large, rugged hand scratching the back of his head. "I've always wanted to be a knight or something honorable. Someone people can depend on."

Auralis smirked, "With a goal like that, you'd better sharpen up. With that head of yours, it'll take some serious work. But you're strong, so it's not impossible."

Herley soon approached and interrupted their talk, signaling that their short break was over. She explained that the next phase of training would focus on the advanced mastery of kai—a technique that allowed warriors to amplify their physical and spiritual abilities. Herley called it Hyper Kai Release and emphasized that only those with true discipline and mental control could wield it effectively.

Over the following two months, Auralis and Lon pushed themselves harder than ever. They learned how to maximize their kai output, focusing their energy in bursts for heightened speed, power, and resilience. They faced bruising setbacks and bone-aching fatigue but emerged from each day with greater strength and control. Herley's training was relentless, but under her guidance, they began to realize the depths of their potential.

Meanwhile, on a distant world, Aliys was undergoing a different kind of training. She sat with her grandmother, an elderly woman with sharp eyes that held centuries' worth of memories. Today, her grandmother was recounting the legend of an item called the Heat of Pandora, a cursed artifact responsible for devastation across their planet nearly a century ago.

"It was about 95 years ago," her grandmother began, her voice quiet but resonant, "before you were born. A man came to our world, wielding the Heat of Pandora. He was clad in red from head to toe, and he used this artifact to spread chaos and suffering, casting a spell that turned many of our people mindless. With a sweep of his hand, he wiped out nearly all records of our history, erasing our stories, our songs, our culture."

Aliys listened intently, her brown eyes wide with awe. The weight of her grandmother's words settled heavily upon her; this was a tale she had never heard in such detail.

"This evil figure was no ordinary man. His power seemed endless, and he wielded the Heat of Pandora with terrible skill, its blazing energy feeding off the life force of our planet," her grandmother continued. "People became pawns in his game, stripped of their memories, while the rest fell into despair. But your mother, Aisha, faced him head-on. The battle between them raged for an entire year, the skies turning dark with fury as they clashed."

Aliys' heart swelled with admiration. She knew her mother was a great warrior, but this story painted her in a new light—as a hero who had risked everything to save their world from ruin.

"Your mother fought until she could fight no more. But in the end, she emerged victorious, and the man was defeated. Yet, the Heat of Pandora disappeared in the aftermath, and to this day, no one knows where it lies."

Aliys gazed at her grandmother, her heart pounding with reverence for her mother's courage and determination. "Someday, I want to be as strong as she was," Aliys whispered, her voice full of resolve.

Her grandmother placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Strength alone is not enough, my child. You must also have wisdom and compassion, for true power comes from within. Remember that, and one day, you may surpass even your mother."

As Aliys listened, her mind spun with new purpose. She trained not only to honor her mother's legacy but also to protect her people from any threat that might arise. Little did she know, her path would soon intertwine with Auralis'—and together, they would shape the fate of many worlds