Song, as always, moved in the shadows.
A master of the Void, he had trained Pyris in this art for months now, teaching him how to harness the element that most feared, an element capable of tearing the fabric of reality itself.
The void is one of the dangerous elements he didn't tell his mother and sisters back then when he had just awakened.
Thanks oy Lia, she had addressed him how dangerous this element was and he kept it hidden but at thant time, he didn't know about Phantoms his mother kept in her shadows back at the Obsidian ancestral home.
_____
Song stood in silence, waiting for Pyris at the secluded training ground hidden deep within the estate's boundaries.
Pyris arrived, his expression sharp and focused. "You're ready, young master?" Song asked in his calm, low voice, a hand disappearing into the darkness, as though it had melded with the void itself.
"More than ready," Pyris responded, a flicker of excitement flashing in his eyes. Tonight, he intended to push the limits of the Void Element, seeking mastery over one of the most dangerous forces known to Argos.
The training started slowly.
Song conjured thin slices of void energy, small rifts that shifted and folded the space around them. Pyris stood in the center, his aura calm yet fierce, as he began to mimic the gestures Song had shown him over the months.
"The void isn't just emptiness. It's not the absence of power, but the accumulation of all forces, locked beyond the fabric of space," Song explained as he unleashed a small void orb, a concentrated sphere of nothingness that swallowed the air around it.
Pyris mirrored the action, focusing his energy, and a black orb appeared in his palm. Unlike the smooth control Song demonstrated, Pyris's orb flickered wildly, unstable, threatening to collapse in on itself.
"Steady," Song urged. "Control it. Feel its pull but do not let it consume you."
Sweat beaded on Pyris's forehead as he wrestled with the raw power, feeling the weight of the void in his hand. The force tugged at him, demanding more, trying to escape his control.
It was then that Pyris tapped into his golden dragon essence, grounding himself with the strength of his heritage. Slowly, the flickering orb steadied, and Pyris's control tightened.
Song gave a rare nod of approval. "Good. Now—throw it."
Without hesitation, Pyris hurled the void orb toward a distant boulder. The orb connected, and the boulder vanished, devoured in an instant by the void's insatiable hunger.
"Perfect your control, and the void will become your most powerful weapon. But lose control…" Song let the words hang in the air, his warning clear.
Pyris nodded, understanding that the void could easily turn on him if he wasn't careful. His eyes gleamed with ambition as he prepared for the next challenge Song would throw at him.
____
The next day, Pyris made his way to the Grove, his body still humming with the residual power from last night's void training.
He met Selene, who awaited him near the Grove's entrance, her imposing presence undeniable. As a Rank 12 Nepharion, her power was unmistakable. Even without the radiant wings of her fallen angel bloodline visible, Pyris could sense the celestial-like energy within her.
Selene gave him a respectful nod. "You're late," she said, her voice calm, but Pyris could see the hint of amusement in her eyes.
"Had a long night," Pyris responded with a small smirk. "Let's get started."
Their training began with individual exercises, testing their strength against the forces of the Grove. Rank 5 beasts were the first to appear, creatures with scales tougher than iron and claws that could rend flesh in seconds.
Pyris moved with precision, his golden dragon essence flowing through him as he dispatched the creatures with ease, using a combination of space manipulation and superspeed to confuse and overwhelm them.
But it wasn't long before the beasts grew in power. Rank 10 wolves emerged from the thick undergrowth, their eyes glowing with hunger.
These weren't ordinary beasts—they were infused with the very essence of the forest, their bodies rippling with raw mana.
Selene stepped forward. "Let me handle this."
Pyris watched as Selene unleashed her power. Her eyes glowed with an otherworldly light, and the air around her shimmered with celestial energy.
With a flick of her hand, she conjured spears of golden energy, hurling them with deadly accuracy at the wolves. Each spear found its mark, striking with precision and force, cutting through the beasts as though they were made of paper.
Pyris couldn't help but be impressed. Lia's voice echoed in his mind.
["She's strong, Pyris. Very strong. She's not just your usual fallen angel. You need to get closer to her."]
Pyris smirked. 'I already planned on it.'
But the true test came when a Rank 13 beast emerged—a towering creature with obsidian skin and burning red eyes. It stood over 12 feet tall, its massive arms lined with spikes, and its roar shook the very earth beneath their feet.
"Together?" Pyris asked, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
Selene nodded. "Let's."
They moved in sync, Pyris using his space manipulation to teleport around the beast, striking from different angles while Selene launched a barrage of celestial spears.
The beast fought back with devastating force, sending shockwaves through the ground that nearly knocked Pyris off his feet.
For a moment, Pyris was caught in the beast's gaze, its massive hand swinging toward him with the force to crush him. But Selene was there, moving with lightning speed, her wings unfurling as she slammed into the beast, knocking it off balance.
"You owe me," she said with a grin.
"Let's settle that after we kill this thing," Pyris shot back, his own grin widening.
As the beast staggered back, Pyris and Selene knew it was time to finish it. Pyris summoned his golden dragon wings, feeling the surge of power course through him.
His golden armor formed around his body, a radiant display of his true strength.
Selene, not to be outdone, unleashed her Nepharion energy in full force, her wings now fully visible, glowing with a divine light.
Together, they launched their final attack—Pyris striking with his golden sword, and Selene with a massive spear of celestial energy.
The beast roared in defiance, but it was no match for the combined might of a dragon and a fallen angel. Their attacks pierced its core, and with one last roar, the beast collapsed, its body falling to ground.
As the remnants of the battle settled, Pyris and Selene stood side by side, their chests heaving from the exertion. There was a moment of silence as they looked at the remains of the beast, then at each other.
"You're strong," Pyris said, admiration clear in his voice.
"You're not bad yourself," Selene replied, a small smile tugging at her lips.
There was no immediate romance or overwhelming attraction, but something had shifted between them. A mutual respect, a shared understanding of each other's power.
Pyris had made an impression, and while Selene wasn't ready to fall for him, she couldn't deny that he had begun to carve out a place in her mind.
As they parted ways, Pyris couldn't help but smile to himself. He was slowly embedding himself into her life, and that was enough for now!