The training grounds, once filled with laughter and explosive magic, now felt colder—quieter. The incident with the Soul Seal had changed the atmosphere.
Even the wind seemed to whisper slower when Rizz stepped onto the stone tiles again.
This time, he wasn't training with flashy attacks or flashy praise.
He was training for survival.
Safa stood before him, her arms folded, glowing robes trailing soft blue sparks. Beside her, Elena formed a circle of protective talismans, and Raze floated above, his wings spread wide, watching from a distance—ready to intervene if anything went wrong.
"Today," Safa said, "we train your soul, not your strength. Because what awakened in you isn't just a seal—it's a doorway. If you open it too far, too fast... you won't come back the same."
Rizz stood straight, no longer trying to act cute. The moment the Soul Seal had surfaced, he had begun to feel... older. More aware. Like something inside him had cracked open.
"I'm ready, Afa," he said quietly.
---
Step One: Soul Balance
Safa summoned two small spheres—one of light, warm and radiant, the other of shadow, cool and swirling.
"These," she said, "are the elemental sources you tried to combine. Light uplifts. Darkness reveals. But when forced together by will alone, they collapse."
She extended both toward Rizz.
"Hold one in each hand. Don't command them. Don't bend them. Listen."
Rizz hesitated, then took them. At first, the spheres floated gently in his palms. But within seconds, his veins began to glow—one arm shining with holy warmth, the other pulsing with dark pressure.
He gritted his teeth.
"Focus on your heartbeat," Safa instructed. "The Soul Seal syncs with rhythm. Not force."
The pain intensified. Visions flickered again—scenes of war, towers of flame, a wingless version of himself screaming in defiance.
"Too much—!" he gasped.
"Close your eyes!" Safa shouted.
He obeyed.
Breathe.
In.
Out.
The spheres slowed.
Light and darkness... breathing together.
> I am both, he thought.
Not divided. Not confused. I am the child of fire and mercy. Of shadow and judgment. I am Rizz.
The spheres flickered once—then merged into a shimmering gray flame hovering between his hands.
Elena gasped from the side. "He did it… on the first day?"
Safa's eyes narrowed. "No. Not quite. He didn't control the balance. He became it."
Raze smirked in the sky. "That's my boy."
---
Step Two: Echo Memory
The flame faded. Rizz collapsed to one knee, panting.
But Safa stepped forward. "One more test. If you can't do this, we stop training the Soul Seal entirely."
Rizz looked up. "What… test?"
Safa placed two fingers on his forehead. "Open your inner gate. Let the echo speak."
The world vanished.
Rizz stood in a mirror-like realm. Black sky. White floor. Infinite silence.
Then he saw him.
A boy his age—identical face, identical eyes—but wearing black robes and wielding a sword of light twisted with shadow.
The other Rizz spoke.
> "You keep reaching into power without understanding the price."
> "Who are you?" Rizz whispered.
> "The question is—who are you… without me?"
The mirror cracked.
---
Outside, in Reality…
Rizz jolted awake, covered in sweat.
The Soul Seal pulsed once.
Safa nodded. "You made contact. That's enough for today."
But in his chest, Rizz could feel it.
The echo had only just begun to speak.
---