Chapter 27- First progress
The following days settled into an unexpected rhythm.
Classes.
Rumors.
Training.
More rumors.
At this point, Lyra had simply accepted that the academy would never stop talking.
The only question was what ridiculous story would appear next.
Amy made sure to keep her informed.
"Good news."
Lyra looked up from her notes.
"There is never good news when you start a sentence like that."
Amy ignored her.
"The engagement rumor is dead."
Lyra relaxed slightly.
Then-
"The secret relationship rumor survived."
Lyra looked annoyed.
Lucian appeared beside them.
"Actually, it evolved."
"Why are you helping?"
"I'm providing information."
"You are contributing to the problem."
"A small difference."
"A very large difference."
Amy nodded.
"Today's version says Instructor Erix is patiently waiting for you to forgive him."
Silence.
Lyra stared.
Lucian looked impressed.
"I haven't heard that one."
"It started this morning."
"Academy students have too much free time."
Amy pointed dramatically.
"Exactly."
For once-
Lyra and Lucian agreed completely.
That evening-
Training resumed.
The familiar hall felt less intimidating now.
Never comfortable.
But manageable.
Which was progress.
Erix stood waiting near the center.
As always.
The moment Lyra entered-
He tossed her a practice blade.
She caught it automatically.
"You're becoming predictable."
"You caught it."
"Why? Did you think I would never br able to catch that"
"...."
A silence.
Lyra became more annoyed by that silence. Since he is helping her she decided to let it go.
Training began.
The new method proved no less exhausting than the old one.
If anything-
It was worse.
Synchronization had been terrifying.
Combat was simply relentless.
Strike.
Block.
Move.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Every mistake was corrected immediately.
Every opening punished.
Every hesitation exploited.
Lyra was beginning to suspect Erix had never heard of mercy.
The possibility felt increasingly likely.
Their blades collided.
Wood struck wood.
She shifted her footing.
Adjusted her stance.
Attacked.
Blocked.
Retreated.
Advanced.
The rhythm continued.
Minutes passed.
Then more.
Sweat dampened her hair.
Her arms ached.
Her legs protested every movement.
Yet-
Something felt different.
Subtle.
Difficult to explain.
The movements were becoming easier.
Not physically.
Instinctively.
As though her body had begun understanding something her mind still struggled to grasp.
The realization distracted her for half a second.
A mistake.
Erix's practice blade immediately tapped her shoulder.
"Dead."
Lyra frowned.
"I hate when you do that."
"You were distracted."
"You enjoy this."
"No."
"You absolutely do."
A pause.
Then-
"No."
That pause had been suspicious.
Very suspicious
The training continued.
Another exchange.
Another correction.
Another lesson.
Then-
It happened.
A simple movement.
Nothing dramatic.
Nothing spectacular.
Lyra stepped sideways.
Raised her blade.
And blocked.
For the briefest instant-
Warmth flowed through her arm.
Not forced.
Not deliberate.
Natural.
The impact rang through the hall.
Different.
Sharper.
Stronger.
The sensation lasted less than a heartbeat.
Then vanished.
Gone.
Yet Lyra felt it.
Immediately.
She froze.
Across from her-
Erix lowered his blade.
Silence filled the room.
Several seconds passed.
Then-
A single nod.
That was all.
No explanation.
No lecture.
No praise.
Just a nod.
Yet somehow-
Lyra understood.
Her heart skipped.
"That was it, wasn't it?"
Erix didn't answer immediately.
Then-
"Again."
A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.
Because that was answer enough.
The breakthrough refused to happen again.
Naturally.
Lyra spent the next hour trying.
Failing.
Trying again.
Failing again.
Yet strangely-
She didn't feel frustrated.
Because now she knew.
It existed.
She had felt it.
Touched it.
After a long time-
Astral reinforcement no longer felt impossible.
And somehow-
That changed everything.
By the time training ended-
The sky had darkened.
Lyra gathered her belongings.
A quiet sense of satisfaction settled inside her.
Small.
Fragile.
Yet real.
As she headed toward the dormitories-
She realized something.
The fear was gone.
Not completely.
The memories still existed.
The nightmares still lingered.
But for the first time since the synchronization incident-
Training no longer felt like something to survive.
It felt like something she could overcome.
Amy noticed immediately.
Of course she did.
The moment Lyra entered the room-
Amy narrowed her eyes.
Then narrowed them further.
Then pointed.
"What happened?"
"Nothing."
"You're smiling."
"I am not."
"You are."
"I am not."
Amy jumped off her bed.
"You are."
Lyra looked away.
A fatal mistake.
Amy gasped dramatically.
"Oh, something definitely happened."
"No."
"Something happened."
"No."
"Something happened."
"No."
Amy folded her arms.
Then smiled.
A genuine smile.
Not teasing.
Not mischievous.
Just happy.
And somehow-
That made Lyra smile even more.
Which immediately ruined everything.
Amy's victory was complete.
Elsewhere-
Lucian finally encountered Vivienne Evercrest alone.
Which was more deliberate than coincidental.
Because he had questions.
And Vivienne looked like someone who enjoyed giving answers that weren't answers.
A dangerous combination.
She stood near one of the academy gardens.
Reading.
Or pretending to read.
Lucian wasn't entirely sure.
When she noticed him-
She smiled politely.
"Lucian."
He stopped.
"...You know my name?"
"Most people know your name."
That was fair.
Unfortunately.
Lucian crossed his arms.
"You know Amy."
Not a question.
A statement.
For the briefest moment-
Something shifted in Vivienne's eyes.
Then vanished.
"I do."
Lucian was beginning to see a pattern.
"You don't seem to like each other."
Vivienne closed her book.
Slowly.
Thoughtfully.
Then-
"Amy has always enjoyed involving herself in matters that don't concern her."
Lucian frowned.
"What does that mean?"
A small smile appeared.
Calm.
Unreadable.
"If you're curious..."
She turned away.
"...ask her."
Then she left.
Just like that.
Leaving Lucian standing alone.
Confused.
Annoyed.
And significantly more curious than before.
That night-
Lyra sat beside the dormitory window.
Moonlight spilled across the academy grounds.
Quiet.
Peaceful.
For once-
Her thoughts didn't immediately drift toward fire.
Or screams.
Or loss.
Instead-
She remembered that brief moment during training.
The warmth.
The movement.
The feeling of finally moving forward.
A tiny step.
Nothing more.
Yet it was hers.
And for the first time in what felt like forever-
The future seemed a little less frightening.
A little less distant.
As she climbed into bed-
A small sense of hope settled quietly within her.
This time-
It stayed.
A small apology for the delayed chapter! This one was supposed to be released earlier, but it's finally here.
The good news is that the next chapter is already close behind, so you won't have to wait long.
Lyra finally made some progress today, but it seems another mystery is quietly beginning to take shape.
What are your thoughts on Amy and Vivienne's history?
And do you think Lucian is capable of minding his own business?
Thank you all for reading, voting, and commenting. Your support means a lot!