AK : RISING MYTHIC

The sun rises gently over Lumisgrave, casting a golden veil across the morning mist. Birds chirp faintly in the distance as the base awakens.

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The courtyard echoed with laughter and chatter as the Mythics gathered under the soft blue sky. The warm sun climbed higher, and the scent of breakfast still lingered in the air, carried on a light breeze. Plates clinked, spoons scraped, and cups of herbal tea steamed beside simple dishes of bread, stew, and wild berries.

Arslan sat beside Nirela at the edge of the long wooden table. He looked well—healthier, though still a little pale. The marks of recovery still clung to him like faint shadows. A warm smile touched his lips as he looked around at his team—his family now—bustling with morning energy.

Tharion leaned back on the bench, stretching his arms. "So… training after breakfast?" he asked, looking around.

Vaelith chuckled, still chewing. "Only if you can handle another round after yesterday's madness."

Seris flicked a berry at him. "You nearly fainted halfway through. Don't act tough."

"Pfft," Vaelith smirked. "I was saving my strength."

Malrik grinned. "Then today you can use that saved strength."

The whole table chuckled.

Then Orien looked at Arslan and asked gently, "What about you? You'll rest, right?"

"I want to go to the training ground too," Arslan replied calmly, placing his tea down.

Nirela frowned slightly. "Arslan…"

"I promise," Arslan said, raising a hand. "I'll just watch. Nothing else. No sparring. No showing off."

"You sure?" Elyra asked, her soft voice laced with concern.

"I made a promise," Arslan replied, his eyes flicking to Nirela and then Kar'Thæl's faint echoing presence behind his gaze. "I'll keep it. I want to watch you all grow."

Tharion shrugged. "Then let's go before anyone talks him out of it."

Transition to Training Grounds

The field gleamed with dew. The morning sun filtered through the trees at the edge of the grounds, casting dancing shadows. Birds scattered as the Mythics stepped onto the soft earth, stretching their limbs and getting into pairs.

Arslan sat on a patch of plush green grass under the shade of a tall tree. His back rested against the bark, eyes alive and observant. He could hear the grass bending gently under his weight, the breeze rustling the nearby leaves.

Yuna was first to speak, clapping her hands. "Today—combo training. No repeats. Let's mix it up."

They began pairing—Elyra with Tarric, Malrik with Seris, Zhalya with Tharion, and so on. Shuffling began. Arslan watched as they created new dynamic pairs and began tapping into techniques not yet tested.

A deep hum filled the air.

"Vein Pulse!" shouted Zhalya.

"Rune Fissure!" Malrik countered, and the ground split beneath their enemies—target dummies shattered in seconds.

A huge boom echoed.

"Nice timing!" Seris shouted, shaking her hand out after unleashing a toxin blast alongside Kyren's heat pulse. "Ugh. Burned my fingertips."

"You're getting better at it," Kyren smirked. "No need to be dramatic."

Vaelith and Nirela stood at the center, synchronizing beautifully.

"Moonlight Surge!" Nirela called.

"Restorative Bloom!" Vaelith echoed, and a radiant burst of life energy glowed between their palms.

The light healed nearby targets, showcasing a combination that could change the tide of a battlefield.

"Beautiful," Arslan murmured to himself with a soft grin. The sight filled his heart—not with envy—but pride.

After nearly an hour...

Panting, sweating, and gleaming in morning sunlight, the Mythics began slowing down.

"That was intense," Ravik said, wiping his brow.

"You think we've found new combinations today?" asked Maelis.

"More than that," said Orien, his voice steady. "We've started understanding why they work."

The group slowly began to circle around Arslan, sitting on the grass with tired limbs and flushed faces.

"You just love watching us suffer, don't you?" joked Tharion, nudging Arslan gently with his foot.

"I'm not the one who challenged the tree dummy to a duel," Arslan grinned.

"I nearly beat it!" Tharion declared.

"You broke your sword on it," Zhalya said flatly, making everyone laugh.

Arslan leaned back, looking at the blue sky. "I'm proud of all of you."

"Stop that," Nirela said, sitting next to him. "You'll make us emotional."

"No really," Arslan said, looking around. "You've grown stronger. You're more connected. We didn't just gain power—we learned how to carry it."

Orien added, "And we owe a lot of that to you."

Arslan nodded slightly. "That's why I came today. Watching you reminds me why we fight."

They all fell quiet for a moment, the sound of wind swaying through the trees becoming the only background.

"Do you think," Elyra asked, her voice soft, "these combo skills could help us stop the curse from spreading?"

"They have to," Tarric said, his tone more serious now. "Because we're running out of time."

Arslan looked down at his palm, still sore from the internal struggle just days ago.

"We'll do whatever it takes," he said. "Together."

A moment of reflection...

Suddenly, laughter returned. Kyren mimicked a dramatic fall, "I swear, one more punch from Malrik and my bones will turn into smoke!"

Malrik chuckled. "You were standing in my blast radius, genius."

Everyone laughed again.

Zhalya leaned back on the grass, closing her eyes. "This… this is peace."

"Let's hope we get more of it," Seris whispered.

Arslan looked at each of them. "We will. But peace is earned. You're all doing it—with every strike, every combo, every step."

Tharion leaned on one elbow, looking over. "What about you, Arslan? Still feeling that pain?"

Arslan's eyes narrowed, remembering the black spots that overtook his body. "It's… faint now. But I won't forget it."

"Good," Orien said. "It'll remind you of what you've survived."

The sun climbed higher, burning away the mist. The birds returned. From the woods nearby came the soft call of a horn from the guards, marking the mid-morning hour.

Arslan stretched carefully, still sore but calm. "Alright, I think it's time we head back."

"Finally," Vaelith groaned, dragging himself up.

"I smell like swamp water," Maelis said, sniffing herself.

"Shut up," Yuna smiled, pulling her up.

As the team began walking back to the Mythic Base together, the air buzzed not with tension—but with strength, loyalty, and unshakable camaraderie.

In that moment, Arslan knew…

No matter what darkness waited ahead—

They would face it together.