Morning light filtered through the tall pines as River stood in the soft dirt clearing behind the Crescent Moon training hall. He was barefoot, hands dirty, brow furrowed in focus. Thorn stood nearby, watching the boy balance on a thin wooden beam raised between two stones. Rose and Lyselle stood a few feet away, guiding him through breathing exercises designed to center his power.
“Slow,” Rose said gently. “Let your energy flow like water, not fire.”
River wobbled but remained upright, his little jaw set in determination.
“Good,” Thorn said. “Now feel the earth. Not just under your feet—under everything. Let it talk to you.”
River closed his eyes, hands out. A faint glow traced along his fingertips, and the grass beneath his feet straightened, responding.
But then… something shifted.
