Chapter 65: The Crest of Fire
A pulse that Kelvin felt in his veins as he moved through the crowded corridors was Xerion’s fiery aura that casted a fierce glow at his side. Lyra and Darius matched his stride with their beasts—Avian Salaris and Rhoam.
As paragons of the Inner Sanctum, their relics from the Echoes of Triumph were a quiet testament, but their focus was on the Tide’s Crest which is now a growing beacon of mentorship.
Kelvin’s Adept Rank 3, with a 70% synchronizing ratio and a very high stability bond with Xerion, the Level 8 Legendary End-Tyrant, was a foundation he sought to refine, but the Crest’s expansion brought fresh challenges.
Rorik, a senior tamer with a Level 7 Storm Eagle, had openly questioned the Crest’s legitimacy, and Master Caelum’s latest runic task loomed like a crucible which tested Kelvin’s persistence and resolve.
The day began with Master Caelum’s runic seminar. Master Caelum stood before a glowing runic forge with his Level 9 Iron Wyrm that coiled in the corner with its scales glinting like polished steel.
The seminar focused on dual-resonance runes, sigils that combined two soulstream elements for amplified effect. Caelum’s voice was loud enough, cutting through the hall.
"These runes demands precision, fire and soullight, shadow and wind. If you fail to balance them they will collapse. You will craft one today, synchronizing it with your beast’s aura."
Kelvin sat at his workbench with his gauntlet thrumming as he sketched a fire-soullight rune for Xerion and its lines were meant to amplify his flames with radiant stability.
He carved the sigil into a soulstone, his chisel was steady, but when he channeled Xerion’s aura, the rune flared chaotically, its glow fractured before collapsing into ash.
Kelvin’s stomach sank while his confidence was shaken as Caelum paused by his bench with his eyes narrow. "you had too much fire with not enough soullight," Caelum said.
"You were forcing it, Kelvin. Runes don’t bend to impatience." Kelvin nodded with his jaw tight, but the failure stung was a reminder of the Crest’s mounting pressures.