In a barren, derelict chamber, KiAera ducked under the swinging spear of a Kobolbo that attempted to strike her side. She quickly inspected its apex, feeling a presence of [80] units from the creature. A hit on him would have killed him. Nope, a flick could have done the same, she had to be careful. Very careful not to strike with full force.
⎾'Calm yourself, Miss KiAera. Think. Feel. Focus your energy similar to how you use your Spectral Flame.'⏌
Another Kobolbo's presence rushed at her backside, engaging her simultaneously with the first Kobolbo in a synchronized attack. KiAera deftly dodged their strikes, allowing her ears to retract, but only allowing [100] units of force to connect with the Kobolbos. The blow knocked them off their feet, causing them to groan and roll on the floor. Their sprawled bodies heaved heavy, labored breaths, but they were quick to rise up to their feet.
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
KiAera's Status:
[ding! [Domain Particles] absorbed!]
[ApeX obtained: 10 Units]
KiAera's [APeX]: 2128 Units > 2138 Units!
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
A part of KiAera felt crushed at harming her companions, but another, which she expressed with a grin, felt proud of their commitment in their training session. "Ollie. Loop, you're doing great. I expect no less from you two."
The Kobolbos huffed but pounded their chest in response. KiAera felt a subtle shift in their power as the ambience in the room dropped with each of her teammates' growth.
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
Ollie the Kobolbo's Status:
[ding! [Domain Particles] absorbed!]
[ApeX obtained: 5 Units]
Ollie's [APeX]: 80 Units > 85 Units!
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
Loop the Kobolbo's Status:
[ding! [Domain Particles] absorbed!]
[ApeX obtained: 5 Units]
Ollie's [APeX]: 83 Units > 88 Units!
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
"You two, you can spar amongst each other or take a break."
Ollie and Loop nodded, and KiAera watched as the route they chosen, stepping back to give each other some distance, spears aimed at another. The two dashed toward each other, swinging and smacking their spears against another's. This had blossomed a smile on KiAera's lips.
While the two Kobolbos sparred, KiAera's mind wandered, musing to herself. This underground facility, which had been excavated by GamaGen, the Plelepun, and the Osseods—bestowed power to those who trained within its confines. Magnificent, yes. However, she had no answer to the reason as to how it worked.
Though GamaGen beforehand gave her a thorough tour of this site, the sagely book left her to figure out the rest as it went ahead to explore the facility, saying that it needed to do some maintenance to ensure that this ancient place remained operational. KiAera shook her head, refocusing on the task at hand. She needed to continue training if she wanted to unlock more of her own potential.
She glimpsed her paw as she thought, 'It takes more effort for me to siphon the energies within this place.'
Before she could continue training with her subordinates, the sound of clacking and wood-meeting-wood resounded within other parts of the grounds she stood. Her eyes darted to areas where the sounds resonated. There in various spots in the chamber, the other Kobolbos sparred with another, fighting with various weapons KiAera crafted for them. They were so extremely absorbed in the process, KiAera could see their eyes glimmering with enjoyment. She felt a warm feeling in her chest at the sight.
First in her line of sight was Scarbol, the strongest and leader of the Kobolbos. He fought against two other Kobolbos at the same time. His power registered as [113] units, originally [103] units before the training session started. The two he sparred against were Julgi and the timid Tailza. Julgi had a power of [91] units, while Tailza had a power of [84] units. Scarbol performed better than the two as he effortlessly parried and countered their attacks. He wielded two swords. However, even though Scarbol was clearly winning, his movements seemed more calculated and controlled than before, showing a level of skill that KiAera hadn't seen in him previously.
Next, her gaze shifted to Zolrak, the craftiest of the Kobolbos, who was engaging in a different form of combat with a couple of his peers. Rather than using brute strength like Scarbol, Zolrak relied on his quick reflexes and strategic thinking to outmaneuver his opponents. KiAera could see the gears turning in his head as he anticipated their movements and counteracted with precision. There was a sneer on his face, but when he knocked a fellow Kobolbo off their feet, he gestured toward them, assisting them to their feet before continuing their fight.
And then there was Ryla, the most agile of the Kobolbos, who was darting around the chamber with grace and speed, dodging and weaving through her opponents' attacks like a dancer. Her movements were fluid and graceful, almost mesmerizing to watch as she effortlessly evaded every strike that came her way.
Each of the Kobolbos had their own unique fighting style and strengths, and KiAera smirked, feeling proud at how far they had come in such a short amount of time. They were growing stronger and more skilled with each passing day, and it was all thanks to their dedication and hard work.
She swiftly turned, attention darting to tapping footfall, her sight fell on Amber the LeapLeap, a large ratite-like creature. KiAera could see the LeapLeap had the Plelepun following the bird monster's footsteps, and it intrigued her even further when she noticed the Liorex egg curled in the Plelepun's trunk. But that should not have surprised her, Amber always seemed to care greatly for the egg that was not her own, and that caring nature extended to the Plelepun as well. Giving it consideration now, KiAera hummed as she acknowledged that became the primary reason Amber became the caretaker of the Liorex egg whenever she went out.
The Plelepun and Amber… They were both creatures of loyalty and dedication, and it was heartwarming to see them forging a bond despite their differences in size and species.
These creatures, these Kobolbos, LeapLeap, Osseods, and even the Plelepun—they were more than just allies. And she would do everything in her power to protect them and help them grow stronger. Yet uncertainty blemished her mind, she should carefully consider her relationship with her companions.
They are friends, yeah, but I cannot afford to be too optimistic… complacent.
The clang of weapons meeting echoed through the chamber. The Kobolbos were pushing themselves to their limits, each strike and parry appeared to become more proficient. KiAera could not observe for long as Amber nudged her shoulder with her beak.
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"LeeLee, KiAera! You want to play fight with me?"
"Yo, what?!" the Plelepun cried out KiAera's own disbelief, his trunk raising defensively in front of him as he backed away from Amber’s challenge. "You’re asking her to spar with you? You’re crazy, LeapLeap!"
"She’s strong! And besides, I can dodge. I think it’d be fun!"
KiAera stiffened, staring stunned at the request. Yes, she acknowledged Amber as a fighter, but hearing an oversized bird asking her to spar sounded bewildering. Although she stiffed a nervous laugh, she caught the glimmer of how serious Amber seemed about the invitation. The LeapLeap's head flicked from her to the Kobolbos, a whoop escaping the bird monster's lips. "LeeLee, you want to play fight?"
"Wait." KiAera contemplated, scrutinizing the monster before her. Amber's [90] units against her own [2128]. This would prove a challenge because of a certain temperament Amber had…
KiAera chuckled, shaking her head. "Amber, you always seem so eager for a challenge. You think you can handle me?"
The LeapLeap flapped her wings enthusiastically, hopping from foot to foot. "Let’s see! But go easy on me, okay? I don’t want to be flattened like a pancake!"
With a hesitant nod, KiAera allowed a grin to spread across her face. "Sure, Amber. Let's see what you've got."
KiAera relented, pushing down her hesitation. Sparring with her companions was not only a bonding experience, but it also helped her hone her own abilities—abilities she still wasn’t fully in control of. "But remember, we’re not trying to hurt each other. It’s just practice."
The rest of the Kobolbos paused their own sparring sessions to watch, curiosity lighting up their faces. Even GamaGen, floating somewhere in the shadows, observed with silent interest.
Amber's eyes sparkled with excitement as she hopped back a few steps, gesturing for KiAera to come toward her. The LeapLeap bounced to and fro, her long legs propelling forth with a surprising spring of speed.
KiAera braced herself, ready to engage in a friendly bout with her feathered friend.
The chamber fell into a stillness, save for the soft scraping of Amber’s talons against the stone floor as she circled KiAera. Her agile, birdlike frame was fast—KiAera knew that much.
"Ready when you are," KiAera called out as she kept track of the LeapLeap’s speedy form.
Amber darted forth; her beak aimed at KiAera’s side in a playful but quick lunge. KiAera sidestepped smoothly, her retractable ears flicking back as she narrowly avoided the LeapLeap’s strike. Amber’s beak clicked against the stone floor, but she swiftly recovered, flapping her wings and hopping back for another approach.
KiAera grinned. "Not bad, but you’ll have to do better than that!"
The LeapLeap's foot stomped against her ear, which KiAera easily blocked. She allowed the LeapLeap to follow through with another kick, which KiAera dashed back from. Amber became excited as she pursued her, pecking her beak in a rapid of flurries, every single one precise.
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
★ [Peck] - Beast - TECH: 4 > TECH: 5
★ [Peck] - Beast - TECH: 5 > TECH: 6
★ [Peck] - Beast - TECH: 6 > TECH: 7
★ [Peck] - Beast - TECH: 7 > TECH: 8
★ [Peck] - Beast - TECH: 8 > TECH: 9
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
KiAera's smirked as she acknowledged the spurt in the LeapLeap's growth. On the hand, her smile widened as she dodged every single peck with ease, her footwork and small body blurring around every blow aimed her way.
Amber charged again, this time feinting left before twisting right, her beak snapping towards KiAera’s legs. KiAera hopped over the attack, her lithe form making the movement look effortless, but she felt the brush of Amber’s wing against her fur as the LeapLeap followed through with another strike.
KiAera already decided to not fight back against the LeapLeap, no intentions in harming Amber. But that did not mean she would not have some fun herself. She punched out her retractable ears, alarming Amber who reeled from the barrage. The barrage of ear-punches missed their target by mere inches, but it was enough to keep Amber on her toes.
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
★ [Ear Punch] - Beast - TECH: 8 > TECH: 15
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
The LeapLeap let out a squawk of surprise, but she quickly regained her composure and darted once more, her beak aimed straight for KiAera's chest.
KiAera anticipated the attack and sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the sharp beak. As she did, she felt a surge of energy within her, a familiar tingling sensation that traveled from her core to her extremities. She knew what it meant—her Spectral Flame was awakening.
With a deep breath, KiAera focused her energy, summoning the blue flames that flickered and danced along her claws. The flames enveloped her paws, casting a soft glow around her as she faced Amber once more.
The technique enkindled her arms like a clawed, flaming gauntlet.
The LeapLeap paused, eyes widening in surprise at the sight of the Spectral Flame. She took a hesitant step back, uncertainty shining in her gaze. But KiAera offered a reassuring smile, the flames flickering and dancing in response to her emotions.
"Don't worry, Amber. I won't hurt you. This is just a little trick I've learned recently."
Amber tilted her head, curiosity and caution warring in her expression. But after a moment of contemplation, she let out a chirp of approval and hopped, her beak aimed not at KiAera this time, but at the flames that danced along her paws.
KiAera held her ground, watching as Amber cautiously inspected the Spectral Flame. The flames seemed to pulse and sway in response to the LeapLeap's presence, almost as if they were alive. And in a way, they were—KiAera's connection to them allowed her to manipulate and control the flames as an extension of her own will.
After a moment, Amber chirped again, with wonder and acceptance in her gaze. She took a small hop back and then lunged, not to strike at KiAera, but to tap her beak against the flames. The Spectral Flame flickered and shimmered at the contact, but it did not harm Amber in the slightest.
KiAera chuckled, feeling a swell of warmth in her chest at the LeapLeap's bravery. She extinguished the flames with a thought, the blue light fading away as she raised her head up to Amber's level.
"See, now let's finish this session on a high note."
KiAera found herself laughing as they danced around each other, enjoying the exhilarating rush of battle. She was impressed by Amber's skill and agility as the LeapLeap moved with a grace and finesse that belied her size, easily dodging KiAera's attacks and countering with swift strikes of her own.
This time, KiAera didn’t dodge. She leaned into the momentum and met Amber’s attack with a gentle palm, redirecting the force and sending Amber skidding back with a surprised squawk.
"Woah!" Amber flapped wildly, managing to stay upright, her eyes wide with awe. "You’re really strong, KiAera!"
"You’re quick, too," KiAera replied, her voice steady, though her heart raced with excitement. "But don’t just rely on speed. Watch my movements—anticipate them."
Amber nodded, her expression growing more serious now. She crouched lower, her muscles coiling with readiness, and this time, when she lunged, KiAera could see the focus in her eyes. It was no longer just a game. Amber was learning.
KiAera pivoted, but Amber adjusted mid-attack, her beak grazing KiAera’s arm. The impact was light, but it was enough to show progress. Amber was improving, even within this short sparring session.
KiAera smiled warmly. "Much better."
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
KiAera's Status:
[ding! [Domain Particles] absorbed!]
[ApeX obtained: 45 Units]
KiAera's [APeX]: 2138 Units > 2183 Units!
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
Amber the LeapLeap's Status:
[ding! [Domain Particles] absorbed!]
[ApeX obtained: 90 Units]
[Domain limitation reached this Cycle]
Amber's [APeX]: 90 Units > 180 Units!
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
[KiAera's Skills]
•••
New Skill Acquired: [Flame Claw]!
•••
★ [MereKick] - TECH: 11 > TECH: 21
★ [Ear Slash] - TECH: 12 > TECH: 23
★ [Ear Punch] - TECH: 18 > TECH: 25
★ [Flare Flick] - TECH: 6 > TECH: 10
★ [Claw Swipe] - TECH: 13 > TECH: 19
★ [Spectral Flame] - TECH: 4 > TECH: 10
★ [MereSwiftness] - TECH: 10% > TECH: 16%
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
After a few minutes of spirited sparring, they both paused, panting and grinning at each other.
Amber gave a joyful chirp, clearly pleased with the match. KiAera chuckled as she felt Amber nuzzling her cheek.
"That was fun, Amber," KiAera gave the LeapLeap a playful nudge with her paw.
Amber preened, puffing her feathers proudly. "LeeLee! Thank you, KiAera. You're a worthy foe."
As they both caught their breath, KiAera glanced around the chamber, taking in the sight of her companions training and growing stronger. The bond between them was evident in the way they supported and pushed each other to new heights.
⎾'Well done, Miss KiAera.'⏌
KiAera turned to GamaGen, who had been observing the training session with keen interest. The book's pages fluttered excitedly as it floated toward her. ⎾'It's unfortunate to disclose this—and do not be alarmed—but to fuel this place, 500 light-blue crystals were doused.'⏌
F-five hundred crystals!
"I... I had no idea. Is there no other way to sustain this place without depleting such a resource?"
GamaGen hovered in front of her, its pages rustling as if in thought. ⎾'Unfortunately, the power that resides within this facility is unique and requires a vast amount of energy to maintain. The crystals were the most efficient source we could find.'⏌
KiAera's heart sank at the revelation. The thought of using so many precious crystals just to maintain the power of this training facility seemed extravagant and wasteful. And yet, the benefits of this place were undeniable. Already, she could see how her companions' strength had grown during their time here.
"But what about the cost? Surely, this isn't sustainable."
⎾'Yes, it is quite a problem, I will admit. But, you are all learning, growing stronger. You need it.'⏌
She couldn't argue with that. Still, it left a bitter taste in her mouth. "I don't like it, but if it helps us become stronger, then I'll do whatever it takes."
GamaGen nodded sagely. ⎾'Time will tell if these expenditures prove worth the trouble, Miss KiAera.'⏌