As they exited the library, Si-Woo couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed by the bustling city of Ondur. The streets were lined with floating lights, casting a warm glow that reflected off the rain-slicked cobblestones. The siblings walked hand in hand, their eyes wide with wonder at every new sight and sound.
Mai's words of caution about the calling crystal echoed in his mind as he approached the nearest librarian, a stoic man with a long white beard that flowed like a river of wisdom. "Thank you for the crystal," Si-Woo said, holding it out to the man.
The librarian took it with a nod, his eyes scanning the stone before tucking it into a pocket hidden in his flowing robes. "Remember, young one," he intoned, his voice as ancient as the tomes surrounding them, "knowledge is a double-edged sword. Use it wisely."
The siblings stepped out into the city, the cobblestone streets shimmering with the fresh rain. The air was alive with the sound of music and laughter as street performers danced and sang, their colorful garb a compliment to the now blue skies. Ha-Yoon tugged at Si-Woo's arm, pointing to a troupe of acrobats performing breathtaking feats of agility.
"Look, Si-Woo!" she exclaimed. "They're like the performers we saw on Earth!"
Si-Woo nodded, his mind still wrapped in the world of the white-blood wyvern. "But even more amazing," he murmured, his eyes drawn to the acrobats' graceful movements. They watched for a few minutes, their hearts beating in time with the rhythm of the music, before Ha-Yoon pulled him away, eager to explore further.
Their wanderings led them to a narrow, cobblestone alley that ended abruptly in a brick wall. Ha-Yoon's face fell "Where the heck are we?", but before she could express her disappointment, a figure emerged from the shadows.
Minho's grin was wide, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Lost, are we?" He didn't wait for an answer before grabbing each of them by the arm and pulling them along. "Come on, I've got the perfect place for a surprise!"
The siblings were whisked away through the bustling streets, their protests drowned out by the cacophony of the city. Before they knew it, they were soaring above Ondur, Lemmy's powerful wings carrying them swiftly through the air. Ha-Yoon clung to her brother, her eyes wide with fear and anger, while Si-Woo couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation.
They landed with a gentle thud on a platform of the royal palace's training grounds. The setting sun painted the sky in hues of pink and gold, casting long shadows across the meticulously manicured lawns. Minho's grip on their arms was firm, his expression a mix of excitement and determination.
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"What's going on?" Ha-Yoon demanded, her voice tight with anger. "You can't just kidnap us!"
Minho chuckled. "It's all part of the training," he said, his eyes glinting with excitement. "Danger can come from anywhere, at any time. You must always be ready."
Ha-Yoon's anger calmed. "What's so funny Si-Woo?" she spat.
Si-Woo's laughter faded as he met her gaze. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice sincere. "It's just, I've never felt so free. I know it's not right, but it's like everything's possible up here."
Minho led them towards the center of the training grounds. "You're both strong, but there's so much you need to learn," he said, his voice filled with urgency. "We need to be ready for anything."
The siblings exchanged a wary glance, but they knew better than to argue with their Master's sudden seriousness.
Minho reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of the same rubber balls they had seen the day before. "Ready?"
Si-Woo and Ha-Yoon nodded, their hearts racing as they braced themselves for whatever the fae had in store for them. Minho tossed one to each of them, and without another word, the training began. The balls grew hotter in his hands. They had to dodge and weave as Minho hurled it at them with unerring accuracy. The siblings soon realized that the real challenge was almost impossible to evade so they had to deflect most of them.
The air grew thick with the smell of burning rubber as the siblings' reflexes were pushed to the brink. The balls came faster and harder, the sound of their impacts on the ground echoing through the training grounds like a war drum. Si-Woo's eyes narrowed, his focus sharpening with each throw. He felt his instincts kick in, his mind calculating angles and speed.
Minho noticed the change in Si-Woo's demeanor almost immediately. The boy's movements were no longer clumsy and frantic; they had become precise, and deliberate. His eyes darted back and forth, tracking the trajectory of the balls with an intensity that belied his young age. Ha-Yoon... was still struggling, her movements erratic as she tried to dodge the incoming projectiles, but even she could see that her brother had found a new level of determination.
As the training progressed, the siblings grew more adept at deflecting the balls. The rubber spheres bounced and ricocheted off the ground, leaving trails of smoke as they streaked through the air. Sweat beaded on their foreheads, and their breaths came in gasps, but they pushed on, driven by the setting suns' fiery glow.
Minho's eyes gleamed with approval as he saw the improvement in their technique. He increased the speed and intensity of his throws, pushing them to their limits. Ha-Yoon's eyes narrowed, and she began to anticipate the balls' trajectory, her movements growing more precise. Si-Woo's reflexes had become almost supernatural, his body moving almost on its own as he blocked more incoming attacks.
The suns dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the training grounds. The siblings' breaths grew ragged as they dodged and weaved, their muscles aching with the exertion. Despite their fatigue, a sense of exhilaration filled them. They were growing stronger, and more capable. The fear and grief of their past seemed to melt away with every successful dodge.