The jingle of a bell chimed, snapping Eron out of his trance. Light flickered across the relics stacked on the shelves. A stone shard on his desk shone the brightest.

A group of teenagers barged into the Curios Cabinet, their chatter overpowering the whispers of the store. The leading girl, eyes wide, spun towards the others: "Look at this place! It's like stepping into the past!" she exclaimed, her excitement clear despite the snickers from her companions.

Eron bristled but held himself, his eye caught on the shard. "What's that doing here? Careful with that." Master Thorne's voice rumbled from behind the counter. "Don't want it to blow us all to pieces."

Eron backed away in panic. "Why is it here?"

"Calm down, boy, it's not that dangerous." Guffawed the older man.

"It's my fault. I am still figuring out what it does. It's a bit fickle."

The girl, intrigued by the shard, reached out, but Eron was quicker. "It's not for sale," he stated bluntly.

"I really like it. I can give you a fair price." she retorted.

"It's not for sale," Eron repeated firmly. "I'll be storing this away." He turned.

A boy in the group flaunted a wad of cash. "I'm sure this will change your mind!"

Eron spun to stare at him. "Not for sale", his tone final.

The boy clenched his fist. "Do you know who she–"

"Enough," Master Thorne's voice cut through the standoff.

"The boy is right. The shard isn't available. It's not a plaything."

The girl gave a disappointed look before leaving with her group, who shot disdainful glares at Eron.

"Good riddance" murmured Eron. Thorne observed him thoughtfully. "What's gotten into you? You were a bit hard on her."

Eron defended himself: "You saw their looks. They were here to make fun of the place."

"Perhaps the others, but not the girl. You can be too quick to judge," Thorne advised softly.

Eron frowned, conflicted. "But this shard is dangerous."

"Safety is paramount, but that's not the point here," Thorne said, then added thoughtfully, "You're nearly 18, Eron. Ready for more responsibility. If you can handle the shard, there's a job in it for you."

"Just be careful not to blow yourself up," he grinned.

Eron hesitated, torn. "I... thanks, Master Thorne. I'll think about it."

The older man huffed. "None of that. I know you're set on being a diver." He waved dismissively. "I’m not telling you to give up, but know that you've got a place here too. It's rare to find an apprentice with your passion."

Eron shifted awkwardly, murmuring, "Is it really that obvious?"

The man's laughter echoed from the back of the store. "Eron, my boy, it's as clear as day. You've been living in a daydream since they announced the dive. It's written all over you."

---

Eron focused on the shard, examining it more closely. It fit into the palm of his hand, shaped like a rough disk. Its muted slate grey surface a was whittled down into various notches and ridges. Eron was certain no natural process could produce such intricate faceting. The edges of each facet traced smooth, fractal lines, mirrored internally by darker swirls that meandered along the sides.

One edge appeared chipped, lending the shard an asymmetrical aspect. Eron observed with rising curiosity that the patterns seamlessly carried over along the fracture. It was as though the shard had attempted to heal over, accepting the broken surface as an integral part of its faceted design.

As Eron turned the shard over, attempting to replicate its intricate patterns on his tablet, he paused, noticing something extraordinary. He rotated the stone in his hands, cross-referencing with his sketch, and a sudden realisation struck him. "No way..." he whispered. Seemingly in response to his astonishment, an iridescent glow coursed through the stone. It rippled in a pulsating wave along the edges, ensnaring itself within the swirling patterns on the facets, before gradually diminishing as it bounced along the surface.

"Wha—" Eron stammered, his voice rising in excitement. "Master, you have to see this!" The aged man appeared from the back carrying a stack of boxes. "Let me put these down." Eron bounded towards him with a spring in his step. "Quick! It's changing! It's shifting! Go check that stone! I'll carry these. To the attic?" Master Thorne nodded, handing them over. "Alright, alright. Let me see this spectacle."

Eron rushed carefully through the store, paying attention not to bump the boxes into the artefacts lining the shelves. Ascending to the dusty attic, he blinked against the dusky light filtering through the window. His eyes scanned the room to settle on an empty spot that fit in the organised mess of the room. Carefully lowering the boxes, he turned around and nearly tripped over an ornate metal rod. _Oh, stargear tech! Rare these days. Does Master Thorne know we have one up here?_ Shaking off the distraction, he hurried back downstairs.

"What did you find?" He quickly rushed down the stairs to find the older man examining the shard with a lens. "A lens? Is that a relic?" Master Thorne snorted "Just a mundane magnifier. I thought I carried my years well, but it seems they're catching up to me. I can't see any change." Eron blinked, taking the stone from his hands. "What?"

Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

He brought it closer to his face. "I think it just stopped changing," he muttered. He pulled out his tablet. "See here? It's different." As Master Thorne observed his drawing, Eron continued to explain, his excitement rising. "It was changing somehow." He traced the patterns with his hand. "Its shape was slowly shifting in my hands, but I couldn’t feel any movement. It felt... like its shape was just the shadow, and I was moving it around"

"Hmm," the old man stroked his beard thoughtfully. "What do you think triggered it?" His gaze was direct, searching.

Eron pondered. "It's got something to do with emotions, right? Before, when those guys came in," His eyes shifted to the side. "I... I got mad." _They reminded me of Laiven._ "The stone shone much brighter than it did right now."

His gaze lifted upwards. "You knew already, didn't you? Perhaps you didn't notice the change, but you must have known how to get it to act up."

The old man gave him a smug smile "An astute observation. I never regretted taking you in, boy. It'd be a shame if you declined my apprenticeship offer." Eron rolled his eyes. "There are plenty smarter than me who'd jump at the chance to work with you."

The old man's laughter filled the room. "Perhaps, but your passion is unique." Then he continued, his gaze panning the room. "You're right however, I didn’t know about the shifts. This is a curious development. The diver who found it probably dismissed it as just a glowing stone."

Noticing the dimming light, he added.

"It's getting late. I suggest tomorrow you cross-check with the records from the library; we– no, you might have stumbled upon something truly remarkable."

---

Eron walked through the bustling streets of downtown Virelia. The city came alive at dusk. The flickering neon light of old billboards mixed with the steady glow of the streetlights reflected on puddles littering the ground. People in all garments hurried on the sidewalks while passing vehicles of all kinds added to the chaotic symphony of the city.

A voice reached him from behind. "Excited for the dive?"

He turned around in surprise. "Mara! Your shift ends so soon?"

The red-haired girl shrugged nonchalantly. "I was let off early. Thought I'd enjoy watching you get tossed around at the Spiral Grounds. It's quite the spectacle. I've always suspected you had masochistic tendencies."

Eron shot back with a deadpan expression, "I'm more worried about your sadism. I'll be sure to warn the next poor researcher who falls for those auburn locks and emerald eyes." Mara's playful punch landed on his shoulder. "Ouch!"

"That's what you get for being a smartass. Let's go." Chuckled Mara.

Their steps carried them through the city. They stuck to the main walkways, the stores flashing by.

"Can you remind me why are you doing this? You're supposed to pass your first dive without assistance."

He scoffed "Don't preach to me about assistance. I checked the Order's Code. There's no limitation on your personal abilities." He paused, then rattled on. "Plus, do you think the scions of wealthy guilds and families won't have any training? Not to talk about the progeny of top rankers. They might already have some kind of ability. Some aren't even entirely human."

The girl raised her hands in defeat. "Alright, point taken."

"But still... it can't be nice to get beaten like that. You're pushing too hard." She continued, eyeing the bruises on your arms.

He sighed, seriousness creeping into his voice. "I... I just want to be prepared for the dive. When I land, I don't want to be helpless. Have you seen the statistics for first dives?" Mara shook her head. He snorted. "I'm not surprised, they don't go out of their way to advertise it. The fact is, 80% of first-time divers trigger their lifeline within two minutes."

The redhead's eyes widened. "Yeah." Continued Eron. "What am I going to find in two minutes? Unless a relic just falls on my head, I’d be lucky to grab a couple of stones as souvenirs." His tone lightened. "Now that I think about it, that might be why the Cabinet's attic is filled with rocks. I thought it was just one of Thorne's weird collections."

Mara burst into laughter "I wouldn't be so sure, that does sound like him".

"Perhaps it's both" Eron chuckled. "Anyway, it won't be for long. I'm making progress, I will attempt the second ring soon." He skipped forward and grinned. "If I'm lucky on the dive, I might be able to hit the thir– no, the fourth ring."

Mara whistled. "Alright, that's impressive. If you're serious, this might really pay off. Although... that won't get you much sympathy from the divers."

The cityscape gradually transformed as they neared the heart of the city, the modern architecture giving way to ancient edifices of stone and marble.

"By the way," Eron inquired, "why are you out so early today? Something going on?"

"Preparations about some big experiment. The entire building has been cordoned off. The reason is classified." Eron halted, leaning in to whisper, "Classified? Since when does the Arcanum operate in secrecy?"

She shook her head. "No clue, I'm just an assistant." Then she leaned closer, adding in a hushed tone, "I tried asking around. The only thing I found was a rumour about a successful Tide harvest, but those rumours have been going on for decades."

Eron chuckled. "You have no idea, there are whole books about those in the Arcanum's library"

---

As Eron approached the Spiral Grounds, his pulse quickened with familiar excitement. The cacophony of combat - the clanging of weapons, the shouts of contenders, and the roars of the crowd - filled him with a mix of anticipation and nervousness. The expansive space was masterfully divided into descending concentric steps, each ring slowly rotating at its own pace. Together, they formed a grand amphitheatre, spiralling down to a central, flat expanse: The Pit.

A spectacle of coloured blurs connected one ring to the next, tracing the spiral that gave the grounds their name. Divers hopped through the stages, their forms gliding along the streams of light.

"Eron!" Kaela saw him immediately. He hurried to the first ring. Stepping on a simple design at the edge, he felt a brief sense of weightlessness and reappeared on the lower ring. She was already there, waiting for him. "You're late."

"Uff, not fair." He replied, his breath heavy. "You know there's no way I'm beating you, of all people, at any kind of race." Her words took a preaching tone "The world is not fair. I would be negligent if I didn't prepare you for that." He opened his mouth to reply, then stopped himself. "Whatever. I'm here to train not debate philosophy." She grinned at him. "That's the spirit. Now let's see if you can back up those words." Then, in a blur, she was on him, a punch hitting him in the stomach. Eron grunted as he hit the ground, the impact jarring his bones. He gagged, gasping for breath. "You could hav–" He wheezed. "Less talk, more action. Get up" He gave a shuddering breath, then collected himself and stood, arms up, glaring at her. "Good. Come."

He rushed at her, his own charge much slower. She was too fast, he knew she would evade. Sidestep to the side to let him overextend. Then, she would trip him and send him to the ground, another chance to lecture him about not letting rage get to his head. Not this time. He would feint, then pivot to side-kick her in the knee. As fast as she was, her defences weren't great. If he pinned her down, he could do some damage.

He reached her. As expected, his punch hit only air. Then, she was in his face. She had moved _into_ his guard. He only had a second to realise his mistake when her punch hit him in the jaw and sent him flying once more.

Standing over him, her face showed a mix of concern and a reluctant sternness. "That was a rookie mistake," she observed, extending a hand to help him up. "Are you sure you’re up for this? I’m not a fan of playing the hardass, but if you’re overextending yourself, we need to talk. Pushing too hard could do more harm than good."