A couple of days later, Vas was training under Morrigan's guidance, honing his body and refining his techniques. Morrigan was a stern teacher, punishing him harshly for any wrong movements. The training wasn't just about memorizing combat patterns, though. Morrigan was teaching Vas how to think during a fight—a rigorous process, even though Vas was already sharp in that regard. Still, Morrigan's standards were exceptionally high, and there was always room for improvement.

"When do you plan to start Zola and Lily's training?" Vas asked.

"Actually, I'd like to start today. Would you mind reaching out to them?" Morrigan replied.

"No problem," Vas said, quickly sending a message through his CipherLynk to both Lily and Zola, letting them know Morrigan wanted to begin their training today. Both replied with excitement at the prospect.

Later that day, they met at Lily's place. Madeline had already prepared a training room for Lily and had granted them permission to use it. This was to maintain as much secrecy as possible. Everyone wore loose or minimal clothing, ready to sweat through the physical exertion.

"Ok, so how do we start?" Lily asked.

Morrigan materialized in her crow form once again. Vas, sitting cross-legged, focused on meditating to maintain the steady flow of Anima necessary for Morrigan's materialization. Although Morrigan had her own Anima and could channel Amrita to sustain herself, Vas's support allowed her to conserve energy and focus more on training the girls.

"We start by discussing your Archetypes," Morrigan said, her voice carrying authority. "Let's begin with Lily. As I've told you, you are a Voidwalker. Voidwalkers traverse the void between dimensions, mastering the art of non-existence and reality itself. They can erase or subtly alter events. Quantum's domain over limitless potential and unpredictability manifests in your power to control the nothingness, bending reality and traversing unseen dimensions. The Needles you use as a medium serve as precise instruments, stitching together space, tearing through dimensions, or anchoring you in one reality while accessing others."

"That sounds… complicated," Lily admitted.

"Don't worry. You're only on the third step," Morrigan reassured her.

"What do you mean, 'step'? I'm on the third step of the Unveiling Ritual?" Lily asked.

"Almost all Archetypes have a certain number of stages, which some people refer to as steps," Morrigan explained. "However, the steps of the Archetypes are different from the steps of the Unveiling Ritual. While the Unveiling Ritual has 13 steps, not every Archetype has the same number of stages. I prefer calling them stages instead of steps, so please use that term from now on."

"Got it. What about me?" Zola asked, eager to know her own path.

"You're an Aether Walker, bonded with Athena. The evolution of your abilities will reflect Athena's strategic and wisdom-driven nature. Your Fans, as a medium, will allow you to channel the energy of the Aether, manipulating space, movement, and energy with grace and precision," Morrigan explained. "And, like Lily, your Archetype also has 13 stages."

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"Alright, that sounds awesome! What now?" Lily asked, eager to continue.

"You both have different paths," Morrigan said. "You haven't had a clear, structured path for training yet."

"Wait, what about the time Vas's grandmother trained us?" Zola asked, recalling their past lessons.

"And what did she teach you?" Morrigan inquired.

"The importance of names, some physical training, and a bit of Anima usage," Lily replied.

"Alright, she covered the very basics. That's a good foundation," Morrigan acknowledged. "Now, let's move on to the more important part. Lily, what was the first test that Quantum gave you?"

"I had to change the space of a location," Lily answered.

"Change it how?" Morrigan pressed.

"I used my needles to close two spaces and increased the chances of something happening there," Lily explained. "That night, I heard a strange voice saying it was good enough."

"And the second test?" Morrigan asked.

"I had to connect two spaces," Lily said. "I used my needles to teleport from point A to point B."

"Good," Morrigan said, nodding. "At least, 'good enough,' I'd say."

"That's what the voice said again," Lily admitted. "But the teleportation never really worked."

"Of course it didn't," Morrigan replied. "First of all, that's something you'll need to accomplish to move on to the next stage. But you're thinking about it incorrectly. The first test was to manipulate space using your medium, and you did that. The second test was about stitching space together, which you sort of managed. Now, you need to stitch space again, but this time, the aim is to expand it. Before we get into that, let's go back to basics. Start by sending your Anima out and feeling the space around you."

"Understood," Lily responded, focusing.

"Now, Zola," Morrigan continued, "same questions—what were your first and second tests?"

"The first test was to solve a puzzle," Zola began, "and the second was to observe something—either a sports event or something similar—and figure out the best possible way to influence it."

"Good," Morrigan said. "Now, we'll work on the basics with you. You're going to train to sense the Amrita in the space surrounding you. Once you've mastered that, you'll begin creating threads to intertwine with the Amrita."

"Wait, aren't we supposed to influence Amrita when we use Anima and express it into the environment?" Lily asked, curious.

"Yes, that's correct. Using Anima is essentially exerting your will on the world—specifically on the part of the world aligned with the domain of the god you're bonded with. But by understanding the unique way each Archetype interacts with Amrita, your efficiency improves, and the effects are more powerful."

"I understand," Zola said, thinking for a moment. "But what about naming our abilities? Vas's grandmother really emphasized that."

"Let's put it this way," Morrigan explained. "When you use Anima, you're exerting your will on the world, right?"

"Yes," both girls answered simultaneously.

"Good. Now, how can you exert your will on the world without clearly understanding what you want your will to accomplish? That's where naming becomes important. Naming helps guide your will in the right direction, which in turn helps your Anima shape the Amrita in the intended way."

"And what about Vas?" Zola asked. "Is it the same for him?"

"He's a bit different," Morrigan replied. "His Archetype functions very differently from yours."

"Why? Does he also have a Legendary Archetype?" Lily asked, curious about Vas's abilities.

"No," Morrigan said, her tone firm. "And don't ask, because I'm not going to answer. Neither can he."

"Why not?" Zola questioned, confused.

"For the same reason you can't discuss the Void with others. He's not allowed to speak much about his Archetype."

"By who? The Archivist?" Lily asked.

"No," Morrigan replied. "Amrita itself won't allow him."

Lily and Zola exchanged glances, the weight of Morrigan's words hanging in the air. Despite their curiosity about Vas's secrets, they knew it was time to focus on their own journey.