Callum walks out to the training area. A kilometer terf track lines the training grounds.
In the center of the track is two stone slab arenas. Raphaelia stood in the middle of the large arena. Donning her usual silver plate armor with a blue leather under jacket.
Standing on the other flat of stone was the other two new bloods who managed to survive their trial this year. Facing the two newly awoken was Quinn.
Quinn looked back and noticed Callum floating through the air towards Raphaelia. He waved and smirked in Callum's direction.
"I wouldn't want to be in his shoes right now."
Turning back to his own two trainees, Quinn told them to continue. In a sudden outburst the young stout man began to rush towards Quinn.
"This time I'm going to destroy you." Once he reached in front of Quinn his fists turned to steel, bringing a powerful right hook towards Quinn's side.
Quinn went to sidestep the blow with ease. Suddenly a strange glow began emitting from the red headed girls eyes.
"Freeze, now hit him Bart." Maria stared with intensity. The glow from her eyes seemed to freeze Quinn in his tracks leaving him at the mercy of Bart's steel fist.
"You're looking at me too though." Bart froze at the same moment as Quinn. The glow died down behind Maria's eyes. Freeing the movement of the two men interlocked in battle.
Quinn finished his step back, leaving a whoosh of air in his wake as the steel fist just barely missed him. The weight and momentum of the first carried through. Pulling Bart from his stance and causing him to sprawl out on his stomach in a clumsy mess.
The two fighting together seemed like a shoddy comedy duo more than two warriors in training.
Quinn stood laughing as Bart recollected himself. The anger burning in his eyes indicating that this was far from the first faceplant he did today.
"Focus here" Raphaelia was staring at Callum with intensity. She stared for a bit at the floating body of the boy.
'We can't really train you as an astral projection. Can you get your real body here?" Raphaelias intense gaze and beautiful face caused Callum's nerves to rattle slightly.
"I don't know how to." Callum responded with a hint of embarassment in his voice. Raphaelias gaze lightened.
"We'll start with meditative practice. Focusing your mind on your body and noticing what's different." Raphaelia took a seat in the center of the training stage. Beckoning Callum to come sit beside her.
Callum crossed his legs and focusing his mind within his body. With the focus on his body came the intense tingling again.
His body had learnt to numb out the barrage of sensation but with him mind focused on it the feeling of pins and needles lighting across his body once again was quickly becoming overwhelming.
Visible discomfort made its way to he surface, causing Callum to lose his inward focus.
"What's wrong?" His eyes opened to notice Raphaelia studying his face. Meeting her piercing sky blue eyes in a straight gaze made Callum nervous once again.
"Everytime I focus my body gets overwhelmed by stimulation. I can feel every movement that happens within the void across my body.
Raphaelias eyes narrowed with intrigue. She stepped forward and leaned close to Callum's face.
With each step of the closing distance, the nerves of the young man grew more. His face starting to turn red and flushed as her face got close to his.
Her face lit brightly with a devious smile.
"You seem to have no issue focusing on me." Callums face burned with embarassment as his realization that the secret feelings he held for Raphaelia weren't so secret.
"Focus your eyes on mine, let your thoughts clear" Raphaelia stood with her face inches from Callum's.
Some thoughts left his head but others flooded in with a different intent.
"Now imagine I am beside you like this, not in here but in the place your real body is." Her voice was smooth as silk, inciting him to do exactly as she asked.
Desire slowly turned into a drive as Callum's mind started sorting through its thoughts. Clearing unnecessary ones as he searched for the way to accomplish his new goal.
Without warning Raohaelias body started becoming enshrouded in a black vapor. Noticing the vapor caused the Quinn, Maria and Bart to halt their training.
The eyes all darted over at Callum and Raphaelia. Callum noticed the extra set of eyes and started to get distracted.
As his focus shifted the vapor began to dissipate but Raphaelia didn't allow that to happen. Her eyes intensified as she flicked a finger.
"Your eyes are to stay on me." Callum agreed willingly, his eyes getting lost once again in the clear blue of Raphaelias eyes.
The black vapor started to encapsulate Raphaelias lithe figure once again.
"Good now keep your focus on me." The vapor began to cover Raphaelias head before vanishing from the void. As the vapor fell to the ground no traces of Raphaelia were found.
Vanishing from in front of Callum's face, then he felt a hand on his shoulder. He opened his eyes. Raphaelias hand rested on his shoulder as her eyes peered into the distance.
Taking in the massive crater than Callum was seated in the middle of. "Good work."
The air escaped Callum's lungs in a gasp as he took in the sight. Sunlight danced off the silver cuirass sitting a top her supple chest.
Flowing golden blond locks of hair waved playfully in the wind. Her gaze turned away just far enough that he could still see the silhouette of her gorgeous face. Highlighted by a blazing pink and orange sky as the sun set over the horizon.
Her beauty left him speechless and she turned to gaze down upon the seated young man.
"Did you take note of how it felt as you summoned the portal?" Raphaelias question broke Callum from his trance.
"Ye.. yea, I could feel the vapor building in front of me but it was a feeling I've never experienced before so I'm not sure if I could replicate it yet." Callum looked down at his hands once again.
As if expecting some sort of revelation to hit him from the reading of his palms. The feeling of bringing forth the vapor was hard to explain. To him it felt like forcing goosebumps to appear across your skin.
The sensation was noticeable but calling it forth was something he didn't yet understand.
"That's alright, it usually takes a few tries to get it down." Raphaelia took a seat in front of Callum.
"Now when you focus out here, do you still notice all the movement within the void?" Callum shook his head.
"No, when my mind isn't inside the void. I don't feel anything that's happening within it." Callum was still attempting to recall the feeling of the vapor.
'If I could master that ability then I could freely move people within and outside of the void.' the thought sparking a realization of how essential mastery of this technique would be.
The sun had lowered enough that the moon was now visible and with it. Staring down from the heavens sat a ghastly shadow of death.
Following his gaze at the sky, Raphaelia looked up before her face froze with visible terror.
"What is that?"