The fourth morning at the Cradle came with a strange calm that felt a little too perfect. Ares woke up to find his body was getting used to the intense training—what once felt like torture now just felt tough. His core buzzed with a steady mix of fire, ice, and water, the three elements working together in perfect balance inside his tiny body.
As he started his daily mana practice, Ares thought about how far he'd come. The fire gave him strength, the ice gave him control, and the water helped everything flow together smoothly. "Three elements in harmony," he thought as he pulled in mana from around him through his steadily improving channels. "The book said this should be impossible for someone my age."
The soft footsteps of Junia broke his focus. She walked in with her usual warmth, but Ares noticed she was treating him differently now. She picked him up like he was a rare treasure—still loving, but more careful, like she knew he was becoming something beyond normal.
"Good morning, young master," she said softly, lifting him with slightly shaking hands. "Today's a big day."
During his bath, Junia didn't talk as much. Instead, she just watched him, like she was studying every tiny change. After feeding him, she stayed by his side longer than usual, like she didn't want to let go.
---
In the administrative wing, things were tense. Nerida stood outside Veltrissa's room, holding her report from Ares' progress the day before. She still couldn't believe what she'd seen.
"The way he's syncing with the elements... it normally takes decades to get this far," she thought.
The heavy obsidian doors opened, and Veltrissa stepped out. She moved with a sleek grace that seemed even more intense today. Her sharp black eyes swept over the warden, and for the first time in years, a real spark of surprise lit up her perfect face.
"Water shrine warden," she said, her voice both curious and sharp. "What brings youvjryi here? Has the little one done something impossible again?" Her smile turned razor-sharp. "Tell me everything."
The warden gave her report calmly and clearly, but what she said was unbelievable. Four days of doing what should have been impossible, ending with a balanced mix of three elements—something unheard of in someone so young.
Veltrissa didn't say a word as she listened. Her fingers stopped tapping and instead rested flat on her desk, her mind clearly racing. When the reports ended, the room went silent.
"Unbelievable," she whispered, standing up in one smooth motion. She looked thrilled. "The tenth son has awakened to four elements. Other than Alaric, he's the only one with three affinities." Her eyes locked in with fierce focus. "Today's trial will tell us everything. If he can handle air while keeping the other three steady…"
She paused, smiling like a predator spotting prey. "Do everything exactly as planned. I'll be watching today myself."
---
When the time came, it wasn't a familiar face that came for Ares—it was someone new. Zephyr walked into the room in robes that looked like flowing air itself. His hair floated like it had a breeze of its own.
"Young master," Zephyr said, "I'll be in charge of your training today. We're going to work on air."
As he picked up Ares, the baby noticed a difference right away. Zephyr didn't feel solid like the others. He felt light, almost like he wasn't all there—but his hold was steady.
They walked through halls filled with quiet breezes. The sounds of other training faded as they moved deeper into the building. The air around them grew thinner, lighter, almost excited.
The air shrine came into view—a twisting tower of silver-white that seemed to stretch into the sky. Wind chimes hung everywhere, filling the space with soft music that changed with the breeze. Windows stayed open, letting magical winds blow through, full of the wild spirit of air.
"The Aetherspire," Ares recognized, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. "Air… it's freedom, chaos, creation, and destruction, all spinning together forever."
Inside, the place was wild. Winds blew in every direction. Some spots were calm, others full of rushing air that came and went without warning.
At the center was the Breathstone Arena, a round platform surrounded by floating crystals that tamed the wild winds into streams of energy. The arena was made from pale blue stone that pulsed in time with whoever stood on it.
"This is where kids learn to find peace in the middle of chaos," Zephyr said as he gently placed Ares down. "Air doesn't respond to force—it flows with breath and life's rhythm."
As soon as Ares touched the stone, it synced with his breathing. The winds around him stilled, as if waiting for a cue.
"This is different," Ares thought, starting to meditate while carefully watching his breath. "Fire needed strength. Ice needed balance. Water needed flow. But air… it needs me to match something deeper."
As he took a deep breath, the winds shifted. The chaos turned into a flowing dance that moved with each inhale and exhale.
"Incredible," Zephyr whispered, clearly shocked. "He's syncing with the wind on the first try. Most take weeks to even get close."
Unseen, Veltrissa watched from above, her black eyes locked on the scene. Her heart beat faster as she saw the impossible happening.
Ares kept going, and soon, something amazing happened. Fire, ice, and water stayed perfectly in tune while air joined in—blending together in ways that no theory had ever predicted.
Air didn't just mix with the others—it made them better. Fire burned brighter, ice became more precise, and water flowed even more smoothly.
"Four elements… in sync," Veltrissa whispered, stunned. "Only two people in our history ever managed more than two. And one of them was Alaric."
Time passed. Ares stayed in meditation as the arena tested him with harder and harder wind patterns. But he kept up, adjusting smoothly, as if it was all natural.
The floating crystals glowed brighter. Their tones turned into music, as if they were singing in celebration. All the wind chimes joined in, creating a melody that sounded like the winds of the world were cheering him on.
"This can't be real," Zephyr muttered, his usual calm cracking. "He's not just in tune with air—he's blending four elements like they were made to be together. This kind of harmony doesn't exist."
By the end of the session, Ares had done something that would be remembered forever. Not only did he sync with air, he formed a four-element core that glowed with power beyond anything anyone had seen.
When Junia came to get him, she found a child who felt different—lighter, like the sky itself had touched him. His aura shimmered faintly in red, blue, azure, and silver—four colors in perfect flow.
"Young master," she whispered, holding him close. Her hands trembled not with fear, but awe. "You've changed again. You feel… stronger. And something more."
As they left the Aetherspire, the wind chimes played a soft farewell tune, echoing through the halls. Behind them, Zephyr stood still, lost in thought.
Up in her gallery, Veltrissa stayed long after everyone else had gone. Her mind raced with what she had just seen. This wasn't just about Ares anymore—it was about everything.
"Four elements," she said quietly, her voice full of wonder and ambition. "If he can master earth and lightning too…"
She didn't finish the thought. The idea was too big. A six-element master wouldn't just be powerful—they could change the whole world.
Tomorrow would bring earth. And with it, the question: Could he stay grounded—or would this power take him even higher?