Chapter 49: Rise Through the Cycles
In the eastern compound of the Ikemba estate, far from the scorched intensity of Rose's domain training, another storm brewed—this one less fiery, but no less determined.
Joshua stood at the center of a wide, marble-paved training ground, his hands behind his back as he watched three familiar figures struggle through their own battles.
Jim let out a shout, fists blazing with emerald soul light as he launched a flurry of blows against the resistance dummy—a dense slab of living stone imbued with enchantments. With each strike, his soul energy surged in rhythm, thickening around his body like armor.
"Your control's improving," Joshua said, his voice calm but firm. "You're hovering right on the edge of the Fifth Spirit Cycle now. But you're still forcing the climb. Let it flow through you."
Jim grit his teeth. "I am flowing."
"No," Joshua replied, stepping closer. "You're still treating your soul energy like a tool, not a limb. You need to become it. It's not about how hard you hit. It's how much your soul resonates with your will."
Jim exhaled sharply, sweat running down his neck. "…Got it. Again."
Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the field, the twin sisters—Leslie and Marie—trained in a synchronized dance of motion and soul arts. Pale blue and pink glows pulsed from their bodies in twin spirals, one fluid and defensive, the other sharp and piercing. Marie's form channeled focused beams of light that sliced through conjured obstacles, while Leslie's aura manifested as barriers and kinetic fields, deflecting force.
"You're both close," Joshua said, moving to observe them. "On the cusp of Fourth Cycle ascension."
Marie spun midair, light whips snapping around her. "It's taking too long."
"Because you're still relying on technique," Joshua said. "The Fourth Cycle isn't just about power. It's the start of manifesting meaning in your soul. A concept. An identity."
Leslie landed beside her twin, nodding slightly. "Like how your Black Flame is tied to your defiance of the Soulborne mold?"
"Exactly," Joshua affirmed. "Your domain becomes an extension of your truth. You've both been too cautious, mirroring each other's rhythm. It's time to train apart. The soul doesn't grow in the comfort of synchronization."
The twins exchanged a look—surprised, then understanding. For all their closeness, it was time to differentiate.
Joshua folded his arms, glancing toward the burning sky in the direction of Rose's battlefield. "Karen's training isn't slowing down, and neither should yours. If you three want to stand with her when the next storm comes—"
"—Then we need to be ready," Jim finished, nodding.
"Not just ready," Joshua said. "Unshakable."
With that, the group returned to their stances, and the compound echoed once again with the sound of forging souls—light, shadow, force, and will all sharpening under one silent oath:
They would not be left behind.