Chapter 23: The Plans

Planet Vey’loran

The princess was on her way to the mountain cavern to train with the elders, yet her thoughts were elsewhere.

Mystery girl, she thought again. Her lips curved into a faint, private smile, mystery girl.

The name echoed once more in her mind, and then the memory followed. The sudden danger. The force she hadn’t known she possessed. The presence she felt ... and couldn’t reach.

Her smile faded. She tried again, instinctively, quietly, reaching for him across whatever distance separated them.

Nothing. A slow, frustrated breath left her. I will reach him, she vowed silently, unaware of the subtle, worried glances exchanged between her parents.

The ship descended into the mountain cavern, its engines humming low as it docked at the inner entrance. The moment the landing locks engaged, her thoughts snapped back into place, excitement cutting through her lingering frustration.

Training.

She stepped down from the ship’s hangar alongside her parents and the admiral, her posture straightening as anticipation replaced distraction.

The elders were there.

They stood before an engraving, their attention fixed upon it, as if the stone itself were whispering secrets.

“You came,” the elder woman said, turning toward them.

“So,” the elder man added calmly, “anything new?”

A brief silence followed.

The Queen recounted the incident at the institute. Every detail. Every moment. The elders listened without interruption, their expressions unreadable, nodding slowly as the story unfolded.

When the Queen finished, the elder woman spoke first.

“Good,” she said. “Her abilities are awakening. We will strengthen them.”

Zeldria shifted slightly. She didn’t know why, but she felt an instinctive reluctance to mention Zyrian. To explain the strange pull. His situation. The connection.

She said nothing.

“We cannot travel here every day,” the Queen continued. “It will raise questions within the palace. And she cannot come alone. And you cannot come to the palace either. We need another solution.”

The elders exchanged glances.

“We understand,” the elder woman replied.

Then the elder man spoke again.

“We will connect to her mind,” he said evenly. “We will train her from here.”

“But...” the elder woman started, her eyes flicking toward Zeldria, the memory of the last incident still sharp.

The elder man nodded. “Yes. I know. But we will take the risk. We will only train her, nothing more. As long as nothing unwanted is sensed, they will not interfere.”

Zeldria stood, her confusion deepening. She didn’t understand what they were referring to, and something told her she wasn’t meant to know yet.

The elder woman considered this for a long moment ... then nodded slowly.

“If it works,” she said quietly, “it may be better than we hoped.”

The Queen nodded in agreement.

The elder man moved to their usual place and sat on the stone floor. One by one, the others followed.

“Come,” he said gently, looking at Zeldria. “We will form a connection. We will build a training space within your mind, one that can be accessed only when you allow it.”

Zeldria hesitated. Her mind was not empty. And she knew it. She didn’t want them wandering too deeply. Didn’t want them sensing him.

As if reading the hesitation on her face, the elder woman spoke softly.

“We will not explore. We will not interfere. Only train,” she assured her, then added almost under her breath, “if we even can.”

Zeldria swallowed and nodded.

A quiet sigh passed through the elders. They closed their eyes. The world dissolved.

Their astral forms materialised within Zeldria’s Mindspace. For a moment, no one spoke.

“It’s...” the Queen whispered, awe slipping into her voice. “It’s changed. It feels ... stronger.”

No one answered her. The space pulsed softly around them, vast, luminous, alive.

The elders turned instinctively toward the place where they had sensed something before. The presence remained powerful and distant, but no longer threatening. Not yet.

They turned back to Zeldria.

“Did something happen?” the elder man asked.

Zeldria shrugged. “I don’t know.”

The lie came easily. Too easily. It startled even her. The elders studied her, then nodded slowly.

Seeing no reaction, no interference, and no guardians stirring, the elder woman spoke again.

“This will be your training space,” she said. “We will enter only when you reach for us.”

Zeldria blinked. “How ... do I reach you?”

The elder man smiled faintly. “We’ll teach you.”

Then, more firmly, “Now, let us begin.”

He turned to the King and Queen.

“You should leave.”

They hesitated, sighed, then nodded before their forms dissolved.

Zeldria’s lips curled into a bright, hopeful smile. At last, she would learn. She would grow stronger.

And one day, she would reach him.

Zyrian stirred. His hand reached instinctively to the space beside him, warm, empty.

He sighed. Again.

Elira’s quiet goodbye at four in the morning replayed in his head. Early morning, she’d said, like it was nothing. He smiled faintly at the memory ... then exhaled, the smile fading as his gaze dropped to his hands.

At least my powers are back. But the question followed immediately, sharp and unwelcome.

Why did they disappear in the first place? And, mystery girl? You there? No answer. He sighed. Every day brought new questions. Never any answers.

He pushed himself up and headed to the bathroom.

After their morning routines, they gathered near Zyrian’s room as usual, except this time, everyone was trying too hard to look normal.

“What?” Zyrian asked as they walked toward the cafeteria. “Why are you all being ... weird?”

“Nothing.”
“No.”
“We’re not.”

The answers came too fast.

Zyrian slowed, glancing at each of them, eyebrow lifting. “Really? You all just confirmed it,” he said, chuckling.

They entered the cafeteria, ignoring the whispers and curious looks that followed them like shadows.

“Oh ... it’s just that...” Lyna said, eyes fixed on the floor. “We were thinking about what happened yesterday.”

Zyrian looked at her. Then at the others. They all nodded, again, too fast.

He nodded slowly in return and started piling food onto his plate like nothing was wrong.

They took their usual table at the far end.

“Ha. Look who’s here,” a voice drawled behind them. “The heroes of the academy.”

They turned.

Fourteen trainees stood there, the same ones who had attacked them and fought them at the end.

At the front was Baxon, smiling broadly and not mocking. Not sarcastic. Just ... amused.

“Baxon,” Leon said cheerfully, “I see you all survived your latest training with Master Pashmin.”

Groans rippled through the group. Several of them instinctively rubbed bruised limbs.

“Don’t remind us,” Baxon muttered, grabbing a chair from a nearby table. “Go. Find another place,” he growled at the trainees seated there.

They scattered instantly. Soon, the fourteen had surrounded Zyrian’s group.

Baxon gestured to the girl beside him. “This is Arina. Leader of Squad Two.” He went on, introducing the rest.

“So,” Cael asked casually between bites, “how’s the beating going? Have you got his rules yet?”

Baxon blinked. “Rules? What rules?” He glanced at his squad. They all shrugged.

“Oh,” Leon started,

“Maybe he’s teaching you differently,” Uruses cut in calmly. “He’ll get to it. But trust me, you don’t want him to.”

Leon and Cael exchanged a look and nodded, eating in silence.

“Speaking of beatings,” Arina said, leaning closer to Baxon, “we heard about yesterday.”

Zyrian’s group stiffened.

“Word travels fast,” Baxon said with a grin.

“It was nothing,” Lyna said quickly. “Just seniors trying to be seniors.”

Leon snorted. “Mate, you should’ve seen it. They flew five rows back from one punch.”

Laughter erupted from Baxon’s squad.

“Yes, we heard that part too,” a girl said flirtatiously, glancing at Leon.

Her smile vanished instantly when she caught Nira’s glare.

Their banter continued until,

“Ahem.”

They turned. Elira stood there.

“Instructor Elira,” several students said, standing quickly.

“So,” she said coolly, “the entire group is here. Sharing training secrets?”

“Oh no, ma’am,” Baxon replied quickly.

Elira nodded. “Good. Time’s up. Go to your next class.”

Her eyes lingered, just a moment longer, on the girls. She smirked and walked away.

“She’s terrifying,” someone muttered. “And beautiful...” A sharp jab to the ribs shut him up instantly.

Soon, everyone stood up to leave.

The boys also stood up. “You boys go ahead,” Lyna said quickly. “We’ve got time before training. We’ll come back ... uhh, after bathroom break, right?”

The girls nodded in perfect unison. The boys exchanged confused looks but shrugged and left.

“Come on,” Lyna said.

They barely reached the exit before someone stepped into their path.

“Oh my”

“Looking for me?” Elira asked, smirking.

“How did you...” Ryra started.

Elira said, sitting down. “You’re terrible actors.”

“Actually, it’s about Zyrian,” Nira said softly. “He’s been acting strange since last night. He didn’t even go to his room.”

Elira nodded. “He’s fine. Just confused. He’ll tell you if it’s serious.”

They nodded, shifting awkwardly.

“And?” Elira prompted.

“And, nothing,” Ryra said quickly. Looking at Elira, who was smiling, tracing her lips with her fingers as if wiping something.

“You saw us...” Lyna gasped, hands on her mouth.

“Of course I saw. What did you think of me, as clueless as the boys?” Elira said. “And honestly, I think it was the other way around, you saw us,” she teased them.