"And this," the Elder continued, turning to the female elf, "is Ekatarina, our most gifted Chaos Weaver since the Age of Ascension."
"As far as the chaos is concerned, she is skilled second to none."
"Welcome, child of Kaezhlar," Ekatarina said, her voice musical yet underlaid with a strange resonance, as though multiple voices spoke at once. "Your path crosses ours at an interesting convergence."
"You are the first of Kaezhlar to get approval by the Elder. I have to say, you interest me, Child of Kaezhlar," she spoke again, her voice deep this time and her gaze locked on Jolthar.
Jolthar bowed slightly, showing respect but not subservience. "I'm grateful for the opportunity to learn from your people," he said, addressing all three but focusing on the Elder.
He thought it was necessary, seeing the glares and hateful stares shot at him.
"And it's weird," she said, staring at him.
"What is?" Jolthar asked.
She put her fingers on her chin, rubbing, "You look different from your ancestor. But you carry the same aura as him."
What again? She got all that just by looking at me. Jolthar thought. She just looked at him and told him that he carried the same aura as the mad sovereign.
The Elder nodded. "You see, after talking with my people, they allowed you to train here for a certain number of days."
Elder nodded, "Yes, our Ael'koryna people have given you six full cycles of the moons to master what you can of chaos-craft. After the six full moons, you must leave our lands forever."
"I can only help you this much, and the rest is up to you."
"As you know, I am clearly a novice when it comes to chaos. So I don't really know if the time is sufficient." Jolthar observed, and he thought it was time to voice his opinion. After all, he wasn't aware of the time period required to learn the chaos and understand it fully.
A smile touched Ekatarina's lips. "Child, you don't need to master the chaos. It is understanding. Control follows understanding, and true mastery follows control—often after many centuries."
"Consider yourself fortunate, human," Vareth added, his tone making it clear he considered Jolthar anything but. "Most outsiders who set foot in our territory are either driven mad by the ambient chaos or executed for the protection of our secrets. The Elder has granted you a rare privilege."
Jolthar met Vareth's gaze steadily. "I understand the honour being extended to me. I won't waste this opportunity."
The Elder struck his staff against the ground once, drawing their attention. "Enough words. It is time to begin." He gestured toward the shimmering pool.
"The Reflecting Pool will show us what we work with. Approach and place your hand upon its surface, Jolthar."
With only slight hesitation, Jolthar moved forward and knelt beside the pool. Its surface rippled without any breeze, colours shifting beneath like oil on water. He extended his hand and let his fingertips touch the strange liquid.
The effect was immediate and startling.
The pool erupted in a column of violet light, and they turned into violent streaking threads. They strode towards the sky, making everyone move backwards.
There was a sudden shift in the pool as it rippled, and a dominating pressure enveloped the area.
"Fascinating," Ekatarina murmured, moving closer to study the manifestation. She wasn't fazed by the pressure, and she stood unaffected by it.
Vareth's expression had shifted from disdain to reluctant interest. His face went through various expressions as he watched Jolthar standing above the pool.
"And the violet is true chaos," the Elder finished. "Not chaos-touched, as we are, but raw chaos itself."
He turned to Jolthar. "Remove your hand."
When Jolthar withdrew his hand, those long threads collapsed back into the pool, which settled into an unnatural stillness, perfectly reflecting the violet sky above.
"In one moon cycle," the Elder said, "learn whatever you can. You have a talent for chaos, and you can make it yours if you utilise your time here."
"Is that possible?" Jolthar asked.
"We shall see," the Elder replied. "Vareth will instruct you in the physical disciplines of chaos control. Ekatarina will teach you the mental aspects. I will observe your progress and make adjustments as necessary."
He fixed Jolthar with his ancient gaze. "The training begins now and will continue until sunset. Each day will follow this pattern."
With those words, the Elder departed, leaving Jolthar with his two instructors—one openly hostile, the other inscrutably curious.
The first three days of training pushed Jolthar to the limits of his endurance. They had trained him in the ways of Ael'koryna. They differed from what Jolthar knew about the physical training.
Each morning began before dawn with Vareth, whose physical regimen seemed designed to break him rather than teach him.
"Chaos responds to weakness," Vareth explained as he circled Jolthar, who stood balanced on a narrow crystal pillar rising from a misty chasm. "It seeks the path of least resistance, flowing into your fears, your doubts, your physical limitations. To control chaos, you must first eliminate these vulnerabilities."
Maintaining his balance while summoning small amounts of his chaos energy, Jolthar was required to defend against Vareth's attacks—swift strikes that came without warning, testing his awareness and reflexes.
"Your body must be as disciplined as your mind," Vareth continued, landing a blow against Jolthar's ribs that nearly sent him tumbling into the chasm. "Each muscle, each breath, each heartbeat—all must be under your control."
Vareth wasn't particularly careful with what he was doing. He didn't consider that Jolthar was human and was treating Jolthar like an elf, an eight-foot-tall, robust elf. Vareth was still not convinced that Jolthar was worthy enough to stay here, to be taught by them.
But Jolthar surprised him with every move of his. He stood his ground and endured Vareth's training regime.
By midday, drenched in sweat and bearing new bruises, Jolthar would be released to Ekatarina's tutelage.
Where Vareth's approach was harsh and unyielding, hers was subtle and complex.
They sat facing each other in a glade where the chaos-warped trees grew in impossible configurations, their branches forming intricate patterns that changed when viewed from different angles.
"Close your eyes," Ekatarina instructed on their first day together. Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs novel·fire·net
"The physical manifestation of chaos is merely its shadow. To truly understand it, you must perceive its essence."
Jolthar obeyed, closing his eyes and seeking the stillness.