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[right][sub][i][color=#999999]12 Hours Ago — Training Field C[/color][/i][/sub][/right]

[color=#999999]For two weeks, Caelum had been pushing himself to the brink. Between classes and making sure he was rested enough, if he wasn’t sitting in Professor Nyx’s classroom or taking care of his body, he was right where he needed to be: out alone in the training field. [/color]

[color=#999999]Ever since his loss to Alberta during the 1v1s Nyx placed them in, Caelum was out in the training fields, increasing his power in any way that was manageable. At first, he wanted to build up his stamina and see how long and how fast he could run with his mana at full blast. He was fortunate that the fields were far away so he could increase the pressure of his mana all he wanted without causing any real harm to anyone around.[/color]

[color=#999999]But that wasn’t his only issue.[/color]

[color=#0d98ba]“It happened again.”[/color][color=#999999] Caelum was on his knees, panting and sweating from the fatigue of overusing his mana again. [/color][color=#0d98ba]“Seventy seconds,”[/color][color=#999999] he muttered, taking deep breaths as he collapsed on his back, his sword jangling as the metal of Stormbringer’s handguard scraped against the dirt. [/color][color=#0d98ba]“Seventy seconds at full blast is my limit.”[/color]

[color=#999999]This wasn’t to say that it wasn’t an improvement. Before he started this high voltage training, Caelum could only keep his mana at full blast for sixty-five seconds. It might’ve been a slow improvement but he was getting stronger. The problem was that it just wasn’t enough, “not to accomplish what I want to.” [/color]

[color=#999999]It was true. CAelum had developed a new technique, something to give him an edge. In his fight with Alberta, the one thing that cost him his victory was how much mana he could expel and how fast he could react. The lesson he took from that was to increase not only his output but the amount of time he could keep it steady. A week’s worth of training - a week! - was only for five seconds longer. Sure, that might be life or death in some cases, but--[/color]

[color=#0d98ba]“--But I need to get stronger. I [i]have[/i] to get stronger!”[/color]

[color=#999999]He forced himself up, using Stormbringer as a cane of sorts, digging it into the ground as he stood up one leg at a time. He managed to keep his vertical base when his sword was no longer supporting him. Caelum felt weak and was still taking consistently deep breaths, but he wasn’t going to allow himself to quit - not yet. [/color]

[color=#999999]As his arms bent themselves and stayed close to his body, fists tightened, and a determination that wasn’t going to let up, he gave it another try. [/color][color=#0d98ba]“This time I know I can do it.”[/color]

[hr][right][sub][color=#999999]Present Day — Genelogia Station[/color]
[@AThousandCurses] [@Relin] [@TheWendil][/sub][/right]

[color=#999999]Caelum was used to waking up early, so when the sun rose, so did he, noting that he was the first one of his roommates to be up. He quickly got dressed, made sure everything was in order before he quickly left and headed straight for the station. In his bag was the money he had gathered throughout his travels and had leftover from expenses during the first weeks in the dorms, a journal for observations in the places he has traveled, and some snacks for the road (mostly mixed berries and nuts).[/color]

[color=#999999]On the way there, his mind, as it often did, wandered to his training and the lessons he’s been learning from Nyx. With such a smaller class than when they started, the attention Nyx paid to the lucky, or in some cases, unlucky, thirteen was valuable time. While some in Class-C were stronger than others, Caelum knew he had a long way to go. The progress he made in the past weeks, while he has learned to appreciate it, doesn’t line up with where he wants to be. [/color]

[color=#999999]So he’s been asking all sorts of questions, some of them directed on mana control, some about simple things that he could do to increase his power, and some were probably so obvious the rest of the class rolled their eyes at him. Caelum knew there was no such thing as a stupid question and he wanted to know as much as he could so it could be applied to his training. And so far, despite the results being minimal at best, the knowledge gained proved to be useful after all.[/color]

[color=#999999]As the station came to view, Caelum allowed his eyes and head to follow the height of the station and three sets of tracks. He had noticed it a few times in the past, but it didn’t feel as impressive as it did right now as he stood in front of it. His pace slowed as his eyes were glued on the scale alone.[/color]

[color=#999999]He gathered his wits and pressed forward, immediately noticing that some of his classmates already were standing outside the entrance. He gave them all a wave as he approached. [/color][color=#0d98ba]“And here I thought I was going to be the first one here.”[/color][color=#999999] Caelum expelled a laugh, grinning more for himself.[/color][color=#0d98ba] “This is pretty cool, huh?”[/color][color=#999999] His eyes fell on the station and the trains. [/color][color=#0d98ba]“I’ve only ever traveled on foot. I’m excited to see what it's like on a train!”[/color][/indent][/indent][/indent]