Xyros flicked his wrist, and a glowing icon floated into Zaria’s view. It shimmered with soft, golden light, the words Tech Shield pulsing faintly beneath it. “This is your defensive ability, it is also at Level 1,” he said, his tone calm but deliberate. “Activate it, and it will absorb damage, but only for a limited time.”

  Zaria’s eyes sparkled with uncontained excitement as the translucent shield shimmered around her. Arcs of light danced along its surface, crackling softly like miniature lightning bolts. She turned in place, marveling at the way the shield shifted and refracted the faint glow of the room. “This is incredible,” she breathed, a grin spreading wide across her face. “I mean… it’s right there! I can see it, feel it. Well, not exactly feel it, but—” she swiped her hand experimentally at the barrier, the energy rippling like water.

  Xyros’s lips twitched into a faint smile, his calm observation giving way to a flicker of indulgent amusement. “It’s more than just a light show, Zaria. Pay attention.”

  She nodded quickly, but her enthusiasm bubbled over. “I’ve seen shields before—on ships, in simulations—but this is mine. I made this happen.” She pressed her palms outward, half-expecting the shield to push back, but her hands met only empty air. “How does it even work? Is it pulling from my energy? Is there a core? Can it repel kinetic force? Oh! What happens if something explodes against it? Does it—”

  Xyros raised a hand to cut off her stream of questions, his tone dry. “Perhaps you’d like to find out?”

  Before she could respond, he flicked his wrist. A sharp hum filled the air as a burst of concentrated energy shot from his palm, aimed directly at her. Zaria gasped, instinctively raising her hands in a defensive gesture—but the shield flared brilliantly, absorbing the Energy Pulse in a dazzling eruption of light. The impact sent a ripple through the barrier, but it held firm, deflecting the energy harmlessly into the air.

  Zaria froze for a heartbeat, her pulse thundering in her ears. Then, her face lit up with sheer joy. “Did you see that? It worked!” She spun to face Xyros, her excitement bubbling over. “You threw that at me! You really threw that at me, and it just—bam! Shielded me like some kind of personal force field. That was so cool!”

  Xyros inclined his head, the faintest trace of a smile tugging at his lips. “You seem… pleased.”

  “Pleased?” she exclaimed, practically bouncing on her toes. “This is amazing! I mean, I’ve read about personal shields in theoretical applications, but experiencing it firsthand? It’s—it’s like walking into a sci-fi novel and being the hero.” She laughed, her voice ringing with exhilaration. “Hit me again!”

  Xyros raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth twitching. “Let’s not get carried away. The shield’s durability isn’t limitless, and neither is your energy. Remember—”

  “Yeah, yeah, Cooldown Bar, limited time, I get it,” she interrupted, waving him off with a dismissive grin. “But come on, Xyros, you have to admit this is awesome.”

  He chuckled softly, his usual calm tinged with faint amusement. “If nothing else, your enthusiasm is encouraging.”

  Zaria turned her attention back to the glowing shield, watching as the Cooldown Bar in her interface began to pulse gently, the shield fading with it. She clenched her fists, excitement still thrumming through her veins. For the first time since entering the Trials, she felt not just hope, but confidence.

  This wasn’t just survival anymore—it was possibilities. And she was ready for more.

  “Exactly,” Xyros said. “And as you acquire more skills, you’ll see additional Cooldown Bars in your interface. Each skill has its own timing. You can arrange them however you like—front and center, off to the side, or even hidden until they’re needed.”

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  As he spoke, he waved his hand in front of her face, and her interface flickered. The bars shifted seamlessly, rearranging themselves into a neat row at the top of her vision before sliding out of sight entirely. Zaria blinked, the sudden change disorienting but oddly thrilling.

  “You’ll need to figure out what works best for you,” Xyros continued. “Experiment. Customize. This isn’t a one-size-fits-all system—it’s yours to control.”

  The faint thrill bubbling inside her grew, a strange mix of empowerment and curiosity. “Okay,” she said, her voice steadier than before. “I think I’m getting the hang of this.”

  “Don’t get ahead of yourself.” Xyros smirked, his eyes gleaming with that maddening mix of encouragement and challenge. “Skills like these won’t mean much if you don’t practice. You’ll need to make them instinctive. Think you can handle that?”

  Zaria squared her shoulders, her gaze sharpening as she studied the shimmering shield around her. The energy pulsed faintly in time with her heartbeat, and for the first time, she felt like she was beginning to understand what she could do. “I’m up for it,” she said firmly, her tone leaving no room for doubt.

  Xyros gestured to the stones encircling them, his movements precise, almost ceremonial. Each stone pulsed faintly, the energy flowing through them rising and falling like a heartbeat. “These aren’t just rocks,” he said, stepping toward the nearest one. He tapped its surface lightly, and the pulse brightened, spreading across the circle. “They’re conduits for technomancy. They help new TechNavs attune themselves to harness and refine their abilities.”

  Zaria tilted her head, studying the stones. As she focused on them, her TNC buzzed faintly, feeding her subtle streams of information—composition, energy signatures, even their theoretical purpose. The air around the circle felt charged, alive with potential. She flexed her fingers, drawn to the hum of power.

  “Everyone starts the same,” Xyros continued, his voice steady. “Two skills: Energy Pulse and Tech Shield. They’re simple, practical, and effective. But they’re just the beginning.” He paced the circle, his hands clasped behind his back. “The more you practice, the more these skills integrate into your Va’Ruun Essence. They grow with you, adapt to your technomantic potential, even mutate into something unique to your abilities… and your species.”

  Mutate? Zaria’s fingers twitched at the thought, her mind racing with possibilities. She could almost see it—a spark of energy growing brighter, sharper, twisting into something extraordinary. Her pulse quickened, her scientific curiosity ignited. What would her abilities look like? What did “mutate” even mean here?

  Xyros stopped and turned toward her, his calm gaze steady. “But none of that matters unless you’re willing to put in the work. Technomancy doesn’t give freely—it demands effort. Discipline. Patience.”

  Zaria drew a deep breath, letting Xyros’s words settle over her like the hum of distant machinery. She glanced down at the ring of stones beneath her feet, the faint glow radiating from their edges casting intricate patterns across the ground. Shifting her weight slightly, she squared her shoulders, her boots pressing firmly into the circle’s center as if grounding herself in its strange, ancient energy. “Alright,” she said, her voice steady. “So how exactly am I supposed to find these spheres?”

  Xyros’s mouth curved into an infuriating smile, the kind that made her want to throw one of those energy-charged stones at him. “With knowledge comes power, Zaria. Learn to walk before you try to run.”

  Her eye twitched, irritation flaring. More philosophical nonsense? “Great. Just what I needed,” she muttered, the sarcasm dripping from her tone.

  Xyros chuckled, clearly relishing her frustration. “What did you expect? That I’d hold your hand through every step of the Trials? Survival requires independence. But,” he added, raising a finger, “I can show you the basics, if you’re ready to learn.”

  “Fine,” she grumbled, crossing her arms tightly. “I’ll learn. Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

  Xyros’s smirk widened, the kind of smirk that practically screamed, I’ve already won this argument. “How did that taste?” he asked, tilting his head.

  “Like spoiled strawananas,” she shot back, but a reluctant grin tugged at her lips despite herself.

  For a moment, they shared a grudging understanding, an unspoken truce. The tension eased slightly, and Zaria allowed herself a flicker of hope. If she could channel her irritation into focus, maybe—just maybe—she could survive this Trial.

  “Let’s begin,” Xyros said, gesturing toward the stones. “Show me what you’ve learned so far.”

  Zaria squared her shoulders, stepping fully into the circle. Determination ignited in her chest, mingling with the faint hum of energy that radiated from the stones. She wasn’t here to impress Xyros—she was here to survive, to master the tools that might one day save her life.