NOVEL NEXT Chapter 89: Sparks Between Titans
The air inside the Aether Training Dome felt thicker than usual. Morning
Jason stood at the center of the field, arms folded, watching his players stretch and warm up. "All right," he said, voice carrying through the dome. "We've got one week before departure. You know what that means."
Scarlett groaned. "You're going to torture us."
Jason smiled. "You say that like it's new."
Laughter rolled through the team. Blaze tied his shoelaces, testing the weight on his leg. It still ached, but the pain was manageable. His Aura Flame flickered faintly across his arms as he breathed.
Aya jogged past him, tossing a water bottle his way. "You sure you're good to go, hero boy?"
He caught it easily, grinning. "Better than ever. You?"
"Ready to break ankles."
Scarlett leaned in with a mischievous smirk. "And hearts, don't forget."
Aya shoved her playfully. "You wish."
Lionel was quiet, stretching by himself. The defender always preferred silence before a session. Blaze noticed the faint shimmer of his Graviton Barrier, pulsing like invisible glass around him. He'd been experimenting with layering his shield into smaller zones, micro-barriers, something only top-tier defenders could pull off.
Jason clapped his hands. "Pair work. Mixed drills. I want synergy, not solo highlight reels. Aya, Lionel, you're one. Scarlett with Diego. Blaze..." his eyes flicked to the bench where Anastasia was adjusting her wrist guards "you're with her."
A faint smirk crossed Scarlett's face. "Ohhh, the captain's daughter and the fireboy, huh? This should be fun."
Jason ignored her. "Three-phase sequence. Coordination, control, and combo execution. If I see someone acting like they're auditioning for an energy drink commercial, you run laps. Start."
Phase One — Coordination
The drones scattered. The field split into lanes, glowing grid lines tracing out moving targets. Blaze and Anastasia took their position in the center.
"Try not to burn my shoes again," she said, smirking.
"No promises," he shot back.
A soft whistle signaled the start. Targets zipped through the air blue and red holograms flickering at different speeds. Blaze's Elemental Speed flared, his body blurring forward in a streak of gold, slicing through the air with impossible precision. Anastasia mirrored him, her energy-winged boots leaving light trails as she blocked the counter shots, wings curving around her like shields.
"Left!" she shouted.
He turned instantly her telepathic cue hitting him through his Cosmic Link. His flame aura spiked, weaving perfectly with her defensive rhythm.
By the end of the first sequence, they'd cleared forty-three targets in under a minute. The others stopped to watch, impressed.
Aya whistled. "Show-offs."
Lionel cracked a rare grin. "They're synced like they've been playing together for years."
Jason just nodded once, jotting notes on his pad.
Anastasia exhaled, cheeks flushed. "Not bad, Blaze. You didn't trip over your flames this time."
He chuckled. "Progress."
Phase Two — Control
The next simulation increased gravity to 1.8G. Movement became heavier, aura output harder to stabilize. Blaze's leg throbbed, but he pushed through it. The Aura Flame resisted at first, like molten metal, before syncing with his breathing.
Anastasia's wings flickered faintly. "You're pushing too hard," she warned.
"I need to see how far it bends before it breaks."
"That's not control, that's suicide."
He ignored her, teeth clenched as he forced all three abilities into alignment, Telepathy, Speed, and Flame. The dome brightened around him. Then came the backlash, a sharp, crackling burst that sent him to one knee.
Anastasia reacted instantly, wings expanding into a barrier that absorbed the discharge. The explosion rippled through the air, heat distorting everything around them. When the light faded, Blaze was panting on the ground, the field around him scorched.
Jason's voice cut through the ringing silence. "That's what happens when you force a fusion. You let the energy lead you, not the other way around."
Blaze wiped sweat from his brow. "I know. I just thought..."
"That you could brute-force harmony? You're strong, Blaze, but strength means nothing if you can't sustain it."
Anastasia knelt beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to prove anything every time you breathe fire."
He met her gaze and nodded slightly. The flame under his skin dimmed to a soft pulse.
Jason sighed, the edge of his tone softening. "Take five. Everyone else, hydration break."
Between Rounds
The team gathered near the benches. Scarlett sprawled out dramatically. "If the gravity gets any higher, I'm gonna evolve new muscles."
Aya snorted. "You mean finally get some."
Scarlett threw her towel. "I hate you."
Diego leaned against the wall, glancing at Blaze. "You okay, man?"
Blaze nodded. "Yeah. Just learning the hard way, as usual."
"Nothing new then."
Jason overheard and chuckled. "Pain builds memory. Remember that next time."
Lionel was tinkering with his shield module, muttering numbers under his breath. "If I can shorten the cooldown, I might actually block Scarlett's chaos bursts."
"Hey!" she protested. "My chaos bursts are art."
Aya leaned over Blaze's shoulder. "You realize we're actually turning into a real team, right?"
He smiled faintly. "Took us long enough."
She shrugged. "Guess losing, bleeding, and nearly dying together builds chemistry."
Jason blew the whistle again. "Phase three, people! Partner combinations. And someone pick up Scarlett before she fuses with the floor.
Phase Three — Combo Execution
This time, it wasn't about power. It was about trust.
The drones projected an adaptive simulation opponents mimicking real players from the upcoming Galactic Cup teams. Fast, aggressive, unpredictable.
Anastasia and Blaze moved first.
He dashed forward in a streak of golden light. She followed with her energy wings unfurled, her movements a precise blend of speed and grace. When a drone attacked, Blaze deflected it mid-air with a burst of flame. She pivoted behind him, using the backdraft to vault over his shoulder and slice through the air with a wing strike that shattered the drone's core.
Jason's voice echoed faintly from the sidelines. "Timing, trust, flow, there it is!"
Their synchronization was near perfect the result of raw instinct and unspoken understanding. Every step, every move felt like part of the same heartbeat.
When the simulation ended, the dome lights dimmed, and the entire team burst into applause. Even Lionel cracked a smile.
Aya grinned. "If that doesn't win over the crowd on Terra-5, nothing will."
Scarlett crossed her arms, half-pouting. "Okay fine, that was actually hot."
Blaze dropped to the turf, catching his breath. Anastasia sat beside him, both laughing quietly.
"You're getting better at this," she said.
"Only because you don't let me die."
"Consider it part of my charm."
Their laughter softened into silence. For a brief moment, neither spoke, the noise of the others fading into the background.
Evening at the Dorms
By nightfall, Veridion's skyline glowed gold and violet. The team gathered in the rec lounge, a rare sight. No drills, no alarms, no looming danger. Just the quiet hum of music, the smell of instant noodles, and the laughter of eleven players learning to breathe again.
Scarlett was telling a wildly exaggerated story about her first aura test. Aya rolled her eyes every thirty seconds. Diego strummed a small electric lute, Lionel actually chuckled at something, a first, and Jason sat at the back, pretending not to enjoy it.
Anastasia slipped into the seat beside Blaze on the balcony. The city lights stretched endlessly below them.
"You've gotten quiet," she said softly.
He shrugged. "Just… trying to take it all in. I used to think victory would feel different. But it's not the cheering that sticks. It's moments like this."
"Normal moments?"
"Yeah. The kind that feel real."
She smiled faintly. "You're starting to sound like my dad."
He laughed. "That's terrifying."
"Tell me about it."
For a while, they just sat there, the cool breeze brushing through the open windows.
"You know," she said after a while, "people are already calling you the next 'Fire Monarch.' Some even say you're the future of the league."
Blaze leaned back, eyes distant. "Titles come and go. I'm more worried about what comes next."
"The Cup?"
"Not just that. The hunters, the pressure, the media. All of it. It's like every step forward comes with another shadow behind it."
Anastasia looked at him, her voice steady. "Then don't walk it alone. Not this time."
He met her eyes, clear, determined, and warmer than he'd ever seen them. "You mean that?"
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't."
The silence that followed wasn't awkward. It was full, the kind of silence that carried understanding.
Inside, the team's laughter carried through the room. Aya shouting at Scarlett to stop singing, Lionel threatening to unplug the speaker, Jason pretending to read reports.
For a fleeting moment, everything felt right.
Later That Night
Blaze stayed on the balcony after everyone had gone to bed. The city was quiet now, silver rain streaking the glass. He opened his palm, letting a small wisp of Aura Flame flicker above it. It no longer burned, it breathed.
He thought of his mother, of Jason's guidance, of Anastasia's calm voice. Of the teammates who now felt like family.
The fire reflected in his eyes, steady and alive.
"For once," he murmured, "I'm not fighting to survive. I'm fighting because I want to."
The flame dimmed and disappeared into the night.