When the song ended, she looked up, her eyes meeting his. "Couldn't sleep?" she asked softly.

Adrian stepped forward, his lips curving into a faint smile. "Too much on my mind."

She nodded, setting the harp aside. "Join me?"

He sat next to her, the cool stone below them feeling very different from the warmth she brought. They didn't speak for a while, the silence stretching between them like a bridge.

Finally, Alannah broke the silence. "Do you ever wonder if we'll make it through this?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Every day," Adrian admitted. "But we will. Because we have to."

She looked at him, a small smile playing on her lips. "You always know what to say."

Adrian chuckled softly. "Not always. But I mean it. Zarpha has you—and you're stronger than you realize."

Her smile widened, and for a moment, the weight of the world seemed to lift.

"Thank you, Adrian," she said, her voice full of quiet gratitude. "For everything."

Adrian met her gaze, his own resolve reflected in her eyes. "Always."

***************

The first light of morning broke through the thick curtains of Adrian's room, creating soft golden lines on the walls. Despite the lingering thoughts of the previous night's conversation with Alannah, Adrian was up before the city fully stirred.

There was no room for delay; he had to hone his coordination with the goddesses. The Shadow Court would strike soon, and when they did, they needed to be ready.

The training ground was a large clearing just outside Zarpha's fortified walls, a space shielded from prying eyes by a dense line of towering trees. The air was cool, filled with the smell of wet grass, and the gentle sounds of morning life created a false sense of peace.

Adrian stood at the center, his fiery chains crackling faintly as he flexed his fingers. Around him, the goddesses were gathering, each embodying her distinct aura of power.

Hera was the first to step forward, her golden spear shimmering in the morning light. "We'll start with precision," she said firmly, her piercing blue eyes locking on Adrian. "Lightning is not just about force. It's about control."

Adrian nodded, readying himself. "What do you have in mind?"

Hera extended her hand, a crackling orb of lightning forming in her palm. She tossed it into the air, and it hovered there, buzzing faintly. "Hit it," she commanded.

Adrian swung his sword, its blade glowing with the fiery energy of his chains. The strike missed, the orb darting away just as his blade approached.

Hera's lips curved into a faint smile. "Lightning doesn't wait for your timing, Adrian. You must anticipate it."

"Again," Adrian said, his tone determined.

Hera tossed another orb, and this time, Adrian's chains lashed out, grazing it. The impact sent a small shockwave rippling through the air.

"Better," Hera acknowledged. "But we're not done yet."

***************

Nearby, Lilith coiled her crimson whip, her movements as fluid as the shadows that clung to her presence. She watched Adrian with a gleam of amusement in her red eyes. "While you're dancing with Hera's lightning, how about learning to tame shadows?"

Adrian turned to her, curious. "Tame them?"

Lilith's whip unfurled with a sharp crack, and tendrils of darkness surged from the ground, weaving around her weapon. "Shadows are malleable. They're not just a weapon—they're an extension of your will."

She thrust the whip toward him, the shadowy tendrils splitting into multiple streams that snaked through the air. Adrian's chains reacted instinctively, intercepting the shadows in mid-air.

The tendrils writhed against the fiery chains, dissipating into black mist.

Lilith tilted her head, a sly smile playing on her lips. "Not bad. But shadows aren't just meant to be stopped—they can be turned against the enemy."

Adrian frowned, his fiery chains retracting as he considered her words. "Show me."

Lilith's grin widened, and with a flick of her wrist, the shadows coiled around Adrian's chains, merging with them. For a brief moment, the chains glowed with a strange, darkened hue, their fiery intensity muted but not diminished.

"Feel that?" Lilith purred. "It's a blend of our powers. Now imagine striking with that—fire and shadow together."

Adrian swung his chains experimentally, the hybrid energy creating an explosive impact against the ground. "Interesting," he murmured, a spark of excitement lighting in his eyes.

*************

Ava stepped forward next, her staff glowing with soft amber light. "Let's balance the destruction with some defense," she said, raising her staff to summon a shimmering golden shield. "Adrian, try to break this."

Adrian raised an eyebrow but complied, sending a fiery chain hurtling toward the shield. The impact was loud, sending sparks flying, but the shield held firm.

Ava smirked. "Not so easy, is it?"

Adrian frowned, summoning more energy into his chains before striking again. The shield absorbed the blow, its glow intensifying. "It's strong," he admitted.

"It's not just strength," Ava explained. "It's about understanding the force of an attack and redirecting it. Watch." She dismissed the shield and stomped her staff into the ground. A fissure split the earth, sending a chunk of rock flying into the air.

With a twist of her hand, she transformed the rock into a barrier.

"Earth and energy together," she said. "A good defense is as much about improvisation as it is about strength."

Adrian nodded thoughtfully. "I'll need to practice that."

Hestia yawned, her marine-blue eyes half-lidded as she stepped forward. "If we're done with shields and shadows, let's talk about flames."

Adrian turned to her, intrigued. "Your flames are... different."

"Blue fire isn't just hotter," Hestia explained, twirling a small flame on her fingertip. "It's purer. It consumes entirely, leaving nothing behind. But it's also more unpredictable."

She flicked her wrist, and the small flame expanded into a wall of fire, its heat felt even from several feet away. "Control is everything," she said, dismissing the wall with a casual gesture.

"Show me," Adrian said.

Hestia raised an eyebrow, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "You want to control my flames? Bold of you."

Adrian smirked. "I like a challenge."

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