They walked through the academy's hallways, passing groups of students engaged in animated discussions and mages hurrying between classrooms and laboratories. The atmosphere was one of focused activity, with an undercurrent of urgency that suggested the academy, like the rest of Oakspire, was preparing for the looming threat from beyond the city's walls.

  "How did you manage to get an appointment?" Val asked as they navigated the complex layout of the academy.

  Alea's expression turned slightly sheepish. "I may have promised Grandmaster Lutha a month of free work in her workshop."

  "Lutha?" Val asked.

  "Current Grandmaster of Fire Aether," Alea confirmed. "When I explained the situation to her…in very general terms," she hastened to add, seeing Val's alarmed expression, "she agreed to speak with him on our behalf."

  They emerged into a spacious courtyard at the heart of the academy, a tranquil space with carefully tended gardens, flowing fountains, and several outdoor seating areas. At the center stood a café, its tables arranged beneath the spreading branches of a massive oak tree that provided dappled shade from the midday sun.

  "The Scholars' Respite," Alea announced, leading Val toward the café. "Best food in the academy, and one of the few places where the different aether disciplines regularly mingle."

  The café was busy but not crowded, its tables occupied by a diverse mix of academy members in robes of various colors denoting their specialties. Alea secured them a small table near the edge of the seating area, partially secluded by a flowering shrub that provided a measure of privacy.

  A server approached almost immediately, greeting Alea by name. They ordered a light meal of herb-roasted chicken, fresh greens, and crusty bread for Val, and a spicier dish of pepper-seared fish with roasted vegetables for Alea. Both chose chilled herbal tea to drink, though Val noted with amusement that Alea specified hers should be served "extra cold".

  As they waited for their food, Alea leaned forward, her voice lowering to avoid being overheard. "So about the meeting with Linden. I should warn you that this is uncharted territory, even for me. What you experienced at Willow Creek, your ability to cycle different types of aether, your enhanced healing... these aren't normal abilities, Val, not even for advanced practitioners."

  Val had known this, of course, but hearing Alea state it so bluntly sent an uncomfortable chill down his spine. "What should I expect from this meeting?"

  Alea shrugged, a gesture that did little to conceal her own uncertainty. "Honestly? I don't know. Linden is brilliant, but even he may not have answers for something this unprecedented. At best, he might be able to examine your aether core and give us some insight into what's happening. At worst..."

  She left the sentence unfinished, but Val could fill in the blanks. Their food arrived, momentarily distracting them from the weighty conversation. The quality was excellent, as Alea had promised the ingredients were fresh, the preparation skillful, the flavors balanced and satisfying. They ate in companionable silence for a few minutes, both appreciating the simple pleasure of a good meal after the chaos of recent days.

  "So," Alea said finally, breaking the silence as she speared a roasted carrot with her fork, "apart from your mysterious new abilities and the impending undead invasion, how are you?"

  The absurdity of the question startled a laugh from Val. "Oh, you know, can't complain. When I'm not fighting ghouls or discovering strange powers, life's pretty routine."

  Alea grinned, the tension between them easing. "Seriously, though. How are you holding up? You've been through a lot, even by your standards."

  Val considered the question, taking a sip of his tea before answering. "I'm... processing, I suppose. There hasn't been much time to think about it all, between the battles and the evacuations and the race back to Oakspire."

  "And Jorin," Alea added softly, her expression sobering.

  "And Jorin," Val agreed, a familiar weight settling in his chest at the mention of his fallen captain. "I keep seeing it happen, keep wondering if there was something I could have done differently."

  "There wasn't," Alea said firmly, reaching across the table to briefly squeeze his hand. "You know that, right? He made his choice, and because of it, dozens of people survived who would otherwise have died."

  Val nodded, grateful for her understanding. "I know. Rationally, I know. But it's still there, the what-ifs." He took another bite of his meal, using the moment to compose himself. "What about you? How are you handling everything?"

  Alea considered this, absently twirling her fork between her fingers. "Throwing myself into work, obviously," she admitted with a self-deprecating smile. "It's what I always do when things get overwhelming. Channel it all into something productive, something that might make a difference."

  "The lantern project," Val surmised.

  "Among others. The academy is mobilizing all its resources for the coming conflict. Every mage, every researcher, every student old enough to safely handle aether, we're all working on something. Defensive enhancements for the city walls, offensive capabilities for the military, healing techniques for the wounded, communication systems for field coordination..." She gestured broadly, encompassing the bustling activity of the academy around them. "It's a massive effort."

  Val looked around the courtyard with new eyes, noting the purposeful movements of the academy members, the intense discussions happening at many tables, the scrolls and notebooks that accompanied nearly every meal. What had seemed like normal academic activity now revealed itself as a coordinated response to a looming threat.

  She leaned forward, lowering her voice further. "What I do know is that the academy leadership is deeply concerned. The Grandmasters have been meeting daily, sometimes through the night. Resources are being used that have been carefully preserved for years. That doesn't happen unless the threat is considered existential."

  The weight of her words settled between them as they finished their meal, each lost in their own thoughts about what lay ahead. Val was about to ask another question when a movement in his peripheral vision caught his attention.

  A potted plant near their table, a small, flowering shrub with glossy green leaves and delicate white blooms, seemed to shift slightly. At first, Val thought it might be a breeze disturbing the foliage, but the air in the courtyard was still. He watched more closely and realized with a start that the plant was actually growing, its stems visibly elongating, new leaves unfurling before his eyes.

  Alea followed his gaze, her eyebrows, what remained of them, rising in surprise. She quirked one singed brow at Val, a silent question in her amber eyes.

  Val gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head, denying any conscious influence on the plant. Yet he could feel a connection to it, a subtle pull on his aether core that suggested he was indeed affecting the living organism, however unintentionally.

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  A clock chimed somewhere in the academy, drawing Alea's attention away from the curious phenomenon. "We should go," she said, finishing the last of her tea. "Our appointment with Linden is in fifteen minutes, and it wouldn't do to keep a Grandmaster waiting."

  They settled their bill and left the café, Alea leading the way through the academy's grounds toward the section dedicated to life aether studies. Unlike the other aether disciplines, which were housed in distinct architectural structures; the Tower of Flame, the Dome of Air, the Halls of Earth, the Pools of Water, the life aether facilities were integrated with the academy's extensive gardens, a living laboratory of plants, trees, and carefully maintained ecosystems.

  The administrative center for life aether studies was a graceful structure that seemed to grow organically from the surrounding landscape, its stone walls partially covered with climbing vines, its windows framed by living wood that had been coaxed into architectural forms by generations of life mages. Inside, the air was fresh and sweet, filled with the scent of growing things and subtly charged with the distinctive energy of life aether.

  A young apprentice in the pale green robes of a life aether student greeted them in the entrance hall, bowing respectfully to Alea's status as a full mage. "Mage Faet and guest? Grandmaster Linden is expecting you. Please follow me."

  The apprentice led them through corridors lined with living plants and illuminated by crystalline formations that captured and amplified natural light. The atmosphere was one of serene focus, with students and instructors moving purposefully between classrooms, laboratories, and meditation spaces designed to enhance connection with life energy.

  Finally, they arrived at a simple wooden door marked only with the symbol of a leaf within a circle, the personal emblem of Grandmaster Linden. The apprentice knocked softly, and a gentle voice from within bade them enter.

  Grandmaster Linden's office was not what Val had expected from one of the most powerful and respected mages in Oakspire. Rather than an imposing space designed to intimidate or impress, it was a warm, welcoming room that reminded Val of a gardener's cottage. Bookshelves lined the walls, interspersed with living plants that grew directly from the stone. A large desk of polished wood dominated one side of the room, its surface covered with open books, specimens in various stages of examination, and meticulous notes in a flowing hand.

  Grandmaster Linden himself stood near a large window that overlooked one of the academy's experimental gardens. He was an elderly man, tall and slender, with a long white beard and kind eyes that crinkled at the corners when he smiled. His robes were the deep forest green of a master life mage, but worn with the casual comfort of old favorite garments rather than formal regalia.

  "Ah, Mage Faet," he greeted Alea with a warm smile that faltered slightly when his gaze shifted to Val. A flicker of something, surprise, confusion, perhaps even concern, crossed his features before his expression returned to one of polite interest. "And this must be Ranger Hearne. Please, be seated."

  He gestured to comfortable chairs arranged near a small table, where a pot of tea was already steeping. As they sat, Linden poured three cups with the practiced ease of someone who had performed the ritual thousands of times. "Silverleaf blend," he informed them, passing the cups. "Calming to the nerves and conducive to clear thinking. I find it helpful during consultations."

  Val accepted his cup gratefully, noting the subtle aroma of mint and something deeper, more earthy. The tea was delicious, warming him from within and indeed seeming to settle the nervous energy that had been building since they entered the academy.

  Linden took his own seat, regarding them with gentle curiosity. "Now, I understand from Grandmaster Lutha that you wish to consult me on a matter of some... unusual aether manifestation?"

  There was a note of skepticism, thought not in an unkind way, in his voice, suggesting he had heard many claims of "unusual manifestations" that turned out to be mundane misunderstandings or exaggerations. Val found himself hesitating, suddenly uncertain how to begin explaining something he barely understood himself.

  Alea gave him an encouraging nod, subtly prompting him to speak. Val took a deep breath, set down his tea, and met the Grandmaster's gaze directly.

  "Grandmaster Linden, I've recently experienced changes in my aether abilities that I can't explain," he began, choosing his words carefully. "My natural affinity has always been life aether, but in limited ways, physical enhancement, accelerated healing, the basics that have served me well in field work.

  Linden nodded, his expression neutral but attentive. "A common pattern among those who serve in dangerous roles without formal training. The body adapts to survival needs in the absence of dedicated training."

  "Yes, but what's happening now goes beyond that," Val continued. "During the second battle at Willow Creek. There…was a moment when the defensive lines collapsed. Three ogres broke through our barricade and all seemed lost. I felt so hopeless, so angry…I had committed myself to death with the goal of taking one down with me."

  Val sat lost in thought for a moment, the tension was palpable as Alea and Linden waited for him to continue. "Then when I surged, I felt this incredible power fill me. Like nothing I have ever felt before. I don't remember every detail but what I remember is this; I defeated two ogres in solo combat and the wounds of all those around me healed in an instant. Men who were near death rejoined the fight, those too exhausted to continue moved as if fully rested."

  "The others… say I glowed with a bright white light, that everyone near me glowed as well, though more softly. I fought against a powerful necromancer who's powers seemed to counter mine. Alea arrived with the fifth, leading to a victory. Since then…people heal faster around me, they seem to have more energy, plants…grow" Val shrugged as if he didn't believe himself.

  "When did these changes begin?" Linden asked, leaning forward slightly, his tea forgotten.

  "They emerged gradually over the past few months, but culminated during the siege at Willow Creek," Val explained.

  Val continued. "My core seems more... responsive, to everything around it."

  "Like the shrub at the café," Alea interjected, addressing Linden directly. "A flowering plant near our table visibly grew during our meal, responding to Val's presence without any deliberate effort on his part."

  "What is happening to me?" Val asked with exasperation.

  Linden set his cup down carefully, his expression now one of intense concentration. "May I examine your aether core, Ranger Hearne? It would help me better understand what you're experiencing."

  "You believe me?"

  "I do, ranger. You have been practically radiating life aether since the moment you walked in, I would gauge your power at the master level, even if untrained."

  "Please relax," Linden instructed the stunned Val, rising from his own chair. "This will not be painful, but you may experience some unusual sensations as I assess your core's structure and function."

  Val complied, standing still as Linden circled him slowly, hands held a few inches from Val's body without actually touching him. The Grandmaster's eyes half-closed in concentration, and Val felt a gentle pressure against his core, not invasive, but definitely present, like the weight of a hand resting lightly on his chest.

  Then, unexpectedly, Linden gasped. His eyes flew open wide, and he took an involuntary step backward, his composed demeanor cracking to reveal genuine shock. For a moment, the elderly mage simply stared at Val as if seeing him for the first time.

  "Impossible," he whispered, more to himself than to them. "After all this time…"

  Alea rose from her chair, alarm evident in her expression. "Grandmaster? What is it? What's wrong with Val?"

  Linden seemed to collect himself with visible effort, his professional composure returning though his eyes remained wide with wonder. "There is nothing wrong with your friend, Mage Faet. But what is happening to him is... unprecedented in my experience."

  He returned to his seat, gesturing for them both to do the same. When they were settled, Linden took a long sip of his tea, his hands showing the slightest tremor that had not been present before.

  "Ranger Hearne," he said finally, his voice calm but weighted with significance, "what do you know about Mother Arden and the First Seeds?"

  The question caught Val completely off guard. Mother Arden was a historical figure, a legendary healer and protector who had lived thousands of years ago. According to the stories, she had created the Oakspire itself as a final act of sacrifice to protect Yelden Valley from encroaching darkness. The First Seeds were her inner circle of disciples.

  "Only what everyone knows," Val replied cautiously. "The legends, the stories told to children. Why?"

  Linden's gaze was penetrating, as if trying to see through Val to something beyond or within him. "Because, young man, your aether core has begun to manifest patterns that have not been seen in Yelden Valley since the fall."

  The words hung in the air between them, heavy with implications that Val could not yet fully grasp. All he knew was that something momentous had just been revealed, something that connected him to a figure of legend and a power that had shaped the very valley in which he had spent his entire life.

  And based on Grandmaster Linden's reaction, whatever this connection meant, it was far more significant than Val had imagined when he'd agreed to this meeting.