The next morning, Ryder stood at the edge of a wide stone courtyard deep in the ruins of Kareth's Hollow. Weathered columns framed a broken arena filled with glyphs and carved channels that still trickled with faintly glowing water.
Seris folded her arms. "This is where the Mythborn once trained to channel their soul and beast. We'll start small."
"Define small," Ryder muttered, still sore from yesterday's battle.
A white-haired man with bronze armor stepped into the circle. His eyes pulsed with blue light. "Name's Torran. Tidewell keeper. You're the Leviathan Heir, right? Let's see if the ocean likes you."
Torran raised his hand. The water in the courtyard spiraled upward, forming a thin ring that hovered around Ryder.
Ryder tensed. "What is this?"
"It's Tideflow," Seris explained. "Your core resonates with water. The better you control it, the stronger your bond with your beast and your Soul Weapon becomes."
Ryder nodded. "Alright. Let's try."
He focused. The ring trembled but didn't respond. He pushed harder, trying to feel the pull in his chest—but nothing happened.
"Too stiff," Torran said flatly. "You're fighting the current. Let it move with you."
Ryder took a deep breath. He remembered the deep—the pressure crushing, the stillness between pulses. That sense of weight returned now. He let his mind drift, just a little. The ring of water slowly rotated around him, then dipped into a slow spiral, tightening around his body like a gentle tide.
Torran grunted. "Better. Keep going."
Seris tossed a wooden staff to him. "Channel the Tideflow through that. No more brute force."
Ryder caught it and planted his feet. He extended the staff forward. The water coiled along its length, forming a liquid blade at the tip. It wavered, then held.
For a moment, it felt right.
"Now move."
Ryder stepped forward and slashed. The water blade lashed outward and sliced through one of the stone markers. Clean cut.
His eyes widened. "Did I just—?"
"Good," Seris said. "But that's nothing compared to what's coming."
Torran motioned toward the edge of the courtyard. A stone archway rumbled open, revealing a training beast—massive, crab-like, armored in black shell and leaking green mist from its joints.
"Meet your test," Torran said. "It doesn't kill, but it hits hard. Survive three minutes."
Ryder gripped the staff tighter. "Of course it does."
The beast charged.
He rolled aside just in time, slashing at one of its legs. The water blade skimmed over the shell—no damage.
It spun and lunged again. Ryder leapt back, barely avoiding the claws. He tried to focus his Tideflow into the staff, channeling pressure instead of sharpness.
He struck again—this time with a burst of force. The crab staggered slightly.
"That's it," Seris called out. "Tideflow isn't just water—it's pressure, density, rhythm."
Ryder adjusted. He parried the next swipe, then forced his will through the weapon. The water pulsed. With a grunt, he drove the blade forward.
Boom.
The beast was knocked back several feet.
It recovered quickly—but Ryder's body remembered the movement now. Each motion felt more natural. More fluid.
He circled the beast, dodging, striking, flowing like the current around a reef.
Two minutes passed. The beast grew more aggressive.
Claws slammed into the ground beside him. Ryder stumbled but used the momentum to flip backward. As he landed, a deep instinct surged. His mark—the Leviathan spiral—glowed. The staff responded. Water surged around it, shaping into three spiraling streams.
Without thinking, Ryder thrust the staff forward. The streams shot out like spears, slamming into the beast's legs.
It staggered, then collapsed.
Torran raised a hand. "Time's up."
The crab dissolved into mist.
Ryder dropped to his knees, breathing hard. "That… was insane."
"Your body remembers the Leviathan," Torran said. "But memory alone isn't enough. You need discipline."
Seris knelt beside him, offering water. "You did well. Most don't last more than a minute against that thing their first time."
Ryder took the bottle gratefully. "Thanks. That pressure thing—feels familiar. Like the ocean pulling."
"It should," she replied. "That's part of your bond. The deeper you go, the more of it you'll unlock. And soon, you'll have to."
Torran nodded grimly. "We're sending scouts to investigate a Gate rupture to the east. If the Concord's involved, we'll need you ready."
"Gate rupture?"
Seris looked at him. "We'll explain tomorrow. For now, rest. The real test is coming."