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  Edward’s metal fingers curled slightly, the quiet creak of automail filling the silence. “I didn’t e here to stay the same.” He met her eyes, unwavering. “Please, teach me.”

  The A Oudied him for a long moment, a flicker of approval crossing her face, then nodded. “You’ll hat resolve.” She gestured toward the room’s floor, etched with intricate patterns that seemed to pulse faintly under her touch. “Sit. ter yourself.”

  Edward plied, settling himself cross-legged, his back straight as he closed his eyes. The room quieted, and for a moment, he felt the weight of his journey pressing down on him. He’d climbed Everest without alchemy, without shortcuts.

  Edward quickly grasped the flow of Eldritergy around him, the pulsing aura from another dimension resonating with an odd familiarity, much like the principles of alchemy ba his world. As he watched the tendrils of energy twine around The A One and drift through the sanctum, he knew immediately that this was what made Eldritch Magic possible—an endless current of raw power, ready to be shaped.

  Remembering Nero’s words about the darker forces that some sorcerers dared to harness, Edward sensed an uone of that same energy lurking within The A One, almost woven into her very being. It was subtle, nothing overtly sinister, yet undeniable—a gamble she had taken. He didn’t dwell on it, though; instead, he trated, letting his mind sync with the energy as naturally as he would with alchemical transmutation.

  The A One was quietly Edward as he mao manipute Eldritergy far faster than she'd anticipated. For Edward, it was simply another application of principles he already knew. In his world, he had sacrificed parts of himself t back his brother’s soul, gained an uanding of alchemy’s core, and no longer needed circles for transmutations. Here, he could feel something simir. The rules of equivalent exge were repced by an endless pool of energy from another dimension. And immediately, a question began to form: Could this energy be eled through alchemy instead?

  The thought of applying Eldritergy to bypass equivalent exge was tempting. The Philosopher’s Stone, a tool to bypass this rule in his world, required the cost of tless souls—a sacrifice he could never accept. Eldritergy, however, was different. No lives were sacrificed, and he could already ses raw, unfiltered power. The A Oiced his mind ing and spoke up.

  "You’re adapting remarkably fast, Edward. Though I sense... curiosity," she remarked, her eyes gleaming slightly.

  Edward nodded. “I thought the rules here would override alchemy’s basics, like Equivalent Exge. But it’s more like using Eldritergy as fuel—boundless, shapeless. It’s just maniputiy through a different medium,” he said. “Alchemy is seen as rigid because we’re bound by what’s there. This energy is invisible, limitless, making it look like magic.”

  "Iing way to put it," she noted, leaning slightly forward. "It sounds as though you're sidering alchemy with a fresh perspective."

  Edward let out a dry chuckle. "Alchemy was always structured, bound by exge. You give something, you get something—no free passes." He watched as the energy twisted effortlessly under his guidance, responding without demanding anything iurn. "But with Eldritergy, it’s like... a Philosopher's Stone on tap."

  That earned a small lift of her eyebrow. "A, you seem ued by the lure of something without limits."

  "Limits keep things grounded," he replied, tapping his metal fingers against the ground in thought. "I’ve seen what happens to people when they fet that."

  After a brief rest and initial testing with the A One, Edward followed her through the winding halls of Kamar-Taj until they emerged into a wide-open courtyard. It was surrounded by t walls draped with creeping vines, and a few students were already gathered in the ter, practig various teiques with quick, precise gestures. Energy shifted and sparked around them in fluid arcs, though none looked nearly as raw as what Edward had seen iral pne.

  "Take a moment to observe the others, see if ynize any principles in their movements,” the A One suggested as they walked. “The mind adapts quickly when it sees things in a.” She turoward the group, where a wiry man and a paan were sparring, their movements fluid and trolled. Edward noticed how eaoved in synticipating the other’s shift in energy, defleg without direct tact.

  Edward watched with i, studying how they maintained band trol. He observed how they tapped into the flow around them without appearing rigid or restricted. It was almost like breathing—natural, unforced. “Like a dance,” he muttered.

  “Exactly,” the A One replied with a slight nod. She called over a tall, sturdy man with a shaven head and dark, pierg eyes. The man approached, bowing respectfully before the A Ouro Edward.

  “This is Master Mardo. I’d like you to practice with him,” she said, gesturing toward the tall, sturdy man with a shaven head.

  Edward gnced over, taking in Mardo’s stance—solid, direct. He had the look of someone who didn’t waste words. Edward nodded his greeting, a short, “Thanks for the help.”

  Mardo studied Edward with a slight frown, his gaze nding briefly on Edward’s automail arm before returning to his face. “Prosthetic, huh? That’s… new.”

  Edward grunted, shifting his metal fingers slightly. “Just part of the package"

  Without further preamble, Mardo’s hands lifted in a fluid motion. "Since you're new, let's stiartial arts only. No alchemy, no magic. Agreed?"

  Edward flexed his metal hand, rolling his shoulders with a quiod. "Fine by me."

  Mardo took a stance, feet rooted, arms loose, his gaze fixed on Edward’s form. Edward could see the experieched into his every movement. Without hesitatioepped forward, ready for the first strike. Edward sidestepped, keeping his weight light as he adjusted, blog Mardo’s fist with a quick pivot of his metal arm.

  Mardo’s expression barely shifted as he adjusted his position and threw another series of quick, precise jabs. Edward ducked, dodged, and struck back with his flesh hand, aiming for Mardo’s shoulder. Mardo absorbed the hit with a solid, practiced blod tered with a swift low kick, f Edward to hop back.

  "Not bad," Mardo eaking a brief step back, his stance solid. "The arm gives you some bance issues, though."

  Edward raised a brow, unimpressed. "I make it work."

  Mardo smirked, ung forward with a powerful roundhouse kick. Edward met it with his automail forearm, the metal abs the impact with a satisfying g. Without missing a beat, Mardo’s fist shot forward, aiming for Edward’s ribs. Edward twisted, catg the fist with his metal hand, and gave a quick, forceful shove, breaking Mardo’s stanentarily.

  After a while, both fighters paused, catg their breath. Mardo adjusted his stance, a hint of respe his look.

  The A One gave a nod, “You’ve clearly been in fights before. But you’re g formal training. We’ll work on that while you learn Eldritch Magic.”

  Edward wiped a bit of sweat from his brow, nodding once.

  Wong approached, gesturing for Edward to follow. “e. I’ll show you to your room, the library, and the rest.”

  Edward followed him through the maze of hallways, the quiet steps eg softly in the empty spaces. The pce had an old-world feel, like it held more stories than any one person could imagine. Wong led him to a modest room—bare walls, a single bed, and a small table.

  “Library’s two halls over,” Wong said simply, gesturing down the corridor. “There’s a few scrolls in there you’ll find iing. Nothing to break your head over at first.”

  Edward nodded, uanding. “Sounds good.”

  Before Wong turo leave, he g Edward's automail. “Does it limit you?”

  Edward shrugged. “Depends ouation, but not really. It’s part of the job description.”

  A small smirk pyed at the edge of Wong's mouth, but he just gave a slight nod. “Good. You’ll be busy. Magic training starts early. If you get lost, someone will point the way.”

  After Wo, Edward took a moment to settle in. The room was basiothing but bare walls, a low bed, and a small table in the er. He shrugged, setting down his bag and giving his arm a rest. Kamar-Taj was different from what he'd expected, but at least it was free from distras. The real challenge would begin soon.

  The m, pale dawn light crept through the tiny window, casting a faint glow across the room. Edulled himself up and headed to the courtyard where the other students had already started their routines. Standing among them, he observed the way they moved.

  Edward mimicked the movements, paying close attention as Mardo led the group through a series of foundational forms. It was a strange bance of stillness and fluidity, blending martial arts with something else entirely.

  When the warm-ups ended, a tall, wiry guy who looked like he could blend into any shadoroached Edward. “You’re the one from… Everest?”

  “Guess I am,” Edward replied, unbothered.

  A blonde woman nearby chuckled. “And you didn’t use magic? Sounds like a load of trouble.”

  Edward shrugged. “I’ve had worse.”

  Mardo cpped his hands, gathering everyone’s attention. “Enough chatter. Pair up for sparring. And don’t hold back—better to learn your limits now than in the middle of a real fight.”

  Edward found himself paired with the wiry guy, who introduced himself as Ravi. “So, what’s your story?” Ravi asked as they squared off. “A guy climbs Everest just to learn magic. You’re not here for some fshy power trip, are you?”

  Edward smirked. “Not my style. I’m after something more useful.”

  “Oh yeah? And what’s useful to you?” Ravi threunch, which Edward deflected, following up with a quick jab of his own.

  “Knowledge. You don’t o destroy the world to uand it.” Edward sidestepped, sending Ravi stumbling forward with a light push. “How about you? Why are you here?”

  Ravi regained his bance, brushing off the hit. “Prote. Learhe hard way that knowing how to defend yourself make all the difference.” He swung another punch, which Edward blocked with his metal arm.

  “Guess that’s ohing we have in on,” Edward said, tossing a few more hits in his dire, his movements precise.

  They tinued sparring, each sizing the other up without needing to overthink. Ravi seemed impressed by Edward’s moves and smirked as he dodged a hit, nding a quick punch to Edward’s side. “Solid work with that arm. Surprised it doesn’t slow you down.”

  “It used to,” Edward replied, stepping back to reassess. “But I’ve had good help. A friend built it—better than most tech you’d find anywhere.”

  Ravi chuckled, “Didn’t peg you for a tech guy.”

  Edward shrugged, keeping his focus. “I’m not. But when you’ve lost a limb, you take what you get.”

  “Fair enough,” Ravi replied, moving in for another quick jab.

  Edward blocked, his eyes sharp. "You don’t waste time, do you?”

  Ravi grinned. “I take what I get.”

  After a few more rounds, Mardo called for a ge in partners, and Edward found himself sparring with the blonde from earlier. She didn’t bother with introdus, diving straight into the fight with a speed that caught Edward off guard. He barely sidestepped her first punch, tering with a quick block.

  As the sun rose higher, Mardo called for a break, gesturing everyooward the side where rge cy jugs of water were waiting. Edward took a long drink, gng around as the students settled in small groups, chatting or silently catg their breath.

  The few hours blurred in a whirlwind of practice. Edward kept pace, his movements gradually smoothing out as he adapted to their way of fighting. It wasn’t easy—the teiques required more band flexibility than he was used to—but eaent carried a natural flow that felt familiar enough for him to pick up quickly.

  As they tinued, Edward caught ss of versation from the other students, most of whom had e seeking power, prote, or purpose. He kept his own goals close, not ied in grandiose speeches or justifying himself to a was refreshing, in a way, to be around people who didn’t pry too much. Here, your aattered more than your reasons.

  When the day finally wound down, Mardo dismissed them, telling the group to rest before m training resumed. Edward felt the ache in his muscles, but it was a satisfying kind of exhaustion, one he hadn’t felt in a long time.

  Kamar-Taj was unlike any pce he’d been. The training was hard, the teachers strict, but that was exactly what he’d waomorrow, he’d be ba the courtyard, learnihings..

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