The Eastern District Training Ground occupied a former industrial park, its warehouses and open spaces repurposed for Transcendent practice. As Devin's personal car, a modest vehicle rather than the transport van, pulled into the visitor parking area, Marcus noted the facility's security measures: scanner gates at all entrances, uniformed Transcendent Authority personnel conducting ID checks, and surveillance drones circling overhead.
"Bigger crowd than usual."
Devin observed as he helped deploy the portable ramp for Marcus's wheelchair.
"Must be Voss's reputation drawing them in."
Marcus nodded, directing his chair down the ramp with a thought. He had opted not to use the chair's autonomous features openly, not wanting to draw attention to capabilities that exceeded his F-Rank designation.
"You've been here before?"
"A few times."
Devin admitted as he folded the ramp.
"Like I said, bit of a fanboy. They let the public observe from designated areas."
He gestured toward a line forming at the main entrance.
"That's us, general admission. Transcendents enter through the side gates."
They joined the queue, Marcus noting the diverse crowd. Families with children, elderly couples, groups of teenagers—all drawn by the spectacle of Transcendent abilities on display. The normalization of supernatural powers had occurred remarkably quickly in the years following The Awakening.
When they reached the entrance, a security officer scanned Marcus's Transcendent ID.
"F-Rank, Wind specialty."
The officer noted, glancing at Marcus with mild interest.
"You're cleared for observation only in Areas A through C. No skill use within the facility unless in designated practice zones."
"Understood."
Marcus replied.
Devin presented his civilian ID and received a visitor badge.
"Stay with your Transcendent escort at all times."
The officer instructed him, nodding toward Marcus.
Inside, the facility was impressive—a massive open space with reinforced walls and ceiling, divided into sections by transparent energy barriers. Various training scenarios played out in different zones: elemental manipulation exercises, combat simulations, precision control challenges.
"Main demonstrations in the central arena. Starts in about twenty minutes. Want to look around first?"
Devin asked, pointing toward the largest section where seating had been arranged around a circular platform.
Marcus nodded, his attention already scanning the facility with more than just his eyes. He activated his Tempest skill's spiritual sensitivity, searching for any disturbances that might indicate an ethereal presence.
Nothing immediately registered, but the sheer concentration of energy fluctuation generated by skill usage in the building created a background hum that might mask subtler signatures.
—He would need to monitor continuously throughout the event.
They toured the public sections of the facility, Marcus observing the various training exercises with analytical interest. Most practitioners used their skills in straightforward, almost predictable ways—Fire users creating increasingly large flames, Earth users manipulating stone and metal, Water users demonstrating fluid control.
Few showed the creativity or adaptability that Marcus had already developed with his Tempest skill. Perhaps necessity and desperation were more effective teachers than formal training programs.
As they approached the central arena, the crowd thickened. Devin navigated them to a section reserved for wheelchair users, offering an excellent view of the demonstration platform.
"Perfect timing. Should be starting any minute."
He said as they settled into position.
The lights dimmed except for those illuminating the central platform. A voice boomed through the facility's speaker system:
"Eastern District Training Ground welcomes you to tonight's Advanced Skill Applications demonstration, featuring C-Rank specialists in elemental and kinetic disciplines. Please remain in designated observation areas at all times. Emergency exits are marked in green. In the event of skill containment failure, please follow Transcendent Authority personnel's instructions immediately."
The platform illuminated fully as five individuals walked to its center. Three men and two women, all wearing the distinctive uniforms of professional Transcendents. Their rank insignias identified them as C-Rank specialists in various disciplines.
"Our first demonstrator. Elara Voss, C-Rank Wind specialist and tactical consultant to the Metropolitan Security Division."
The host announced.
A woman stepped forward, drawing everyone's attention. She was tall and athletic, with close-cropped silver hair, though she appeared to be only in her thirties. She wore a modified uniform that emphasized mobility: reinforced fabric accentuated by blue tones, minimal armor plating, and numerous small equipment pouches at her belt.
Standing before the audience, Voss swept her gaze across the venue and addressed them, her voice clear and confident.
"Wind is typically classified as a utility skill. Most practitioners use it for environmental control, personal mobility, or supplementary support in multi-element teams."
She raised her hands, generating a visible sphere of swirling air currents.
"But with proper application, Wind can be as effective in combat as any elemental offensive skill."
What followed was a presentation that left Marcus transfixed. Voss manipulated air with precision and creativity that he had not imagined possible. She created vacuum pockets that imploded with concussive force. She compressed air into visible structures as solid as steel. She displayed flight maneuvers that made Marcus's rooftop practice seem childish by comparison.
Most importantly, she showed offensive techniques that went far beyond his simple air pressure blades—techniques that might prove effective against ethereal entities.
"Air exists everywhere."
Voss explained as she created a swirling vortex around a training dummy.
"Even in spaces we perceive as empty. By manipulating air at the molecular level, we can affect anything that exists within our atmosphere, including entities that don't fully manifest in our physical reality."
Marcus leaned forward in his wheelchair. This was exactly the information he needed.
Voss continued:
"Spectral entities, for instance, exist partially out of phase with our dimension. Physical attacks pass through them, and even many elemental skills have reduced effect. But air, when properly compressed and energized, can interact with their quasi-physical form."
She showcased this by creating what she called an "etheric resonance field"—a sphere of rapidly vibrating air molecules that glowed with faint blue light.
"This technique disrupts the frequency at which spectral entities maintain cohesion in our reality. Essentially forcing them to either fully materialize or retreat to their native dimensional state."
She explained.
Marcus committed every detail to memory. The etheric resonance field was beyond his current capabilities, but the underlying principle seemed achievable with his evolved Tempest skill. With practice and perhaps additional EP investment, he might be able to replicate the technique.
The presentation continued for nearly an hour, with each specialist showcasing advanced applications of their respective disciplines. Marcus paid close attention to all of them, but his focus remained on Voss's techniques. He replayed her words, principles, and methods in his mind many times to improve his understanding.
As the event concluded and the crowd began to disperse, Marcus noticed something disturbing. His Tempest skill's spiritual sensitivity registered a faint disturbance near the facility's eastern wall. A subtle ripple in the ambient energy that didn't match any of the active skills being demonstrated.
The sensation sent a chill through him.
—It felt like he was being targeted by a predator.
"We should go," he told Devin abruptly.
"Already? I thought maybe we could try to meet some of the demonstrators. They usually do a brief meet-and-greet with—"
"Now!"
Marcus insisted, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Realizing his tone was harsh and that he didn't provide context, he added:
"I'm not feeling well."
Concern immediately replaced Devin's enthusiasm.
"Of course. Let's get you home."
As they made their way toward the exit, Marcus continued monitoring the disturbance. It was moving, following a pattern that suggested predatory behavior rather than random fluctuation, matching what he felt.
Something was hunting in the facility, using the concentration of ambient energy generated by skill activations as cover for its own presence.
A Vitality Wraith? Possibly, though he couldn't confirm without visual contact. Whatever it was, the chances of it being some type of wraith were high. The entity was closing in on an unsuspecting target—a young Transcendent who had separated from her group near the water fountains.
Marcus faced a difficult choice. Should he continue toward the exit with Devin to avoid confrontation with the unknown threat, or intervene in what might be an attack similar to what had claimed Mrs. Abernathy's life?
Rationally, he should prioritize his own well-being over others, but something in him rebelled against that logic.
After a moment of internal debate, he made a decision that went against his initial instincts.
—He couldn't allow another death to occur under his watch if he had the power to prevent it.