"We can't afford to waste time," Marco announced, his holographic form flickering as data streams scrolled around him. "With the time dilation effect in the Hall of Whispers, each hour spent outside is equivalent to approximately five days inside."

  It had been less than twenty-four hours since their return from the Hall of Whispers, and Marco had already devised a comprehensive training and harvesting plan to maximize efficiency.

  Eli sat cross-legged on the stone floor, Starling balanced across his knees, eyes closed in deep meditation. The binding spell pulsed softly at his neck, silver threads extending outward in delicate patterns that matched his steady breathing. In and out. Expansion and contraction. A perfect rhythm.

  "Energy circulation at 87% efficiency," Marco noted, voice low. "A 3% improvement since this morning."

  Eli nodded slightly but maintained his focus. Through practice, he had learned to hear without breaking his concentration, to absorb information without disrupting the delicate balance of energies flowing through him.

  Aura drifted above them both, her light pulsing in sync with the binding spell's rhythm. The tracker crystal had become a permanent fixture now, integrated so completely with her form that it seemed a natural part of her luminous body.

  The meridian path is stabilizing, her translation appeared in the air. The third junction no longer fluctuates.

  The past hours had been spent in intensive preparation. Marco had analyzed every scrap of data from their extended stay in the Hall of Whispers, focusing particularly on the symbols above the dormant memory portals and the mysterious pedestal that had communicated with Eli through the binding spell.

  What had emerged was a coherent, if startling, theory: The Hall of Whispers was not just a repository of Aethel memories but a vast training and knowledge system, designed to prepare and equip those who bore the binding spell. And to access its full capabilities, they needed power—specifically, purified corruption energy harvested from the very creatures that threatened the dungeon's balance.

  "I've calculated an optimal training schedule," Marco continued, displays expanding to show complex timelines. "By alternating between the Hall of Whispers and corruption harvesting, we can maximize both your skill development and energy collection."

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Eli opened his eyes, the silver threads retracting smoothly back to the binding spell. "How much longer?" he asked, his voice betraying a hint of impatience despite his efforts at calm.

  Marco's projection flickered slightly. "The dungeon's corruption concentration has increased by 12% since our last scan. We should proceed within the next hour."

  "So now," Eli interpreted, rising to his feet. At eleven years old, he was still small for the weight of responsibility he carried, but the time spent training in the Hall of Whispers had changed him. He moved with a new confidence, a fluid grace that belied his youth.

  "Rushing would be unwise," Marco countered, though without his usual sharpness. "The harvesting process you describe is untested in our current circumstances."

  Aura drifted between them, her light pulsing with calm assertion. We are prepared, her translation read. The core hungers. The binding is strong. It is time.

  Marco's calculations spun rapidly, assessing variables, calculating probabilities. Finally, he nodded. "The corruption has spread to sector three," he conceded. "A test of the harvesting capabilities would be... prudent."

  Eli suppressed a smile. Marco admitting the need for action rather than further analysis was a small victory in itself.

  "I'll get ready," Eli said, moving toward the equipment table Marco had prepared.

  The past days hadn't been spent solely in meditation. Marco had modified their gear based on what they'd learned, creating specialized equipment designed to enhance Eli's training and facilitate the harvesting process.

  The HUD circlet had been upgraded with new training modules and energy tracking capabilities. A thin layer of crystalline material now coated Starling's shaft, enhancing its ability to channel energy between the dark core and the binding spell. And most importantly, a new harness had been fashioned for Eli—a vest of interlinked crystal segments that would help distribute harvested energy safely through his system.

  "Remember," Marco instructed as Eli donned the equipment, "the theoretical model suggests a three-phase process. Containment, conversion, and storage."

  "I know," Eli replied, adjusting the harness. "We've been over this a dozen times."

  "Theoretical knowledge and practical application are distinct challenges," Marco reminded him stiffly.

  Aura hovered close to Eli's shoulder, her light pulsing with what might have been amusement. He worries, her translation appeared. Calculations cannot predict all outcomes.

  That was as close to admitting concern as Marco was likely to get. Eli nodded, softening slightly. "I'll be careful," he promised. "Contain, convert, store. No shortcuts."

  The binding spell pulsed warmly at his neck, as if in approval. Over the past days, Eli had come to recognize its various rhythms and temperature changes as a form of communication—not words, but impressions, guidance, warnings.

  "Let's do this," he said, gripping Starling firmly.

  —