The morning sun hadn't yet touched the horizon when Jimmy's eyes opened. The small room was still bathed in bluish dawn light. 5:30 AM. Some students were still fast asleep, while a few early risers shuffled quietly to start their day.
Jimmy got up without a sound, gently patting Luna who was curled beside him like a warm cloud. She yawned with a tiny squeak but didn't protest as he slid out of bed.
After brushing up and packing a small bag with essentials—some dried food, a fresh notebook, a fruit or two, and Luna's favourite polished berry-treats—Jimmy left the room.
Outside the hostel, the security guard raised an eyebrow.
"Out this early?" he asked, glancing at his register.
Jimmy silently showed his ID and wrote his name down.
"Destination?" the guard asked.
Jimmy pointed at a word written on the notepad: Kliken Forest – South Zone.
The guard blinked. "Forest, huh? You sure?"
Jimmy nodded.
He walked further and had to report again at the academy's outer gate. The guard there, more stern and official, carefully logged the timing of his departure.
Finally, Jimmy reached the dusty bus stop just outside the academy wall. The first bus of the day rumbled in like a tired ox at 6:15 AM. Only a handful of people got on—mostly nature researchers, travellers, or tamer trainees like him.
Jimmy found a window seat and watched the world shift slowly from stone to green. Buildings gave way to thickening trees, houses turned to moss-covered fences, and city chatter faded into birdsong. The hum of the bus became a lullaby of movement.
Kliken Forest – South Gate.
The stop was busy. Unusually busy. As he got off the bus, he noticed the crowd almost immediately. People in cloaks, gear, even kids with shaky little Whisps by their side—all loitering, murmuring, pointing fingers.
As soon as Jimmy stepped forward, a group to the left went quiet.
Some people moved aside. Others gave him strange glances. A few even muttered cruel things under their breath.
"Why's he here?"
"Did he get lost?"
"Looks like a stray."
Still, Jimmy didn't flinch. He calmly stepped forward, showed his entry ticket to the forest guards, and asked, "Why's it so crowded today?"
The guard, a tall man with a weathered cap and half-lidded eyes, glanced down at Jimmy and gave a short grunt. "You don't even know?"
He leaned a little closer, lowering his voice like sharing an old secret.
"Today's not just any day, kid. It's Kliken Day. A Mythical whisp — half-legend, half-nightmare —only shows itself when it wants to. People say if you catch a glimpse, your luck shifts forever."
He gave a crooked smile and added,
"But for most? They'll just leave with bug bites and empty hopes."
Then another guard behind him, impatient and clearly less kind, barked out: "Got your ticket? Then quit blocking the line, unlucky brat."
The voice was loud. Cruel. Some bystanders chuckled. Jimmy simply stared blankly for a moment, then gave a small nod and walked past without a word.
He didn't care for luck. luck?? that is the most funny word for him.
So, he only came for peace—and to train.
Once inside, he found a quiet tree at the edge of the first trail, away from the crowd. He sat under it and gently summoned Luna from the Mind's Garden. She appeared with a sparkle and immediately nuzzled into his shoulder.
"Photo time," Jimmy signed, smiling faintly.
They took a few pictures—Luna grinning wide, Jimmy holding her like a little sister—and sent them to Sister Lisa. Within minutes, his device buzzed with a reply:
"Call me at night. I want to hear everything."
Jimmy smiled. Ok, he replied simply.
After ten minutes of resting and letting the world quiet down, Jimmy rose again and headed toward his destination. They wandered deeper into the forest—passing mossy paths, half-crumbled signposts, and old wooden rails. Luna happily bounced beside him, hopping on stones, chewing her fruit, occasionally swatting leaves.
Within 30 minutes, with a few short breaks and play moments, they finally reached the spot Jimmy had researched the night before.
An abandoned house.
Tucked between twisted oaks and a large stone ridge, the house looked like something from a forgotten tale. Ivy covered its sides, the windows were broken, and no signs of people could be seen. It was peaceful.
"Perfect," Jimmy whispered.
He'd heard others speak on the trail earlier:
"Today, the forest is open all night. Anyone lucky enough to spot Kliken gets a blessing."
Jimmy heard it.
But only muttered, "My luck is always bad. Doesn't matter."
He was here to prepare.
Jimmy entered the quiet ruin and took off his eyepatch. The cool shade of the house made him feel calmer. Luna chased a falling leaf and giggled like a child. Jimmy noticed her closely for the first time since morning.
There was something new in her.
A growth. Maybe it happened during their last session but got stopped when the guard interrupted them.
"What will we do here?" Luna asked, spinning on one foot, her long ears flopping.
Jimmy pulled out his notebook and flipped to a page titled Raelson Battle – Breakdown.
He pointed at two sketches:
He pointed at two sketches:One showed Luna making a quick zigzag turn, water trailing behind her like silver ribbons on a dancer's heels.
The second sketch captured a series of faded images, showing Luna splitting into three blurred silhouettes—his rough draft of the shadow clone technique he witnessed in his fight with Raelson.
Luna tilted her head, eyes blinking slowly as she studied them."Onn... onnooo... oonnooon..." she murmured thoughtfully, her tail flicking with growing interest.
Jimmy gave a determined nod and signed,"We'll master both. But first, let's make this place ours."
He stood and glanced around the abandoned forest shack. The old house stood in silence, its wooden walls weathered by time but still sturdy. Ivy curled along its edges. No one else seemed interested in coming this far—most people were too busy chasing the mythical Kliken beast. That suited Jimmy perfectly. All he needed was quiet, space, and Luna.
They checked the house together. Dusty furniture, some creaking floorboards, and a long-forgotten mirror leaning against a wall. Luna ran through the rooms playfully, occasionally sending small jets of water into corners like she was cleaning with magic. Her laughter echoed in the hollow air.
Suddenly, Jimmy paused.He had felt something earlier—an odd shift in the air when they entered—but now it was gone. No presence. No trap. Maybe just nerves.
Shaking off the unease, Jimmy set up a small mat near the entrance and pulled out his notebook again. He flipped the pages back to his Raelson match breakdown. His notes were methodical, bordering on obsessive—turn speeds, reaction times, energy spikes, attack patterns. He had replayed that battle in his mind more times than he cared to admit.
Once the house was cleared and the morning light filtered through the broken slats of the wooden walls, Jimmy got to work.
He pulled out a few planks, rocks, and spare sticks from the old supply shed behind the house. With quiet precision, he began carving out a training path on the dirt-covered ground behind the shack—nothing too complex, but carefully designed. A zigzag pattern traced in the soil. Small pebbles positioned to trip or redirect footing. Curved sticks to guide her turns. The narrow trail snaked through a few tree roots and around a bush, ending in a sharp, circular loop.
Luna tilted her head, watching curiously from a flat stone, nibbling on the edge of a berry.
Jimmy took out his notebook and flipped to a fresh page. With charcoal, he drew the path on paper, then placed it beside the trail. He looked at Luna and pointed down the route.
Then, with his hands, he signed slowly:
"This is for your zigzag training. Don't rush. I want control, not speed."
Luna hopped off the rock with a playful flick of her tail. "Ooonoo?"
Jimmy gestured again: "Slow. Then fast. Step by step."
Luna took her position. At first, her movements were too quick. She splashed a bit of water on her turns, slipping once on a patch of dirt and falling flat with a thump. She puffed her cheeks in frustration.
Jimmy didn't laugh. He just walked over, bent down, and smoothed the soil with his hand. Then he pointed again: "Balance first. Power later."
This time, Luna narrowed her eyes with mock seriousness. She started again—more carefully. Her little feet padded along the trail, dodging obstacles, adjusting angles. She skidded once, corrected herself, and made it to the loop. Her tail flicked triumphantly at the end, spraying a tiny splash of water toward Jimmy.
He nodded with pride and made a small clicking sound in approval.
But he wasn't done.
Jimmy stepped back, closed his eyes, and entered the Mind's Garden. The mental space bloomed around him—serene, glowing with the quiet hum of his bond to Luna. In that moment, he imagined the same path, visualized every turn, every mistake, every success. And from within that peaceful space, he projected his thoughts gently toward Luna—not as words, but as instinctual feelings:
"Left here. Too sharp. Balance. Watch your tail. Use the splash less."
Luna blinked and stopped moving. She looked back at him—then smiled. She started again, more confident. This time, her movements were smoother, more fluid. It wasn't perfect—but she was learning, and fast.
They repeated the course over and over. Jimmy adjusted the path, added a rock here, tightened the turn there.
By the time the sun reached its peak, Luna was moving like a ribbon in water—graceful, deliberate, calm.
Jimmy leaned back on a stone, wiped sweat from his brow, and gave her a thumbs-up.
She twirled in place, then flopped over in the shade beside him with a contented sigh.
Their training was far from over, but Jimmy smiled, feeling it deep in his chest.
This... this was progress.