The Celestial Way

Chapter 14.6 - Small Way

The place chosen for the NOC-AEO tournament was one of the enormous skyship hangars on the lower levels of the base. Since it was unused, it proved ideal for organizing sport events of almost any kind, and Zuckeroff had enthusiastically marshaled the services of a small army of robots, drones, and nanoswarms to restructure the entire hangar into a modular stadium. Rows of seats were arranged on several dozen elevations, spotlights were mounted strategically to bathe every possible centimeter in thousands of lumens if needed, and myriad data sensors were installed to broadcast full-immersion 3D or VR for those who couldn't or didn't want to watch the games physically. Additionally, the repair bays servicing the former hangar were converted into dressing rooms and team planning centers, which spoke volumes about how far Zuckeroff's passion went.

When Veralla arrived at the hangar-turned-stadium, the place was already teeming with people who had come to see the tournament. As a Radiant Knight-in-training, she was reserved a seat in a special section, whose rows were variformable in order to accommodate either humans or dragons. She went and sat down beside two human Knights who were already busily discussing the upcoming matches.

"Can you believe it? Tehalix is going to participate! She did like, what, Awaken last year?"

"I wouldn't be so quick to write her off. She's a swift learner, and has tenacity and sharp reflexes which can give an edge on the field."

"Hi there!" Veralla said.

"Oh, hello," said the nearer Knight, turning to face her. He was a straight-faced Coastlander. "You're that dragon named after the Goddess. Veralla, right?"

"Yes, that is my name," she said.

"Well, pleasure to meet you personally," the Coastlander Knight said. "I'm Boyd, and this here is my wife, Merryl."

"Hello, Veralla," Merryl greeted her warmly. She was a Corelander, whose freckled features made her appearance cute and soft-natured.

"What were you talking about?" Veralla asked, eager to strike a conversation.

"I was pointing out to Merryl the reasons why this so-called 'sport' is a complete waste of one's energy and talent," Boyd replied.

"You know, dear, that's precisely why your progress as an aethereal is so slow," Merryl said. "You keep your nose firmly buried in the books, searching for the answers in theories and formulas, while the truth shines amidst the vibrant resonance that is life, and the resulting cascading moments of joy from participating in it."

"Combating my hermetic approach with your own arcane insights? I reject your methods!" Boyd said loudly, but with an easy expression.

"And I told you, I'm going to sign on the next tournament. Seems fun."

"Yes, fun for the masses, no doubt," Boyd grumbled, folding his arms. "It gives the wrong impression about what real Æther combat is!"

"Because it is not combat in the first place, my dear. It's sport."

"What is the difference between the two?" Veralla asked. "I have seen people who can use the Æther fight, but they moved too fast for me to follow them."

"You mean, people who can access the Æther," Boyd corrected. "The Great Cosmos bows to no one, young dragon."

"In combat, the most important factor is speed," Merryl explained. Her mouth quirked with distaste. "If you can strike first, and hard enough, your opponent will not be able to strike back. That's why battle-trained aethereals always focus on learning to timeshift above all else. If you can make moments last longer for you, and shorter for your opponent, it gives you the opportunity to act more. All the power in the universe cannot help you, if you are unable to leverage it, or if you aren't fast enough to do so. Thus every other form of channeling the Æther comes secondary in warfare."