The first space held a three-dimensional labyrinth built from pitch-black crystal, its structure so complex it made the eyes swim.
The labyrinth walls refracted an eerie, dim light. Every passage was narrow enough for only one person.
"Dawn, this is your training ground."
Season Star's voice was emotionless. At the labyrinth entrance, thousands of Light Butterflies, thin as cicada wings and made of pure energy, appeared from thin air.
They beat their wings and scattered unpredictably through the labyrinth's tangled passages.
"Your objective: shatter every Light Butterfly with your power."
"Rule one: no part of your body may touch a wall."
"Rule two: no Light Butterfly except the one you strike directly may be shattered by the aftershock of your power."
Dawn looked at the labyrinth, then at the fragile Light Butterflies, and smiled with confidence.
"That's it? Easy."
He crouched slightly, then turned into a streak of blood-red light and charged into the labyrinth.
He chose the longest straight passage and raced through it, moving faster and faster, leaving a long trail of afterimages behind him.
Before long, he had built up enough kinetic energy.
Ahead, a Light Butterfly fluttered its wings at its leisure.
Dawn seized the moment, gathered all his strength at his fingertip, and jabbed toward the Light Butterfly from a distance.
Pop.
The Light Butterfly shattered.
But the next instant, an invisible shock wave burst outward from Dawn's fingertip.
The violent kinetic energy he had accumulated was completely beyond his control.
Crack, crack, crack, crack!
A rapid series of sharp snaps rang out.
Hundreds of Light Butterflies within fifty meters of the first one were instantly shaken into particles of light by the aftershock.
The release of power made Dawn's body freeze for a fraction of a second.
In that brief pause, his shoulder brushed