The morning sun was ruthless, hot and blazing , shining gold across the courtyard and catching the glint of weapons laid on racks. Rows of halflings stood at attention, their shadows long and sharp on the ground. Grislen paced before them, his boots crunching on the gravel, his voice cold and cutting through the chatter.
"Yesterday was introductions. Today" he drew a line in the dirt with his blade, "you will prove that you belong here or you die here."
The murmuring died immediately,some had panic in their eyes others had they're eyes locked on Gristlen devoid of fear.
High above the training ground, half-concealed behind silk curtains, King Devon stood beside his consort, Lady Selene. The balcony overlooked the entire field, yet no one below dared look up. They felt eyes on them, his eyes.
"You truly plan to watch all of them?" Selene asked softly, her silver eyes glinting. "You haven't done that in decades ."
Devon's lips curved faintly. "Not all," he said. "Just one."
Selene's gaze followed his line of sight to the blue-haired halfling standing at the far edge of the group. Amari stood motionless, arms crossed, expression unreadable.
Down below, Grislen barked, "Pair up! Let's see what your bloods are worth."
The halflings scattered, murmuring and sizing each other up. Kaiden was quick to volunteer first, leaping forward with a grin. "Let me go first!"
Grislen arched a brow. "Fine. Winchester, you'll face Arlen."
A tall, broad-shouldered wolf hybrid stepped into the ring, cracking his knuckles. Runes etched into the ground glowed faintly as Grislen activated the training circle.
"Begin."
Kaiden's tails flared as he darted forward in a blur of orange light. Arlen roared, claws extending, slashing through Kaiden's illusion. Sparks and dust filled the air. Kaiden barely rolled aside before the wolf's claws gouged the ground where he'd stood.
Spectators gasped. Grislen didn't blink. "You're too predictable, Winchester!"
Kaiden grinned, snapping his fingers. "Am I?"
A burst of light exploded, and his afterimage struck from behind, landing a solid blow to Arlen's back. The wolf stumbled, growling and fell.
"Winner, Winchester." Grislen's tone remained flat. "Next!"
A series of duels followed each more desperate and intense than the last. Lightning, ice, shadows, and flame clashed against the protective barrier,everyone watched closely. One girl's wings caught on fire, another's illusions shattered like glass as she screamed with her head tearing apart with illusions of herself . One by one, the halflings revealed what they were, who they were and how fragile control could be.
Then Grislen's voice rang out again.
"Amari."
The murmurs started instantly. As if they had been waiting for him.
Devon leaned forward slightly, wine untouched. "Finally," he said.
Selene tilted her head,with a tiny smirk . "You expect him to lose?"
"I expect him to reveal what he's hiding, his strength."
Below, Amari stepped into the circle without a word. Grislen's lips twitched, his annoyance sprawled on his face. "Your opponent Kane Drell. A shadow-walker. Fight like your lives depend on it and… Try not to die."
A tall man with grey eyes stepped from the crowd, his body wrapped in faint mist. His smirk was full of arrogance. "So this is the king's new pet," he sneered.eyeing Amari up and taunting him with his gaze.
Amari's gaze didn't flicker. "If you're done talking, move." He made his stance.
The circle's runes blazed to life. Grislen's hand cut through the air. "Begin!"
Kane vanished.
A murmur spread he'd melted into his own shadow.
Amari closed his eyes. The field went quiet except for the low whispers. Then his eyes snapped open, glowing faint blue.
Lightning surged behind Amari.
Kane lunged from behind, blades drawn only for Amari's arm to twist upward in a blur. A flash then a heavy blow, with deafening crack of bones he split the field. Blue arcs exploded outward, tearing through Kane's illusion and hurling him across the ring.
The crowd gasped.
Kane groaned, struggling to rise but Amari was already there, He stopped inches away from Kane's throat, electricity coiling around his fingertips. His eyes blazing with cool rage.
"Weak," Amari said coldly. Sending him further from the ring with a kick.
Kane struggled to stand chanting the old language as mist surrounded everywhere shadows appearing to hold Amari down. Kane crackled like a mad man, lounging straight at Amari, he landed his first blow and then another, the shadows held Amari down laughing as they taunted him with illusions, memories of his past, everyone watched their faces in disbelief.
"Your weak, your nothing like your father, your a bastard and you do not deserve his name" Kane yelled at him. As his assault went on, giving Amari a kick as he groaned in pain, the shadows surrounded him, taunting him, laughing as Amari laid down groaning his hands covering his ears.
"Ha ha ha, this is so called Chosen's son" he yanked Amari by his hair, drawing out a dagger he stabbed his leg, laughing at his pain.
Trapped in a memory Amari saw himself in a cave with people in black surrounding him, chanting spells, spells of the old language. He screamed and writhed in pain as different scribes filled his body "stop please" he cried out, he was just a kid, he couldn't bear the pain.
His body floated as different elements surrounded him, voices of hundreds of thousands chanting one thing "born to die black blood"
He screamed loudly as his body twisted everyone watched as a heavy rave of power erupted, the clouds gloomy and as the winds heavily moved the trees as the flames went out, his screams horrified everyone, as he chanted words no one understood " IT kwa Baki na, Tu voi na im ku" blood streamed from his eyes, a blade forging out of nothing,
"Stop!" Grislen screamed through as the air was getting too dense .
Back in the castle, the kings eyes narrowed as he felt his eyes shifting, his cup as well as the glass windows shattered.
"Ahhh" Selene screaming running away as the glasses pierced through her skin. Black wings sprung out of Amari's back, with black scribes on his body, the shadows that caged him crawled back to hell in fear.
With a sword in hand, his eyes blood red as he lounged at Kane. Slashing at him as he screamed in agonizing pain. His blood splattering everywhere. No one dared to move. No one said anything, Grislens eyes showed fear.
"Weak" Amari voiced out, As he slumped almost dead, Screams and murmurs engulfed the grounds as the dusts and wind stopped.
The weather as it once was Amari's wings retracting back in his body. His sword disappeared, his eyes back to a shade of blue, as the scribes turned to black ink of drawings on his body.
Grislen's mouth quirked into something between approval and fear. "Enough."
The runes dimmed. The energy bled out of the air.
On the balcony, Devon's smirk had vanished replaced by something.
Below, Grislen addressed the group again. "That's enough for today. Most of you need discipline, the rest need control. Some of you " his gaze flicked toward Amari, "need to learn restraint and to take orders ."
Amari said nothing. He simply turned and began walking out of the ring.
As he passed, Kaiden whispered, "Remind me never to spar with you."
Devon's gaze followed Amari until he disappeared through the exit gates. "dangerous bunny"
Devon smiled faintly, eyes still on the doorway. "Your mine, to play with," he said, "danger belongs to where I can see it."
The king turned, cloak sweeping behind him, and left the balcony, the faintest spark of amusement in his eyes, as something else lurked in the shadows.