Jin stood in silence within his private quarters, the muted light from the crystal chandelier above casting faint shadows across the polished marble floor. The black suit hanging on the mannequin before him seemed to stare back like a silent challenge regal, rigid, and unforgiving.
He dressed with slow, deliberate movements.
The tailored black jacket clung perfectly to his broad shoulders, and the intricate gold embroidery along the cuffs and collar gleamed like coiled serpents. His trousers matched seamlessly, tapering down to polished black boots. When he finally stepped before the full-length mirror, the reflection that stared back wasn't just Jin Eldraven it was the poster boy of highborn nobility.
Immaculate. Unapproachable. Sculpted by legacy.
A soft knock on his door. It opened to reveal Instructor Vaen, dressed in a stately dark blue coat adorned with silver chains the formal attire of Eldraven senior retainers.
"You're ready," Vaen said with a nod of approval. "Good. Your father has asked to see you first, before the others."
"Alone?" Jin asked, though he already knew the answer.
Vaen confirmed with a slow nod. "He was specific."
Jin exhaled quietly, fixing the last button on his jacket. "Alright."
As they began to walk down the long corridor that led toward the ceremonial wing of the estate, their polished boots clicked in sync against the black stone floor. The Eldraven estate, as always, was quiet a place where silence said more than words.
Midway down the hall, a sharp voice broke the stillness.
"Going in first, huh?"
Jin glanced sideways to see one of his elder cousins leaning against a carved obsidian column. The man wore a smug smirk and a lavish red suit likely overcompensating for a lack of real presence.
"Good luck in there," the cousin said with mock sincerity. "You'll need it."
Jin didn't reply. His pace didn't break. He didn't even blink.
The ceremonial doors loomed ahead. Two guards dressed in ceremonial armor bowed their heads as they pushed the great doors open.
Jin stepped into the Main Hall.
A gust of cold air greeted him, thick with the scent of polished stone and ancient incense. Towering pillars lined both sides of the hall, and the Eldraven banner black and gold, with the silver wyvern crest hung proudly above. Sunlight filtered in through high stained-glass windows, casting kaleidoscopic hues across the carpet that led to the raised platform.
There, seated upon a throne-like chair carved of blackwood and dragonbone, was Alrich Eldraven the head of the family, the one whose name alone could halt conversations in noble courts.
He looked like something out of legend.
Jet black hair, flowing just past his shoulders, caught the light like the surface of the ocean at night. His skin was pale but not sickly smooth like sculpted marble. And his eyes light blue, almost silver carried the calm fury of a dormant god. Cold. All-seeing.
Jin walked forward until he reached the base of the dais.
Then, in one fluid motion, he dropped to one knee, bowed his head, and said:
"Good morning, Patriarch."
A long pause.
"You don't have to call me that, Jin," came Alrich's voice deep, smooth, and commanding. "Lift your head."
Jin obeyed.
His father gazed down at him. Though seated, Alrich radiated an authority that made the vast hall feel like his very shadow.
"I trust you haven't abandoned your training," Alrich said, voice calm, but not casual.
"No, Father."
"Good."
He stood.
Even in such a simple movement, the weight of his presence filled the room. He began to pace slowly across the dais.
"Because you must understand, Jin… being an Eldraven isn't a privilege. It's a covenant. The blood in your veins our blood demands discipline. Demands strength. The world will hate you for what you represent. It will test you, break you, tempt you with softness… and then punish you when you give in."
He stopped and turned, his gaze sharp.
"To be Eldraven… is to be unbreakable."
Jin remained still, absorbing every word.
"I have watched sons of nobles fall because they thought their name would shield them. I've watched cousins, brothers, and even sons fail because they thought reputation was power."
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
"But you… you still have time to prove you're different."
He stepped down from the dais until he was just before Jin. His height, his posture it made the air heavy.
"Tomorrow," Alrich said, "you will duel me."
Jin blinked once. "Tomorrow?"
"I would have tested your strength today, but I have to address your relatives. And they demand patience… unfortunately."
He placed a hand on Jin's shoulder.
"Rest. Prepare. When we meet tomorrow, I will not go easy on you. I want to see what you are. Not just what you've learned, but what you've become."
"Yes, Father."
Alrich gave a faint nod and turned back toward his chair.
"You may go."
Jin stood, bowed again, and turned to leave.
Outside the hall, Vaen was waiting arms behind his back, one brow raised.
"Guessing you're dueling him tomorrow?"
Jin exhaled softly. "Yeah."
Vaen smirked. "He's getting sentimental in his old age. Normally, he wouldn't give a warning."
"I noticed."
Vaen chuckled. "Well, it's my turn to face the lion. See you later, Jin."
"Yeah," Jin muttered as he walked off, hands in his pockets, eyes locked ahead.
---
Meanwhile — At Kael's House
Kael's body lowered and rose, one arm braced against the wooden floor as he pushed out another rep.
"Forty-seven… forty-eight…"
His other arm rested against his back. His breath came slow, controlled, and his eyes were fixed on the floor but his thoughts were elsewhere. On dreams. On snakes. On Jin. On the storm he felt crawling beneath his skin.
"Forty-nine…"
He paused, staring at the floor as sweat trickled down his brow.
Then his voice cut through the silence:
"Still not enough…"