Palace of Astryx — Meeting Room
The dark chamber was quiet. Shadows clung to the walls like ghosts, and the only sound was the soft clink of a teacup against a saucer.
Jake sat at the head of the obsidian table, steam rising from his drink as he waited.
Finally, the door creaked open.
Kai walked in with his usual carefree smile and dropped into the seat directly across from Jake, without a hint of tension in his posture.
Jake narrowed his eyes.
"Why didn't you go with Oliver and Kol on the mission?"
Kai yawned lightly. "I was busy."
Jake's tone sharpened.
"Busy? What work is more important than the mission?"
Kai leaned back and smirked.
"I was at the beach. Relaxing."
Jake slammed his cup down.
"You're telling me that was more important than the mission?"
"No," Kai said calmly, "But it was more important to me."
A beat of silence passed.
Jake's fist clenched. "Then you're done here. I'm replacing you."
At that moment, an elf entered the room, bowing politely.
"Sir, a message from the Chief has arrived."
Jake turned. "Tell me."
The elf stepped forward, holding a small glowing scroll.
"The Chief called just a few minutes ago. He has decided…"
Jake raised an eyebrow. "Go on."
"There is no longer a need for both a Captain and a Co-Captain," the elf said slowly. "One of you will be removed."
Jake's eyes narrowed. "Removed?"
The elf nodded once. "To decide who remains… you and Kai will fight. The loser will die."
Jake went still.
"…What?"
The elf stepped back and bowed. "Those are the Chief's orders."
Silence blanketed the room.
For the first time, Jake looked genuinely shocked.
Kai smiled at Jake across the silent room.
That smile… casual, calm, almost lazy—only made Jake's blood boil.
Crackles of electricity began to dance around Jake's fists. His eyes narrowed.
Without warning, he raised his hand—and with a deafening crack, a wave of thunder surged from his palm, tearing across the room like a lightning storm unleashed.
Kai vanished.
The thunder wave struck the wall behind where Kai had been, shattering stone like paper. A massive hole was blown open—and one unfortunate elf clone standing outside was instantly vaporized.
Far away, the real elf, hidden safely in the nearby forest, watched the sky above the palace change color.
"The battle… it's begun," he muttered.
Back inside the ruins, Jake's body surged with raw power. Thunder sparked and raged around him. He summoned a blade—pure lightning shaped into a weapon—and launched himself forward.
But Kai was already waiting.
With a wave of his hand, a shadowy black blade formed, forged from dark magic.
Their swords collided.
A shockwave erupted, powerful enough to shake the forest miles away. Trees bent under the pressure. Animals fled. The very air trembled.
Jake leapt into the sky, hovering high above the battlefield, charging a final blow. Thunder gathered in his hand, growing brighter and more unstable with each passing second.
The air pulsed. The mountain shook.
And then—
BOOM.
A column of light slammed into the earth below. The blast was apocalyptic. The entire Palace of Astryx vanished—obliterated in an instant. There was no trace of stone or structure. Even the mountain it stood on was shattered, its top half collapsing under the pressure of the explosion.
Dust clouds reached the heavens. The wind howled. Thunder echoed across the land like a dying god's scream.
And then… silence.
Jake slowly descended, his chest heaving. His eyes scanned the smoking crater.
But a figure was still standing.
Kai.
Unscathed. Still smiling.
Jake's eyes widened in disbelief—just as Kai blurred in front of him.
A flash.
A silent cut.
Jake looked down.
A deep wound had carved through his chest, clean and final.
His legs gave out. The thunder vanished from his fingertips.
He collapsed to the ground—dead.
Kai landed softly on the cracked earth, the air still tingling with remnants of lightning.
From the edge of the smoke, an elf stepped forward. He approached with quiet footsteps, lowered his head, and knelt.
"Congratulations… my Captain," the elf said, voice filled with reverence.
Kai didn't respond immediately.
His eyes drifted to Jake's lifeless body, sprawled amidst the rubble.
A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
"…Finally," he murmured.
Back to kian
As we continued our long drive, we began rotating driving duties. Now, Aelira was behind the wheel while Kan and I sat in the back.
Kan glanced at me, his eyes sharp even behind his calm demeanor.
"I can sense it," he said. "Your aura is still weak. You need proper training."
I blinked. "Wait… are you saying you'll train me?"
Kan gave a small nod. "I've trained many magicians in my time. Most of them… were killed by Astryx."
I stiffened.
"But you," he continued, "You're different. With your potential… you can surpass them. You can kill them."
Excitement surged in my chest. I was finally getting the proper training I had longed for.
"We'll begin once we reach the next village," Kan said.
After a few hours, we arrived at a quiet village surrounded by dense trees. We booked two small rooms—one for Aelira, and one for Kan and me.
Once we changed clothes, they led me into the forest. A short walk brought us to a small waterfall hidden between the trees, its gentle cascade flowing into a clear, shallow stream. The view was peaceful—like something from a dream.
Aelira laid out a mat a little distance away and sat down beside Noah, both of them quietly observing.
Kan and I stepped into the water, just deep enough to cover our feet. The river was cold, the sound of the waterfall calming—but I knew why we were here.
"Do you have a sword?" Kan asked, turning to me.
"Yes," I replied, reaching toward Noah's storage space.
Noah opened his mouth wide, and with a soft glorp, my sword slid out.
I had wrapped it in plastic before storing it—just in case. That way, it wouldn't smell or get slimy.
Carefully, I unwrapped the blade and stepped toward Kan.
He looked at the sword for a moment, then narrowed his eyes.
"…This sword belonged to Ron," he said.
"Yes," I replied quietly.
Kan closed his eyes for a breath, then slowly sat down on a nearby rock.
"He was one of my students," he murmured.
"He protected me… and sacrificed himself," I said, gripping the sword tighter.
Kan stood. "Then let his sword carry on through you."
He stepped forward, then raised his hand.
"Let's begin your training."
With a flick of his wrist, a blade appeared in his grip—summoned from pure energy.
"Most magicians can summon their swords with magic. But you still haven't awakened that part of yourself. Until then, you'll carry yours—either with you or through Noah."
He turned to face the waterfall.
Suddenly—slash.
With a single swing of his blade, the cascading stream was cleaved in half. The water split midair, parting in two for just a few heartbeats before returning to its natural flow.
I stood frozen.
"…That's what mastery of aura looks like," Kan said, lowering his blade. "You already have more strength than I did when I started. And with what's inside you… you'll surpass me."
I take sward and take position
"You need to transfer your aura into the sword," Kan instructed, standing with arms crossed. "That will amplify its strength."
I nodded, gripping Ron's sword tighter.
Taking a deep breath, I focused. Slowly, I guided my aura—feeling it flow from my chest, down my arms, and into the blade. The metal responded instantly, vibrating faintly with power.
I turned toward the waterfall.
Slash!
A clean arc split through the cascading water—wider than the gap Master Kan had made earlier.
He raised an eyebrow, then smiled faintly.
"…I'm impressed. Good job."
Kan stepped forward and demonstrated a few swift sword techniques, each one fluid, sharp, and purposeful.
"These are basic aura strikes," he said. "Repeat each one 300 times. Focus on form. Precision. Flow."
"Yes, sir," I said, and began without hesitation.
Hours passed.
When I finished, Kan took me to a flat clearing nearby. The light was dimming, but he showed no signs of stopping. He tied a black cloth around my eyes, cutting off my vision.
"Now," he said, voice firmer, "tell me… how did Joe die?"
I hesitated.
"I was on the ground," I answered slowly. "He wiped his eye… and in that moment, someone killed him."
Kan nodded. "Joe had powerful senses—he could detect almost any attack. But when he wiped his eye, his focus slipped. And the enemy took advantage."
He walked in a slow circle around me.
"You cannot afford to lose focus. Not even for a second. Distraction is death."
His words cut deep. I tightened my grip on the sword.
"I understand," I said quietly.
Kan stopped behind me. "Then prove it. From now on… train with your eyes closed."
Kan stood at a short distance, holding a handful of stones.
"Now, hit the stones with your sword," he instructed. "Rely on your senses, not your eyes."
Whip—!
He threw the first stone.
I swung blindly. Missed.
The second came. Then the third. Then the fifth.
Each time—I failed.
More hours passed. Sweat rolled down my face. My arms ached from swinging nonstop. The frustration only deepened.
Eventually, even Noah joined in, hurling small stones at me with his mouth. Still—I couldn't land a single hit.
Finally, my legs gave out.
I collapsed to the ground, gasping.
"…Alright. Take a break," Kan said, voice calm. "We'll continue tomorrow."
He turned and walked away with Noah. I slowly removed the cloth blindfold and looked up at the darkening sky. Stars twinkled quietly above.
Soon, Aelira approached.
"Let's go back," she said softly.
But I shook my head.
"I want to master my senses… so I'll stay here."
She paused for a moment, then nodded silently and walked away.
I stayed seated, eyes closed, focusing on the sounds—the rustling leaves, the distant water, my heartbeat.
Hours passed in stillness.
Then, faint footsteps.
I sensed them—before they arrived.
"You should eat something."
It was Aelira's voice.
I opened my eyes. She stood beside me, holding a small wooden box of food. Without saying much more, she set it down beside me.
As she turned to leave, she paused.
"…Good luck," she said.
And just like that, she disappeared into the trees.
I looked at the meal. Warm. Simple. Thoughtful.
After eating quietly under the stars, I closed my eyes once again.
This time… I could feel everything.
And training continued into the night.
The early morning light filtered through the trees.
I was still asleep, curled up where I had meditated all night.
Suddenly—
Thud!
"Gah—!"
Noah leaped onto me, wagging his tail wildly, licking my face. I blinked, groggy, then saw Kan and Aelira standing nearby.
"You're finally awake," Kan said with a calm smile. "Are you ready?"
I wiped my eyes and stood.
"Yes," I nodded. "Let's begin."
I tied the cloth over my eyes once again.
Kan raised a stone.
"Catch this one."
Whip!
I felt it—before it flew. My sword moved on instinct.
Clang!
Direct hit.
A second stone followed—then a third. One after another, I cut through each one in midair.
Noah joined in, tossing stones with his mouth, while Kan changed the angle and speed of his throws. Still—I kept hitting them all. My senses were sharper now. My movements—clean.
Then Kan took it further. He silently raised a gun.
Bang!
I sensed it.
In a blink, I slashed at the incoming projectile.
Clink!
The bullet split midair.
"That was… a bullet," I muttered, lowering my sword.
"You're learning fast," Kan said.
I nodded. "Let's take it to the next level."
Now, I used the sword forms he had taught me the day before. As I moved, Kan and Noah circled me—firing from different directions with rubber bullets.
I could feel each one.
Clang—Cling—Ting!
Every swing of my blade deflected them, my senses guiding me through every angle, every noise, every breath of air. Then they hid—firing from cover. Still, I hit each shot.
Then I sensed Noah's position—closed the distance in a flash—and slashed his gun, cutting off the barrel.
Before Kan could react, I shifted direction, sensing his movement behind a tree. He fired again and again—
I blocked every bullet, closed in—
And with a sharp step, placed the edge of my sword just beneath his chin.
He froze.
"Impressive," Kan whispered.