Dawn appeared like a thin wavering line through the mist. A faint red was squeezed between the pale ashes, as if light was reluctant to rise.
The courtyard outside the main hall was still empty, only the sound of the damp wind from the mountains moving slowly.
The birds hadn't even opened their voices yet, as if they were waiting for something before starting the day.
Ardyn had been standing there since before the light appeared. He didn't train, didn't move, just stood with the nameless sword on his back.
His breathing was steady, his eyes observing the change in the air which felt heavier than the day before.
The resonance in the sword was not as strong as during yesterday's practice, but it was more regular, like the breathing pattern was starting to find its own rhythm.
Several residents walking past stared at Ardyn in silence.
Some looked away in fear, others looked with a small hope they didn't understand.
There were also those who just watched him without the courage to approach. All of these views became part of a pattern that Ardyn noticed. It absorbs everything without overreaction.
From the western corner of the courtyard, a guard named Elwen Marcryst appeared. His posture was straight, his face was calm, and his steps were careful. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Ardyn.
"You're too early for someone who doesn't sleep," said Elwen.
Ardyn stared at him for a moment. "Sleep doesn't affect direction."
Elwen didn't understand what he meant, but he knew Ardyn rarely spoke without reason. He lowered his head slightly, then continued his work without asking further.
That attitude was enough for Ardyn. He does not need others to understand his sentences; he just needed them out of the way.
The sky slowly changed color, but the light that fell still felt slow.
It was around then that the side door of the hall opened, and Gaius Vale walked out.
He didn't wear elder robes, only light, charcoal-colored training clothes. His graying hair looked wet, perhaps he had just finished morning stream meditation.
"Ardyn," Gaius called.
Ardyn turned his head without moving from his place. "Yes."
Gaius approached to a distance of several steps. His gaze passed over Ardyn then back to his face, as if assessing subtle vibrations that he might not physically see.
"You've heard the rumors circulating," Gaius said. "The clan is looking for a direction that we are not giving them."
Ardyn answered in a steady tone. "They assess the signs that appear. That's normal."
"And you carry the mark," Gaius replied.
Ardyn didn't try to deny it. "If they need direction, it's none of my business. If they put their hopes in me, it's their fault."
Gaius looked at Ardyn for a long time before nodding. "You don't want to become a symbol of anything. That's precisely what makes it difficult for the clan to interpret you."
Ardyn did not respond.
Gaius then said, "This afternoon there is a joint intermediate student training. I want you to attend. I want to see how your sword reacts to a crowd focused on the same goal."
"Good."
Gaius took a breath like someone who had thought of many possibilities and still couldn't find a definite answer. He walked away slowly, leaving Ardyn in the morning air which was not yet completely stable.
---
As Ardyn headed towards the training barracks, someone's quick steps approached behind him. Seraphine followed with messy hair, a sign that she hadn't slept well.
"Ardyn," he called.
Ardyn stopped. "What is it."
"Rumors are starting to confuse the disciples. Some say your sword could influence the clan's decisions."
Ardyn looked at him without a change in expression. "The clans make decisions based on what they believe in. Not based on the sword."
Seraphine held her breath before asking, "Then what do they believe now?"
Ardyn stared at the row of cedar trees towering in the distance. "They believe the world is changing. And that's enough to scare them."
Seraphine bit her lip, not knowing what to reply. For him, Ardyn's answer felt too close to the truth that he was not ready to hear.
---
Behind the training warehouse, three students were secretly watching Ardyn. Daren Hillbluff leaned against a wooden post, his face filled with determination.
Emira Snowthorn sat on a small chest with her fingers intertwined, while Calven Mire stood with his hands in his pockets, his eyes never leaving Ardyn.
Daren said, "If he shows up at joint practice, that's an opportunity."
Emira answered, "A chance to observe. Don't come any closer. We don't know what triggered the blade yet."
Calven nodded slightly. "We need to look at patterns before deciding anything."
They didn't want to harm Ardyn. They only see uncertainty as an empty space that can be filled.
And the space started to grow.
---
Ahead of joint training, Lorin Crestwood approached Ardyn with a thoughtful face.
"I read the note Sylen gave me again," Lorin said. "About collective resonance. If the sword responds to the direction of the clan, then your behavior will become the center."
"Silence is the attitude when there is no answer," answered Ardyn.
"That's what's scary," Lorin said honestly.
"The answer doesn't matter if the question changes all the time."
Lorin was silent, not knowing where to place the sentence in his understanding.
---
The large training arena was filled with intermediate level students. Gareth Mornblade stood at the front, accompanied by Lyanna Crestfall and Rowen Blackbarrel who served as weapons supervisors.
The students' eyes immediately fell on Ardyn when he entered the arena.
Ardyn stood on the left side of the arena, not taking a position among the other students. The sword remains sheathed.
Gareth raised his voice. "Basic movements. Four rows. Focus on form and direction."
The students moved in unison. Their steps create light vibrations in the ground, forming a rhythmic pattern that is usually stable. But today, that rhythm feels askew.
As the line moved in a formation pattern, Ardyn's sword vibrated softly.
Ardyn watched the students with sharp eyes. When there was a certain point where several thoughts began to align, the sword responded as if measuring the intensity of their focus.
Then there was a disturbance. The wind suddenly went to Emira's right side, making a student almost lose his balance. Emira turned quickly, her face confused.
Ardyn took half a step forward, just to assess it from a different angle. As soon as he moved, the air pattern stabilized again. It was as if Ardyn's presence was a balancing point.
Rowen watched him with a frown. "That's no ordinary wind," he muttered.
Gareth didn't answer, but his eyes didn't leave Ardyn.
Ardyn touched the hilt of his sword, not to draw it, but to confirm its resonance.
He felt small vibrations that moved like splashes in a water current, following the tension of some of the crowd.
The sword did not respond to individuals. It responds to patterns.
---
But before the training session continued, the sound of rapid footsteps was heard. Renar Vale entered the arena without notice. His face was stern, and his eyes were immediately fixed on Ardyn.
"We cannot let this continue," Renar said. "The students were disturbed by the presence of someone who had no meridians and was carrying an anomalous sword."
Gareth was about to speak, but Ardyn answered first.
"They're disturbed because they don't know what they should be afraid of."
Renar approached. "You bring instability."
"The instability existed before I came."
Renar looked like he wanted to reply, but a deep voice cut the distance.
"We will judge, not accuse."
Gaius stood in the upper stands, watching everything from the beginning.
The arena became very quiet. The students looked between Ardyn, Renar, and Gaius, realizing they were seeing something that had never happened in any training.
---
Practice ended without a single clash, but the atmosphere changed. Students no longer simply view Ardyn as an anomaly. They see it as the starting line of a change they cannot name.
Ardyn left the arena with steady steps. The sword on his back gave off a subtle vibration, warmer than before.
The resonance felt like a response to a new direction that was starting to take shape in the clan's mind.
Seraphine called softly from behind. "Ardyn... do you feel that the sword is getting more alive?"
Ardyn didn't stop walking. "The sword is not alive. What is alive is the world around it."
Seraphine remained silent where she was.
The wind changed direction. The students looked at Ardyn from afar. Renar left the arena without a word, carrying unfinished tension. And Gaius stood still, thinking about the next step for the clan.
The dawn that day brought no light.
It brings cracks.
And the cracks were starting to become visible to everyone.