Flames painted the night sky in hues of crimson and gold. Screams tore through the air like ragged blades, echoing off the ancient stone walls of the Rivenhart Clan's fortress. Once a sanctuary of swordmasters, it now stood on the brink of ruin. Kael Rivenhart’s boots skidded across blood-slicked marble as he raced toward the inner sanctum, the sword strapped to his back still untouched. He wasn’t ready. Not yet. Not tonight. But destiny never waited for readiness. "Kael! Stay back!" his father’s voice thundered across the courtyard. Kael froze beneath the stone archway, his heart pounding. Through the veil of smoke and sparks of wild magic, he saw two men locked in a brutal clash. One was his father—Haron Rivenhart, the strongest swordmaster the world had ever known. The other— “Uncle Dareth?” Kael whispered, disbelief thick in his throat. Dareth moved like a shadow, faster than Kael had ever seen him. Their blades clashed with explosive force, each strike shaking the ground b

Kael’s muscles screamed in protest as he pushed through another swing, sweat dripping down his brow, soaking his tattered tunic. The memory of man's cold stare gnawed at him.Why did he walk away?Was he testing him? Or did he truly see nothing worth training?Kael didn’t have the answers—but he had rage. And it fueled him.The sword clanged against a rock, sparks flying as Kael stumbled. He fell to his knees, breathing heavily, knuckles scraped raw.“A warrior doesn’t feed like a man. He eats just to keep himself going…”His father’s words echoed again, but they no longer comforted him—they taunted him.“Am I even a warrior anymore?” Kael muttered.A rustle behind him.He whirled around, sword raised.A girl stood at the edge of the clearing, no older than him, with sharp green eyes and a cloak that shimmered like moonlight.Kael narrowed his eyes. “Who are you?”She didn’t answer. She stepped forward slowly, cautious but unafraid.Kael looked at her body features. She was beautiful

The moment the king and his men disappeared beyond the gates, Dareth's smile vanished."Everyone out," he barked.The guards hesitated, exchanging wary glances, but the edge in Dareth’s voice brooked no argument. One by one, the crowd dispersed until only Dareth, Kael, and a trembling Rand remained.Kael stood still, chest heaving, dried blood caking the edge of his mouth. He didn’t miss the way Dareth’s hand went to his sword."You humiliated my son," Dareth growled. "Before the king. Before everyone.""I didn’t ask for this," Kael said quietly."That’s the problem. You didn’t need to. You think your father’s blood gives you the right to rise?"Kael’s spine straightened at the mention of his father. To think Dareth would taunt him each time about his father made him even more annoyed and pissed off.Dareth smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. "You are nothing like him."Then, without warning, he drew his sword.Kael’s instincts screamed, but his body didn’t move fast enough. The fla

The storm broke just before dawn. Kael stood at the mouth of the cave, shirtless, steam rising off his skin as the rain soaked him to the bone. The mountain air was sharp, biting. Behind him, the scarred man silently wrapped up the remnants of last night’s ritual, his face grim.Kael clenched his fists. He still felt it—the flicker in his chest. His Hakana. Wild, black, and pulsing with something he didn’t understand.He had seen his uncle's Hakana and unlike his, it was nothing like his own was. “Why is it like this?” Kael asked without turning. “Why is mine… wrong?”The scarred man didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he lit his pipe and took a slow drag, exhaling smoke that curled toward the cave ceiling.“Because your power wasn’t forged. It was chained.”Kael turned sharply. “Chained by who?”The man met his gaze. “Someone who feared you.”That stopped Kael cold.Feared him?He’d always been the weak one. The reject. The joke at the academy. The one the instructors ignored and t

Immediately Kael was back from the clinic, he was assigned by Master Harond to clean the locker room."But I am twice better than most of the kids around here. Why would you assign me to do the chores? I want to fight!" Kael shouted."Are you going to tell me what to do now? You could have died if the beast hadn’t missed. I want cooperation, not someone who wants to stand out. Locker rooms. Now. Scrub them clean," Master Harond barked, his voice echoing across the training grounds.Kael stood frozen. The morning sun bathed the academy walls, but it offered no warmth against the cold stares and mocking laughter of the students surrounding him."A hero yesterday, a janitor today," someone snickered."Was he even one? The beast almost killed him.""Maybe he can scrub out his failure," another added.Kael said nothing. He clenched his fists, pride warring with discipline. Harond’s eyes narrowed."Move, boy. Unless you’d prefer to be flogged again."Kael turned and walked silently toward t