Kael’s body hit the cold grass with a dull thud, his breath gone, his mind dull as his eyes shut close.After a while, his eyelidfluttered open, and he gazed around to look at where he was. Master Rael was seated right in front of him, brewing a concoction."Don't tell me that smelly thing is meant for me." Kael said, trying to sit up. He let out a groan that made Master Rael smile faintly, which quickly disappeared. "This will actually make you feel better. I am sure you feel like your head is banging right now." He looked back at him. But Rael was right. Kael looked at him and said nothing. He was the second master that would be saving him from Dareth and King Almond. "What did you do to me?" "What did I do?" Rael replied, laughing. "I did nothing, boy. You couldn't get the cloth like I asked you to, so I rang your head loudly." Kael touched his head as he got up, walking toward him. "I would lie down if I were you. You need all the strength you can gather before your training

The words hit like a bombshell the moment Dareth finished speaking."What did you just say?" Zeuxis’s eyes locked onto him."You heard me, boy." Dareth stepped closer. "Of course I know what I’m asking of you—and I know it’s difficult." His hands landed firmly on Zeuxis’s shoulders."Difficult? It’s damn near impossible. You want me to murder my father and seize the throne. And as if that’s not enough, you’re asking me to make you my biological father. Are you kidding me?"Zeuxis said, a cold smirk curling on his lips.The air shifted—tense and quiet. Wind swept gently across the stone courtyard as the two men stood face-to-face.Dareth stepped back, turning toward the distant horizon. "Tell me... why are you really here? In this kingdom?""To learn. To train. To return a better warrior," Zeuxis replied without hesitation.Dareth didn’t even glance back. "Is that all?"Zeuxis hesitated. Then, with a trace of bitterness, he he added, "And to marry Nira. That was the deal. My father and

The girl looked at Dareth and smirked. " You want me to get married to that brat?" she asked slowly with her eye brows arched. " That best holds the key to everything I want and you are going to do exactly what I say." Dareth said gazing into her eyes. " And what if I don't?" Selena said looking at her father with disgust. " You wanted to be my daughter didn't you? You wanted to be seen and respected. Do you think I came all this way because I was being nice? Life didn't give it to me on a plater of gold!" he yelled at her " I fought for it. I killed for it!" " You mean how you killed your brother and stole his Hakana?" Selena said with vermin in her block. One could think she was siding with Kael. Dareth's hand went into the thin air again and this time, he tried to restrain himself. " I don't see why I should hit you, Selena. You are saying this because you don't know what real power look like. I am not asking though. I am commanding you." Dareth said walking out of her sight

The air blew gently as Kael's grip on his sword was firm. "What are you doing here? And don't tell me you accidentally stumbled up right here," he said with his eyebrows arched. "Have you been following me?""Follow you?" Selene scoffed. "And why would I do that? I didn't even know someone was here. I can because I was throaty." She replied, looking beyond Kael. Selene pushed the sword back, walking past him. She slowly took off her clothes and looked back at Kael. "Are you coming?" "And why would I do that?" Kael unsheathed his sword. "Do you think you can win him?" Selene asked again, walking into the pool. "Is that why you are here? To know if I could win the fight or not. Did my uncle send you?" Kael looked at her with anger. "Enough with the talk about my father. I don't even know who the hell he is, not until the death of my mother." Selene said, submerging into the river. Kael looked around to make sure she was not being followed or it was not a trap. "I thought..." he

The rain pounded harder, flooding the ground under their feet, but Kael and Selene didn’t move.Neither could. The air between them was too thick, heavy with words unspoken and emotions they both refused to admit.Kael’s fingers twitched by the hilt of his sword. Not because he wanted to draw it, but because the weight of it was the only thing tethering him to reality. Selene’s eyes, wild and burning, looked like a storm of their own, and for a moment, he swore she wasn’t Dareth’s daughter but a reflection of the fire inside him.They both carried the same fate. Revenge, anger, and most of all, the desire to kill their tormentors. Kael knew who he wanted to kill so badly, but then he wasn't sure who the girl in front of him wanted dead. But he could feel the dark energy that was radiating off her. “You shouldn’t say things like that,” Kael finally muttered, his voice low, almost trembling. “Not to me. Not when you carry his blood.”Selene stepped closer. The rain had plastered her