2026-08-05 19:30:14
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
Chapter 17: The Break
Soren moved first.Gerath barely blocked in time. The impact jarred his arms. He stepped back, reset his stance, and Soren was already there—pressing, striking, pivoting. Not faster than thought. Faster than reaction. Gerath had trained soldiers for decades. He knew what a fighter looked like when they were reading him. Soren wasn't just reading him. He was predicting him.Gerath feinted left. Soren didn't take the bait. He pivoted right, swept low, and Gerath had to throw himself backward to avoid the strike.They stopped. Both breathing hard. The field beyond Wall Iros was quiet except for the wind."You're getting faster," Gerath said."You're getting slower.""I'm getting old." Gerath wiped his brow. "There's a difference."Soren smiled.They went again.The second round lasted longer. Gerath wasn't holding back anymore. He was using everything—feints, footwork, the breath control he'd spent decades mastering. But Soren matched him. Strike for strike. Counter for counter. When Ger
Chapter 16: The Gathering II
The guild hall was bright.Torches lined the stone walls. Long tables stretched across the main floor, heavy with roasted meats and fresh bread and wine from the northern vineyards. Merchant families filled the room in their finest—wool and silk and silver buckles. The hum of conversation was constant. The air smelled of wax and perfume.The Vail family entered together.Rordan led. His back was straight. His dark tunic was pressed. He looked like a man who had spent his whole life preparing for this moment. Aldric walked beside him, stiff and pale, his hands clasped behind his back. Maren followed, beaming, her amber dress catching the torchlight. Bran came last—quiet, watchful, invisible the way he liked to be.Soren walked at the edge of them. The dark wool tunic his mother had laid out fit him well. Too well, perhaps. He had caught his reflection in the carriage window and barely recognized himself.Eyes turned as they entered. The Vail name was known. Rordan's reputation was know
Chapter 15: The Gathering
The guild notice arrived at dawn.Soren heard the knock from his room. Three sharp raps against the front gate. Then Mira's footsteps in the hall. Then Maren's voice, low and quick, calling for Rordan.By the time Soren came downstairs, the letter was already on the dining table. Rordan stood over it. Maren was beside him. Bran and Aldric were in their usual seats, waiting.Rordan looked up. "The guild is hosting a pre-Tournament gathering. Three days from now. All sponsored competitors and their families are expected to attend."He read the letter aloud. Formal language. The Merchant Guild requested the honor of the Vail family's presence. Aldric would be introduced to guild officials. The family's attendance was expected.Rordan set the letter down. "We'll all attend. This is Aldric's introduction. The family must present itself well." His eyes moved to Soren. "All of us."Soren nodded. "Understood."Rordan studied him a moment longer. Then he folded the letter and tucked it into hi
Chapter 14: The Weight of Silence
Breakfast was quiet.Not the comfortable quiet of a family too tired to speak. Something else. Something that sat in the room like a fifth person no one wanted to acknowledge.Maren was talking. She had been talking since Soren sat down, filling the silence with observations about the weather and Mira's bread and how nice it was to have guests. "He was so polite," she said, stirring her tea. "Proper upbringing. You can always tell."Rordan didn't look up from his plate."Most young men of his age and status would be prideful. But he was composed. Respectful." She glanced at Soren. "How do you know him again?""We share a class.""That's all?""That's all."Maren nodded, but her eyes lingered on him a moment longer than they needed to. She knew there was more. She always knew. She just never pushed.Aldric was silent. He had been silent since the dinner. Since Rudeus had glanced at him across the table and said almost nothing. Since their father had looked at Soren with something that
Chapter 13: Silhouette
The ache was gone.Soren opened his eyes to pale morning light. He flexed his fingers. Rotated his wrists. Nothing. There was no stiffness. No soreness. Yesterday Gerath had pushed him hard, beyond what he was used to. Breath control, halo discipline, muscles he didn't know he had screaming for rest. He should have woken up barely able to move.Instead he felt like he'd slept for over a week.He pressed his palm against his chest. The pulse answered. Surging. Steady. His halo had healed him while he slept. Again. Faster than before. He was getting used to it. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing.He swung his legs off the bed. The figure on the wall surfaced in his mind—dark against the fading sky, standing on the parapet. Watching. Then gone. He hadn't told anyone. Who would he tell? Gerath would want to investigate. Kael would make jokes to cover his unease.A knock at the door."Young master, I'm coming in now."Mira. Soren opened his mouth to respond but the door was already sw
Chapter 12: Breath and Bone
Soren found Gerath before dawn.The garrison yard was empty. The first gray light was just brushing the top of Wall Aldric. Gerath stood near the equipment shed, a pack slung over his shoulder. He didn't seem surprised to see Soren. He didn't seem anything."You thought about my offer," Gerath said."I have.""And?"Soren met his eyes. "I'm in."Gerath nodded once. No smile. No congratulations. Just the nod of a man who had expected the answer and was already planning the work. "Good. We start now. Come on. We're not training here."The field was beyond Wall Iros.Soren had not been this far outside the city since the breach. Since Doran. The eastern gate was smaller than the western one—less traffic, fewer guards. Gerath nodded to the watchman and led Soren through. The gate closed behind them.The field stretched toward the treeline. Scarred earth. Trampled grass. The same field where Soren had watched Theron Antares kill a beast-type with a single throw. The morning mist hung low o
You may also like
Into The Unknown World
Einvee16.8K viewsThe Pervert Mage: First Peek
Kurt Dp.19.8K viewsWizard Of Cosmos
MadRain30.5K viewsWelcome back Transmigrator
MaryahLu21.6K viewsThe first descendant: My SSS Rank Awakening
Tee_pen78 viewsApocalypse Rebirth, From Trash to God
Samantha36 viewsThe Prison Lord's Release
AFM3170 viewsIron bone
Ti'i341 views