THE LEGACY OF THE SWORD MASTER

chapter eight

The beast's roar shook the academy walls.

A shadow loomed over the training grounds as a monstrous creature burst through the shattered barrier—eight feet tall, its hide covered in blackened scales, its eyes burning red with fury. It was no wild animal. This was something summoned. Something sent.

Students scattered, some screaming, others frozen.

"Formation!" Master Harond's voice cut through the panic like a blade. "Now!"

But not all obeyed. Many were still too young. Untrained. Unawakened.

Kael didn’t move with the others. He stepped forward, eyes locked on the beast.

His heart thudded.

It wasn’t fear. It was recognition.

The Hakana inside him stirred.

The beast charged, its claws tearing into the earth as it rushed toward the king, who stood utterly still, watching.

Just as it lunged, Kael moved.

Gasps echoed across the courtyard.

He dashed forward, cloak trailing behind him, hair catching the wind. Everyone watched as he raced to meet the monster. But just as he closed the distance, the beast’s claw slashed across his chest, throwing him back.

Kael crashed to the ground with a sickening thud, gasping for breath. Blood soaked through his tunic. Pain pulsed through his ribs.

Rand and his group charged. With well-timed strikes and coordination, they brought the beast down. The courtyard exploded with cheers.

"Did he really think he could make a difference?"

"Did he honestly believe he could kill that thing?"

"Poor Kael."

Laughter rang out. Rand was hoisted on shoulders, his name chanted like that of a hero. All while Kael lay broken on the ground.

"Take him to the infirmary and wash his wounds," Master Harond said, not sparing Kael a second glance.

Some boys snickered as they dragged Kael across the gravel. His skin scraped, his mind burned.

The Hakana inside him thrashed. Rage boiled. Humiliation festered.

He shut his eyes—and slipped into unconsciousness.

The beeping of machines stirred him awake.

Kael opened his eyes slowly. White walls. The scent of antiseptic. Pain throbbed through his torso.

In the corner of the room, Princess Tiffany sat with her legs crossed, flipping through a glossy magazine.

She looked up, eyes cold.

"You know," she began, closing the magazine and setting it aside, "I thought you were special."

Her voice carried disappointment, not sympathy.

"I even had my father bring you here to the academy because I believed in you—from the moment I saw you in the woods. But I guess I was wrong."

Kael said nothing. He turned away, facing the wall.

A guard stepped forward and lashed his whip across Kael’s back.

He gasped. The whip tore through his bandaged shirt, exposing his bruised skin.

"You will not disrespect her again," the guard growled.

Tiffany's eyes widened as she caught a glimpse of his back. Glowing symbols—veins of black light—ran like lightning beneath his skin.

"You have the power of the Hakana," she whispered, stepping closer.

"The dark Hakana, Princess. Be careful," another guard warned, pulling her gently back.

She ignored him. "Then why couldn’t you take down the demon? Why are you weak if you hold something so powerful? Are you holding back? Or are you waiting for something... someone stronger?"

Kael remained silent.

"I understand how you feel, even if you refuse to talk," Tiffany said softly.

Kael finally turned his head, eyes blazing. "Do you? My father was murdered. And your king did nothing."

One of the guards raised his whip again.

"Stop," Tiffany ordered. Her voice had grown sharper. "What do you mean murdered? Dareth said you killed him. Do you expect my father to execute a powerless child for something he didn’t even witness?"

Kael's jaw clenched. "So the king knew... and did nothing."

Tiffany took a breath. "We know nothing, Kael. This isn't something the king can meddle in. My father brought you here only because I saw potential in you. We don’t have time for grudges or the past. A greater evil is rising."

Kael’s eyes narrowed. "I don’t care. I’m not here to be a hero. I want what’s mine. Then I’ll leave this cursed place. I’ll travel the world, free from all of this. But first—I need to reclaim what they stole."

Tiffany studied his face, seeing more than just anger. She saw torment, purpose—dark and unrelenting.

"We could use someone like you," she said at last. "Why don’t you think about it?"

Kael turned away again, his back pulsing with faint, fiery lines.

Tiffany gave a nod to the guard beside her. He unwrapped a bundle and placed it on the table next to Kael’s bed.

"I know you don’t trust me," she said, voice lowering. "But maybe this will change your mind. I promise—I’ll help you get your revenge. I’ll help you find peace. All I ask... is that you trust me."

Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away, her guards following.

Kael groaned as he sat up slowly. Every muscle in his body screamed. His feet touched the cold marble floor as he forced himself upright, eyes locked on the package.

It was wrapped in a dark cloth. The closer he stepped, the stronger the hum in the air became. His Hakana surged inside him, drawn to it.

He reached out.

The moment his fingers brushed the fabric, a violent current coursed through his body. Kael was thrown across the room, his body crashing against the far wall.

He slid to the ground, groaning, chest heaving.

Slowly, he crawled back, drawn like a moth to flame.

The cloth had come undone in the blast.

There, lying on the table, was a long object encased in ancient metal, humming with energy—his father’s blade.

The last thing his father ever touched.

Kael reached for it again—this time slower, trembling, as tears streamed down his face.

The blade rejected him. Not yet.

He sat there, broken, staring at the relic. The room echoed with silence, save for the soft, steady beep of the machine.

Kael’s body throbbed. His soul burned.

And the very thought of killing his uncle surge through his mind. Then a sinister thought came into his mind. He remembered what his Sensei told him.

Kael looked at the blade in front of him. Maybe al he needed was a strong Hakana to be able to wield it.

He was going to slice through every student who has awaken their Hakana if that will help him get any stronger.