Chapter 10: Ashes and Resolve

The safehouse felt smaller with every passing hour. The air was thick with the weight of fear — not his, but theirs. Elara and the older man were right to be afraid. Alexis could hear it in their voices, see it in the wary glances they cast toward the door, as if the Church's Inquisitors might burst in at any moment.

He sat cross-legged on the cold stone floor, the ache in his muscles a constant reminder of the night's training. The system's quiet hum was ever-present, a steady rhythm in the back of his mind.

Assessment available, the system whispered again, nudging at his thoughts.

"Not yet," he murmured. He needed more strength first. More control.

But his time here was running out.

The door creaked open. Elara stepped inside, carrying a wooden tray with a bowl of thin broth and a crust of bread. She set it down without meeting his eyes.

"You should eat," she said quietly.

"Thank you." He waited until she turned to leave before speaking again. "Your brother… what was his name?"

She froze. For a long moment, she didn't answer. Then, without turning around, she said, "Kieran."

Alexis nodded, the name settling heavily in his chest. "I'm sorry he didn't make it out."

Elara's shoulders tensed. "Did you see it happen?"

The fire. The screams. The bodies. Alexis forced the memories back down, his voice steady when he replied. "No. But no one deserved what happened there."

Finally, she turned toward him. Her eyes were dark and filled with a pain that hadn't faded. "Why did it happen? What did the Church want so badly?"

He wished he had an answer. He didn't know why they'd razed Duskmoor to the ground, only that they'd been looking for something — or someone. And now they were still hunting him.

"I don't know," he said. It wasn't a lie. Not completely.

Elara studied him, her gaze searching. "I want to believe you," she whispered. "But people don't survive Duskmoor. Not unless they're… different."

Different. A word spoken carefully, with more than a little fear.

Alexis said nothing.

She left without another word, the door closing softly behind her.

"Training protocol available", the system prompted.

Alexis closed his eyes and took a slow breath. "Begin."

---

Phase Three: Precision and Control.

The system didn't waste time. The exercises were brutal — focused on speed, accuracy, and reaction. He balanced on one leg while striking precise points on the wall with his fists. He practiced footwork drills until his legs felt like lead.

Every mistake earned a correction from the system. Every failure demanded repetition.

Agility increased. Coordination: 6% improved.

When his body could take no more, the system shifted to something new.

"Mana manipulation: Initiate foundational training".

Alexis froze. "Mana?"

"Confirmed. Your bloodline's potential requires a stable magical core. Begin stabilization exercises".

He hesitated. Magic was dangerous — and forbidden outside the Church's ranks. If they sensed him using it…

But he needed this.

"Do it."

A strange heat bloomed in his chest. The system guided his breathing, slowing his heart rate, drawing on something deep and ancient inside him. The warmth spread through his veins — light at first, then burning.

"Mana increased".

His vision blurred, his head spinning as the heat threatened to overwhelm him. But the system kept him steady, guiding the flow, controlling the power.

"Stabilization: 20% complete".

He didn't stop. Not until his body collapsed and darkness pulled him under.

---

He woke to voices — raised, urgent.

"They're close!" the man was saying. "We need to move now."

"Where would we go?" Elara's voice was sharp with fear. "They've locked down the roads. We'd never make it past the checkpoints."

"Then we hide. Deeper into the woods—"

"They'll find us!"

Alexis sat up slowly, every muscle in his body protesting. The system's quiet hum was still there, but the heat in his chest had cooled to a faint ember. He pushed to his feet and moved toward the door.

When he stepped into the room, both Elara and the older man fell silent. Their eyes snapped to him, the tension in the room thick enough to choke on.

"What's happening?" Alexis asked.

The man's jaw tightened. "The Church is here. They've sent Inquisitors."

The word sent a shiver down his spine. Inquisitors. The Church's hunters. They wouldn't stop until they found their target — and they had the power to make sure no one stood in their way.

"How long do we have?" Alexis asked.

"Hours. Maybe less."

Elara's face was pale. "We can't stay here."

"We can't run either," the man said grimly. "Not with the roads locked down."

Alexis's mind raced. He couldn't stay — not when his presence put them in danger. But if he left now, weakened and half-trained, he wouldn't make it far.

The system's voice cut through his thoughts.

'Assessment available. Potential escape routes and tactical advantages detected'.

He closed his eyes. "Assess."

The wave of information came faster this time — maps, weak points, hidden paths. A narrow ravine east of the village. Dense woods that would mask their movements.

But it also brought something else.

'Hostile forces approaching. Estimated time of arrival: one hour'.

Too soon. They didn't have enough time.

Elara was watching him, her eyes wide. "You're planning something."

He nodded. "I can get you out."

The older man snorted. "You? You can barely stand."

Alexis ignored him. "There's a path through the woods. It's dangerous, but it'll keep you hidden. I'll lead them away."

"No!" Elara's voice broke. "You won't survive."

He met her gaze, his voice quiet but firm. "I have to."

She shook her head. "Why are you doing this?"

Because if they found him, more people would die. Because he couldn't let their kindness cost them their lives.

Because it was the only way.

Before he could answer, the system spoke again.

'Bloodline unlock available'.

His breath caught.

Warning: Unlocking bloodline powers requires preparation and stability. Premature activation may result in physical and mental degradation.

But he didn't have time to wait.

"Do it."

Pain lanced through his body — white-hot and blinding. He bit back a scream, his vision fracturing as something ancient stirred inside him.

Power seal integrity: 94%.

It wasn't enough. But it was a start.

He pushed the pain down and opened his eyes. "Go. Now."

Elara hesitated, but the older man grabbed her arm. "Come on."

They left without another word.

Alexis turned toward the door, his heartbeat steady despite the fear coiling in his gut.

He didn't have enough strength. Not yet. But he had the system. He had his resolve.

And if the Church wanted him…

They'd have to bleed for it.