Chapter 21: Bonds Forged in Fire

Atreya emerged from the chamber with the Asura blade in hand, its glow dim but pulsating faintly as if alive. His body ached from the trial, his mind still reeling from the visions he had seen within the void. Celeste and the scholars waited outside, their anxious faces illuminated by the flickering torchlight.

"You're alive," Celeste said, relief softening her sharp tone.

"Barely," Atreya muttered, leaning on the blade for support.

The scholars exchanged glances, their expressions a mixture of awe and fear. One of them, an elderly man with a long silver beard, stepped forward. "You succeeded where many before you have failed. The blade has accepted you."

Atreya's grip tightened around the hilt. "It didn't feel like acceptance. It felt like a warning."

"Power always comes with a price," the scholar said. "But wield it wisely, and it can change the course of history."

---

That night, Atreya stood on the castle battlements, the cold wind biting at his skin. Below, the city was alive with preparations for war. The distant sound of hammers and shouting echoed through the night, a grim reminder of the days ahead.

Celeste joined him, her footsteps silent on the stone. She handed him a flask, the warmth of the drink spreading through him as he took a sip.

"You did well today," she said, her gaze fixed on the horizon.

Atreya scoffed. "I barely survived."

"That's what makes you stronger," she replied. "You're not the same boy who stumbled into our lives a few months ago. You've grown."

He looked at her, the faint light of the moon highlighting her determined features. "Do you really think I'm ready for this? For war?"

"No one's ever ready for war," she said, her voice heavy with experience. "But you don't have to face it alone.