Night of Beginnings

Chapter 29: The Night of Beginnings

The night air was cold, sharp enough to bite at their exposed skin. The scent of damp earth lingered in the clearing, where the last remnants of autumn leaves crunched beneath their boots. A crescent moon hung low in the sky, its silver light casting elongated shadows against the towering oaks that surrounded them.

The training ground was supposed to be empty after sundown. It was a place of discipline and order during the day—but at night, it belonged only to those reckless enough to defy the rules.

Four figures stood in the open, their breath visible in the crisp air, weapons drawn.

Luna adjusted her grip on her practice sword, fingers tightening around the smooth wood. The weight of it was familiar, comforting. She had trained since childhood, her father ensuring that she mastered every form, every stance, every strategy. And yet, standing here, facing them, she felt something new—an excitement she couldn't quite name.

Across from her, Eris grinned, her fiery red hair wild from the wind. Unlike Luna, she wasn't disciplined, wasn't precise—but she was dangerous. Her movements were unpredictable, fueled by instinct rather than form. She twirled her wooden blade between her fingers, her golden eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"You sure you wanna do this, Luna?" Eris taunted, rolling her shoulders. "I don't hold back."

Luna exhaled slowly, steadying herself. "Neither do I."

The moment the words left her lips, Eris moved.

She was fast—faster than Luna expected. The redhead closed the distance in a heartbeat, her practice sword coming down in a sharp arc. Luna barely managed to block, the force of the strike rattling up her arms. She pushed back, stepping into the attack rather than retreating, forcing Eris to readjust.

A feint—then another. Eris was relentless, her blows coming from different angles, forcing Luna to stay on the defensive. But Luna wasn't just blocking—she was analyzing. Watching for patterns, weaknesses.

Then she saw it.

Eris always left her left side slightly open after an overhead strike. It was a fraction of a second, barely noticeable—but it was there.

Luna sidestepped, letting the next attack glide past her, and struck. Her wooden sword landed cleanly against Eris' ribs.

Eris grunted, stumbling back, but the grin never left her face. "Damn," she muttered, rubbing her side. "Didn't expect that."

Luna lowered her sword. "You rely too much on brute force."

"And you think too much before you act," Eris shot back, though there was no real bite in her words.

A soft chuckle came from the sidelines.

"You both suck," Asuna said casually, arms crossed as she leaned against a tree. Her long, silver hair fell over one shoulder, her piercing violet eyes full of amusement. "Luna, you hesitate before countering. And Eris, your stance is so sloppy it's a miracle you're still standing."

Eris shot her a glare. "You wanna fight me, princess?"

Asuna smirked. "I would, but watching you struggle is more entertaining."

Luna sighed, shaking her head. She had met Asuna only recently, but she understood her well enough—the street fighter, the survivor. While Luna had trained in grand halls, Asuna had learned through real battles—ones where there were no rules, no honor, only survival.

Kaelith, the only one who had remained silent until now, stepped forward. Unlike the others, she carried no sword. A simple wooden staff rested against her shoulder, her deep blue eyes observing them all carefully. She was the strategist, the thinker, the one who always saw further than the rest.

"That's enough," Kaelith said, her voice calm but firm.

Eris raised an eyebrow. "What? You scared I'll break her?"

Kaelith sighed. "This isn't about winning or losing." She looked at each of them in turn. "It's about understanding each other. Because one day, we won't just be fighting for ourselves."

For a moment, none of them spoke.

The wind rustled through the trees, the torches around them flickering in the darkness. The weight of Kaelith's words settled over them, a quiet truth they all felt but had never spoken aloud.

Luna turned her gaze to the others. They were so different—from different worlds, different upbringings—but in this moment, none of that mattered. Here, they stood as equals.

Eris cracked her knuckles. "Well, if we're fighting for something greater, we better get stronger."

Asuna smirked. "For once, I actually agree with you."

Kaelith gave a small, knowing smile, as if she had already seen what the future held for them.

Luna exhaled, her grip loosening on her sword. This was the start of something bigger than any of them realized.

One day, their names would be etched into history.

But tonight, they were just four young warriors standing under the stars.

And this was only the beginning.