Chapter 8: Forging the Blade

Chapter 8: Forging the Blade

Kael leaned against the crumbling wall of the abandoned building, the faint glow of the crimson energy Rian had been teaching him still fading from his fingertips. Sweat dripped from his forehead, pooling in the dirt at his feet. His chest heaved, but his mind was sharp, his focus unbroken.

"That was decent," Rian said, pacing a few feet away, his arms crossed. "But decent isn't going to save your life when someone stronger comes for you."

Kael glared at him, the faint traces of irritation evident in his posture. "You keep saying that, but what's the point of breaking me down if I don't have the energy to keep fighting?"

Rian stopped pacing, fixing Kael with a sharp look. "The point is to show you your limits. And then teach you how to surpass them. You're sharp, Kael, but don't mistake talent for mastery. A genius who doesn't push himself will lose to a grinder who does."

Kael said nothing, his gaze dropping to the marks his attacks had left on the training dummies—scorch marks, cracked wood, but nothing devastating. He hated that Rian was right. Talent wasn't enough.

"All right," Rian said, clapping his hands together. "You're going to hate me for this next one, but it'll be worth it." He turned and motioned for Kael to follow him deeper into the building.

They entered a wide, open space that Kael hadn't seen before. The room was filled with strange structures—obstacles made of rusted pipes, shattered walls, and jagged steel beams. Suspended between them were glowing crimson shards, floating ominously in the air.

"What is this?" Kael asked, eyeing the shards warily.

"Your next lesson," Rian said with a smirk. "The Maze of Shards. Your goal is simple: get to the other side. The shards are programmed to attack anything that moves too quickly or clumsily. Touch one, and it'll cut you deep. This isn't about power. It's about precision and control."

Kael frowned, taking a step back. "You want me to just...run through that?"

"No," Rian said. "I want you to flow through it. Remember what I said about instinct? This is where you learn to trust it."

Before Kael could protest, Rian gestured toward the maze. "You've got five minutes. Go."

Kael took a deep breath, steadying himself. He stepped forward, the faint glow of his energy pulsing around him.

The first shard shot toward him as soon as he moved, a streak of crimson light that whizzed past his ear. Kael ducked and rolled, feeling the heat of the shard's energy as it narrowly missed him.

He pushed forward, his movements cautious but deliberate. The next shard came from above, forcing him to dive to the side. His energy flared as he shifted his weight, enhancing his speed and reflexes.

For a moment, he thought he was doing well. But then three shards shot at him from different directions, their trajectories perfectly timed to trap him.

Kael's mind raced, and in a split second, he made his move. He dropped to the ground, using a burst of energy to slide beneath the shards as they collided in the air above him. The force of their impact sent a shockwave rippling through the room, but Kael was already on his feet, moving again.

Rian watched from the sidelines, his expression unreadable. "Not bad," he muttered.

Kael continued through the maze, his movements becoming smoother as he adapted to the rhythm of the shards. He began to anticipate their patterns, using his energy to deflect some and dodge others. By the time he reached the halfway point, his body was drenched in sweat, but his determination burned brighter than ever.

Then the maze shifted.

The shards began to move faster, their trajectories more erratic. Kael's pulse quickened as he realized the stakes had been raised.

One shard grazed his arm, slicing through his sleeve and leaving a thin, glowing cut on his skin. Kael winced but didn't stop. He channeled his energy into his legs, leaping over a jagged beam and landing in a roll.

As he stood, he felt the air shift. A cluster of shards was converging on him, their speed and precision unlike anything he'd faced so far.

Kael's mind screamed at him to retreat, but something inside him refused. Instead of running, he planted his feet and raised his hands. He focused all his energy into a barrier, a shimmering field of blue-green light that surrounded him.

The shards collided with the barrier, each impact sending shockwaves through Kael's body. He gritted his teeth, his arms trembling as he struggled to maintain the shield.

"You're wasting energy!" Rian shouted from the sidelines. "Think! Don't just react!"

Kael's eyes darted to the shards, and in a flash of clarity, he saw it—a gap in their formation. Dropping the barrier, he dove through the opening, his movements fueled by instinct and desperation.

He hit the ground hard but rolled to his feet, sprinting toward the exit. The shards chased him, their energy humming like angry wasps.

Kael pushed harder, his energy flaring as he poured everything he had into one final burst of speed. He crossed the finish line just as the shards exploded behind him, the force of the blast sending him sprawling to the ground.

Kael lay on his back, gasping for air. His body ached, and his mind was foggy, but he felt a strange sense of accomplishment.

Rian approached, his footsteps echoing in the now-silent room. He crouched beside Kael, a faint smile on his face. "Not bad, kid. Not bad at all."

Kael turned his head, glaring at him. "That was insane."

Rian chuckled. "Insane, but effective. You didn't just survive—you adapted. That's what separates the strong from the dead."

Kael didn't respond, too exhausted to argue.

Rian stood, extending a hand to help him up. "Get some rest. We'll do this again tomorrow."

Kael groaned but took his hand, pulling himself to his feet. As he limped out of the room, he couldn't help but wonder how long he could keep pushing himself like this.