Shadows of the Heart

As Celia disappeared into the corridor, her figure fading behind the garden walls, I caught myself staring at the empty space where she'd stood. The strange, inexplicable pull lingered in my chest. I couldn't make sense of it, no matter how hard I tried."Well, well. That was quite the heartfelt exchange," a familiar voice broke through my thoughts.I turned sharply to find Kaine, leaning casually against a tree, arms crossed and a smirk plastered across his face. He must've been standing there the whole time."How long have you been there?" I asked, my tone sharper than I intended."Long enough to watch the entire performance," he teased, pushing off the tree and approaching me. "You're lucky I didn't start clapping."I exhaled through my nose, unwilling to rise to the bait. Kaine always had a way of getting under my skin, but today, I wasn't in the mood."If you're done, I'd like to get back to training.""Oh, I'm far from done," Kaine replied, his tone shifting slightly. He reached into a rack nearby, pulling out a wooden sword and tossing it to me. "Here. Swing at me."I frowned. "What?""You heard me. Swing your sword at me, try to land a hit." He motioned to the space between us, his stance relaxed, but his eyes sharp. "And while you're trying to figure out how to do that, think about the girl. Tell me everything that's going through your head.""Is this some sort of joke?""Not at all." Kaine took a step forward, twirling his own wooden sword in his hand. "You're distracted, Elias. And distracted fighters are dead fighters. So, let's work through it."I tightened my grip on the wooden sword, reluctant but knowing I had little choice. This was Kaine, after all. If I refused, he'd just find a different way to push me.I charged forward, swinging wide. He dodged easily, not even breaking a sweat. "Go on," he urged, his voice calm. "Tell me what's in that head of yours."I swung again, trying to focus. "She's... different. I've never felt this way about someone before," I admitted, my voice hesitant."Go on," he said, sidestepping another strike with infuriating ease."I don't know what it is," I continued, frustration building as I missed again. "It's like there's something about her—something I can't explain. It's not just curiosity. It's..."Before I could finish the thought, Kaine struck. His wooden sword tapped the side of my head with a speed and precision that left me stunned."Ow!" I stumbled back, rubbing the spot.He lowered his sword, his expression unreadable for a moment before his usual smirk returned. "Your mind is your greatest weapon, Elias," he said, his voice quieter now, almost serious. "But your heart? That's your greatest weakness."I frowned, confused by his words."I'm not going to tell you what you're feeling," he added, stepping closer. "That's something you'll have to figure out for yourself. But let me give you a piece of advice: if you don't learn how to balance the two—your mind and your heart—you'll never survive what's ahead."He turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, clutching the wooden sword and feeling like I'd been hit harder by his words than his strike.

The wooden sword felt heavier than usual in my grip, though it was nothing compared to the weight of Kaine's words. As he left the training yard, I stayed behind, determined to push myself further.

 His advice, cryptic as always, still echoed in my mind: "Your mind is your greatest weapon, but your heart... that's your weakness."

That weakness was something I couldn't afford. Not now. Not ever.I took a deep breath and channeled my mana, focusing on the mana suppression technique Kaine had insisted I perfect.

It wasn't just about limiting my magical signature—it was about control. Absolute control.

The technique required me to keep my mana flow stable, as if a calm river ran through my veins instead of a raging storm.

But tonight, I wanted to take it further. I needed to expand my capacity.

I dropped into a meditative stance, the wooden sword resting on my knees as I closed my eyes. Slowly, I began to circulate my mana throughout my body, pushing it against the boundaries of my core.

My goal was to stretch those boundaries, little by little, while simultaneously suppressing any external leak of magical energy.

It was exhausting. Sweat dripped down my brow as I maintained the delicate balance between growth and suppression.

Each time I felt my control slipping, I forced myself to refocus, to tighten my grip on the flow.

Minutes turned into hours, and by the time I opened my eyes, the moon had climbed higher into the sky. My mana reserves had grown—barely—but it was progress.The knock on my door came just as I finished my nightly training. I opened it to find Marcus standing there, his usual smirk in place."You're still awake? Good," he said, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. "I've been meaning to challenge you.""To what?" I asked, though I already knew the answer."A duel, of course. Unless you're scared?"I grabbed my training sword and gestured for him to lead the way.We squared off in the courtyard, the cold night air sharpening my senses. Marcus was fast and aggressive, his strikes coming at me in quick succession.

But his movements were wild, driven more by emotion than precision.

I parried his attacks, waiting for an opening. Each clash of our swords echoed in the stillness of the night."You're holding back!" Marcus growled, frustration seeping into his voice. "Fight me seriously!""I am," I replied calmly, sidestepping another reckless swing.His frustration was his downfall. As he overcommitted to a heavy strike, I saw my chance. Pivoting on my heel, I dodged his attack and brought my sword to rest against his side.The duel was over.Marcus froze, his chest heaving as he stared at the wooden blade pressing lightly against his ribs. Slowly, I lowered it and stepped back."You're predictable," I said, keeping my tone neutral. "You rely too much on strength and speed without thinking about your opponent's movements."His expression darkened, and he clenched his fists. "I'll beat you one day, Elias. Even if it kills me."The venom in his words caught me off guard. Marcus turned and walked away, his shoulders tense. There was no mistaking it—this wasn't just a rivalry anymore. It was personal.

The next morning, I set out into the city to investigate Celia's lineage. I started with the bustling market square, listening carefully to conversations and searching for any rumors about noble families. It was slow work, and most of what I overheard was useless gossip.

I made my way to the library, hoping to find records that might hint at her family's history. But the archivist was less than helpful, refusing to let me access the restricted sections.Frustrated, I decided to try the seedier parts of the city. The slums and back alleys were dangerous, but they were also where secrets tended to surface. I moved carefully, keeping my mana suppressed to avoid detection.Hours passed with little progress. My questions were met with suspicious glares or outright silence. But just as I was about to give up, I stumbled upon a conversation in a dark alley.

Two men stood huddled in the shadows, their voices low but clear enough for me to catch snippets of their conversation.

"...House Calvian's on the verge of collapse," one of them said, his tone smug. "Their infighting's getting worse by the day.""Yeah, thanks to that rumor we planted," the other replied with a chuckle. "Breaking up their alliance with House Luminaris was genius. The boss's plan is working perfectly."My pulse quickened. House Calvian? Are they connected to Celia?"What about the girl?" the first bandit asked."The brat? No one's figured out she's the last heir to that side of the family. As far as they're concerned, she's just some street common child that her house fell."I slipped away before they could notice me, my mind racing. I had to confirm what I'd overheard, but first, I needed to ensure Celia's connection to House Calvian, Each house have multiply families so maybe Celia's family are one of them?.By the time I returned to the estate, night had fallen. My mind was still buzzing with the implications of what I'd learned, but I forced myself to focus on training.Kaine noticed my distraction immediately."Your head's somewhere else again," he said, delivering a series of rapid strikes that I barely managed to block. "Focus, Elias."I nodded, pushing the day's events to the back of my mind and throwing myself into the training session. Kaine didn't let up, his attacks relentless as he pushed me to my limits.When the session finally ended, I staggered back to my room, exhausted but determined. Tomorrow, I would confront Celia about what I'd learned. And if my suspicions were correct, House Calvian's survival might depend on it.