Chapter 12: A Bond Forged in Fire

There was the sombre feeling of sweat and damp earth in the training courtyard.' With the stone-paved ground in shadow, Arian stood across from Seris with a wooden sword pointed at him, smiling in pain as the sun set. Despite experiencing pain and gasps in his breathing, he refused to back down from the firing position with weapon in his hand

Seris smirked, her silver hair catching the light as she spun her blade in a practiced motion. "You're holding backk, Arian," she told with taunting tone . "You will never improve if you are too afraid to strike me properly."

Arian gritted his teeth, pushing forward with a sharp step, aiming a precise slash toward her side. Seris sidestepped with ease, countering with a swift strike that sent his sword flying from his grip. Before he could react, she tripped him down the group, sending him sprawling onto the water on the ground.

"Still too slow," she sighed, extending a hand to help him up. "But you are improving well."

Arian took her hand with frustration, pulling himself to his feet. His fingers curled into fists at his sides, frustration boiling within him. "I don't get it,why it's frustrating" he admitted. "I can feel the strength inside me, the power of the Codex, but in a real fight, Its still be useless for me"

Seris crossed her arms, regarding him with a thoughtful expression. "Raw power isn't enough," she said. "It has to be refined. Controlled. That's why you're training."

A low chuckle interrupted their conversation. Aldric stood leaning against a nearby pillar with glowing blue eyes, arms folded across his chest, his ever-present smirk playing on his lips. "Well, well, you two certainly make a good show of things," he mused. "But if you really want to get stronger, Arian, I have something far more interesting planned."

Arian narrowed his eyes. "Why do I feel like your definition of 'interesting' is going to be painful?"

Aldric grinned. "Because it is."

Aldric smashed his fingers together without any further explanation. Before reacting, Arian was engulfed by a swirling vortex of energy. The storm came quickly.? His surroundings were unclear, and when the lightlessness dissipated, he stood on a wide, rock-faced plateau under hazy light. The air was eerie and menacing, and in the distance, he could hear the low growling of unidentified deadly creatures.

Seris appeared beside him, her expression wary. "What the hell is Aldric?" she snapped. "Where did you bring us? You Always take us anywhere without our consideration."

Aldric, who had materialized a few feet away, stretched his arms lazily. "Welcome to the Rift," he said casually. "A nice little pocket dimension I use for training. No one can interrupt us here. And more importantly, you can't run away."

Arian exhaled sharply, scanning the desolate landscape. "And what exactly are we training against?"

Aldric raised a hand. As if responding to his command, the shadows around them twisted and writhed, forming into grotesque creatures with glowing red eyes. Their forms were amorphous, shifting between humanoid and beast-like shapes, their movements jerky and unnatural.

Arian tensed. He could feel the oppressive energy radiating from the creatures. These weren't just illusions. They were real threats.

"Your lesson today," Aldric said, his voice suddenly serious, "is survival."

Without warning, the creatures lunged.

Arian barely had time to summon his sword before one of the shadowy figures was upon him. He swung wildly, his blade passing through the creature's form as if cutting through mist. The thing reformed instantly, claws swiping toward him.

Seris moved with deadly efficiency, her sword glowing with a faint silver light as she cut through one of the creatures, dispersing it into a wisp of darkness. "You can't just attack blindly," she shouted at Arian. "Find the core! It is it's weakness"

Arian dodged another swipe, his mind racing. The core? He focused, allowing his senses to expand, tapping into the lingering remnants of the Codex's power within him. As he did, he saw a faint pulsing light at the heart of each creature, shifting and flickering like a dying ember.

He steadied his breath, shifting his grip on his sword. This time, when he attacked, he aimed for the glowing core. His blade struck true, and the creature let out a piercing wail before dissolving into nothingness.

Aldric clapped from the sidelines. "Now you are getting it!" he laughed

The battle raged on, each creature testing Arian's reflexes, forcing him to move faster, with each strike increasing his precision. Seris fought beside him, her movements graceful and efficient, her blade a silver streak cutting through the darkness.

Arian's body screamed in protest, exhaustion threatening to overtake him, but he pushed forward. His strikes became sharper, his dodges more fluid. He was adapting slowly.

And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the creatures vanished. The oppressive heavy energy lifted, and the plateau fell silent once more.

Arian collapsed onto his knees with whole body screaming in Pain, chest heaving. Sweat dripped from his brow, his limbs felt like lead, but a victorious grin spread across his face.

"You did well," Seris admitted with a smile, sheathing her sword. "Still rough, but you're learning."

Aldric sauntered over, crouching beside Arian. "Not bad, kid," he said, ruffling Arian's hair playfully. "You've got potential. But potential alone won't save you in a real fight."

"Who's Kid haa" Arian replied with a smrik

Arian nodded, still catching his breath. "I know. I'll keep training."

Aldric grinned. "That's what I like to hear."

With another snap of his fingers, the Rift dissolved around them, and they found themselves back in the palace courtyard. The sun had set, the stars twinkling in the sky above.

Arian pushed himself to his feet, his resolve stronger than ever. He knew now that he had a long way to go. But he also knew he wasn't alone.

With Seris by his side, Aldric pushing him forward, and the Codex's power waiting to be unlocked, he would carve his own path going forward.

And one day, he would be ready to claim the Ember Throne.Will he ? (Shuuush) Who knowns!