First Training Phase - Combat and Magic Tests

Kai stepped into the depths of the forest, the towering trees looming above, their gnarled branches reaching out like skeletal fingers. The damp earth beneath his boots carried the scent of moss, rot, and lingering magic.

The summer breeze warmed his skin and caused him to smile.

'I hated winter. Luckily I'm not hunting in the cold. My movements need to be perfect.'

He exhaled slowly.

His body had recovered enough to move without pain, but now came the real test. If he was to command the dead, he first had to prove he could ensure his own survival.

Kai moved cautiously, senses heightened. He didn't have long to wait. The first threat revealed itself in the form of three arcane wolves.

'Like deadlier versions of Bert.'

Their eyes glowed like embers, their movements silent, calculated. They circled him, testing for weakness.