the path of steel and shadow

The morning began with silence.

No horns. No drills. Only a low mist blanketing the training grounds like breath held by the world itself. Thalen stood alone beneath the arching obsidian gate, Kindle strapped across his back, eyes closed as he focused on the rhythm of his breathing.

Every breath was a blade strike. Every exhale, a parry. Every heartbeat, a step closer to the Tyrant's path.

Velis approached wordlessly and placed a sealed scroll in Thalen's hand.

"Your first outside assignment," he said.

Thalen raised an eyebrow. "I thought I was still a beginner."

"You are," Velis replied. "That's why this mission is to remind you of what that means."

He gestured toward the distant southern cliffs. "A small border village near the edge of the Lower Realm is under attack by a rogue aura beast. Blade aura is suited for agile combat. You're going alone."

Thalen's lips parted. "What if I fail?"