Training Days

The days in Eldranor felt slow. As time moved on within those white walls, Ethan realized that this ancient kingdom seemed to breathe alongside him.

The mornings always began the same way: with the soft bluish glow of the mana lines that ran through the marble towers, illuminating the corridors. Ethan often woke early, even if he didn't sleep much, just to walk those halls and trace the inscriptions on the walls with his fingers.

Even though he couldn't read them, he already knew the story they told, from the plague to everything else, thanks to the novel. But to see, touch, and feel the energy embedded in those pillars was something else entirely. He felt more alive with each passing day.

Aeris used those early hours to study every mural, every stone tablet they found. The fervor in her eyes was almost moving. Ethan would watch her from a distance sometimes, her face softly lit by the blue runes, and couldn't help but notice that away from him, she seemed more like herself, free from needing to constantly prove her devotion.

At first, she wanted to follow him everywhere, helping with everything, but he convinced her it was better if she prepared for the arrival of the other cult members or any messages they might receive.

The high-ranking members wouldn't be able to come so soon, occupied as they were with their lives tied to the Church, but they also couldn't just send anyone. That meant the first group would still take a few more days to arrive.

Sylfie, on the other hand, hated standing still. Almost every morning, she'd head out alone into the outer ruins. She'd disappear among half-collapsed walls and buried corridors, coming back covered in soot or leaves, reporting what she'd found with a mix of duty and pride. Ethan knew she liked being near them, even if she insisted on keeping her tone dry when speaking. At night, she trained with him in the central courtyard, her arrows slicing through the air as he practiced with Nexus. Their arguments were constant, pure provocation, almost a dangerous game, but there was something comforting in that restrained rivalry.

Ethan was careful not to defeat her too quickly, knowing it might only worsen things between them. But he also didn't force himself to lose, thinking it would be too obvious.

He could see that Sylfie's sense of inferiority was far from healed, so he used his charm to distract her from her own paranoia whenever he noticed it starting to surface.

And then there was Sinnon.

The vampire usually appeared in the late afternoon, when the sun painted the white rooftops gold. He never taught formally, nor called himself a master. But Ethan realized that the sharp provocations hid genuine advice, small corrections, and valuable insights. When Ethan lost control of his mana, Sinnon didn't hesitate to mock him, but then would show him, with a simple gesture, how it should be done.

"You're forcing it too much," he'd say, shaking his head. "Mana is like water, there's no use trying to punch or kick it. It always needs to flow naturally."

His words sometimes sounded almost poetic, but Ethan treasured every one as if it were gold.

Even the golems seemed to notice something had changed. They followed Ethan with their hollow eyes, almost as if they recognized him, something they didn't seem to do with the others.

One particularly cold morning, Ethan climbed to one of the highest balconies. The view from there was grand: white walls, hanging bridges, empty courtyards. The cold wind carried with it the ancient scent of stone.

Sinnon was already there, seated cross-legged, his chin resting on one hand.

"You've been different lately," he remarked, without taking his eyes off the horizon.

"Different how?"

"More… alive." He gave a crooked smile, almost mocking. "Careful. Feeling too alive usually comes at a high price."

Ethan simply smiled. "Well, I think it's a risk worth taking."

The vampire let out a sound that might have been a short laugh. "We'll see."

Ethan wasn't sure whether that was advice or just one of the old vampire's ramblings, but it was a thought he kept alive in the back of his mind. After all, even with the knowledge of a book, the man beside him had the kind of experience that spanned many lifetimes.

Down in the main courtyard, Aeris was finishing setting up a small improvised altar. She looked up, and her eyes met Ethan's. For a moment, there were no words, just the silent understanding of those who carry the weight of something greater.

It seemed like a simple time, but it was only the beginning. Soon, he would have to take on his responsibilities as a herald. And now, as the heir of this ancient kingdom too.

When the sun began to sink behind Eldranor's white walls, the shadows stretched out like ancient fingers, touching every column and arch with reverence. It was at that hour that Ethan often met with Sinnon, away from the others, in the old throne hall.

"Show me again," ordered Sinnon, his tone as lazy as ever, but with eyes sharp and attentive.

Ethan raised Nexus, which at that moment was still shaped like a glove. Focusing, he tried to channel divine mana through the material, hoping it would react differently this time.

At first, nothing happened beyond a few white veins running across its dark surface.

"You're still treating it like an object," Sinnon complained, shaking his head. "It's not just that. You need to act as if it were an extension of who you are."

Ethan took a deep breath, letting those words echo in his mind. He remembered what he felt when he crossed Eldranor's barrier, and every time he touched divine energy.

The energy flowed again, this time gentler, almost as if synchronizing with his will. The glove seemed to hum, adjusting to the flow.

Sinnon raised an eyebrow, almost smiling. "Better. Much better."

It was the first time Ethan saw a flicker of sincere approval from the vampire. But Sinnon quickly returned to his provoking tone: "Don't think that makes you an expert. You still look like a baby taking its first steps."

Ethan just laughed. "And that's why I need a master, isn't it?"

Sinnon fell silent for a moment, his red eyes gleaming in the dim light. "Maybe," he murmured. "Or maybe what you really need is a good beating."

But the words sounded less harsh than before, almost resigned.

Meanwhile, Aeris and Sylfie never stayed idle.

At night, the dark-haired priestess would sit beside Ethan to share discoveries or propose theories about how Eldranor had fallen. Even though Ethan already knew all of it, he simply listened, it was the only time she truly opened up to him, rather than to Aurelia's herald.

Sylfie, although reluctant at first, began to help too. With her tracker's experience, she found buried passages and old traps. Arguments between the two were inevitable, their tone still carried old wounds, but little by little, there were more results than fights.

One evening, returning from yet another expedition, Ethan gathered them in the throne room. He, Aeris, Sylfie… and Sinnon, who, as always, appeared from behind a column.

"Do you feel that?" Ethan asked, keeping his voice low.

Sylfie crossed her arms. "Feel what?"

"The kingdom's mana flow… it feels more alive."

Aeris nodded. "I noticed too. It seems to get stronger after your training with Sinnon. I think it's directly linked to you."

Sinnon simply watched, the tired smile on his face. "You're directly connected to this kingdom, boy, or have you forgotten? It's rather disappointing it took you this long to notice."

The old vampire disappeared again right after saying that.

At that moment, Ethan noticed something curious. Nexus, even when still, seemed to emit a faint presence, as if it had a life of its own.

Something had changed within him, just as it had in the kingdom. It truly was more than an object. And considering it was said to have been made the same way Eldranor crafted its artifacts, it might even contain a fragment of a soul.

More days passed; the moon was high when Ethan climbed that same balcony. The night wind cut cold, carrying with it the familiar scent of ancient stone he had grown used to. Before him, the white towers slept, lit only by the blue energy lines running like living veins through the stone.

Behind him, Sinnon approached silently. He didn't need to announce himself, now, the mere shift in the mana flow gave him away.

"Deep in thought, boy?" he asked, in that teasing tone so natural to him.

Ethan didn't answer right away. His eyes were fixed on the empty city below, where Aeris and Sylfie stood by the ancient mana altar, lit by the blue glow. For the first time in a long while, they seemed at peace.

"Do you think my training is going well?" Ethan finally asked.

Sinnon raised an eyebrow, surprised by the question. "Maybe," he replied, with a sincerity that sounded more honest than he meant it to. "Or maybe not. But that's not what matters."

Ethan turned to face him. "Then what does matter?"

"To keep trying anyway." The vampire gave a half smile. "Those who never give up are remembered. Even if they fail, at least they'll be remembered for never stopping. Those who quit don't even have that."

There was a brief silence. Ethan took a deep breath, feeling Nexus pulse faintly in his hand.

At that moment, Aeris and Sylfie came up to join them. Aeris carried a slightly crumpled scroll, her eyes showing a mix of excitement and worry.

"We received news through the guild's magic," she said, handing the scroll to Ethan.

He took the parchment and read it quickly. As his eyes moved over the lines, his expression grew more serious.

"So, the hero has become a known figure," Ethan murmured, slowly closing the scroll.

Sylfie frowned. "And that's bad?"

Ethan hesitated, his gaze growing distant for a moment, as if seeing something beyond his sight. He remembered very well what the novel said. The hero himself wasn't the problem, but rather what his enemies would do now that they knew of his existence. He'd be able to survive, but his journey wouldn't be completed without cost and sacrifice.

"Yes… potentially very bad," he replied, trying to keep his tone under control.

Sylfie stepped forward. "You seem to know more than you're saying, Ethan."

He looked away, the wind gently tousling his hair. "Just a feeling," he lied, not very convincingly. "But we need to stay alert."

Sinnon watched everything, his red eyes half-closed, studying him. "Are you going after him?"

"Not yet," Ethan said, almost more to himself than to the vampire. "For now, we need to strengthen Eldranor and consolidate the cult. We can't act before we're ready."

Aeris clutched her dress, looking a little uneasy. "And if it becomes too late, my lord?"

Ethan looked at her, then at Sylfie, who stood silently, her expression confident despite the tension.

"We just need to hurry so it doesn't get to that point," he said, with his usual calm smile. "It shouldn't be long before the cult members arrive."

Despite trying to appear confident in front of them, and Sinnon, Ethan knew exactly what would happen next with the hero. They really didn't have much time before the hero's first true enemy began to move.

It wasn't as if Ethan planned to worry about every villain or adversary the hero would face, but this one in particular would cause a problem that would affect even him. And worst of all, it wasn't someone easily stopped.

After all, who would believe him if he said a princess having a crush on the hero would lead to a war between two kingdoms?