The next morning, Caelum woke with sore muscles but a determined look. The confrontation with the energy crystal seeker the day before had been a lesson in humility. He understood now how far he was still from being ready to face the true dangers of Arkhadia. Yet the ordeal had also rekindled his resolve.
At breakfast, around the gently crackling campfire, Lyra fixed her gentle but piercing gaze on the young prince. She knew that something had changed in him, that a new maturity was emerging. Aldric, for his part, watched Caelum in silence, a glimmer of pride hidden behind his austere demeanor.
After the meal, Aldric stood. "Today, we will focus on weapon mastery. » He gestured to a series of weapons laid out on a long wooden table: black steel spears, slightly curved double swords, and an assortment of shields. "You must know each of these weapons, but more than that, you must learn to respect them."
Caelum nodded. He had wielded these weapons before in his previous training sessions, but he knew today would be different. Aldric wasn't going to simply teach him techniques; he was going to teach him the art of war.
The morning passed under an overcast sky, the sun hidden behind heavy gray clouds. Aldric started with the spear, a weapon Caelum found both elegant and intimidating. The black steel spear, unique to Arkhadia, was longer than those used elsewhere and designed to be used on foot as well as on horseback.
"The spear is an extension of your arm," Aldric explained. "It gives you a reach your enemies don't have." But it requires precision and skill. One false move, and it can betray you as well as save you."
Caelum practiced for hours, striking wooden targets, dodging Aldric's simulated counterattacks, and adjusting his grip and positioning as his mentor instructed. The spear was slowly becoming a part of him, a tool he grew more and more comfortable with.
After the spear came the slightly curved double swords, a signature weapon of Solara. These swords were light, fast, and designed for precise, fluid strikes. Aldric preferred them for close combat, where speed and agility could make all the difference.
Caelum practiced wielding both swords simultaneously, under Aldric's watchful eye. The movements were complex, requiring perfect coordination between both hands. He felt every muscle in his body working to harmonize his movements, and though he was exhausted, he refused to give in.
That afternoon, as the sky darkened further, Aldric stopped training. "That's enough for today," he said, staring at Caelum, who was panting and sweating. "Go get some rest. You'll need it."
Caelum nodded, too tired to protest. He went to sit by the fire, where Lyra was waiting. She offered him a canteen of cold water, which he accepted gratefully. "You've made progress today," she said softly, her gaze kind.
Caelum nodded, but his mind was elsewhere. Ever since he'd discovered the truth about Arkhadia and his family's history, he'd felt increasingly burdened by a nagging question: Why him? Why had he survived, when his family, his kingdom, everything he had ever known, had been destroyed? A dull guilt grew within him, a voice inside him that whispered that he did not deserve to be alive, that he was unworthy of the legacy that now weighed on his shoulders.
"Lyra," he began after a long moment of silence, "why did I survive? Why not someone else?"
Lyra was silent for a moment, as if to weigh her words. "Sometimes, Caelum, life throws us trials we do not understand. Fate, if it exists, has a plan for each of us. But it is not up to us to decide why things happen the way they do. What we can do is choose how we will react."
Caelum looked down, absently playing with a piece of wood. "But what if I am not strong enough to face what awaits me?" »
Lyra placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Strength lies not in muscles or skill with a weapon. True strength comes from within, from the ability to persevere, to overcome fear and doubt. You already have that strength, Caelum. It shows itself every time you rise after a fall, every time you fight to become better."
Lyra's words resonated with him, but the doubt was not so easily erased. He wondered if she saw in him what he struggled to discern himself. But before he could answer, a distant scream rang through the forest, shattering the stillness of the twilight.
That night, Aldric and Lyra had planned a special outing for Caelum. They had left the refuge to take him into a real environment, where he would learn to defend himself against the dangers that lurk outside. The goal was to teach him how to face a carnivore, a fearsome predator native to Arkhadia, known for its speed and ferocity. But that scream, piercing the silence of the forest, had changed everything.
Aldric, who had gone away to watch over the camp, rushed back. "Caelum, Lyra, stay here," he ordered, his hand instinctively going to the sword at his belt.
But Caelum knew he could not stay away. This time, he felt that the test that awaited him was more than a simple exercise. It was a test of his courage, of his will to protect those he loved. He stood, grabbed the dual swords he had used earlier, and followed Aldric, determined to face whatever loomed in the shadows.
As they approached the source of the scream, the sounds of the forest seemed to fall silent, as if even nature was holding its breath. The trees grew denser, and the fading light of day struggled to break through the thick canopy. Caelum felt his heart pounding faster and faster, but there was no turning back.
When they finally reached the clearing where the scream had come from, they discovered a disturbing scene: a group of energy crystal seekers , surrounded a figure on the ground, a man, apparently injured. Caelum recognized the man immediately: it was the one he had faced the week before.
Aldric held up a hand to signal Caelum not to move, but Caelum was no longer listening. He knew the man might be dangerous, but he couldn't ignore the need to help someone in danger, even an enemy. Without thinking, he rushed into the clearing, swords drawn.
The energy crystal seekers turned to him, their gazes hardening. "This is not your fight, kid," one of them, clearly the leader of the group, growled.
Caelum planted his feet firmly in the ground, ready to fight. "I will not let a man die here," he replied, his voice barely trembling.
The leader of the seekers waved, and two of his men stepped forward, spears at the ready. Caelum remembered the movements he had learned, the fluidity of the swords in his hands, and prepared to defend himself.
The first attacker lunged with his spear, aiming directly at Caelum's torso. But the young prince dodged the attack with a quick movement, pivoting to the side to strike with one of his swords. The blade grazed the researcher's leather armor, but he stepped back just in time to avoid serious injury.
The second researcher attempted a sideways attack, but Caelum, anticipating the blow, blocked the spear with his second sword, deflecting it before striking the man in the side, disarming him. The leader of the researchers, seeing his men in difficulty with a child, approached, sword drawn.
But before he could attack, Aldric appeared, interposing his own blade between Caelum and the leader. "If you want to touch him," Aldric said with cold determination, "you'll have to go over my body."
The leader of the energy crystal researchers sized Aldric up for a moment, weighing his options. Finally, he signaled his men to retreat. "This isn't over," he said as he disappeared into the darkness of the woods with his men.