Days pass once more and the weight of responsibility sat heavily on Kaleb's shoulders. The deal with the count and his promise to the girls were a constant motivator and reminder of the delicate balance he had to maintain. Rounding the field one last time, he skidded to a halt, his heart pounding in his chest and his muscles ached, but he welcomed the pain, a distraction from the whirlwind of thoughts in his mind.
Bending over, he caught his breath, sweat dripping down his brow and falling to the grass below.
His mind wandered back to the strange energy that surged through him during the fight.
"That strange energy…" he muttered, staring at his palm.
"What was it? The raw power, and the way it made me stronger! How did I even do it?"
He glanced around the empty field as if expecting someone to appear with answers. But only silence greeted him. He grit his teeth as frustration crept in.
"I need to figure this out," he whispered, planting his feet firmly on the ground. He closed his eyes, recalling the fight and the moment that energy had surged through him.
"If I could control it…" he said, tensing his muscles and clenching his fists.
"Come on… just like before," he muttered, focusing harder. "Feel it…"
He remembered the way it had burst forth when he was on the verge of defeat, and how it had given him the strength to fight back against his opponents on not one but two occasions. The memory lingered, and curiosity gnawed at him.
Seconds passed, then minutes and nothing happened.
"Damn it!" Kaleb growled, opening his eyes and kicking the grass in frustration. "Why can't I control it? Maybe it only comes when I need it most?"
He stared at his hands as if they were hiding some secret. "It's there… I know it is. I felt it, I saw it!" He paused and his eyes widen slightly, as it dawned on him.
"Am I the only one who can see it? That would explain a lot."
His mind raced, trying to connect fragments of his many unanswered questions, but the weight of responsibility quickly brought him back. With a deep breath, he shook his head.
"Forget it…. for now I need to focus."
He clenched his fists and looked out at the field.
"I can't waste time chasing something I can't control. I've got to keep getting stronger."
With a renewed determination, he resumed his physical training, pushing the mystery of the energy to the back of his mind as his next fight was fast approaching and he couldn't rely on something so unpredictable.
For now, all he could do was focus on what he could rely on.
In the distance, the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the field as Kaleb continued to push himself. From one of the many windows, the girls watched quietly with concern etched on their faces.
"Don't you guys think he's pushing himself too hard, it's been days since he started doing this now." Rayna said, her ears twitching with worry.
"Would the stubborn fool listen if we told him not to?"
"He's been through so much already. And now… he's risking his life for us. I don't know how much more he can take."
"Nobody asked him to though"
"Hey!" Rayna exclaims, "I get that you're upset that Kaleb didn't listen to you, but that isn't a reason for you to act like a bitch."
"Then stop spouting shit"
"Look, if you're going to be this way then just shut the hell up!"
"Make me you stupid beastman!"
The tension in the room was palpable as Atara's words hung in the air. Rayna's eyes widened in shock as her lips parted in disbelief. Eliora, usually calm and reserved, visibly recoiled as if she'd been struck, her expression a mix of shock and hurt.
"Is that really how you feel? i thought our races didn't matter?" she asked, breaking the silence. Her voice was low and controlled but with an unmistakable tremor in it.
She searched Atara's face for any sign of regret, with a hope that maybe the words were just a slip of anger.
She crossed her arms and glared back defiantly, though a flicker of doubt crossed her face for just a second.
"And if they are?"
Eliora, who had been silent, finally spoke, her voice soft but steady. "She was just trying to get you to understand that he's doing it for us"
Atara's jaw tightened. "I know Kaleb's risking his life, but I never asked for that. None of us did! And now he's pushing himself too hard, and you're all just letting it happen!"
Rayna stepped forward, her tone sharp.
"That's not fair, and you know it!'
"The hell are you talking about?"
"We're all scared, but taking it out on us? That's not going to solve anything."
Atara clenched her fists, her frustration boiling over. "Maybe if you stubborn blockheads listened to me for once,"
"Atara," Eliora interrupted softly and uncharacteristically, her gaze unwavering, "We're all in this together. I know you don't like his way of handling it but you have to accept it like we have tried to."
"Why though? I don't want any of this!"
"Because we all care about Kaleb. Don't let your stubbornness and anger tear us apart."
For a long moment, they all stayed silent, the weight of Atara's words still lingering. Finally, her shoulders slumped, and her expression softened, even if only slightly.
"I just… I don't want to lose anyone I care about, even if they're a stubborn commoner slave like him."
Rayna sighed, the tension easing just a little.
"Neither do we," she said, her voice softening as she stared out the window, her gaze locked on Kaleb training in the distance.
Eliora couldn't resist a mischievous grin as she noticed Rayna's gaze locked on Kaleb. "You te Aara theother day, but you also really care about Kaleb, don't you Rayna?" she teased, nudging Rayna lightly.
She blushed, flustered. "I…well…of course I do…Don't you?" she stammered, clearly flustered He's… he's saved us!"
Atara joined in, smirking. "Yeah, sure. But maybe you like him a little too much?"
Rayna shot her a look, her blush deepening.
"Hey, they're your words, not mine"
"Look who's talking!" she shot back. "You two follow him around like lost puppies every chance you get!"
Laura walked passed the room they were in as she made her way through the halls of the estate, her mind racing with the conversation she just overheard. Soon, she found herself standing before the door of the Count's study and after a brief pause, she knocked and entered when beckoned.
The Count sat behind his desk, swirling a glass of dark wine in his hand. His eyes met hers as she stood before him, her hands clasped together.
"What is it, Laura?"
"I wanted to ask, my lord," she began carefully, "About the slaves…I understand that it's not my place, but after weeks of observation i find myself wondering at times, why did you buy them?"
Leaning back into his chair and raising an eyebrow at the question. He took a slow sip of his wine before answering, his tone casual, as though discussing livestock.
"At the time, it was nothing more than an impulse," he admitted with a small smirk. "But now... I find myself rather looking forward to the joy of toying with them."
He paused, letting the silence stretch as a dark smile curled at the corner of his lips. "You see, at the moment they think they still have something to cling to, some misguided sense of hope. But that's the beauty of it," he whispered.
"You start chipping away at that hope slowly, but you let them believe they still have a chance. Only to tear it away when they least expect it. To make them beg for mercy."
His eyes darkened, and the air in the room grew heavy with the weight of his vile words.
"And when they're desperate enough, you offer them a false kindness, a small sense reprieve, just so you can take it away again and watch the despair devour them whole"
He glanced up at Laura, studying her face for a reaction, his tone taking on a mockingly casual air. Laura's stomach tightened at his words, but her expression remained impassive.
"And the boy?" she probed, her voice steady. "What do you plan to do with him now that he has proved to be of some use to you?"
Leaning forward, his voice dropped to a sinister whisper.
"Once they've been sufficiently broken, they will cling to anyone who shows them the slightest kindness.
They'll do anything. And When even he breaks, and trust me he will, he'll be the key to destroying what little spirit they have left. Watching that will be quite the spectacle."
His words echoed in the room, chilling in their calculated cruelty. Laura felt a pang of unease. She nodded curtly, hiding her disgust.
"I understand, my lord."
"You seem particularly interested in the boy, Laura. I wonder… does he remind you of someone?"
Laura stiffened but kept her composure.
"I only wish to understand your intentions, my lord," .
The Count chuckled softly, the sound unsettling.
"Intentions," bemused by her words, he leaned forward slightly, never breaking eye contact. The Count waved his hand dismissively. "If that was all, leave. I have other matters to attend to."
Without another word, Laura turned and left, her mind already spinning with the disturbing nature of the Count's plan.