Kaleb reached out, feeling the energy wrapped around him. He pushed further, trying to coax even more of the mana to the surface. The sensation was intoxicating, as it filled him with strength. He could feel it in his muscles, in the lightness of his steps as he moved around, testing the newfound power.
His heart began to beat faster, his breath coming quicker as the power flowed more freely. But then, a sharp twinge shot through his body, causing him to flinch. At first, it was subtle, barely noticeable, but the ache grew rapidly.
The warmth that had embraced him moments ago now began to burn, twisted into something sinister, like flames licking through his veins. Suddenly, a jolt of pain tore through him. Kaleb gasped, stumbling back, his vision blurred. The energy turned volatile, writhing beneath his skin like a caged beast.
Kaleb's knees buckled, and he staggered back, clutching his chest as a surge of pain ripped through him, hot and electric.
He gasped, his voice barely a whisper.
"What... what's happening to me?"
A searing pressure coiled tighter in his chest, stealing the air from his lungs. Every breath was a struggle, his throat burning as if he were inhaling fire. Kaleb's hand shook as he reached out, searching for anything to steady himself, but his fingers found only empty air before falling to the ground.
"No... I can't… control it...!" he hissed, forcing himself to focus, as the power slipped out of his control.
He dug his fingers into the dirt beneath him, desperate for something to anchor him as he fought against the raging mana. He tried to focus, to push the energy down, to contain it, but the sheer force of it was overwhelming, unstoppable.
His vision began to blur, dark tendrils creeping in from the edges, casting everything in a wavering haze as he writhed, helpless, on the ground. His thoughts, usually sharp and calculating, scattered like leaves in a storm, replaced by primal, desperate instincts.
He clung to consciousness with what little strength he had left, and it was very, very little. His body locked was in a brutal struggle to contain the power he had tried so hard to control. But in that moment, with pain wracking every inch of him, survival felt like an impossible battle against the very force he had unleashed.
He begged for the pain to stop, not caring who would be the one to stop the pain.
"Stop... just stop..." he murmured, his voice barely a whisper, laced with desperation and fear.
His body shook violently, each pulse of raw power hammering him closer to the brink. His vision swam, his mind slipping as he teetered on the edge of consciousness.
"Come on…" he whispered, as he forced himself to push through the agony and torment, but the words barely made it past his lips as another brutal wave of searing pain ripped through him, stealing the air from his lungs, leaving him breathless and gasping.
"Please...!" he choked out, a final plea to anyone, if it was the girls, the servants, the detestable guards or even god that could end the relentless suffering.
Finally, with a shuddering breath, his body gave in, and Kaleb collapsed to the ground, his strength completely drained. The aura that once wrapped him in a vibrant hue faded away, shrinking inward.
For a long moment, he lay there, still and silent, feeling only the cold earth beneath him. The power that had raged so fiercely mere moments before now seemed impossibly distant, as if it had retreated to some unreachable place, leaving him hollowed and weakened.
He didn't understand what had stopped the onslaught, but he was too exhausted to question it. Relief washed over him, tempered by the raw ache that remained, and he took one shallow, grateful breath, glad that, for now, the nightmare had passed.
After a few minutes of laying on the ground and catching his breath, Kaleb sat up, his body still reeling from the strain of the mana. His mind raced as he wondered what had caused the indescribable pain, and more importantly, the reason it left him so drained.
His thoughts drifted back to the fight, to the moment when he had collapsed. 'Was the mana to blame?' he thought as he got up and dusted himself off.
'No, if it was, this would have happened when I was fighting in the pits' he thought, shaking his head as he packed his things.
As he slung his makeshift bag over his shoulder, he hesitated, his thoughts drifting away from the mystery of his power and landing squarely on something far more painful, the girls. The pain etched on their faces due to his actions pressed heavily on him like a blade was lodged in his chest.
'Is there even a way back?' Atara's words echoed in his mind, her anger and disappointment. He wasn't sure how to fix things, or if they even wanted him to try.
'What if it's too late to even try?'
The thought gnawed at him as he stood frozen, the guilt unshakable. As he stood there, lost in thought, the sound of approaching footsteps broke his reverie.
A guard appeared, standing tall with a scowl etched into his face.
"Madam Laura has summoned you," he said, the sneer in his voice unmistakable.
Kaleb met the guard's glare with a steady gaze
"What does that emotionless four-eyed witch want?" he replied calmly, his tone sharp enough to cut through the tension.
The guard's eyes flashed with anger.
"How dare you speak about Lady Laura that way slave!" he spat, stepping closer as his hand twitched toward the hilt of his sword.
"Don't allow yourself to become proud because you beat a mere novice knight. You're still just a slave, so watch your tongue before I cut it out!"
Kaleb smirked.
"Go ahead, pull it out. I'd love to see if you are any better than that mere novice."
The guard's fingers twitched dangerously, but he managed to restrain himself.
"Enough of your insolence!" he barked, his voice taut with rage. "You will go to Madam Laura. Now!"
Kaleb chuckled.
"Fine. Lead the way but don't expect me to grovel." as he followed the guard, animosity lingering between them like a tangible force.
Laura stood in the foyer, it was a grand space, adorned with polished marble floors that gleamed under the soft light filtering through tall arched windows with her arms crossed as she waited. When Kaleb and the guard arrived her gaze swept over him, appraising him with a hint of disdain.
"Why are you so filthy?" she asked, her brow furrowed.
"I was just doing some exercise in the fields." He replied with a smirk, his tone casual as he wiped sweat from his brow.
"Exercise in the fields?" she questioned, disbelief evident in her tone. "Those fields are not meant for such things."
He met her gaze.
"Where else would you expect me to go? I'm not exactly welcome at the knights' training grounds."
Her expression shifted, annoyance flaring walked towards the stairs at the center of the foyer.
"Enough of this. Follow me. The Count wishes to see you." She said, swiveling in her heel and approaching the stairs.
As they went up Kaleb couldn't resist the urge to pester Laura with questions.
"Why does the Count want to see me?"
"You will find out when you stand before him"
"Is it about the fight?"
"As I said, you will out when you stand before him"
"What about the girls? I heard you beat Rayna, is that true?"
With each question, her irritation grew, tension radiating off her like heat from a forge.
"Hey, are you listening to me?"
Finally, she snapped, "Just shut up!" she yelled, her tone sharp. From then on Kaleb kept silent until they stood at the door of the counts' study.
Sounds of heated voices spilled out into the hallway. Kaleb's ears strained as he tried to catch snippets of the argument.
Laura knocked briskly, and when a voice from inside called, "Enter," she pushed the door open.
As they stepped inside, the atmosphere shifted. The Count was sat behind his desk, his brow furrowed and jaw clenched. Papers were scattered across the surface.
The Count was engaged in a heated discussion with William.
William stood across from him, the sharp lines of his face etched with frustration, and his voice was raised, filled with barely restrained anger.
"This is a mistake, My lord!" he exclaimed "I understand that we need as many soldiers as possible but you're putting us at risk with this decision!"
The Count's fingers drummed against the desk, a sign of his mounting impatience. "I have made my decision William, and that is final!" he replied, his tone low and steady, yet laced with irritation."
A flicker of movement caught Kaleb's eye as William leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial hiss.
"My lord He's just a slave! Do you think he can handle what's coming? This is reckless!"
The atmosphere crackled with unspoken tension as Count Ranika shot William a sharp glance, silencing him momentarily.
William's face was flushed with anger, his fists clenched at his sides as he turned to glare at Kaleb, his eyes burning with disdain.
"You'll regret this, Count!" William growled.
Without waiting for a reply, he stormed out of the study, giving Kaleb a death glare that sent a chill down his spine as he brushed past Laura and slammed the door behind him.
As he let out a deep sigh, the Count leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on Kaleb assessing him with a mixture of interest and calculation. With the barest trace of a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
"You've made quite a spectacle of yourself slave" he began, a hint of satisfaction creeping into his voice.
Kaleb's eyes darkened, his posture stiffening. "What exactly are you getting at?"
"I heard you took on one of my guards and won. A commendable feat, given the fact that you were no more than a slave a few short weeks ago"
"Am I supposed to be thankful for your praise?" he shot back.
Count Ranika remained unfazed, "No, it doesn't. And someone of your station wouldn't know what to do with it."
Kaleb's jaw tightened. "What do you want?" he demanded, as his eyes flashed with irritation.
The Count leaned forward, his eyes locked on Kaleb. His voice dropped. "I have an offer for you."
Kaleb scoffed. "What could you want from a mere slave?"
For a moment, silence hung between them, as tension filled the air. His smirk faded and his tone became deadly serious.
"Your life!"