Aldrich rode with the knights, the steady rhythm of the horses' hooves beating against the open, paved path.
The wind whipped past him, carrying the fresh scent of the fields as they travelled toward their destination.
Riding a horse was one of the many skills he'd learned under Captain Duncan's guidance as his squire, though it wasn't his favourite.
The knightly etiquette, the constant rules—those were what drained him the most.
Yet, there was a certain satisfaction in mastering something new, even if he had wished for more exciting alternatives.
Combat training, however, was where he found his stride.
It was where he excelled.
The duel against Jacob had made something clear.
Although his victory was undeniable, Aldrich had come to realize that the real battlefield was far more unpredictable.
With Jacob, deciding factors like luck had been on his side.
He'd used the advantage of distance, keeping Jacob at bay with his bow.
The fight had been one-sided, primarily because Jacob had underestimated him from the start.
Or rather, had failed to overestimate him as he should have.
"How far is it to Veridon's Maw?" Aldrich asked the knight riding beside him, his voice calm but edged with growing anticipation.
His thoughts wandered to the forest ahead, a place he had read about in the novel—a territory fraught with peril, known for its untamed Deamans.
The name itself tugged at Aldrich's mind, stirring memories of how that part of the story unfolded for the novel's protagonist, Liam.
"About a week's ride," replied the knight, his voice deep,
"We'll spend the rest of the month purging the area, depending on how many Deamans have gathered."
Aldrich nodded, though his thoughts were elsewhere.
He remembered that forest—Veridon's Maw.
In the story, it had been a key location, where Liam had faced grave danger.
The novel's protagonist had been caught in a rebellion involving remnants of the once-powerful nation, the Imperium.
A prince, leading what was left of the Imperium, had been involved in the struggle against the Dynasty.
And Veridaon's Maw was their base of operation. Chosen specifically because of the dangers it was fraught with.
That entire arc had been intense, with Liam barely surviving the conflict.
But here he was, now heading toward that very place.
The names and the events from the novel felt much more real now that he was living them.
It was almost surreal.
He adjusted his grip on the reins, his gaze falling on Captain Duncan's broad back as the leader rode ahead of them.
The captain's steady presence was comforting, but Aldrich couldn't shake a nagging thought.
What if Duncan and these knights would eventually fall victim to the larger forces at play, just like in the novel?
The invasion by the Dynasty had led to the Imperium's fall, and countless lives were lost.
Shaking his head, he cast away the thought.
He was getting too attached to the knights.
He needed to stay focused, to remain clear-minded about his objective.
The sooner he could get what he needed, the better.
The knights around him were chatting casually, but Aldrich's mind remained restless.
He had more than just the present mission on his mind.
There was his bloodline, the key to unlocking his true potential.
He wasn't just here for knightly training or to prove his mettle.
No, Veridon's Maw would be the stage for something far greater—the unlocking of his bloodline ability, Casuality Gaze.
Casuality Gaze—the Aldaman bloodline's secret weapon, an ocular ability that granted its wielder a range of powerful skills.
Awakening it required being pushed to the brink of death, to a place where survival was not guaranteed.
As explained, When an Aldaman is in extreme danger and in a state where their bloodline hasn't activated, the Ki stored within the abdomen centre gets infused on its own.
Unlike the normal infusion process where the Ki circulates through a particular path to reach the necessary parts of the body, Casuality Gaze awakening has the Ki going directly to the heart, an area that is always left untouched from the effect of Ki.
When the Ki reaches the heart, it then disperses a certain formula that brings about a whole new change and abilities that were left untouched now accessible.
As proof of the heritage, the formula transmits to the optic nerve to connect to the eyes and change the Aldaman's pupils into the bright blue of a clover, then termed as Casuality gaze.
To awaken to that is why Aldrich wanted this expenditure. To seek the dangers of the forest.
"Captain," Aldrich called out, riding up beside Duncan. "When we reach Veridon's Maw, what can I expect?"
Duncan gave him a sidelong glance, the hardened lines of his face unreadable.
"For one, It's not like anything you've faced before, lad. Deamans are different from regular animals or mystics. They're faster, more aggressive and the slightest mistake, they'll tear you apart. So eep your guard up at all times."
Aldrich nodded, absorbing the words.
The tension in the air was growing, his decision getting clear to him with a sense of worry and maybe fear.
Yet, there was an excitement bubbling within him.
This was what he had been waiting for.
This was where he would push his limits, where he would test the true extent of his abilities, using a bow and drawing it with a body reinforced under the influence of Ki.
As they rode deeper into the forest, Aldrich's mind raced with possibilities.
He could picture the battle ahead—arrows flying through the air, Deamans lunging from the shadows, and the thrill of combat pushing him to the edge.
And somewhere, in that chaotic dance of life and death, his bloodline power would awaken. It had to.
"I still don't see how an eight-year-old can be ready for this," one of the knights muttered behind him, loud enough for Aldrich to hear.
Aldrich smirked, his hand brushing against the bow strapped to his back.
"What can I say, I happen to fall under the abnormal type of eight-year-old." he said with a laugh.
The knight raised an eyebrow, but before he could respond, Duncan's voice cut through the air. "I need you all focused when we arrive. The forest ahead will be teeming with Deamans so stay sharp."
Aldrich rode with them, the rest of the journey pleasant with laughs and jokes, camping out in the open space at night and resuming at dawn.
Before long, they arrived.
.
The horses slowed as they neared the edge of Veridon's Maw.
The towering trees seemed to close in around them, casting long, dark shadows across the ground.
Aldrich could feel the change in the air—a subtle shift, a quiet intensity that hinted at the dangers lurking just beyond the tree line.
This was it. The moment he had been waiting for.
As they dismounted their horses and readied their weapons, Aldrich took one last steadying breath.
He tightened his grip on his bow, feeling the familiar weight of it in his hand.
He was ready.
"Let's hunt," Duncan ordered, his voice low but firm.
And with that, they stepped into the maw of the forest, ready to face whatever awaited them within.