Sir Aldric's tone was unusually solemn one bright morning as he gathered all the children in the training yard. His usual commanding presence was tinged with something more serious, almost reverent. "Today," he announced, "there will be no physical training. Instead, you are to follow me."
His gaze swept over each of them, eyes intense, hinting at the significance of what was about to happen. The children exchanged murmurs, a mixture of excitement and nervousness rippling through them as they fell into line, following him down a path that would take them somewhere unknown.
Sir Aldric led them into the courtyards within the Drakemore estate. Luca had never ventured this far into the estate, and he noticed the rooms becoming older, as if they had stepped into a forgotten corner of the world. The excitement stirred within him, but he kept his expression calm, observing everything in silence. Finally, they arrived at an area none of them had ever visited before.
The entrance was tucked away behind towering stone columns, guarded by two silent, armoured guards who stood motionless.
Sir Aldric exchanged a brief nod with the guards, who then moved with precision to pull open a heavy iron door. Luca caught a glimpse of a dimly lit staircase.
The children hesitated, casting uneasy glances at each other. But Sir Aldric stepped forward, beckoning them to follow. The coolness wrapped around them as they descended, and Luca felt a strange charge in the air, as if they were entering another realm.
The staircase was long, and the light from above quickly faded, leaving only the dim glow of candles. At the bottom, they entered a wide, dimly illuminated chamber with walls of smooth stone.
Luca's eyes were drawn to carvings on the walls flowing, intertwining patterns that seemed to shift as shadows flickered over them, giving the eerie impression of movement.
In the centre of the chamber was an intricate mechanism, fitted with polished stones that emitted a faint, otherworldly glow. The air was thick with mystery.
"Take a seat," Sir Aldric instructed, gesturing to the floor. The children obeyed, settling down in a semicircle. Their eyes darted around, some looking eager, others more apprehensive, but none were unaffected by the atmosphere of the place.
"This," Sir Aldric began, "is the Chamber of Luminis. Here, you'll encounter something that will test your endurance and senses," he continued, his voice solemn. "Trust your instincts, remain calm, and be strong. In time, you will understand."
He motioned to the guards, who approached the mechanism. Luca's heart pounded as he watched them turn gears and adjust levers, each motion accompanied by a soft, rhythmic clicking that grew louder, resonating through the chamber.
With that, a low hum filled the room, the air suddenly charged with an invisible energy. Although unseen, the presence was unmistakable. It felt like a gentle pressure, as if they were submerged in a pool of water, yet airy and light, an ethereal current brushing against their skin.
"Close your eyes," Sir Aldric instructed, his voice calm yet commanding. "Breathe deeply, in and out. Feel the presence around you, within you. Let it resonate with your breath."
Luca obeyed, feeling his heart quicken with a mix of excitement and nervousness. He closed his eyes and focused on the rhythm of his breathing, just as Sir Aldric had taught them.
At first, the sensation was subtle a tingling at the edges of his skin, a faint pulsing like a soft, internal beat. He felt as if something ancient and powerful was brushing against him, touching the edges of his consciousness.
Gradually, as he concentrated, the feeling deepened, coursing through him like an invisible current, reaching into every part of his body. It was neither cold nor warm, but alive, pulsing like a quiet heartbeat, vast and boundless.
Around him, he could hear the uneasy shuffles and soft murmurs of other children, their breathing becoming louder. Some sounded strained, while others breathed heavily, as though struggling against an unseen weight. Then a soft thud sounded as one child fainted, followed shortly by another.
Luca kept his eyes closed but could sense the movement as the guards stepped forward, quickly carrying the unconscious children out of the chamber. Among them was Finn, his friend, whose face was pale and drawn as he was gently lifted and taken to a side room.
But Luca remained steady, feeling the energy whatever it was settling in his limbs and veins, spreading out like ripples. It was everywhere and nowhere at once, shifting through him like a whisper yet weightless, formless, almost like light.
He felt it meld with his breath, flowing as he inhaled and exhaled, each breath deepening the connection. He didn't know what it was, but he sensed it resonating with something inside him. His focus sharpened, his mind felt clearer, his thoughts becoming distant as he surrendered to the strange presence that surrounded him.
Time seemed to melt away. He felt as though he had drifted into a different realm, where all he could perceive was the ebb and flow of the energy, the Luminis. Just as he thought he might lose himself entirely, Sir Aldric's voice broke through the calm. "That's enough for today. Open your eyes."
Luca blinked, his vision adjusting to the dim light of the chamber. He felt lighter somehow, as though a layer of tension he hadn't even known was there had been lifted.
His senses felt heightened, the details around him somehow sharper. Glancing around, he saw that only three others had remained conscious through the entire session, their faces marked with the same combination of awe and fatigue he felt.
"We will continue this every day for a week," Sir Aldric announced, his tone steady but not unkind. "Those of you who fainted or felt ill will grow stronger with time. This is an opportunity an opportunity to strengthen your mind, body and spirit. Do not waste it. Use this chance wisely to understand what surrounds you and what lies within you."
The children filed out of the chamber slowly, some looking dazed, others pensive. Luca felt an unusual sense of calm as he walked, though a heavy fatigue had begun to settle in his limbs.
For the rest of the day, he moved in a haze, his senses heightened yet his body drained. He could still feel a faint echo of the energy within him, as if it were imprinted on his very being.
Each day that week, they returned to the Chamber of Luminis, sitting in silence as the presence filled the air. As the days passed, fewer children fainted, and even those who struggled seemed to grow more resilient, their confidence building with each exposure. Finn, who had fainted on the first day, was now able to sit through the sessions, his face tense with focus and determination.
Luca, meanwhile, grew more familiar with the sensation. He began to feel the energy flowing through him with increasing clarity and ease, like a current he could tune into at will.
By the end of the week, Luca noticed something remarkable. He could sense traces of Luminis even outside the chamber, a faint but persistent presence that lingered around him.
The experience had left him feeling stronger, more attuned to the world in ways he had never felt before. It was as if a hidden layer of reality had been revealed to him, a layer that pulsed with unseen energy.
Luca still did not fully understand what this energy, this Luminis truly was, but he could feel its influence shaping him, strengthening him. It was as though he had tapped into something vast and ancient, a force that connected him to the world in ways he was only beginning to comprehend.