hey guys I would like to make some things known
1.the ideas are originally my own
2. ai plays a small but cruical role in fixing content to fit English standard
3. I have about 50 chapters in my notes after that updates will take longer
now with the chapter
The golden light faded slowly, leaving Leon gasping for air. He was back in Oalasa, his knees digging into the dirt of a training field outside the city walls. The distant hum of the marketplace and the chatter of students returning to their dorms felt like echoes of another life. His heart pounded, the memory of that shadowy realm clinging to him like a second skin.
Elysia stood nearby, her expression unreadable, her staff glowing faintly as if still resonating with the magic that had saved him. Nexus lingered further away, arms crossed, his usually calm demeanor showing faint traces of concern.
"You should have told me," Leon said, his voice hoarse.
Elysia tilted her head slightly. "Told you what?"
"That I wasn't ready for this. That whatever I'm supposed to face isn't just some test. It's something—someone—who's after me."
Elysia sighed, planting the base of her staff firmly into the ground. "If we had told you, would you have believed us? Or would you have thought we were exaggerating to scare you into training harder?"
Leon didn't answer.
"I thought so," she continued. "The cloaked figure, those shadows—they are not just after you, Leon. They are after everything. You've been chosen to stand against them, not because of some cosmic accident, but because you can."
Leon clenched his fists. "I barely made it out alive. If you hadn't pulled me out, I'd be..." He couldn't bring himself to say it.
"And yet, here you stand," Nexus said, stepping forward. "That's why we're here, Leon. To prepare you. Today wasn't a failure—it was proof. Proof that you have the will to survive. Now we teach you to fight back."
The words felt hollow, but Leon forced himself to nod. He couldn't let fear win. Not after everything he'd already endured.
Elysia walked over, placing a hand lightly on his shoulder. "Rest tonight. We'll start tomorrow at dawn. You'll need to be sharper, faster, and stronger if you're going to face what's coming."
Leon looked up at her, determination burning in his eyes. "I won't let you down."
"We know," she said softly.
Nexus gave him a curt nod and vanished in a flash of blue light, leaving behind only the faint crackle of static. Elysia lingered for a moment longer before turning to leave, her staff's glow fading as she walked toward the city.
Leon stayed in the training field long after they had gone, staring at the horizon as the last traces of sunlight bled away. He thought of his family, of Mira's teasing grin and his parents' worried eyes. They didn't know what he was up against, and he couldn't bring himself to tell them.
But he would protect them. No matter what.
The stars began to fill the sky, and for the first time in days, Leon felt something like clarity. Tomorrow would be the beginning of a new chapter—one where he wouldn't just survive. He would fight.
Leon rose early the next morning, his body stiff but his mind set. The city was still quiet, with only the earliest merchants beginning to stir. He made his way to the training field where Elysia and Nexus had told him to meet them.
The air was crisp, carrying the faint smell of dew and earth. Leon stretched, his muscles protesting as he went through the motions. The aches from yesterday's ordeal hadn't fully faded, but he pushed the discomfort aside. He had no time for excuses.
Nexus appeared first, his arrival announced by a flicker of blue light and a faint crackle. He didn't waste time on pleasantries. "Good. You're here. Let's see if you're ready to work."
Leon straightened, nodding. "I'm ready."
"We'll see," Nexus replied, his tone sharp. He motioned for Leon to follow, leading him toward a section of the field marked by wooden dummies and targets. "The shadows you faced aren't just mindless creatures. They adapt. They learn. You'll need more than brute strength to face them. Show me what you've got."
Leon hesitated for only a moment before drawing his practice blade. It wasn't much—just a dull training weapon—but he held it firmly and squared his stance. He focused on the nearest dummy, visualizing the shadowy creatures from the day before, and struck.
The blade thudded against the dummy, a clean hit, but Nexus shook his head. "Sloppy. Again."
Leon gritted his teeth and swung again, this time putting more weight into the strike. The force caused the dummy to wobble slightly, but Nexus wasn't impressed.
"You're thinking like a swordsman. You need to think like someone who's fighting for their life," Nexus said, his voice cutting through the quiet morning. "Those shadows won't give you a second chance. Move like it matters."
Leon adjusted his stance and tried again, this time striking faster, with more precision. Nexus watched in silence, nodding slightly but offering no praise.
After an hour of drills, Elysia arrived, her staff glowing faintly in the dim light of the morning. She observed for a moment before stepping forward.
"Enough, Nexus. He's warmed up."
Nexus stepped back, crossing his arms. "Barely."
Elysia ignored him and approached Leon. "You did well to survive yesterday, but that was luck as much as skill. Today, we'll build on your connection to magic. Without it, you won't last long against the darkness."
Leon wiped sweat from his brow, his breathing heavy. "I don't even know where to start with magic."
Elysia smiled faintly. "That's why I'm here. Magic isn't just about power—it's about intent. Focus. You've felt it before, haven't you? That spark when everything slows down, when the world narrows to just you and your goal?"
Leon thought back to the fight in the shadows, the moments where he had managed to dodge and strike with precision he hadn't known he was capable of. He nodded.
"That's the beginning," Elysia said. "We'll start small. Close your eyes."
Leon hesitated but obeyed.
"Now breathe. Feel the air around you. The ground beneath your feet. Let the world fade until all that's left is your heartbeat."
It felt strange at first, standing there with his eyes shut, but as he focused, he began to feel something—a faint hum, like the earth itself was alive.
"Good," Elysia said softly. "Now, imagine that hum growing stronger. Imagine it flowing through you, like water filling a vessel."
Leon concentrated, and slowly, he felt a warmth spreading through his chest and down his arms. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but it was there.
"Open your eyes," Elysia instructed.
When he did, he saw a faint glow surrounding his hands. It wasn't much, but it was enough to make his heart race.
"That's your magic," Elysia said. "It's raw, untrained, but it's yours. In time, you'll learn to shape it, to wield it. But for now, just hold onto it."
Leon stared at his hands, a mix of awe and disbelief washing over him. He felt the warmth begin to fade and tried to hold onto it, but it slipped away like sand through his fingers.
"It'll take practice," Elysia said, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "But you've taken the first step."
Nexus stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "Magic's not going to save you if you don't know how to use it in a fight. Let's see if you can combine what you've learned."
Leon nodded, gripping his practice blade tightly. The morning wasn't even halfway over, but he felt the weight of the day already. He wasn't just training to pass some test—he was preparing for a fight that would determine everything.
Leon braced himself, gripping his practice blade as Nexus circled him like a predator eyeing prey. The glow of magic from his earlier exercise had long faded, leaving him with only his weapon and instincts. Nexus didn't bother with pleasantries or explanations. He lunged without warning, his own blade—a thin but sharp-looking rapier—flashing in the sunlight.
Leon barely managed to block, the force of the strike sending a jolt up his arm. "What the hell? You could've said something first!" he shouted, stumbling back.
Nexus didn't answer. Instead, he pressed the attack, a flurry of precise, controlled strikes that had Leon backpedaling. He tried to parry, his movements clumsy and slow in comparison. Every time he thought he found an opening, Nexus was already moving, his blade coming from a different angle.
"Is that all you've got?" Nexus barked, his voice sharp. "I've seen farmers fight better than this."
Leon growled, frustration bubbling to the surface. He swung wildly, hoping to catch Nexus off guard, but the older man sidestepped easily and flicked his blade against Leon's side. The dull edge didn't cut, but it stung, and Leon stumbled, clutching his ribs.
"Focus!" Nexus snapped. "You're not thinking. You're reacting—and badly at that. If I were one of those shadows, you'd already be dead."
Leon glared at him, wiping sweat from his brow. "Maybe if you didn't come at me like I killed your dog, I'd do better."
Nexus smirked faintly. "The darkness won't wait for you to feel ready, boy. Neither will I. Again."
Leon gritted his teeth and raised his blade, stepping back into a defensive stance. This time, he didn't rush. He waited, watching Nexus's movements carefully. When the older man lunged again, Leon sidestepped instead of blocking, trying to redirect the attack. It wasn't perfect—Nexus still grazed his shoulder—but it was progress.
"Better," Nexus said, his tone grudgingly approving. "But don't get cocky. One good move doesn't make you a fighter."
They continued for what felt like hours, Nexus pushing Leon to his limits and then beyond them. By the time they stopped, Leon was drenched in sweat, his arms trembling from the effort of holding his blade. He dropped it to the ground and collapsed onto the grass, gasping for air.
"Not bad," Nexus said, sheathing his rapier. "You've got potential, but potential won't keep you alive. Remember that."
Leon didn't have the energy to respond. He just lay there, staring up at the sky as his chest heaved. He could feel every bruise, every ache in his body, but beneath the exhaustion was a flicker of pride. He had held his own, even if just barely.
Elysia appeared at his side, her staff glowing faintly as she knelt beside him. "You pushed him hard, Nexus."
"He needs it," Nexus replied. "The shadows won't show mercy."
Elysia sighed, placing a hand on Leon's shoulder. A gentle warmth spread through him, easing some of the pain. "Rest now," she said softly. "We'll continue later. You've done enough for today."
Leon nodded weakly, too tired to argue. He closed his eyes, letting the soothing magic lull him into a light doze.
When he woke, the sun was lower in the sky, and the training field was empty. A note was pinned to his chest, written in Elysia's neat handwriting: Meet us at the northern gate tomorrow at sunrise. Be ready for anything.
Leon crumpled the note in his fist and pushed himself to his feet. He wasn't sure what tomorrow would bring, but one thing was clear: he couldn't afford to fail.
As he trudged back toward the city, his thoughts drifted to his family. He thought of Mira's laughter, his parents' quiet strength, and the life he had left behind to come here. They were his reason for fighting—for enduring everything Nexus and Elysia threw at him. No matter how hard it got, he wouldn't give up.
Because if he didn't stand against the darkness, who would?