Three hours later, we stood outside the fortress. The carriage was ready, and Amara stood before me, wearing her usual haughty expression.
"Thank you for hosting us, Commander," she said, her tone polite but insincere. She glanced at me, her lips curving into a mocking smile. "This was quite the... enlightening experience."
Her gaze lingered on me, and I knew she was referring to my trait.
Turning fully toward me, she added, "It was nice seeing you again, brother. Next time, you'll find Liana in a place you can never reach. She'll be somewhere you have no hope of getting her back from."
Her smirk deepened. "You're alone now, so don't do anything foolish. She doesn't belong to you anymore—that's Father's will as well."
Her words struck a nerve, igniting a fire of rage within me. My mana flared uncontrollably, the air around me growing heavy with its dark presence. Commander Celeste instinctively placed a hand on his sword hilt, ready to intervene.
Thoughts of rage flooded my mind. They've taken everything from me. Now they want to take her too? My hand trembled as shadows began to gather around me, the whispers of my mana growing louder. Even Noctarius, the voice in my mind, urged me to stop, but I couldn't. My anger consumed me.
As I took a step forward, ready to act, a figure stepped between me and Amara. It was Liana.
Her presence immediately calmed the storm within me. My mana retreated as though it had never surged in the first place. She met my gaze with unwavering determination before kneeling before me.
At first, I thought it was a gesture of loyalty, but then I realized what she was doing. My breath caught in my throat as she began reciting the words of a Mana Oath
"I, Liana, offer my life, my body, my soul, and my very existence to you, Kael Thorne. For as long as I draw breath, and even after my mortal form fades, I am yours.
In life, I will serve you—my hands will act as your shield, my strength as your sword. In death, I will become the shadow that protects you, the whisper that guides you, and the unseen force that ensures your path is free from harm.
This vow is not born of compulsion, but of my own free will, shaped by gratitude, loyalty, and purpose. To you, my master, Kael Thorne, I give all that I am and all that I shall ever be.
This I swear upon my very essence, my mana, and the truth of my soul, now and forever bound to you."
---
Golden and dark mana swirled around us, forming a brilliant sphere of light and shadow. The sigil of her oath glowed briefly on her chest before fading into her skin, marking the unbreakable bond she had just forged with me.
Amara's face twisted with anger, but she didn't dare interfere. To disrupt a Mana Oath would risk severe injury—or worse, the loss of one's potential.
Liana's voice broke the silence. "Will you accept my oath, Master Kael?"
I was speechless, overwhelmed by the depth of her loyalty. "Liana, you didn't have to—"
She cut me off, her gaze resolute. "Will you accept it?"
I couldn't deny her any longer. Placing my hand gently on her head, I said, "I accept."
The sphere of mana condensed, splitting into two orbs—one of shadow and one of gold—that entered our hearts. The connection was forged, and I could feel the bond between us as though it were a tangible thing.
As the mana dissipated, Liana bowed her head once more. "I greet my eternal master."
She rose gracefully, her usual composure restored. "I will be waiting for you," she said softly. She turned to Korin, who had been silently watching the events unfold, his face a mix of astonishment and awe. "Take care of my master, Korin."
Korin nodded, still too stunned to speak.
Liana looked at me one last time, her expression unreadable, before turning to Amara. "Let's go."
Amara's jaw tightened, but she said nothing as they boarded the carriage. As it disappeared into the distance, I clenched my fists, determination blazing within me.
I will become stronger. Strong enough to protect her—and take back what's mine.
Here's a revised version of the scene to enhance clarity, flow, and emotional impact:
---
Inside the Car
Amara sat in the luxurious carriage, the smooth ride barely betraying the uneven terrain beneath. She glanced across at Liana, seated opposite her. The young healer was gazing out of the window, lost in thought, her expression unreadable. Amara couldn't help but reflect on the day's events, her thoughts swirling with disbelief and frustration.
Things had been going perfectly, just as she had expected. She met her brother again, confirming what she'd hoped—he was still a disappointment. Even with the revelation of his S+ darkness attribute, to her, he remained a shadow of his former self. Kael Thorne, once the family's rising star, had fallen so far after his B+ Awakening. Her brother, whom she had admired and followed as a child, was now a disgrace to their prestigious family.
It had been easy for her to step in line with their father and older sister, treating him with the cold disdain they all deemed fitting. And when she, too, awakened with SSS potential, it cemented her belief that the gap between her and Kael was vast and unbridgeable. He simply didn't belong.
But Liana—her presence was a mystery. A talented and exceptional healer, stronger than even Amara in some ways, had sworn herself to Kael? And not just loyalty, but a Mana Oath, the most unbreakable bond a person could offer. Why?
As Amara watched Liana, the questions burned in her mind. What had Kael done to earn such devotion? What had the girl seen in him that the rest of the family had overlooked? It was maddening.
And yet, what lingered most in Amara's thoughts wasn't Liana's choice. It was Kael himself.
For the first time in years, she had seen him display something other than resignation or indifference. When she'd taunted him about Liana's departure—telling him he would lose her forever—his reaction had been terrifying. That anger, raw and violent, had struck her to her core. The oppressive darkness swirling around him had made her freeze in fear, unable to move or speak. She felt… threatened. Her weak, worthless brother had made her feel threatened.
It was absurd. Surely, it was just her imagination.
Kael was weak. He would always be weak. No matter what power he awakened, no matter how strong he became, he would always pale in comparison to her. Yes, with that thought, Amara pushed her doubts aside and turned her focus elsewhere.
Back at the Fortress
Commander Arvell Dyne stood on the ramparts, his eyes fixed on the horizon as the car carrying Amara and Liana disappeared from view. The events of the day played over and over in his mind, each more shocking than the last.
First, the girl—Liana—was revealed as a prodigious healer. Then, Kael Thorne, the disgraced scion sent here for punishment, awakened with a rare and dangerous darkness attribute. And as if that weren't enough, the girl had bound herself to him with a Mana Oath. A Mana Oath. The weight of its significance wasn't lost on Arvell.
"Just what is happening here?" he muttered to himself.
Turning to speak to Kael, the commander hesitated. Kael stood at the edge of the fortress courtyard, staring into the distance where the car had vanished. His expression was unreadable, his eyes hollow and dark, like bottomless pits that threatened to swallow anyone who dared to look too closely. Arvell shivered involuntarily.
"Kael," he said cautiously.
Kael turned toward him slowly, those empty eyes locking onto the commander.
"Are you... alright?" Arvell asked, his voice more uncertain than he'd intended.
Kael tilted his head slightly, as though pondering the question. "Yes. I'm fine," he replied after a moment, his tone calm and detached.
The commander didn't believe him for a second, but he chose not to press further. Instead, he offered a piece of advice. "Now that they're gone, you have one year and two months of punishment left. Use this time wisely. Don't push yourself too hard... especially now that you don't have Liana to take care of you."
Kael didn't respond immediately. When he did, it was with a quiet, "Okay." Without another word, he turned and began walking toward his room, his figure retreating into the fortress.
Arvell watched him go, an inexplicable unease settling over him. That wasn't the back of a broken man, he realized. It wasn't the posture of someone resigned to his fate.
That was the back of someone willing to do anything to achieve his ambitions.