Dawn painted the training grounds in shades of amber and gold as Alex completed his final practice sequence. Sovereign's Reach gleamed in the early light, its polished surface capturing fire as it traced perfect arcs through the morning air. Though his strikes appeared to be the culmination of disciplined practice, Alex carefully maintained the illusion—each movement precisely calibrated to demonstrate exceptional skill while concealing the supernatural enhancement flowing beneath his skin.
The recognition ball would begin in twelve hours. The event that would formally acknowledge his achievement before the assembled nobility of the continent, cementing his place in Lionhart history as a swordmaster at fourteen—matching the founder's own timeline.
