After two days...
The secluded forest was still. Only the cicadas hummed, their rhythm carrying into the clearing where Khael stood. Moss and mist curled around the roots, the same hidden place where only he and Master Isen ever met.
Isen stood before him, golden hair catching the shafts of light that pierced through the canopy. His calm blue eyes were sharper than any blade, yet warmer than any flame.
"Remember, Khael," Isen's tone was steady, measured. "Control is the foundation. You cannot wield what you cannot contain. Control your Shinrei… and control your emotions."
Khael lowered his head respectfully.
"Yes, Master."
He clenched his fist. His knuckles trembled—not from weakness, but from the storm he always felt within. After a pause, his voice broke the silence:
"Master… you know about Dragon Knights, don't you?"
Isen's lips curved into the faintest smile, though his gaze drifted into the distance.
"Well… my master was one of them. A Dragon Knight."
