The clang of shattered metal still echoed in the chilly training arena air. Synthetic blood dripped from Lucian's sword tip, forming a small puddle on the gleaming obsidian floor. He stood tall, breath heavy, chest rising and falling beneath his dented chest plate.
His hawk-like eyes fixed on the only figure that mattered in the entire Dome: his father. Across the arena, General Cassian Aurelius stood unmoving, his silhouette like a monolith carved from granite and disappointment.
The silence he created was more deafening than the roar of the Darkness monsters outside the walls. Lucian had defeated twenty elite-level combat automatons, a new record even veteran warriors would struggle to match. Yet, there was no applause. Only a piercing cold gaze could freeze the core of any man's heart.
"Do you think this is a victory, boy? You think this pathetic acrobatic display is true strength?" Cassian's voice shattered the silence, each word like shards of ice striking Lucian. No pride in his tone. Only cold scorn that killed any remaining hope in Lucian's heart. He had fought desperately, pushing his limits to near breaking point, only to be greeted with this disdain. Lucian straightened his back, refusing to show how deeply the words cut him.
"I completed the Heritage Trial in record time, Father. I destroyed every target and surpassed every simulation you threw at me."
"You finished it with disgusting weakness," Cassian shot back, stepping forward. Each of his steps echoed with absolute authority. "You showed mercy in the last simulation. You hesitated. Doubt is poison, and mercy is a disease that will get us all killed."
At the arena's edge, Valerius, Lucian's cousin, smiled thinly. That smile held evil satisfaction, hidden behind a mask of fake concern. He stood beside Lucian's fiancée, Seraphina Vallen, whose face was pale. Valerius' presence here was salt poured into an open wound.
"General, perhaps Lucian only wants to show that strength isn't always brutal," Valerius interrupted, his tone slippery as oil.
"He has the heart of a warrior, not a killing machine. Unfortunately, heart is a luxury that will get you killed out there." That veiled insult hit Lucian harder than any punch. Valerius was always skilled at poisoning his achievements.
"Shut your mouth, Valerius. This isn't your concern," Lucian growled, his eyes glinting dangerously.
"Oh, but this is my concern," Cassian retorted, his eyes fixed on Seraphina. "The daughter of the noble Vallen clan is engaged to the heir of Aurelius, not to some sentimental boy who needs defending."
Seraphina's face flushed with shame and anger. She stepped forward, her voice clear despite a slight tremble.
"General Cassian, Lucian's skills are undeniable. His strategies may be unorthodox, but he proves their effectiveness with remarkable results."
"See?" Cassian laughed dryly, without humor. "You even need your fiancé to defend you. How pitiful. The Aurelius clan wasn't built on 'unorthodox' strategies. It was built on blood, steel, and the will to do whatever it takes to survive."
General Cassian stands before Lucian, his presence a palpable force. The power dynamic between them is stark, like a mountain looming over a pebble. His aura weighs heavily on the air, a silent threat.
"You're tarnishing the Aurelius name, Lucian," Cassian whispers, voice low and menacing.
"Every time I look at you, I see your mother's weakness. The foolish emotions that got her killed by those Dark monsters."
The blow lands deep. Mentioning his mother is forbidden, a wound that never heals. Blind rage surges through Lucian, eclipsing fear.
"How dare you speak her name. You did nothing as she lay dying! You just stood there, watching!"
Plak!
Cassian's hand slammed into Lucian's cheek with brutal force. Lucian's head jerked sideways, sharp pain exploding across his face. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, tasting like hot metal. Total silence enveloped the arena. Guards and onlookers averted their gaze, unwilling to witness the heir's humiliation.
Lucian staggered back, one hand touching his throbbing cheek. His eyes blazed with pure hatred. Amidst this public disgrace, something within him began to crack. The foundation of respect and love he held for his father started crumbling to dust.