Chapter 21 – The Beginning of the Long Road
Phoenix didn't expect the entire family to be assembled in the Great Hall so early in the morning.
Usually, mornings in the Nightshade Palace were chaotic — with servants rushing through corridors, the scent of roasted wyvern meat drifting in from the kitchens, and at least one of his older sisters attempting to "accidentally" steal his breakfast.
But today, everything was orderly. Too orderly.
His father, Emperor Rudeus Bennith, sat at the head of the obsidian table, draped in a deep crimson cloak that shimmered faintly in the torchlight. Beside him sat Empress Rose Nightshade, her beauty so disarming that Phoenix sometimes wondered if the moon borrowed its glow from her. Both looked far too serious for breakfast.
And seated along both sides of the long table were his nine older sisters — each a vision of power and elegance, and each radiating the faint pressure of their vampire-dragon hybrid heritage.
Phoenix gulped. Uh-oh. This is definitely not just a family meal.
---
The Announcement
When everyone was seated, Rudeus's voice boomed through the hall.
"Phoenix. You have reached the age where games and idle days must give way to preparation. Your destiny will not wait for you to grow ready — you must shape yourself into the one who will surpass even the mightiest of emperors."
Phoenix straightened in his chair. "...Okay? Does this mean more sword lessons with Father?"
Rose's lips curved into a knowing smile. "Not quite. Your father and I have decided it is time for your true training to begin. From this day forward, each of your sisters will take you as their student — one by one — for six months each."
Phoenix blinked. "Wait. Six months? That's… years!"
"Four and a half years," Valeria, the eldest sister, said calmly, resting her chin on her hand. "Assuming you survive all of us."
Melantha leaned back in her chair, grinning like a cat about to toy with its prey. "Oh, you'll survive. The real question is whether you'll still want to by the end."
---
The Sisters' Specialties
Rudeus gestured down the table. "Each of your sisters has mastered a field essential to your growth. You will learn from them in the order we have chosen."
Valeria, the first, was a master of precision combat — a duelist whose blade could sever a falling raindrop.
Melantha, second in line, commanded illusion and deception, able to vanish in plain sight and weave phantom armies from shadow.
Kaela, third, was the embodiment of brute strength, her blows strong enough to topple fortress gates.
Serenya specialized in elemental fusion, merging dragonfire with lightning and frost.
Lyra was a mistress of flight and aerial dominance, able to stay aloft for days without rest.
Selene mastered blood magic, bending life force itself to her will.
Elara was unmatched in tracking and sensory magic, able to hear a heartbeat from miles away.
Nerissa wielded water manipulation, her control so fine she could sculpt rivers into blades.
And finally, the youngest of the sisters, Aurelia, had perfected mental discipline, granting her near-immunity to fear, rage, and temptation.
Phoenix's head spun as the list went on. "That's… a lot."
Rose's gaze softened, but her voice stayed firm. "It is everything you will need."
---
The First Handover
After breakfast, the family moved to the eastern training grounds. The sky was painted in shades of gold and rose, the wind carrying the distant roar of mountain wyverns.
Valeria stood in the center, her long coat swaying, twin rapiers at her hips. Her crimson eyes locked on Phoenix like a predator sizing up its prey.
"You will be mine for the next six months," she said. "I will mold your speed, your precision, and your ability to kill without hesitation."
Phoenix shuffled awkwardly. "Kill? Um… do we maybe start with… not-killing things?"
A faint smirk tugged at her lips. "For now."
Rudeus stepped forward. "Your sisters will not coddle you, Phoenix. They are under strict orders to treat you as they would an apprentice worthy of their time. And you will earn that worthiness."
Rose leaned down and kissed Phoenix's forehead. "And when it is over… you will no longer be the boy who entered this field today."
Phoenix sighed. "No pressure, huh?"
---
Valeria's Test
"First lesson," Valeria said, tossing him a wooden training sword. "You will land a strike on me. Once. That is all. You have until sundown."
Phoenix blinked. "Wait, that's… that's impossible! You're—"
But she was already gone, vanishing into a blur of motion.
The next few hours were a blur of missed swings, sudden trips, and narrow escapes. Valeria moved like smoke on the wind — every strike of his deflected with a lazy flick of her blade, every attempt to close the distance turned into a humiliating tumble into the dirt.
His sisters lounged at the sidelines, offering oh-so-helpful commentary.
"Too slow!" Kaela called.
"Too predictable!" Melantha added.
"Too cute!" Aurelia giggled.
By midday, Phoenix was covered in dust and sweat, his hair sticking to his forehead.
"Still breathing," Valeria said dryly. "That's a start."
---
The First Spark
As the sun began to dip, Phoenix's frustration reached its peak. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and felt it — the faint heat in his chest, the stirring of something ancient in his blood.
When Valeria darted forward for the hundredth time, he moved without thinking — wings snapping open, body blurring into shadow, reappearing just behind her. His wooden sword tapped lightly against her shoulder.
The courtyard went silent.
Valeria turned her head slowly, crimson eyes locking on his. Then, to everyone's surprise, she smiled. "Acceptable."
Phoenix blinked. "Wait… did I just…?"
"You landed a strike," she said simply, sheathing her blades. "Your training begins tomorrow at dawn. I hope you enjoyed your last day of freedom."
From the sidelines, Melantha grinned wickedly. "Four and a half years, little brother. Try not to break before you get to me."
Phoenix groaned. "I'm doomed."