The corpse of the Jiangshi still twitched when the Captain raised his hand. The arena fell silent again.
"Enough."
The word cracked like thunder, and even the boldest recruits flinched.
Two armored guards moved swiftly, dragging the beast's body back into the shadows. Its black ichor smeared the sand, the stench clinging to the air like smoke.
Kael stood unmoving. His chest rose and fell in harsh breaths, his side screamed in agony, yet he refused to bow his head.
The Captain's gaze lingered on him, unreadable, then shifted to the recruits.
"This is the path you've chosen. Death will not wait for you to be ready. It will not ask if you are strong enough. It will only come—and you will either rise, or be consumed."
His eyes returned to Kael. For the briefest instant, a flicker of recognition sparked in those steel-gray irises. But then it was gone, buried beneath the hardened mask of a commander.
"Dismissed."
---
The arena erupted with voices as the recruits spilled out into the torch-lit courtyard. Some were pale with shock, others exhilarated, but all of them buzzed with one name.
Kael.
"He fought like a madman—"
"No, did you see how he moved? That wasn't madness."
"He's hiding something. Nobody that poor, that untrained, fights like that."
"It was luck."
"…No. It wasn't."
The voices tangled, blending into a storm that followed Kael as he staggered toward the barracks.
He pressed a hand against his side, the bandages already soaked red. His vision swam, but he forced each step forward. Stopping now would only show weakness—and weakness was a scent recruits and rivals alike would never forget.
---
Inside the barracks, the firelight cast long shadows over the wooden beams. Beds lined the walls, thin blankets folded neatly. The room smelled of sweat, steel, and dust.
Kael collapsed onto the nearest cot, his body finally giving way. The springs groaned beneath him.
For a moment, silence pressed in. Then—
"You're an idiot."
Aeris stood over him, arms crossed. Her silver hair glinted in the light, her green eyes sharp enough to cut.
Kael blinked up at her, too exhausted to argue. "…Thanks?"
"You should be dead." Her tone was cold, but her voice was steady, deliberate. "Charging a Jiangshi with a broken stick? No training, no strategy—just recklessness. Do you think bravery is the same as strength?"
Kael winced, pushing himself upright. "I didn't have a choice."
"There is always a choice," Aeris snapped.
The words struck him harder than claws had. He looked away, jaw tight. Images flashed before him: his mother's frail smile, the mangled bodies in the infirmary, Draven's smirk, his father's shadow.
"No," Kael said finally, voice low. "Not for me."
Aeris's lips pressed into a thin line. For a moment, something flickered in her eyes—a hesitation, a shadow of something unspoken—but it vanished as quickly as it came.
"You'll get yourself killed," she said flatly, turning on her heel. "And if you die, don't expect me to waste tears on you."
She left before he could respond, her footsteps echoing down the hall.
---
Kael let out a shaky breath. His hands trembled, not from fear but from the fading fire that had surged in the arena. That strength… it had not been his alone. He could still feel the phantom presence of his father, watching.
What are you trying to tell me?
The door slammed open.
Draven strode in, flanked by two recruits who shadowed him like loyal dogs. His golden hair was immaculate despite the day's trials, his polished armor catching the firelight.
The room fell quiet. Recruits glanced up from their cots, some pretending disinterest, others watching eagerly for the storm they knew was coming.
Draven stopped at the foot of Kael's bed, smirk curling his lips.
"So this is what passes for glory now?" he drawled. "A beggar with a stick and a little luck?"
Kael met his gaze without rising. "Funny. You talk a lot for someone who hasn't fought today."
Murmurs rippled through the room. A few recruits smirked. Others glanced nervously at Draven.
Draven's smirk froze. His hand shot forward, grabbing Kael by the tunic and hauling him upright despite his wounds. Pain seared through Kael's side, but he clenched his jaw, refusing to cry out.
"You think one trick makes you my equal?" Draven hissed. "I was born to lead the Lusters. You—" His eyes swept over Kael with disdain. "—you're nothing but dirt pretending to shine."
Kael's lips curved into the faintest smile. "Funny. Dirt doesn't bleed so easily."
Draven's fist clenched, ready to strike—
"Enough."
The voice cut through the tension like a blade.
The Captain stood in the doorway, eyes like iron. The entire room straightened instantly, silence choking the air.
Draven released Kael, straightening with forced composure. "Captain, I—"
"You forget yourself," the Captain said, his tone colder than steel. "Glory is not claimed by bloodlines. Only by deeds. Or have you forgotten your father's lectures, Draven?"
Color drained from Draven's face. He bowed stiffly, fists tight at his sides.
The Captain's gaze swept the room, landing briefly on Kael before moving on. "Rest. Tomorrow will not be easier."
Without another word, he left.
Draven stood frozen for a moment, his pride stung raw. Then he turned, eyes burning with venom as they locked on Kael.
"This isn't over," he whispered, so low only Kael could hear.
---
The night dragged on, filled with restless whispers. Kael lay awake, staring at the wooden beams above him. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the Jiangshi's claws, his father's shadow, Aeris's piercing gaze, Draven's hatred.
He did not know if he was ready for what awaited tomorrow. But he knew one thing with certainty.
He could not turn back now.
---
Dawn broke with a crimson sky, the sun spilling light across the training grounds. The recruits gathered again, weary but tense.
The Captain stood at the center, arms folded. His scarred face betrayed nothing.
"Yesterday was survival. Today—" His voice boomed, carrying across the field. "—is war."
At his signal, the gates opened once more.
Not a beast this time. Not a monster.
Pairs of recruits stepped forward, armed with steel training weapons.
"Today, you face each other," the Captain said. "For comrades can be as dangerous as enemies. And only those who endure both will survive."
Kael's grip tightened around the sword handed to him. His body still ached, but his spirit burned.
Across the arena, Draven's smile returned, sharp and hungry.
And from the edge, Aeris watched, arms crossed, her gaze unreadable.
The stage was set.
The war within the Lusters had begun.