The morning sun struck Grayhaven at a harsh angle, cutting through the gaps between crumbling buildings. Licht stood in the abandoned lot, muscles still sore from weeks of training, sweat drying on his skin. The halberd rested against his shoulder, heavier than it had ever felt—but somehow, today, it seemed lighter.
He moved slowly, running through the motions he had repeated countless times: swings, pivots, jumps over debris. Each movement was smoother and more controlled. He felt it his body responding almost instinctively, anticipating the weight, the balance, the rhythm. The hours of physical training, of pushing through exhaustion, had left their mark. His shoulders were broader, arms stronger, legs steadier. He wasn't powerful yet, but he had grown.
Licht sank to a squat, breathing hard. He looked toward the horizon, the six citadels looming like distant mountains. Soon, he would enter one of those fortresses and meet his master for the first time. Everything he had done until now the training, the sweat, the pain had been to prepare for this step.
His thoughts drifted to his mother and sister. Elena and Selene had always been quiet in their guidance, their golden eyes reflecting love and concern. He didn't know their secrets, didn't know their bloodlines, didn't know the strength they truly possessed. But he knew one thing: they had left him a weapon, and it was now his responsibility to master it.
He gripped Dawnbreaker, raising it above his head. And then, in the quiet of the lot, something shifted inside him.
It started as a faint warmth in his chest, almost like the heartbeat of the city itself. His vision sharpened, colors brighter, edges clearer. His muscles twitched with energy, not from effort, but from something else something primal.
A surge ran through him. His hands tingled, his arms felt lighter, and the halberd hummed faintly in resonance. A flash of violet lightning arced across his forearm, and then disappeared.
What… is this?
He swung Dawnbreaker experimentally, and this time the swing left a trail of light, faint but unmistakable. His heartbeat raced. He pivoted, and another streak of energy followed the halberd's arc, crackling with power that felt both natural and alien.
Licht's eyes widened. Somewhere deep within, a voice whispered not a sound he could hear, but a certainty he felt:
This is the beginning.
He staggered, knees trembling, and dropped to the ground. Breathing heavily, he stared at his hands, at the faint glow of energy fading from the halberd. His body ached, but the exhaustion felt different this time not fatigue, but the sharp, thrilling burn of power awakening.
For the first time, Licht understood a fraction of what he truly carried inside him. He didn't fully control it, didn't even know its limits. But he could feel the two currents within him the crackle of lightning and the warmth of light responding to his movements, waiting for him to command them.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting the energy flow through him, letting his body adjust to the raw potential. A tiny spark of his aura stirred in response, like a heartbeat mirrored in the air.
This… is only the beginning.
Hours passed as he experimented cautiously, swinging Dawnbreaker, feeling the crackle of violet lightning, and tracing faint arcs of light in the air. He didn't summon storms. He didn't bend reality. But he could manipulate energy, subtle at first, responding to his will.
By sunset, he collapsed onto the cracked concrete, halberd across his knees, sweat and blood mingling on his skin. He was exhausted but exhilarated. The lot had tested him. The weeks of training had honed his body and sharpened his reflexes, and now, for the first time, his latent abilities stirred awake.
Tomorrow, he would leave Grayhaven. He would step into the citadel, meet his master, and begin the path that would shape him into something greater than he could imagine.
But tonight, in the quiet of the abandoned lot, Licht allowed himself a small smile. He had awakened. The first spark had been lit. And the world, with all its danger, mystery, and opportunity, awaited him.