Morning arrived with a faint golden glow slipping through the wooden slats of their shelter. The city outside was already waking, but inside, the air was still heavy with sleep.
Axel stirred first, blinking against the dim light. Something felt off. He turned his head, scanning the room. Matias was sprawled out, half his blanket on the floor. Eliza was curled up, her breathing steady. But one presence was missing.
Axel sighed. "Of course, the old man didn't sleep."
Matias grumbled, rubbing his face. "You say something?"
"Father Damian was on guard all night."
Matias blinked blearily. "That guy's not human."
Axel smirked. "Pretty sure he'd take that as a compliment."
A loud yawn broke the conversation as Eliza stretched. "Are we eating or what?"
---
Breakfast was simple, eaten in the quiet of their small space. The younger kids sat separately, their chatter light and unbothered.
Father Damian finally strolled in, looking far too energetic for someone who hadn't slept. He grabbed a piece of bread, biting into it. "Eat up. Can't train on an empty stomach."
Matias narrowed his eyes. "You seem excited. That's a bad sign."
Damian let out a loud, hearty laugh. "Oh, it's a terrible sign."
Axel wasn't sure if that was a joke or a warning.
---
After breakfast, Damian gestured for Axel and Matias to bring out their Soul Guides.
As the books appeared, glowing slightly, Damian's grin widened. "Now, let's see what we've got."
Axel's book flipped open:
Race: Human
War Soul: Grim Scythe
Abilities: Direct Combat, ghost Magic, Summoning, possession..
Matias' followed:
Race: Human
Wild dpirit: metal Shadow weaver Spider
Abilities: Multitasking, Manipulation, Traps, Silent Kills, Venom, web dominion.
Damian let out another booming laugh. "Oh, this is just perfect!" He clapped Matias on the back. "Kid, you were made for dirty work."
Matias frowned. "That sounds… unpleasantly accurate."
Damian turned to Axel, smirking. "And you? No tricks. Just hit hard, kill fast."
Axel folded his arms. "Not exactly poetic."
"Neither is getting your head chopped off," Damian shot back. "Now, let me show you real power."
He raised his hand, summoning a tiny fireball. It hovered lazily above his palm until the heat hit. The air around it warped, and even from feet away, sweat beaded on Axel's forehead.
"I'm a Paladin," Damian said. "In all the nineth domain, there are fewer than a 300 Paladins and maybe 20 Saints. The only Grand Priest in these lands is the City ruler of Harmonia, and the elven king. As for grand emperors there's none, maybe the next one will be the ruler of Harmonia. That's how rare true power is."
Matias crossed his arms. "Then is there a higher rank than the grand emperor?"
Damian's expression darkened. " There is the Lord level but every domain can only have one lord, but our lord right now is not present, even the grand emperors are all following him to gaurd the lost isles"
Eliza tapped a finger against the table. "And what about Harmonia itself? What makes it special?"
Damian chuckled, letting the fireball flicker out. "Harmonia isn't just a neutral city it's a goldmine for adventurers. We sit between two powerful kingdoms, and behind us? The lost isles ."
Axel already knew what that meant. "The land beyond the sea."
"Not Exactly a sea but it's a rift filled with sea water, it only takes a few hours to arrive if you go flying" Damian added. "Ruins, treasures, lost knowledge… and death. Most adventurers stick near the entrance. The stronger you are, the further you can go." His grin turned sharp. "And if you're really strong? You might actually make it back alive."
Silence stretched between them before Matias sighed. "So basically… we're weak."
"Oh, miserably." Damian grinned. "But that's why we train."
Axel frowned. "Then why were we being followed? What do they want?"
Damian's grin faded. His voice lowered. "Because the church might have a way to steal War Souls upon awakening."
Axel stiffened. Matias cursed under his breath.
Eliza's gaze sharpened. "Steal?"
"Not confirmed," Damian admitted. "But strong awakenings tend to… vanish. And the church? Well, they always seem to be involved."
Matias exhaled sharply. "So, they were after us."
"Maybe," Damian said. "But here in Harmonia? You're safe. No fights allowed. Any disputes? You take them up with the ruler."
Axel clenched his fists. So, for now, they had time. A moment to train.
Damian stretched, then clapped his hands together. "Alright, enough talking. Get your ass up."
Matias groaned. "Already?"
"Yes," Damian said, smirking. "Because now? Training really begins."
Father Damian stood a little farther away, arms folded, watching them with a grin. "Alright, enough loafing around. Time for your first real lesson."
Axel raised an eyebrow. "Real lesson? You mean the 'meditation' thing?"
"Yep," Damian said, almost too cheerfully. "Time to get connected with the world's energy. Don't worry, it's not as boring as it sounds."
Matias snorted. "That sounds like something out of a spiritual pamphlet."
Damian shot him a look. "Well, it works, so keep your sarcasm in check, kid."
Axel rubbed his hands together. "Okay, what's step one?"
Damian gestured to the ground in front of them. "Step one: Realize the spiritual energy around you. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and feel it."
Axel sat cross-legged, eyes closed, trying to focus. The air felt... still. It was quiet. Too quiet.
Matias chuckled from behind him. "I can't feel anything. Am I broken?"
"You'll get it," Damian called out. "Just focus. It's there, trust me."
After a few minutes, Axel felt it a slight hum, just beneath the surface of everything, the so called energy consists of very small threads that get connected to the body and supply it with life force. "So this is it? Alright, I think I got it."
Damian nodded. "Good. Step two: Absorption. You're gonna pull that energy into you. Don't force it, just let it flow."
Axel concentrated. He imagined the energy gathering, pooling inside him. It was weird. It felt... foreign but natural. Almost like a deep breath.
"Step three: Purification." Damian's voice came again, cutting through his focus. "Make that energy yours. Cleanse it of anything impure. That's how you control it."
Axel tried visualizing the energy as it swirled inside him. It was buzzing, chaotic. He focused, trying to smooth it out, getting rid of the tension.
"Step four: Introduction to the soul," Damian continued, his tone becoming softer now. "It's time to understand what you're working with. This isn't just power, it's your soul's core. Learn to connect to the world."
Axel frowned. "Introduction to my soul? That sounds... weird."
"It's not," Damian replied. "Focus. You'll know when you connect. It's not an easy thing to feel, but when you do... you'll know."
Axel concentrated harder, his breath steady. But it was hard. The connection kept slipping out of his reach. He could feel something, but it wasn't clear.
Damian didn't push him. "Take your time. It'll come."
---
"Step five: Accumulation," Damian said. "Now that you're starting to get a feel for it, gather the energy. Build it up inside you. Don't rush. This is automatically happening overtime, there's no point rushing it, the only way to accelerate is by using material like power stones or gaining enlightenment and understanding your soul better"
Axel focused again, the energy swirling around him. He imagined it filling up, gathering inside his chest. It was slow but steady, like filling a cup with water.
"Step six: Advancement " Damian said, his tone becoming sharper. "This is where you push the energy to its limit. Focus on the core of it. That's how you advance as a warrior, after while you will reach the second level and become a knight, this step only work when you have reach the peak of energy gathering and you can gather no more".
Axel could feel the pressure. It was like the energy wanted to explode. His body trembled slightly under its weight.
Damian watched him carefully. "Don't break under it. You're not there yet, but you will be. Just keep pushing."
Axel gritted his teeth. "I can't... It's too much."
"Patience," Damian said, his voice calm but firm. "You're not ready for the breakthrough yet. It will take sometime"
---
Father Damian let out a sigh, and Axel opened his eyes. "How long do we need for this?"
"Longer than you think," Damian replied with a grin. "This isn't something you rush. But you've got time, the normal person is considered a soldier in the global Rankinngs, and you who awakened the war soul are considered warriors, you have to reach the knight level, the guardian, the protector, and then paladin, with every breakthrough there's either a huge gap in power or small gap but with better control and sharpened senses."
Axel looked toward the distant castle where the city lord resided. There was a heaviness in the air, something he couldn't shake. "That castle... how long do you think we have before everything changes?"
Damian glanced in the same direction, his expression unreadable. "Who knows? But training won't wait. Get it done."
Axel clenched his fists with brightness in his eyes. "I'm excited."
"Good," Damian said, already turning away. "You'd better be." Then he turned and left.
------
Mat was lying on the grass, arms behind his head, eyes closed as he stared at the sky. "Man, once I'm stronger, I'll be unstoppable. I'll have a legacy so big, people will be telling stories about me for centuries," he muttered to himself, imagining all the glory.
Axel walked by, smirking at the sight of Mat's exaggerated daydreaming. "Yeah, sure, kid. You'll be the next legend. Right after you finish getting your butt kicked in a spar."
Mat snapped his eyes open, grinning. "What, you wanna test me now? Or do I need more practice before I kick your ass?"
Axel raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure you think you're ready. But Damian left, and we still need to warm up. A little physical sparring before the real deal. You up for it?"
Mat groaned and jumped to his feet. "Oh, this is gonna be great. I'll have to take it easy on you, though. Don't want you crying to Damian."
Axel chuckled, rolling his shoulders. "Save your excuses, Mat. I've got skills you can only dream of."
Mat looked him up and down, trying to hide a grin. "Skills? Please, you barely know how to swing that scythe without falling over."
"Hey, at least I don't rely on traps and creepy spider webs to win," Axel shot back, pointing at him with his scythe. "I'm about pure power."
Mat raised his hands in mock surrender. "Oh, sure. Pure power, right. Just don't expect me to make it easy for you, big guy."
They both squared up, Axel in his stance, throwing punches in the dim sunlight. Mat's feet moved accordingly evad8zt high speed, each discovering his strength.
---
Three months later...
Axel stood in the middle of the woods, his ghostly Golden fire skulls hovering around him, spinning slowly in an eerie display. The forest was still, quiet, except for the rustle of leaves in the wind. He grinned, his energy buzzing as he felt the rush of progress.
"Damn... this feels good," Axel muttered, eyes narrowing as he looked ahead, focusing on the training to come. The skulls crackled with dark energy as they shielded him, waiting for any sign of movement. He could feel his power surging.
Meanwhile, Mat was hidden in the shadows, his form nearly invisible against the thick trees. He was crouched low, waiting. The faintest sound of Axel's boots stepping on dry leaves confirmed he was moving, and Mat silently grinned to himself.
---
Suddenly, Mat leapt from the shadows, his movements as fluid as a serpent. He activated his metal spider webs, sending them out in a swift motion to entangle Axel.
Axel barely managed to dodge, laughing. "Not bad. But this won't stop me."
He swung his scythe, the blade cleaving through the air with deadly precision, just missing Mat's side as he nimbly evaded.
"Seriously?" Mat scoffed from behind a tree, shaking his head. "That all you got? Thought I was supposed to be the weak one here."
Axel smiled, eyes glinting with excitement. "Just getting started, Mat. Let's see how you handle this."
With a flick of his wrist, Axel summoned an undead ape from the ground, its massive form appearing in a burst of golden dark energy. The creature, armed with a huge hammer, roared as it advanced toward Mat.
Mat's eyes widened in surprise. "Okay, okay, that's... impressive. I didn't know you had that in your bag of tricks." He immediately began setting traps and shifting his position, trying to stay one step ahead of both Axel and the undead ape.
Axel laughed, his aura of death pulsing outward. "Told you. You'll never be ready for all this."
Mat was quick, throwing a metal spider web to immobilize the ape's feet, but the undead creature quickly broke free, swinging its hammer wildly. "You should really teach that thing some manners."
"Maybe after I teach you some," Axel shot back, grin widening. "You're faster than I thought, but I still got you outclassed, I found this dead ape near the waterfall, it proved useful."
The two continued to spar, back and forth, each trying to outmaneuver the other. Despite the insults and jabs, there was respect in their eyes. Axel and Mat both knew how hard they'd pushed each other in the last few months.
---
Above them, Father Damian hovered in the sky, watching the sparring match with a smile. He rested his arms behind his head as he floated lazily, as if enjoying the view of two young men going at it.
"You guys are so damn dramatic," Damian chuckled to himself. "But I suppose that's the fire you need."
He then looked at Axel, his expression thoughtful. "Kid's got potential... but he's still too reckless. Needs to cool down before he gets his own ass kicked."
Looking at Mat, Damian smirked. "And Matias... well, the boy's got skills. Can't just use those to hide, though. One day, he'll have to step up and fight straight on."
---
Axel's grin widened as he saw Mat retreat into the shadows again, the trap failed. "You're just too slow, Mat. Too predictable."
Mat scoffed from the darkness. "You're just lucky." But inside, he knew Axel was right. This was no longer just a simple sparring match. They were both growing.
Father Damian's voice echoed down from the sky. "Alright, enough of this. It's time to head back home".
Both Axel and Mat stopped, panting, staring up at their mentor.