Three days later, over the city of Kegal, a terrifying scene was taking place. At this time, everyone in the city was looking up at the sky in fear and awe. The screech of a bird filled the air as a massive, pitch-black bird with red eyes appeared in the clouds.
If the people hadn't seen similar scenes whenever an annual tournament was taking place, they would have already been panicking. The bird was approximately twenty feet long, and its wingspan was even wider, almost blocking the sun. Dust clouds filled the air in the streets below as it flew past, the wind produced from its mighty wings reaching the people way down on the ground.
On the bird's back was a woman dressed in a purple robe. She looked to be in her mid-forties. Her hands were clasped behind her back as she stood atop the beast.
She was the headmaster of the Cathedral sect, Vera Osmond. Vera was quite popular for being blessed with the magic heart of a white dove. Her powers allowed her to heal critical injuries with ease; because of this, some people underestimated the power of her heart. But whatever shape a magic heart took was only meant to represent the nature of the individual powers, and they were wrong about Vera.
Kyle had woken up from his slumber. He watched as the massive bird flew over his house through the hole in the ceiling, a serious expression coming on his face. Not far behind Vera, another figure appeared.
A lizard-like creature with a freakishly long tongue stumbled through the gates, causing the crowd and the guards nearby to step aside. Its body was no smaller than the bird in the sky: green scales with slits for eyes.
The beast moved through the townspeople towards the patriarch's residence. On its back was another headmaster known as Draymon Felix of the Kanglan sect.
The man might not have been as popular as Vera, but the crowd could still recognize his power and imagine the magic heart behind his cold eyes and thick beard. So, this year there were two sect leaders present; the tournament would surely be grand. They began to furiously argue about who would take first place among all the prominent clans.
Kyle's mind raced. He turned and saw Julie peacefully sleeping by his side. "With all the commotion going on, how is she still asleep?" Kyle wondered. His brows grew closer as he struggled to think of how he would escape this situation. He knew Vera well.
To be more accurate, she was his teacher; she saw his talent with the Eclipse heart and decided to take him as her student to the Cathedral sect under the agreement that he won.
She had been kind to him, and they would usually discuss trivial things together. He couldn't tell if the woman just liked him as her student or was trying to get to know him.
Now that his brother had stolen his heart, he wondered how his old mentor would take the news. Would she fight for him after hearing of such injustice? Would she pity him? Or perhaps she would look down on him as trash. Kyle decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. He quickly wrapped himself in the bandages again, putting on the expression of someone who had lost everything. If his calculations were accurate, Vera would send for him, and a guard would soon be here to take him to the patriarch's home. With an intelligence level of 20, his calculations were definitely correct.
Kyle stood at the entrance of the courtyard, watching a guard stroll towards the compound. The man dressed in armor arrived and looked Kyle up his head and then down his feet with a scornful expression on his face. Kyle couldn't help but smile; even the guards felt like they were superior to him. "Kyle Bancroft, the patriarch, summons you." He turned without waiting for a response and headed back. Kyle was honestly thankful that the guy ran ahead; that way he wouldn't have to pretend to be weak when he walked there. The guard was already at the chamber door when he arrived. The door was opened, and Kyle watched the familiar chamber, memories flooding his mind again. He briefly gazed at the floor where his blood once was before looking up at the seat his father always sat in. He was met with that same cold, expressionless look. Cabal stared back at Kyle like he was a stranger.
The least he could have done was have pity on the person he had condemned to being disabled. Kyle was sure if it was left to him, he wouldn't even step foot in this chamber again. However, the person who sent for Kyle was much more powerful and influential than his dad. He turned his gaze to her. The look he was met with wasn't the one he had expected. She also looked at him with a bland expression. On another seat, the other sect leader sat; he just watched quietly.
Vera spoke, the usual calm, soothing voice she had turning cold. "Kyle, step forward." Kyle obeyed, still making an effort to look pitiful. His mind was filled with many thoughts. He wondered if Vera would stand for justice, but he doubted that from the look on her face. Among many other things, he wondered if she would sense his new power; after all, she wasn't at an unknown tier of power.
At this moment, the figure sitting on the side spoke, his rough voice resounding in the chamber. "Vera, is this the kid you spoke so highly of?" The man scoffed before continuing. "He couldn't even recognize an ambush and let someone steal his heart." Vera's lips twitched for a moment before she too spoke. "Kyle, I am so disappointed in you. How could you have failed me? I guess it's not your fault; it's mine. You might have been strong, but you were always a weakling." Those words...they hurt. Even after all the betrayal and hardening of his heart, Kyle still felt pain. That was all she had to say? After Kyle was bullied by his brother? After his father allowed his fiancée to leave? She didn't have to take him back as her student. The least she could have done was acknowledge that what they did to him was wrong... but instead, she was disappointed. In him of all people—not his father or his son Kane—but she was disappointed in Kyle.
Kane soon walked into the chamber, arrogant as always. Kyle thought nothing could shock him until... he found out that Vera had now chosen his conniving brother to be her new student. This woman was supposed to be an advocate of justice; she flew all around cities on her black bird, bringing peace during wars and healing the sick. They called her the ray of light. But now Kyle understood all of that was just for show. No matter; he would use this anger as motivation. A fierce light flashed in his eyes as he left the chambers. They thought he would remain a cripple, but he would show every single pretentious snake he wasn't that easy to suppress. Revenge was at hand.