Chapter 12 – Trial by Darkness
The courtyard was different today. The servants had cleared the training yard, leaving only the stone floor and a few wooden dummies lined against the wall. But I could feel it the moment I stepped outside—something was waiting.
The duke stood in the center, hands clasped behind his back, his silver gaze as sharp as a blade. Around the edges, the duchess and the children watched. The eldest leaned forward, eager, while the daughter's golden curiosity danced in the air. The youngest sat quietly, his silver aura steady as always.
"Today will not be practice," the duke said. "It will be trial."
I stayed silent. Calm.
He motioned with his hand. Two men in black armor stepped forward, their faces hidden by helmets. The air around them was heavy with mana. Warriors—strong ones. Stronger than anyone I had seen in the slums.
"You will fight," the duke said. "Defend yourself. Show me the depth of your shadows."
A murmur ran through the courtyard. The duchess frowned faintly, but said nothing. The daughter leaned forward, whispering, "Fight? He's only six…"
The eldest smirked. "If he can't handle this, then he's useless."
I looked at the armored men. Their auras burned with controlled red—discipline mixed with the faint thrill of battle.
Noctis stirred in my mind. "Be cautious. Do not reveal more than necessary. But do not falter, either. A cornered child is weak. A collected one… is dangerous."
I exhaled slowly. My heartbeat was steady. My hands did not shake.
The duke raised his hand. "Begin."
The first warrior lunged. His blade flashed in the sunlight, aimed to strike—not to kill, but hard enough to wound.
The shadows answered before I moved. They curled up from the ground, forming a wall of darkness that swallowed the steel. Sparks flew as the blade scraped against living night.
Gasps echoed from the sidelines.
The second warrior came from the left, faster. I turned, calm, lifting my hand. The shadows surged, twisting into tendrils that lashed out, wrapping around his leg. He stumbled, crashing into the ground, the stone cracking beneath him.
The first warrior pulled back, his aura flashing with surprise. The second growled, pushing against the tendrils, but they only tightened.
I released him, the shadows dissolving into the air.
"I said defend," the duke's voice rang out, sharp. "Not overwhelm."
I lowered my gaze. "Understood."
The warriors regrouped, circling. My breathing stayed even. Each movement they made was slow to me, traced in the flow of margicules that swirled around them. I saw the openings before they struck.
The next time they lunged, I did not form a wall. I simply stepped aside, calm, collected, the shadows bending at my feet to trip the first before he reached me. The second's blade came close, but I raised a single tendril to nudge it away, harmless.
Minutes passed like that. They attacked. I defended. Calm, precise, never more than I needed.
Finally, the duke raised his hand. "Enough."
The warriors stepped back, their auras tinged with respect now.
I straightened, my expression calm, though my heart beat faster beneath the surface.
The duke's gaze lingered on me, heavy and unreadable. Then he spoke.
"You do not break," he said. "Good."
The eldest son scoffed, but softer this time. The daughter's eyes sparkled, her excitement brighter than ever. And the youngest… he still watched me in silence, his aura steady, but his gaze sharp, as though he understood something the others didn't.
Noctis whispered quietly in my mind. "You've shown them enough. For now."
I nodded faintly, letting the shadows retreat back into stillness.
Calm. Collected. Unbroken.
End of Chapter 12