Bjorn ate until he couldn’t eat anymore. His belly was so full that he could barely move, yet he watched in amazement as Grizzly continued to eat like a ravenous beast. The mage had the appetite of ten men combined, devouring everything in sight with unrelenting ferocity.Finally, after finishing his meal, Grizzly turned his attention back to Bjorn. "Let's begin," he said.Bjorn shifted into a lotus position, feeling a mixture of anticipation and trepidation. Grizzly placed a hand on his back, and Bjorn could feel a strange but powerful energy start to flow through his body. Grizzly was guiding this energy in a precise, intricate pattern, controlling its circulation with expert skill.“We draw our magical essence from sources beyond this world, often ignoring the natural essence of our own,” Grizzly explained, his voice calm and authoritative. “But it’s this very natural essence that most beasts rely on to gain their power.”As Grizzly spoke, Bjorn could feel the natural essence being

In a room bathed in brilliant light, the walls shimmered with intricate gold inlaid designs, capturing the eye and enhancing the room's majestic atmosphere. Tapestries adorned the walls, each one telling a vivid story of the church's remarkable feats. Scenes of bravery, faith, and divine intervention were woven into these tapestries, depicting the rich history and spiritual conquests of the church.At the center of this magnificent room stood a grand semicircular table, crafted from the finest wood and polished to a gleaming finish. The table was large enough to comfortably seat thirteen individuals, with one chair, more opulent and commanding than the others, positioned at the head. This grand chair was reserved for someone of immense significance, a leader among leaders.This room was the heart of the church's decision-making body, the small council. Here, a select group of powerful men and women gathered to deliberate on the church's path and its future. These were the twelve cardi

The following morning, Bjorn woke up with a hangover. He wasn't used to drinking, and Grizzly's brew was strong. Still nursing his headache, Bjorn grudgingly freshened up. He dressed in snug black attire and left his room to meet Avery in the common room as they had agreed the night before. Bjorn ordered a bowl of soup as he waited. "I have a strong body and feel this bad. I wonder how Avery feels," he thought as he scooped the soup into his mouth. An hour later, Avery finally showed up. He looked worse than Bjorn, his cheeks flushed and his eyes drooping from the hangover. Bjorn ordered another bowl of steaming soup for him. Bjorn waited in silence as Avery devoured the soup. After eating and feeling better, they got down to business."We have to go to the arena. You need to show your skills. Important people will be there looking for strong recruits, and I think you'll impress them," Avery said thoughtfully.Bjorn was hesitant. "That will put me in the spotlight. I have powerful

Why are you called Ghost?” Bjorn asked Avery as they walked toward the governor's mansion.Instead of answering him, Avery thought it would be better to demonstrate his powers to Bjorn. With a focused expression, he began to manipulate the light around him. The air shimmered as the light bent and twisted under his control. Slowly, his figure started to blur and fade.The bright rays of sunlight seemed to wrap around Avery, creating a halo effect that made it difficult to distinguish his outline. As he continued, his body blended more with the surroundings. Soon, he was almost invisible, just a faint ripple in the air.Bjorn watched in awe as Avery nearly disappeared. His presence was only betrayed by the slightest distortion in the light, like heat waves on a summer day.Bjorn was stunned, even Savage was impressed by Avery’s display. He had to admit that the kid possessed an insidious power, perfect for assassination.It took some time for Bjorn to collect himself. “I have to always

"Where is everyone?" Bjorn asked as they strolled through the streets of Nassau.He'd returned to the city with Avery after the strange encounter with the Bloodsoaked Queen the previous day."Today is the monthly tournament. Everyone in the city usually heads to the coliseum to watch the games," Avery said, leading Bjorn toward the coliseum in the distance."Everyone?" Bjorn asked, surprised. Even though the coliseum was enormous, with a capacity of about forty thousand people, Bjorn knew it couldn't hold the entire population of Nassau, which had over a hundred thousand residents."Not literally everyone," Avery explained. "There's a device that shows the events happening in the arena. Some inn owners have these vision crystals in their establishments, where people can relax and watch the games."After about thirty minutes of walking through the nearly empty streets, they arrived at the coliseum. Avery led Bjorn to a more opulent entrance, different from the one Bjorn had used during