"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
The butler led them through a series of corridors. As they walked, the surroundings became more elegant and grand until they arrived at the governor's lounge."Your guests are here, sir," the butler announced as he let Bjorn and Avery into the room."Bjorn, Avery, come sit with me," the governor said excitedly, rising to welcome them and pointing towards the empty sofas.As Bjorn and Avery stepped into the room, they saw the governor was not alone. A mage of the Stormveil Order was sitting beside him."Thank you for the invitation," Avery said, shaking the governor's hand."Bloodblade!" Avery exclaimed in surprise, recognizing the other mage as he took his seat.Bloodblade, an eighteen-year-old mage, had smooth, alabaster skin. His eyes were deep black with a red ring around the pupils. His pitch-black hair, streaked with red, was tied back in a ponytail. He sat calmly on the couch, sipping wine, exuding intense focus and quiet confidence."Ghost," Bloodblade nodded in acknowledgment.
Before Bjorn, a vast green landscape stretched out, perhaps a mile below. Rolling green lands spread as far as the eye could see. Snow fell gently, making the scene even more beautiful. Although he should have seen the silhouettes of distant mountains, what he saw instead were endless green lands with rivers flowing through them. In the distance, the outline of a huge city stood tall in the middle of the valley. Despite the distance, Bjorn knew this was the biggest city he had ever seen. "Come on, let's go," Bloodblade said, leading them toward the city. It took them about two hours to arrive. Standing on a hill overlooking the city, Bjorn saw an old, grand city. The city was so large that he had trouble comprehending its size, maybe calling it a small kingdom might do it justice. Nassau was the largest city Bjorn had ever seen, a city so large it didn’t have walls. Yet, the one before him seemed to surpass Nassau by far. But that was not all; a large wall circled the grander b
It's been four days since Bloodblade's departure. Bjorn was walking through the streets of the First Valley. As the name suggests, this is one of the seven valleys of the Storm Veil Order. To cover the entire border, the Order's forces were spread out, with the valleys as their homes. Each valley was controlled by the Order, led by a Patriarch or Matriarch and a council of Elders. "Are all the valleys this large and ancient?" Bjorn thought as he navigated the streets. He arrived at an alchemy store in the open plaza. The pleasant smell of plants drifted from the chimney, making him feel calm. He pushed the door open and walked in. Inside, the store was elegant, with green decor and soft, high-quality carpets. Glass shelves lined the walls, each holding different pills, potions, poisons, and wild herbs. Some small display cases with higher-quality potions or pills were placed around the room for customers to see. Bjorn was surprised that he could recognize some of the herbs and ev
Bloodblade hurried them out of the inn and into the bustling streets. He moved swiftly, expertly weaving through alleys, taking shortcuts, and avoiding as many mages as he could. In three hours, they were beyond the city walls.“How long can you keep running?” Bloodblade asked suddenly.“As long as I need to,” Bjorn replied confidently.“Good. Follow me.” Bloodblade took off running, pushing Bjorn to his limits, or at least as much as Bjorn allowed him to see, as they left the city far behind.“Why are we in such a rush?” Bjorn asked.It was obvious something had scared Bloodblade, and whatever it was, it posed a danger to Bjorn too.“I’ll tell you when—” Bloodblade started.“No!” Bjorn interrupted. “I’m tired of running headfirst into danger without knowing why,” he said, struggling to keep his anger in check. “Tell me now, or I’m going back to the city to find another novice.” He meant every word.Seeing the determination in Bjorn's eyes, Bloodblade decided to reveal the truth. His
Bjorn woke up early, feeling the cool morning air in the cave. The sun hadn’t risen yet, and the sky outside was a soft gray. He stretched quietly, careful not to wake Bloodblade, who was still fast asleep nearby.Bjorn decided to make breakfast. He gathered some dry wood and started a small fire just outside the cave. The flames crackled softly, casting a warm light. He pulled out some beast meat from his spatial ring and sliced it into pieces. The rich, savory smell of cooking meat soon filled the air.As the sun began to rise, it cast a golden glow over the landscape. The jagged rocks and tall trees looked almost beautiful in the morning light. Bjorn took a deep breath, enjoying the quiet moment.The meat was ready. Bjorn walked over to Bloodblade and gently shook his shoulder. “Wake up. Breakfast is ready.”Bloodblade stirred, opening his eyes slowly. He looked exhausted but managed a small smile at the smell of the food. “Thanks, Wildheart,” he said, sitting up.They ate together
Bjorn and Bloodblade trained in a vast, open meadow, unaware that their journey had just become much more dangerous. Now, three factions of the Order, along with assassins and mercenaries, were hunting them.It had been a month since they fled the valley. Bloodblade kept them moving steadily southwest, avoiding any towns or cities. They seized every chance to train, just as they were doing now.In a large clearing, hundreds of meters wide, they sparred intensely. Bjorn realized why Bloodblade had earned his fearsome title. Bloodblade had a rare power called the blood source. He was born for the battlefield, where bloodshed was constant.Bloodblade could control blood. He could manipulate his opponent’s blood flow, immobilizing them or controlling weaker enemies. He could sense the life force of any living being nearby and track someone thousands of miles away with just a drop of blood, making him a perfect tracker and assassin.His blood-sensing abilities also gave him an edge in comb
Bjorn and Bloodblade trudged along a dusty road, unaware of the increasing danger they faced. It had been three days since Bloodblade's breakthrough, and after much deliberation, they decided it was time to interact with civilization again.Bloodblade needed seven rare herbs to create an antidote for the poison used on the patriarch. He already had two of the seven herbs and needed help finding the rest."One more time, I need to hear their names," Bloodblade requested."Moonshade leaf, Starfall sage, Elderbark roots…" Bjorn listed the herbs, describing their appearance and function.Bjorn paid close attention, determined to succeed in their mission despite the tedious task of learning about herbs."Good, good. One of the herbs grows in this region. I hope we can find it in the town ahead or at least get a lead on where to find it," Bloodblade mused aloud.They trekked for three long hours before spotting a town in the distance. With hurried steps, they arrived at the small town, whic