The air crackled with tension as Riven's mind echoed the question that had been bouncing around his head the moment he found himself suddenly out of Kaelen's reach.
"What just happened?" he asked, voice trembling with disbelief through the mental link shared with Vaelorian. His pulse pounded in his ears, every heartbeat a reminder of how fast he'd just moved—so fast it felt like he'd slipped through time itself.
He couldn't quite grasp the sensation—was it adrenaline? His eyes darted to Vaelorian, who stood calmly, a smug smile curling on his lips as if he knew exactly what had just happened.
"Did I forget to tell you?" Vaelorian's voice echoed softly in Riven's mind, layered with that unmistakable tone of confidence.
Riven used to hate that attitude of his that made him appear like someone who knew something others didn't.
"Tell me what?" Riven's voice was more curious than accusatory.
"I don't only use other people's gifts by touching them," Vaelorian explained, voice smooth and proud, "I can also share my gift with others. Now, focus—you don't see him ready to charge at you?"
Riven's mind snapped into focus as if a switch had been flipped. His body moved instinctively, limbs reacting before he even thought—dodging, he slipped out of Kaelen's reach once more just in time. The older boy's frustration was written all over his face; he was trying to catch Riven, but Riven was too fast! With every movement, Riven too was beginning to understand how Vaelorian must've felt during their training sessions—the trill is like nothing he'd ever experienced before.
Everyone around them seemed to pause, captivated by the spectacle. Riven is a pale, fragile-looking kid. This was supposed to be just like a walk in the park for Kaelen. The others looked on, some bewildered, even Vaelorian looked impressed—no, more like fascinated. This kid might just turn out to be his best creation yet. Riven was slowly becoming a masterpiece right in front of him.
As the quest to knock Riven off his feet continued without success, Vaelorian's eyes sparkled with a mix of pride and amusement as he watched Riven follow his instructions. Interestingly, the younger boy can actually rise to the challenge when something is at stake.
Something that was supposed to be a small quest suddenly seems impossible for Kaelen. This continued for a while, and other kids kept watching, but they appeared totally over it at this point. The only person who seemed truly entertained by all of this now was Vaelorian. He was impressed—very impressed.
"Okay!" Riven's voice suddenly broke through Vaelorian's head, loud and clear. "This is getting kinda ridiculous. How do I end this?"
Vaelorian's tone was calm, almost soothing. "You're physically stronger than you think. Just think of him as a wall, you need to get through."
Riven took a moment to think. "So…I should punch him?" His voice was laced with confusion, but his eyes held hints of mischief. He really wants to punch the guy.
"No, Riven," Vaelorian's chuckle echoed in his mind, "You're not allowed to outright punch someone. Just use your training. Remember what I've been teaching you."
Riven took a deep breath, feeling the weight of Vaelorian's words settle over him. He remembered everything—the lessons, the moves, the ass-whoopping. Finally, he nodded, determination hardening his features.
The next time Kaelen charged at him, Riven did not move. Instead, he stood still, as if rooted to the ground, allowing Kaelen to close the distance. Almost instinctively, he gauged the moment—the split second Kaelen was close enough—and in a flash of light, Riven sidestepped. His move was so swift that it was like he vanished and reappeared behind the older boy. And in one fluid motion, Riven grabbed Kaelen by the waist. Before Kaelen could even register what was happening, Riven lifted him clear off the ground and slammed him down with a thud. The impact sent a shockwave through the air—everyone gasped, eyes widening, mouths hanging open in disbelief.
"Atta boy!" Vaelorian's voice was quiet but proud, a subtle echo of approval.
A couple of healers ran to Kaelen as the crowd of kids erupted into applause, some clapping hesitantly, others with genuine enthusiasm. Riven, breathless and exhilarated, fist-bumped the air, grinning from ear to ear. Turning to Vaelorian, he couldn't help but smile proudly.
"Did you see that! Oh, mama!" Riven exclaimed, still catching his breath. "That felt fucking fantastic!"
Vaelorian groaned in mock annoyance. "Language, Riven!" he reprimanded in his mind, though a smile tugged at his lips.
But Riven just continued celebrating his victory. "Don't start with me, your pettiness!" he shot back teasingly.
"Your pettiness? That's new!" Vaelorian chuckled inwardly, amused that the younger boy could crack jokes in times like these.
After the healers were done, Vaelorian helped Kaelen to his feet and brushed dirt from his clothes.
Riven's grin widened. "So…this is how good you felt every time you slammed me on the ground?"
Riven heard Vaelorian laughing in his head. "Not telling," he replied, helping Kaelen steady himself.
"Ugh! You're so insufferable!" Riven whined in his mind, but his laughter echoed in his chest. He felt alive—more alive than he had in his past life.
"I hope you understand why I hold this position now, Kaelen?" Vaelorian said gently, his voice carrying a gentle authority. He patted Kaelen on the back. "Riven hasn't been able to knock me off my feet, and you couldn't knock him off his feet. It wouldn't be fair for you to face me one-on-one."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the gathered campers. "This is a lesson for all of you. Titles and age don't mean a thing. All that matters is the skills you cultivate. Work hard, and you'll reach where you want to be in life."
The campers nodded, absorbing his words, the energy shifting into a collective resolve.
"Now then, shall we get back to it?" Vaelorian asked, voice steady and commanding.
A chorus of agreement responded, and the training resumed. The sounds of effort and determination filled the air as Vaelorian led them through their drills, pushing them to their limits.
Riven was super impressed by Vaelorian's poise and confidence. He handled everything with such effortless ease. Something Riven could never see himself doing. Vaelorian is really a Prince, through and through.
Combat class continued for the rest of the period, with everyone exhausted except Riven, who was still pumped up from his victory.
And as they left the training ground a while later, Riven skipped ahead of Vaelorian, his happiness very obvious.
"I think I'm beginning to get the hang of this place!" he exclaimed, his smile radiant.
Vaelorian was amused, "Because you knocked one guy off his feet?"
Riven's grin only grew wider. "Add that to the list of other things, but yeah...it's mostly because of that." Riven agreed.
Vaelorian couldn't help but smile along, enjoying the sight of Riven letting his guard down. It's a very rare and precious sight to see the younger boy like this. It was like witnessing a seed sprout into something new and beautiful.
"I didn't know you were so easy to please." Vaelorian teased Riven making the younger boy roll his eyes.
"Make fun of me all you want, dude! You literally won't be able to rain on my parade today," Riven sassed, doing a weird dance that got other kids looking their way, but Vaelorian just shook his head, fondly watching him do his thing.
"Say..." Riven suddenly leaned in, eyes gleaming, "Did you learn how to be a prince?"
For a moment, Vaelorian forgot how to breathe, only his eyes widened. He was caught off guard by the sudden closeness. His heart hammered in his chest, but he kept his composure.
"Why are you curious about that?" his voice came out huskily.
Riven's eyes gleamed with curiosity. "I'm just wondering! The way you talk, walk, and do things. It's all so…what's the word I'm looking for?" he murmurs, tapping his chin.
"Those are all basic manners taught during etiquette lessons to every noble from childhood," Vaelorian replied smoothly. "Although, I'm convinced you never paid attention to your instructors, seeing how comfortably you throw around foul words."
Riven grinned mischievously. He wanted to tell Vaelorian that he wasn't a noble so badly but he knows that's a bad idea. Before he could come up with a smart comeback someone called out his name. He turned, spotting Anya waving and running towards them.
"Oh, hey Anya!" Riven greeted.
The younger girl gave a subtle bow to acknowledge Vaelorian's presence before she turned to Riven.
"Hey, are you ready for lunch? I scored us something good!" Anya winked mischievously.
"You bet I am!" Riven replied, happily linking his arm with Anya's as she dragged him away. Riven waved a quick goodbye to Vaelorian, his face bright with excitement.
Vaelorian watched as they disappeared into the crowd, his gaze lingered in that direction.
"I guess that's his type," he muttered softly, more to himself than anyone else.
"Is something the matter, My Prince?" Sir Eryndor asked as he appeared beside Vaelorian.
Vaelorian shook his head, casting one last glance in the direction Riven and Anya had gone.
"No, nothing at all. Let's go, Eryndor!" he replied softly, his voice calm but carrying the weight of unspoken thoughts.