"Alright! You ready, Kael?"
Kael blinked, a little surprised, but nodded quickly. "Y-yes, Commander!"
"Good. Grab your sword. Liraen will teach you how to draw it properly."
Kael reached for his Tesseract, the black-bladed sword that hummed with latent energy. Liraen mirrored him, drawing Ralis.
"Repeat what I do," Liraen instructed.
"Alright, Ren," Kael said, gripping his sword with both hands.
"Then swing it like this…" Liraen demonstrated with a swift motion.
SWOOSSH!
SWOOSSH!
Kael followed, swinging his sword in imitation. Each motion echoed across the training ground, the air cutting with the sound of metal moving through it.
"Good, but swinging your sword isn't just about your arms," Liraen corrected. "Your stance matters too. You need to plant your feet like this."
He lowered himself slightly, demonstrating a solid, balanced stance, then slashed his sword in a clean, precise motion.
Kael mirrored him as best as he could.
SWOOSH!
SWOOSH!
SWOOSH!
Over and over, Kael swung, each strike cutting through the air with increasing strength and precision. Sweat beaded on his forehead, but he refused to stop.
"Good, Kael," Liraen encouraged, nodding approvingly.
Kael wiped his brow but continued swinging.
"Okay, Kael. Now I want to test how strong your slash is."
"Hm?" Kael paused mid-swing, confused.
"Nylum!" Liraen called.
"Okay, Ren," Nylum responded immediately.
"Huh? Why Nylum, Ren?" Kael asked, frowning.
Liraen's eyes gleamed. "I know you don't like this, Kael, but I'll use Nylum the same way I would Volgran. That means Nylum will be your dummy for this exercise."
Kael's eyes widened as he realized what was coming.
"What?! Why do my friends need to be dummies?!" Kael exclaimed, his eyes locking on Volgran and Nylum. "I don't want to hurt them, Ren!"
Liraen shook his head gently. "Yeah, Kael… No one in this realm wants to hurt their own friends. Even I don't."
"So… why are you still asking them to be dummies?" Kael pressed, frowning.
Sighing, Liraen crouched slightly to meet Kael's gaze. "Kael… you know how dangerous the path of becoming a Realm Protector is, right?"
"I do," Kael said firmly, "but why do I have to hurt my friends to become one?"
"I'm not telling you to hurt them," Liraen explained. "I want you to understand that there will come a point in your life when you must choose, between the ones you love and the world you protect. During training, I want you to be able to draw your sword against someone you care about. Not because you want to… but because you need to."
He paused, letting his words sink in.
"We cannot predict the future. Maybe your friends will make a sacrifice. Maybe they will turn against you. And maybe… you are the one who turns against them, choosing to take their lives."
Kael's chest tightened as the weight of the responsibility settled on him.
"So, Kael," Liraen continued, "you need to learn how to make that choice. When you become a Realm Protector, what is your priority? Protect the ones you love, or protect the entire realm?"
Kael stood frozen, stunned by the gravity of the role. His eyes drifted to Aeronis, who was casually chatting with Reyvik and Grak'Mar, exuding calm authority.
So this is the true sacrifice of a Realm Protector… Kael thought. Commander… I don't know how many loved ones you've already lost to keep this realm safe. I owe you for that.
He looked back at Liraen.
"And… Volgran and Nylum have already agreed to help you," Liraen added.
Kael's eyes widened. "Wait… they agreed?"
"Yes," Liraen nodded. "But with one condition."
"What is it?" Kael asked.
Nylum's watery form shimmered as he smiled. "I want you to train harder—and pass the ceremony."
Kael studied him for a moment, then a small smile appeared on his face. "Alright, Nylum… if that's all you want."
Liraen placed a hand gently on Kael's shoulder. "Okay… now you understand, right?"
"Yes, Ren… thank you," Kael replied sincerely.
He took a deep breath and repeated the training Liraen had taught him earlier, lowering himself into a proper stance.
Then his eyes fell on Nylum.
"Alright, Kael… imagine Nylum as a Mishanter," Liraen said firmly, pointing at the watery figure.
"Attack him using what I taught you—at least the basics."
"Alright, Ren!"
Kael rushed forward and swung his sword at Nylum.
He aimed straight for the neck—not bad for a beginner.
But… Nylum was not a static dummy.
Nylum, a water elemental, could reshape his body at will.
In the blink of an eye, Nylum shifted his watery head down to his arm.
Kael's blade cut through empty air.
"Cih!"
"HAHAHAHA! Kaeelll, I'm not that easy to hiiittt!" Nylum laughed, his liquid body wobbling with every word.
Kael didn't give up. This time, he aimed for Nylum's right hand—but to his shock, Nylum changed the density of that limb, turning the water into a solid, hardened block.
"Ugh!" Kael grunted, struggling as his sword failed to cut through the dense water.
Then Nylum countered.
His left hand—made of metal, the one Kael built for him long ago so he could grab things—shifted forward, ready to strike.
But now Nylum used his metallic left hand to snatch Kael's sword from his right.
"Not thaaaat easyyy, Kaelll!" he taunted, his watery form wobbling with amusement.
Kael felt the sting of the tease—but he didn't give up.
Even without his sword, he rushed forward, attacking and slashing over and over again. His friends watched closely, listening as Commander Aeronis's story of battling the Mishanter echoed in their minds, adding weight to the lesson.
Hours passed, until evening…
SWOOOSH! SWOOOSH! Harghh!
Kael still couldn't land a clean hit.
Pant! Pant!
"Not yet!" he grunted, swinging again.
Harggh! KTANGG!
Suddenly, Liraen blocked his strike.
"Okay, Kael… that's enough."
"Bu—"
Commander Aeronis appeared just then, walking toward them.
"Oh… okay, Ren," Kael said, nodding.
He ran to Aeronis, sword in hand, while his other friends followed behind.
"What is it, Commander? Is there anything you want to tell me?" Kael asked.
"Not much," Aeronis said, his voice calm yet carrying that novelty-like weight. "I'm about to leave for my battle, so I'll leave your training to your friends. Understood?"
Kael nodded silently. Aeronis tapped his shoulder with a smile, glancing at him, then at all his friends, including Elvareth. Without another word, he took to the air, flying off with his wind Might.
Kael remained quiet, watching him go. He seems in a hurry better not asked anything. Kael thought.
"So, Ren?" Kael turned to Liraen. "Are we going to train again?"
Liraen smiled. "Of course, Kael… but tonight, we're moving on to another aspect. It's already night."
"Huh? What's the other aspect?" Kael asked, curious.
Liraen's gaze shifted to Volgran, the giant; Brasskert, the gnome; and Reyvik, the wolf beastkin.
"It's time for your brain to work!"
Its time for the Tawan aspect
End of chapter 20