The air shifted before the clash began.
Both squads stood in the clearing, words sharp, rivalry thick as the fog. Then the howling came—a chorus of voices, guttural and wild, echoing through the Vale.
Red eyes lit the mist, dozens of them, circling. Wolves, larger than the ones they had faced before. Their hides bore streaks of black corruption, and their growls vibrated in the bones.
Thalen gripped his sword, knuckles white. Mira stepped closer to Kaelen without realizing it. Across the clearing, Joren's serpent flared bright, eager for slaughter.
"They're drawn to us," Joren spat, scanning the shadows. "Too much blood spilled here."
The first wolf lunged. Chaos erupted.
—
Joren led with confidence, serpent striking like a whip. Talis and Ren flanked him, blades flashing, their formation tight and polished. Every move was loud, meant to be seen. Elders would have praised them—if elders had been there.
Kaelen's squad, by contrast, wavered. Thalen swung wildly, driving one wolf back but leaving gaps in his defense. Mira blocked another's strike, her arms shaking with the force.
Kaelen moved with silence. His faint serpent darted unseen, fangs sinking into throats, its movements efficient, precise. He positioned himself where the battle flowed worst, shoring the cracks without calling attention to it.
But even he could not hold back the tide. More wolves burst from the mist, a full pack surrounding both squads. The clearing became a frenzy of claws and steel.
—
Then it happened—one wolf, larger than the rest, barreled through Thalen's guard. The disciple fell hard, sword spinning from his grip. Mira cried out, moving instinctively—but she was too slow.
Kaelen stepped in. His serpent struck faster than it had ever moved before, silver flashing faintly through the mist. The wolf collapsed mid-leap, throat torn clean.
For a heartbeat, everyone froze. Joren's eyes narrowed. He had seen it—the flicker of silver, the serpent that should have been faint showing fangs sharper than rumor allowed.
Kaelen lowered his gaze quickly, masking the serpent's glow, letting the mist blur its form again. "Focus," he said evenly, as if nothing had happened.
Joren's smirk returned, colder now. "Interesting."
—
The battle raged until the last wolf fell, leaving the clearing littered with bodies and steaming blood. Both squads were breathing hard, garments torn, cores collected in trembling hands.
For the first time, Joren did not taunt. He only looked at Kaelen, serpent hissing softly at his side, eyes full of questions—and something darker.
The Vale had shown them all a glimpse of Kaelen's shadowed edge. And though he had concealed it quickly, the seed of suspicion was planted.
From here on, their rivalry would not be of words alone.