Standing beside the duelling ring, Azreal marvels at the duel between a man and woman, dressed in the muted outer disciple uniforms, indicating they haven’t been accepted into a Pavilion of the Sect yet. There is a fierce intensity, as these two disciples give it their all to have a chance of impressing the Elders, who might not even be watching their duel. Their weapons, a short sword wielded by the female and a spear by the male, strike and deflect in a relentless dance. The male disciple cannot ignore his wounds any longer, blood now dripping from his arm, a testament to every deflection he was just a moment too slow to make. Another minute passes with the male disciple barely hanging on, and in the blink of an eye, the female disciple manages to trip him, moving her blade to his neck. "Surrender," she screams, gasping for air. "I surrender," the male disciple splutters, accepting the hand offered to him.
‘That fight was so intense. Would I be able to survive if my duels were that intense?’ Azreal’s mind races, replaying the scenes of his duels just experienced. A familiar voice torments him, ‘You would die after one minute if you switched with either of them. Your cultivation is higher, yet your skills are nothing. You are nothing. You are pathetic.’ Azreal’s determined expression cracks, his smile fading, and his eyes losing their lustre.
Struggling with his own thoughts, Azreal's fist clenches. "Enough…" he mumbles, his nails digging into his palms. After staring at the ground for a few moments, his mind turns to his current predicament. ‘I will surely be fighting soon. I hope I have enough strength to not embarrass Elder Juhee’ Azreal’s eyes drift to his status window, finding a small comfort in his new ability and increased dexterity, spirit, and intelligence.
‘I feel my speed and internal energy are much stronger than before, but my lack of experience is becoming apparent. If I duel anyone as strong as myself, I fear I may really get hurt.’ Azreal reflects on the upcoming duels. No stranger to pain in the real world due to his health issues diagnosed as an ‘unidentifiable auto-immune disease’. He often became enraged, wondering how, with all the medical advancements over history, his illness remains undiagnosable and untreatable.
‘One day, there will be a cure, and my life will become normal…The Head Mother of the orphanage, Lucina, was always trying to convince me that one day I would have a chance to be normal. Of course, this would enrage me, and I’d often scream that she couldn’t understand what it was like. But now that she is no longer with us, I truly understand that it did not matter if she could understand. Her only goal was to ensure I had hope. And as much as it pains me to admit, that old bag of bones really did give me hope…’ Azreal's mind, flashing with memories of his childhood, brings happiness, anger, and sadness to the forefront of his mind.
Standing in silence, another duel passes by without Azreal even noticing. The sunlight starts to bore into his skin. Another three duels pass, with Azreal’s mind reflecting on his childhood, scenes of sitting at a long, dilapidated wooden table while ten children eating their dinner. A small smile forms on his face at the image of a young girl, her red hair cut into a short bob, her blue eyes softly gazing at a sickly boy, consuming his food as if there would never be another meal.
The scene of dinner at the orphanage fades, replaced by a particularly warm memory. He remembers a crisp autumn evening when the orphanage was wrapped in the golden hues of sunset. Lucina had gathered all the children for a rare treat, storytime under the starry night, a moment when the hardships of their everyday lives seemed to melt away. Lucina told stories, tales of heroes and monsters, of mystical abilities and faraway lands where courage and belief in oneself could change the world. Azreal, despite the pain that often tormented his body, found a sense of safety and familiarity in these stories, each word a beacon of light in his dark world. Next to him sat Kerian, her head resting on his shoulder, sharing silent laughter and wide-eyed wonder at the tales spun by their beloved Head Mother.
Azreal, standing on the duelling platform, finds himself without an opponent. "I accept that you may not wish to fight Azreal," Elder Koh says, looking at one of the male disciples who cannot meet his gaze. "Does anyone wish to take his place?" Elder Koh’s words fall on deaf ears.
"Okay, in that case, Azreal, consider this a win. I believe you’ve shown enough for today. I will suggest to Elder Juhee that you should focus on your training rather than fighting in the duels after the assigned break." Azreal, nodding at Elder Koh, quickly surveys the other duelling platforms. A similar scene occurs on the platforms where disciples already wearing the colours of the Pavilion they were recruited to are also standing alone, waiting for another challenger.
Azreal, breathing a sigh of relief, walks towards his new Master, Elder Juhee, and the raised viewing platform where the Sect elders are gathered. "Master, none of the disciples wanted to challenge me, and Elder Koh advised me to train myself rather than taking part in any more duels. What do you think?" Azreal asks.
"I believe you are competent enough to know the answer. So, tell me, Azreal, what should you do?" Elder Juhee asks, her gaze bearing down on Azreal. "I think it would be best for myself and others if I spent time training. The only issue I foresee is that I have no idea how to train…" Azreal’s voice lingers across the viewing platform, causing the Great Elders and Elders present to shift their gaze onto his shrinking figure. ‘What did I say wrong?!’ screams Azreal internally, squirming under the intense gaze of multiple incredibly powerful Elders.
"I knew you had a good head on those broad shoulders. You may go. Make your way back to your dorm. I will have one of my senior students meet you there and begin your training," Elder Juhee says with a hint of a smile on her face.
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"Thank you Master," Azreal says, turning on his heels and walking towards the exit of the duelling grounds.
"Elder Juhee, who was that child? And why would you allow him to leave?" asks an Elder, whose age seems closer to Juhee than the other Elders of the Sect. The Elder, with a dark black and bushy beard, wears a set of robes similar to Elder Juhee's, the only difference being the symbols of achievement are less abundant than on Elder Juhee’s robes.
Her eyes flicker with a flash of anger for only the briefest of moments. "Vice Leader Qiang, that young man is my newest disciple. I have taken him under my wing after seeing his potential during the forest trial."
"I watched the child's two duels. While I believe he will benefit the Unbound Pavilion, I do not believe he is worthy of your personal attention. Your time is simply too precious, Elder Juhee," Vice Leader Qiang says, his eyes never leaving Elder Juhee’s. "I will personally teach him the sword. I am one of the best sword users in our Pavilion. I wouldn’t waste an ounce of his talent," Vice Leader Qiang offers.
"No, I do not believe anyone aside from myself within the Unbound Pavilion has the capabilities to train him and guide him onto the right path. If you think carefully, Vice Leader Qiang, you have heard about him earlier today, I dare to guess," Elder Juhee responds, anticipating his reaction.
"Wait… It can’t be him," Vice Leader Qiang says, his stoic expression cracking. "Now that you understand, let's return to finding other good seedlings for this year's intake," Elder Juhee says, her smile so bright and warm it makes Vice Leader Qiang’s heart race, her eyes fixed on Azreal’s retreating back.
Finding himself lost amongst the duelling platforms that litter the Lower Duelling Grounds, a thought runs through Azreal’s mind. ‘I wonder if Darian or Kayleen are fighting? I would love to watch them.’ Deciding if he would seek out either his friend or his saviour, Azreal manoeuvres his way through the throngs of disciples, each step taking him closer to the source of loud cheering.
Pushing his way through the crowd, Azreal finally catches sight of Kayleen, engaged in a fierce duel on one of the raised platforms. He moves through a few more disciples, finding himself at the edge of the platform. Now with an uninterrupted view, Azreal watches the duel with the intent to learn more about both combat and Kayleen.
Kayleen's opponent, a towering figure known as Tian Jun, the Indestructible, stands with a stance as immovable as a mountain and eyes that promise an unyielding fight. Yet, Kayleen, with the grace of morning light breaking through the treeline after a dark night in the wilderness, flickers around Tian Jun. Her movements blur to those who watch, captivating everyone with her skill and rigorous training.
“As expected of Great Elder Lu’s granddaughter, she is amazing!” a disciple next to Azreal exclaims. “Look at Tian Jun. I would give up before approaching him! He’s a bloody monster!” another male disciple comments with false confidence.
Azreal can’t hear a word anyone is saying; his entire focus is on the stunning Kayleen and her brilliant movement. ‘How can someone with the same cultivation base as me move so quickly? My eyes can barely keep up. Kayleen could, without a doubt, kill me before I take my first breath. Note to self: do not anger her.’ Azreal is determined not to anger the beautiful woman whose stunning blonde hair flutters behind her, seemingly struggling to keep up with her pace.
The duel continues for a few more minutes, the intensity rising with every passing second. Kayleen then unleashes a technique not yet seen during this duel, “Eclipse Strike,” she roars. A light blinds everyone present except the Elder and Azreal. In the brief flash that cascades outwards from her blade, Azreal's jaw drops as he witnesses Kayleen disappear from her location, appearing behind Tian Jun and slicing the back of both his calves.
For the first time in the fight, Tian Jun lets out a painful cry. Kayleen’s face becomes more focused than ever. Drawing her sword back, she pierces the quadricep on his right leg before striking his other leg faster than Azreal can see. The crowd takes a collective breath in before Tian Jun’s massive body crashes into the duelling pavilion with a tremendous thud. “Winner, Kayleen Lu!” the officiating Elder announces.
The loudest cheer Azreal has ever heard erupts, deafening those unprepared for the victory sounds. ‘Thank you, Elder Koh,’ Azreal silently thanks Elder Koh in his heart, knowing he stands no chance against disciples as talented as the two he has just watched.
Kayleen, smiling at the crowd, offers a curt bow and walks to the edge of the duelling platform. Her and Azreal’s eyes meet for a moment. Azreal could swear her cheeks flush upon realising he watched her duel and looks at her with admiration in his heart. A soft smile from Azreal is enough for Kayleen to break eye contact and move off the platform before she is surrounded by disciples praising her fight.
Azreal’s eyes linger on Kayleen's location even as she is surrounded and her figure disappears into the crowd. He turns and walks away from the duelling platform as two more disciples begin their duel, finding the dispersing crowd a distraction.
‘Now where is Darian?’ Azreal wonders. Another minute of searching allows him to hear the familiar voice of his friend. "I am fine, please, just let me rest. It's only my ego that has taken a bruising," Darian says with a forced smile. "Great Elder Lu, I am fine, I promise."
‘Great Elder Lu was kind to me during the Entrance Exam. It's reassuring to see him still being kind. A few of the disciples and Elders I've met have not been the kindest people in the world…’ Azreal reminisces about his interactions with the Heavenly Root Sect and its members. “That’s just Elder Lu, or Uncle to you, Darian. Your father was my sworn brother. You are now under my care. I will not coddle you, but I need to know if you are fine. Your Father would haunt me from the grave if I let you receive internal injuries before my very eyes. Please, Darian, I just want to ensure you are okay. The final blow you received from Killion could cause internal bleeding,” Elder Lu says, his eyes brimming with concern.
“Listen to the Great Elder, Darian. He is only concerned about your wellbeing,” Azreal chimes in, moving towards the duo arguing about Darian's health. “Ah, young Azreal, how did you fare in your duels?” Elder Lu asks, piquing Darian’s interest.
“Ah, my duels… I won both of them. Elder Koh mentioned it would be better for me to train and learn to control my strength instead of fighting anyone else today,” Azreal says, his eyes drifting to the ground. “What! Why would he say that if you won?!?” Darian shouts, attempting to stand before Elder Lu gives him a stern sideways glance. “I know Elder Koh. He is reasonable, if not a bit hot-headed. He would not suggest this without a good reason. Maybe he was afraid for your life,” Elder Lu muses, swirling the words around in his mouth. “Or perhaps afraid for others' lives?'' he asks, raising an eyebrow at Azreal.
Azreal nods, raising his gaze to look at his friend and Elder Lu. “I did not control my strength, cutting Jin Feng’s arm off. Luckily, I fumbled my strike on Mei Ling, as I sent her flying off the stage with the flat side of my sword.” Elder Lu and Darian's expressions morph through multiple emotions upon hearing Azreal’s words.
Elder Lu is the first to break the silence. “Wait…” A familiar sense of being investigated washes over Azreal. “You increased your cultivation base twice since I saw you yesterday. How are you already at the third level of Martial Adept and third level of Soul Initiate? That's insanity!”
Darian’s expression undergoes another change, physically jolting forward from the news, causing him pain. “Argh!” he screams, clutching his ribs. Elder Lu retrieves a similar pill that Elder Koh gave to Jin Feng, except this pill is slightly larger and has more defined golden particles on its surface.
“I was going to make you suffer to teach you about underestimating your opponent due to their background and style, but I no longer have the time,” Great Elder Lu says, tossing the pill towards Darian. “I can’t take this, Uncle! I don’t want you to think I am using you!” Darian says, catching the pill in his hand.
“Stop being stupid, Darian. I am here for you, and you should be using your connection to me! I am one of the few Great Elders of this Sect. You don’t think every other disciple here wouldn’t love to have me give them this medicine? Swallow the pill so I can move onto Azreal,” Elder Lu’s tone bears down on Darian, leaving him no option but to concede and consume the pill Elder Lu provided.