The morning came early when the first rays of the sun pierced through the thin curtains into Atenyos's room. He stirred, stretched his body, and stared at the plain ceiling above him. His room was a modest one with just a bed, a desk littered with his father's old journals, and a small closet holding his limited belongings. Simple as it was, he liked the solitude it gave him.

He hastily got dressed and arrived in the dining hall, where all of the other members of his team were seated already. Fresh bread and strong coffee smells hit him as he reached the table and slipped into his usual spot.

"Well, Atenyos," Lucian said with a grin, breaking into morning chatter, "you have been with us for a little while now, and we know next to nothing about you. Anything you want to tell us?"

Atenyos stopped, his eyes falling onto his plate. "There is little to tell," he replied in a very still voice. "I am from a village which no longer exists. The Bright Dark made sure of that.

The air grew thick around the table. Laughter was stilled and voices hushed for a moment.

"That's rough," Elvora said, softly. Her voice lost its playful edge, sympathizing.

"My father was a ring bearer," Atenyos said with calm regularity, undaunted. "When he died, he left me his journals. That's where I learned to fight and survive."

"That's impressive," Marcellus said, nodding. "You taught yourself everything?

Atenyos shrugged. "Enough to survive. Actual experience is a whole different matter."

Ipsum, feeling the tension in the air, smiled and leaned forward. "Alright, but what we really want to know is… did those journals teach you how to handle us?"

He smiled vaguely; he liked how well one tried to lighten the mood.

"What about you, Ipsum?" Atenyos queried, facing the question back towards him. "What's your story?"

Ipsum chuckled, falling back in his chair. "Oh, nothing tragic here, just a normal guy from a normal town, no secret journals, no Bright Dark tragedies here, just normal ol' life."

Atenyos watched him closely, aware of the flicker of something deeper in the recesses of his eyes-something unsaid. Atenyos made no push, but what lay behind the words from Ipsum did not escape him.

After breakfast, the team gathered in the training grounds; the cool morning breeze filled their lungs as Kantara spoke to them.

"Today, we focus on Atenyos," he said. "We need to see what he can do, how far he can push himself, and what we need to work on."

Atenyos stepped forward as the team looked at him. Kantara nodded toward a line of heavy dummies.

"Let's start with your strength, then on to sparring" Kantara said.

Atenyos approached the nearest dummy, clenching his fists. He struck it with a powerful punch, his marks grew true and lightning black all flew around him and the force of the blow splintering the wood and sending it crashing to the ground.

"Damn," Lucian muttered, impressed.

Not bad," Cassian said, smirking as he stepped forward. "But raw strength only gets you so far. Let's see how you handle yourself against someone with experience. How about we stop with dummies and let's see some real action, ha.

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The sparring ring was set up in no time, and Atenyos found himself facing Cassian. If ever there was contrast, this was it: Cassian was the towering muscle veteran clutching his battle-worn axe, while Atenyos was leaner and less experienced yet with a quiet confidence.

The match began with Cassian charging forward, his axe arcing toward Atenyos in a brutal swing. Atenyos, in his stance calm and confident, sidestepped the attack, his movements sharp and precise. He came back with a punch to Cassian's ribs, the impact forcing the larger man to grunt.

Cassian's lips curled into a grin. "Not bad, kid.

Atenyos pressed his advantage, striking a blow into Cassian's side. But Cassian barely flinched-his experience and strength absorbed such hits. He retaliated with a wide swing of his axe, catching Atenyos' forearm with the blunt edge and sending him back.

"You have strength; I give you that," Cassian said, advancing. "But strength without control is just energy dissipated into air.

Atenyos gritted his teeth and launched himself forward, but as his marks grew yet further, he landed a solid kick upon Cassian's knee. The attack sent Cassian off balance for a moment, before he regained himself once more, his axe falling in a destructive arc. Atenyos had to sidestep; the edge raked over his shoulder.

The fight continued, Atenyos struggling to keep up as Cassian's raw power and agility kept him on his toes, though it became clear he pulled his blows enough to be simply playing with him.

Finally, Cassian faked an attack that sent Atenyos misstepping. Opening himself up, Cassian brought the flat of the axe against Atenyos's chest, sending him sprawling to the ground.

The match was over, but Cassian's empiric flared. He moved closer to Atenyos, his strikes heavier and more calculated. The lightning Atenyos siphoned off flashed around his rings in weak attempts to push Cassian back, though Atenyos knew better than to press because he didn't have control of the energy.

"Cassian, enough already!" Kantara yelled, stepping into the circle.

Ipsum was at his shoulder in an instant, his hand reaching out to plant itself firmly on Cassian's shoulder. "You're overdoing it," he said sternly.

For one moment, Cassian was still, axe falling, breathing labored. "The kid's too strong," he growled, the frustration evident in his tone.

Kantara stepped over to him and helped him to his feet. "You've got potential, but you need to learn control. Blind power alone isn't going to carry you through a fight."

Atenyos nodded and wiped the blood off his lip as he stepped outside.

The day's training was over, and the team sat in the common hall to listen to the final remarks of Kantara.

"In a week, we have a joint training with another guild," Kantara told them. "It will be a good chance to pit ourselves against new opponents and learn from them. I expect the best from all of you."

Atenyos cocked an eyebrow, the unfamiliar concept furrowing his brow. "Joint training?"

Ipsum grinned. "You'll see. It's lots more fun than it sounds.

That night, after dinner out in the boisterous dining hall, Atenyos finally found himself alone in a quiet corner.

"Mind if I join you?"

He looked up to see Mendr-a sharpeyed woman with a sure, confident stride-stand over him. Without waiting for a response, she slid into the seat across from him.

"Remember me, new guy?" she asked, a teasing edge to her voice.

"Yes, you're Mendr" Atenyos replied matter-of-factly.

After saying her name and studying him, Mendr couldn't help but grin broadly. "You don't talk very much, do you? That makes me wonder what's going on in that head of yours."

"Not much," Atenyos said simply with a focus on his plate.

"Hmm," Mendr leaned back in her chair. "You are one interesting fellow. Mysterious, quiet. You are like a puzzle.

“I’m not much for puzzles,” Atenyos replied, his tone dry.

Mendr smirked. “I like a challenge. So, tell me, what’s it like being the new guy in Kantara’s team?”

Atenyos paused before answering. “They’re skilled. They know what they’re doing. I’ve got a lot to learn from them.”

“That’s a pretty diplomatic answer,” Mendr said, raising an eyebrow. “You’re not trying to impress anyone, are you?”

"I am here to impress nobody," said Atenyos simply.

Mendr's smirk softened into an honest smile. "Fair enough. But I will find you, Atenyos, eventually. Count on it."

With that, she stood and left, leaving Atenyos to his thoughts.

Later that night, Atenyos sought out his room. The quiet was filled with the faint hum of his rings as he sat on the edge of his bed, his mind replaying the events of the day: the sparring match with Cassian, the easy camaraderie of the team, Mendr's probing questions-all swirled in his head and reminded him not only how far he'd come but also how much further he had to go. The thought gave him a little hope that there might be something more to his life than met the eye.

He stared at his father's journal on his desk, its worn pages masking the key to his strength. He took it as just another step toward mastering the great power he carried.

One week of very serious training passed, and the team all sat as one in the dining hall with a kind of excitement in the air that was simply uncommon. Today was the day of the long-awaited joint training; even Kantara looked a bit more razor-focused than usual. Atenyos listened and ate quietly, observing the subtle dynamics of his teammates with a mix of anticipation and unease. He nevertheless felt in everyone's eyes a certain level of excitement too.

Light chatter filled the walk to the training grounds, but Atenyos said very little as his thoughts wandered ahead to possibilities. They reached the grounds, and it seemed as though the air shifted with the heavy, almost palpable pressure over the expansive field.

Kantara stepped forward, confidently taking the lead as the team approached the waiting group. As they drew closer, the crest of Lland-the territory ruled by the mighty Emperor Lutens-came into view. Atenyos' stomach tightened as he knew Lutens was a figure whispered about in equal awe and fear, a ruler whose powers over magnetism and electricity placed him among the strongest emperors of their time.

Yet, it wasn't just the view of the guild members or even the insignia of foreboding that made Atenyos uneasy. In scanning across the opposing team, expecting to identify another emperor candidate that was supposed to be leading this team, a sharp jolt coursed through his rings.

The feeling had not been some sort of static flicker; this was a surge that raced up his arm, his fingers twitching of their own accord. His hand throbbed, pulsing to the faint hum of electricity now apparently dancing across his body. Atenyos clenched his fist, his gaze narrowing as he tried to pinpoint exactly what was causing this disturbance.