Daniel rolled across the ground, narrowly evading Alex’s swinging training sword by mere inches. He swiftly regained his footing, his grin widening with determination as he squared up against his friend in the expansive training field.

“Come on, Daniel, you can do better than that!” Alex taunted, his wooden sword slicing through the air with a flourish.

Just as Alex taunted Daniel, Gnarl sneaked behind Alex and playfully jabbed him in the back with the wooden training dagger they had given him.

“Ouch! Gnarl, we agreed to team up against Daniel!” Alex exclaimed, momentarily distracted by the imp’s unexpected jab.

Daniel seized the opportunity, launching a rapid series of strikes while Alex was momentarily off-balance. “Two against one? That’s hardly fair!”

“That’s what makes it fun!” Alex retorted, managing to block Daniel's blows while swatting at Gnarl.

Not wanting to be left out, Gnarl charged at Daniel from the other side, his small wooden dagger swinging wildly. The imp’s high-pitched battle cries filled the air as he tried to land a blow on Daniel’s legs.

“You two are relentless!” Daniel exclaimed while parrying Alex’s thrust, spinning to avoid Gnarl’s relentless assault. He was on the defensive, using his agility to stay out of reach. He swung his sword in a wide arc, forcing both Alex and Gnarl to back off momentarily.

Taking advantage of the brief respite, Daniel launched a counterattack, aiming a series of quick strikes at Alex. Alex parried skillfully, but the force of Daniel’s blows pushed him back.

Gnarl took the opportunity to sneak up behind Daniel, jumping onto his back and wrapping his tiny arms around Daniel’s neck. Gnarl chirped triumphantly while he rode Daniel like a horse.

Daniel staggered, trying to shake off the imp. “Hey, no fair, Gnarl!” he laughed, twisting and turning in an attempt to dislodge his tiny opponent.

Alex seized the moment and rushed forward, his wooden sword aimed at Daniel’s midsection. With a swift move, Daniel dropped to the ground, causing Gnarl to lose his grip and tumble off. Rolling to the side, Daniel narrowly avoided Alex’s strike.

“Nice try, Alex, but you’ll have to do better than that!” Daniel exclaimed as he sprung back to his feet, pointing his sword at the taller boy. With a swipe of his hand, he wiped the sweat from his brow, then began to step backwards, creating distance between himself and Alex while eying Alex for any sudden movements.

Gnarl quickly recovered and rejoined Alex. “Attack together!” Alex instructed, and the two launched a coordinated assault.

Daniel met them head-on, his sword clashing against Alex’s with a satisfying thud. He quickly spun to block Gnarl’s low strike, then turned back to parry another of Alex’s powerful swings. The three combatants moved in a fury of motion, with the wooden swords striking and clashing.

Gnarl managed to slip past Daniel’s defences and land a solid hit on his shin. Daniel winced but maintained his focus, deflecting Alex’s next attack and countering with a strike to Alex’s shoulder. Alex grunted, stepping back and nodding in acknowledgement of the hit.

“Good one, Daniel. But we’re not done yet!” Alex said with determination in his eyes.

The fight continued with renewed intensity. Alex and Gnarl coordinated their attacks, forcing Daniel to use all his skill and agility to keep up. The three of them were locked in a dance of strikes and parries, each trying to outmanoeuvre the other.

Finally, Daniel saw an opening and aimed a powerful swing at Gnarl. The blow hit Gnarl's dagger, sending it flying across the field. Gnarl squeaked in surprise and chased after it.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Daniel turned to Alex, but Alex was ready. Daniel kicked Alex's inside thigh, but Alex grinned, tanking the shot. In an instant, Alex crossed the space between them, grabbed Daniel by the hips, and threw him to the ground, pinning him down.

“Got you now,” Alex said, breathing heavily, his fist hovering above Daniel’s face in a mock threat.

Daniel laughed, surrendering. “Alright, you win this round.”

Gnarl returned, clutching his dagger triumphantly.

“Good spar, guys,” Alex said, helping Daniel to his feet. “How about we get some breakfast now?”

“That sounds like a plan,” Daniel agreed. “Come, Gnarl. I'll give you some snacks later.”

Gnarl disappeared in a puff of black smoke, and the two friends headed to the dining hall.

….

“Hey, I’ll head to the Knight Academy training field to do some drills. When I return, do you want to go to the market?” Alex suggested as they stepped out of the dining hall.

Daniel felt sluggish, having eaten more than usual at Alex's insistence that he needed the nutrients to recover and grow stronger. He looked confused. “Market?” Daniel asked, his brow furrowing.

“Yeah, since we’re proper students now and not attending the pre-awakening course, we can freely move around the grounds and visit the market that’s set up once a month at the back of the grounds,” Alex explained, eyeing Daniel with a hint of amusement. “Don’t you remember Lucia talking about it a few days ago during dinner?”

“I might have zoned out while eating,” Daniel admitted with a sheepish grin.

Alex chuckled. “Well, it’s a good opportunity to check it out. We can get some supplies or just explore. It’s supposed to be quite lively.”

Daniel nodded, “That sounds like a plan. Come to our room after your drills. I should be done with my research by then.”

“Great! See you later, then,” Alex said with a wave, heading off towards the Knight Academy training field.

….

Daniel put the book down and stood up from his desk as he heard a series of knocks coming from the front door. Gnarl, contentedly munching on chicken wings Daniel had smuggled out of the dining hall, lifted himself from the couch and started following as Daniel moved towards the door.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“Who is it?” he called out.

There was a muffled response from the other side. When Daniel opened the door, he found Lucia standing there, her blonde hair cascading over her shoulders as she played with a strand, an annoyed expression on her face. Her green eyes bore into him, making him feel slightly uncomfortable.

“What took you so long, Daniel?” she asked in a sharp tone that made Daniel feel uncomfortable. “Were you trying to avoid me?”

Daniel quickly shook his head, a bit flustered. “No, no, I was just busy researching and didn't hear your knock, and Gnarl was too busy devouring his chicken wings to alert me. I'm sorry, Lucia.”

Lucia's serious expression broke into a laugh. “I'm just joking, Daniel! Relax.” She glanced at Gnarl, who hovered nearby, screeching happily at her. She smiled back at the imp before turning her gaze to Daniel. “Are you and Alex planning to join me at the market today?” She asked as her bright green bore into him

Daniel let out a relieved chuckle and nodded, stepping aside to let Lucia in. “Yeah, we were thinking of going once Alex returns from training. In the meantime, I'm knee-deep in researching materials I can use to absorb the energy safely of the Fire Lotus your uncle gave me.”

Lucia nodded understandingly. “How about I help you with the research while we wait for Alex? Two heads are better than one, right?”

Daniel smiled gratefully. “That would be fantastic, Lucia. Thank you.”

Lucia settled in with Daniel at the desk, flipping through one of the books Shadewood had given him.

A few hours later, the door creaked open again, and Alex stomped into the room. Dusty and sweaty from his rigorous training at the Knight Academy, he greeted the scene before him with a tired grin.

“Hey, everyone! Looks like you've been busy,” Alex remarked, dropping his training bag with a thud. He scratched his head, sending a small cloud of dirt flying.

Daniel chuckled. “Busy indeed. Lucia's been a huge help with my research. We just finished, actually.”

Lucia smiled warmly. “Just doing my part. How was training?”

Alex stretched his arms and yawned. “Tiring. But I think I made some progress. How about you two? What have you been up to besides sticking your noses into stuffy books?”

“Not much besides being knee-deep in research,” Daniel replied, gesturing toward the scattered books on the desk.

Alex glanced at the array of open texts. "Have you found any clues about that log you brought back?"

Daniel shook his head. “Sadly not. I'll research it more during the week in the library.”

"It's such a strange piece of wood. I've never seen anything like it before," Lucia said, walking toward the log and softly kicking it. "I'll ask one of my family's employees when I head back to Ravenholme in a few weeks. Actually, my family should have a stall here at the market. Let's look for them later."

“Sure, but let me first get a drink,” Alex said, moving towards the kitchen. He returned with a tray holding three glasses of lemonade, handing one to each of his friends.

They settled back into their chairs, sipping the cool, refreshing lemonade. As they relaxed, Gnarl, having finished inspecting Alex's training bag, scurried over and perched on the back of the couch, eyeing Alex with curiosity. Daniel noticed Gnarl's interest and chuckled softly.

“Looks like someone's curious about your training, Lex,” Daniel remarked, motioning toward Gnarl.

Alex grinned, reaching out to scratch behind Gnarl's ear. “You're always welcome to join me, Gnarl. Maybe next time.”

Gnarl chirped softly in response, seemingly content with the attention. Meanwhile, Alex glanced around the room, noticing the books and pieces of paper.

“So, how much longer do we need to research?” Alex asked, rubbing his neck.

Daniel glanced at his desk. “I think we've everything. I'll visit Shadewood later when we return from the market,” Daniels said before he burst out laughing. “And did I hear that correctly? Did you just say we? We all know you would find an excuse not to help,”

Alex nodded, looking relieved. "Perfect timing, then. And come on, I'm not that bad. I helped you research sometimes!”

“Yeah, and when you did, you fell asleep not even ten minutes later”, Daniel joked.

“Yeah, yeah, but I was there for moral support!” Alex said with a broad smile. “I'm going to shower quickly, and then we can head to the market. Sound good?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Daniel agreed.

Alex headed off to freshen up, leaving Daniel and Lucia to tidy up the research materials.

….

As they navigated through the bustling market, Alex juggled an assortment of goods in his arms, his leather bag already filled with snacks, equipment maintenance tools, and other essentials. They weaved past vibrant stalls adorned with exotic wares, the scent of spices and freshly baked goods wafting through the air.

“Daniel, can you hold some of these?” Alex said, struggling not to drop everything.

“Sure, but don't put your oils or anything else that can leak into my bag. I'm not buying a new one because some sword oil leaked,” Daniel replied, taking some items from Alex.

“There it is!” Lucia exclaimed while the boys were still busy handling the items.

When Daniel turned his head, he spotted the distinctive emblem of the Emberleaf Merchant Company. They made their way over once he and Alex finished transferring the items.

Upon entering, Daniel noticed a young attendant standing in the middle of the tent. His name tag read 'Roderick' with a single star beside it, indicating he was an apprentice—something Lucia had mentioned during their previous visit to Ravenholme.

“Welcome, honoured guests,” Roderick said respectfully. “I am Roderick. How may I assist you today?”

Lucia smiled politely. “We're seeking information about Dragon Wood. Who is in charge here?”

Roderick glanced down at Lucia's right hand and spotted the gold ring with the amberleaf sigil. He bowed deeply. “I’m sorry for not noticing it was you, young miss. Master Roderick, who was supposed to be in charge of this trip, fell ill and is recovering in Ravenholme.”

“Isn’t your name Roderick?” she asked curiously, gesturing for him to raise his head.

The boy, who couldn't be older than eighteen, scratched the back of his head nervously. “Yes, it is. I’m Roderick Jr. Master Roderick is my father, miss.”

Lucia, noticing Roderick Jr.'s nervous demeanour, leaned forward slightly. “Roderick Jr., do you happen to know anything about Dragon Wood? We're quite interested in learning more.”

Roderick Jr., visibly flustered, stumbled over his words. “Um, well, I... I’ve never heard of it. Maybe a master identifier would, but none travelled with me to the academy.” He glanced around the tent nervously. “Uhm, young miss, I was supposed to deliver something to you. I was planning on doing that tomorrow evening before leaving, but since you’re here, I'll hand it over now.”

Before Lucia could say anything, the nervous young boy ran to the back and disappeared behind the tent. Lucia looked puzzled at Alex and Daniel as Roderick hurried off. “I wonder what he's going to bring,” she murmured, her curiosity piqued.

Moments later, Roderick Jr. reappeared, carefully cradling a small wooden box adorned with a golden inlay of intricate flowers and patterns. He approached Lucia with a mixture of nervousness and reverence.

Meanwhile, Alex was busy inspecting a piece of armour on one of the nearby tables.

“Miss Lucia,” Roderick Jr. said breathlessly, offering her the box. “This is from your uncle. He asked me to deliver it to you personally.”

Lucia took the box and gently lifted the lid. Inside lay a stunning gold necklace adorned with emeralds. The gems perfectly matched the colour of her eyes.

Daniel observed quietly, noticing Lucia's genuine surprise and delight as she examined the necklace. “It's beautiful,” he remarked softly.

Lucia nodded, momentarily speechless, as she ran her fingers over the smooth surface of the necklace. “It's perfect,” she said in an excited, high-pitched voice.

Roderick Jr. shifted nervously, clearly relieved by Lucia's positive reaction. “And there's a letter from your father,” he added, handing over a sealed envelope. “it's addressed to Daniel. But I was instructed to hand it over to you so you can give it to him.”

Lucia accepted the letter with a chuckle and handed it to Daniel. “Here you go, Daniel.”

Daniel accepted the envelope with curiosity, wondering what Lucia's father had written to him. He put it into his storage ring, planning to read it later when he had a moment of privacy.

“We will take our leave now,” Lucia said after putting the box with the necklace into her storage ring. “Thank you, Roderick.”

The Attendant gave a deep bow. "It was a pleasure, miss."

Lucia and Daniel waved at the attendant before making their way to the exit. Lucia looked to her left with an annoyed expression. “Come, you big oaf, let's stroll around more” she said to the distracted Alex.