The dawn after their night at the pub broke colder, the sky overcast with a faint mist hovering above the trees. Mihai adjusted his armor as he entered the training grounds, feeling the familiar weight settle over his shoulders. Despite the aches and bruises he’d collected over the past weeks, he felt stronger, more capable—a sensation that, at one time, had seemed out of reach.

Conall was already there, inspecting a line of training dummies arranged in a half-circle around the edge of the clearing. Without a word, he gestured to Mihai, a look of silent assessment in his gaze.

“Today,” Conall said, “I want to see everything you’ve learned.”

Mihai nodded, feeling the quiet weight of Conall’s expectation. He drew his swords, feeling their familiar heft, and took his stance. In the stillness, he centered himself, replaying the techniques Conall had drilled into him: balance, pivot, control.

Conall took a step back, crossing his arms as he watched. “Show me.”

Mihai tightened his grip on the hilts of his swords, his body flowing into motion. He lunged forward, slashing at the first dummy with a fluid motion that carried him into a pivot, his right sword following with a downward strike. His left blade parried an imagined counterattack as he moved seamlessly into a second slash, feeling the rhythm settle into his muscles, steady and instinctual.

He completed the sequence, his breath steady, his movements a far cry from the awkward, forced swings of his early days. Mihai turned to Conall, waiting for his reaction.

Conall’s eyes were narrow, calculating. “Not perfect. But you’ve come a long way.” He paused, then gave a nod of approval. “You’re beginning to understand.”

A surge of pride filled Mihai. Conall’s praise, though restrained, felt like a reward in itself—a signal that he was truly ready for the next step. He sheathed his swords, his chest swelling with a newfound confidence.

“Enough drills,” Conall said, breaking the silence. “It’s time you learned to anticipate your opponent. Ready your stance. I’ll be your sparring partner today.”

Mihai’s eyes widened, but he fell into position without hesitation, his nerves steeling. He knew Conall’s skill was far beyond his own, yet this was a chance to prove himself.

Conall moved forward, his stance steady, his movements smooth and deceptively quick. He lunged with his training sword, testing Mihai’s reaction, and Mihai parried, feeling the clash reverberate through his arms.

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“Keep your weight grounded,” Conall instructed, his tone calm and instructive even as he pressed Mihai back with a series of controlled strikes. “Anticipate the flow—when I move, don’t just react. Find the rhythm and stay one step ahead.”

Mihai focused, matching Conall’s movements with his own, though his arms quickly began to burn from the effort. He blocked and parried, weaving his swords into counter-motions, each impact sharpening his focus. Conall’s gaze held a fierce intensity, his strikes pushing Mihai’s endurance to its limit.

After what felt like an eternity, Conall withdrew, signaling the end of the spar. Mihai staggered slightly, catching his breath as he sheathed his swords, feeling a mixture of exhaustion and accomplishment.

“You’re getting closer,” Conall said, his tone holding a rare note of satisfaction. “But remember, this is only the beginning. Strength alone won’t protect this village. You need to be smart—and fast.”

He motioned for Mihai to follow as they left the training grounds, heading toward the heart of the village. As they walked, Mihai’s thoughts drifted to their brief encounter with the elves in the pub, a sense of curiosity mingling with caution.

“Those elves we saw… they seemed distant, almost as if they didn’t belong here,” Mihai ventured.

Conall nodded, his gaze fixed on the path ahead. “Elves are bound to their own ways, their own laws. The ones we saw are likely here for reasons beyond our understanding. Their kind has little to do with humans unless necessity calls for it.”

“What kind of necessity?” Mihai asked.

Conall’s face grew serious. “Elves don’t meddle unless there’s a threat large enough to concern them. They don’t fear much, but when they do… we ought to pay attention.”

They walked in silence for a while, the weight of Conall’s words settling over Mihai. A faint unease stirred within him, a sense that the darkness lurking in the forest was far more insidious than he’d realized.

As they neared the village center, Mihai noticed a group of elders gathered outside the council hall, their expressions grave. One of them, a tall, wiry figure with a deep scar running down his cheek, beckoned to Conall.

“Mihai,” Conall said, his tone low, “it’s time.”

Mihai followed Conall toward the council hall, his heart pounding with a mixture of anticipation and uncertainty. The elders turned to regard him as they approached, their eyes filled with a somber intensity.

“Conall tells us you’ve shown promise,” one of the elders began, his voice rough with age. “But skill alone will not be enough. We face a threat unlike any we’ve known.”

Mihai nodded, standing straighter under their scrutiny. “I’m ready to help in whatever way I can.”

The scarred elder exchanged a look with Conall before continuing. “We’ve been plagued by creatures of darkness, vampires and worse, spreading from the depths of the forest. This is no ordinary threat. These creatures are touched by something… ancient, something we do not fully understand.”

Another elder, a woman with silver hair and piercing green eyes, spoke up. “Our scouts have uncovered a nest hidden deep in the woods—a place tainted by evil. There are more of the vampire-like creatures you’ve already faced, but others lurk deeper, far more dangerous. Draugar, twisted spirits with bodies as rotten as the grave, and one other—a revenant, cursed by darkness itself.”

Mihai listened intently, a cold dread settling in his stomach. He remembered the fierce battle with the vampire-beast, the way it had seemed to thirst for his very life. And now, they spoke of even deadlier creatures hidden in the forest’s depths.

“This revenant,” Conall said, his tone grim. “It’s unlike the others. Stronger, more cunning. It’s said to blend with darkness itself, nearly impossible to strike. But if we’re to drive out the darkness, it must be defeated.”

Mihai glanced at Conall, his voice steady despite the fear gnawing at him. “How can we fight something like that?”

Conall looked at him, a flicker of pride in his eyes. “By learning, by being faster and smarter. And by using every advantage we have.”

The elder with the scar leaned forward, his gaze piercing. “You have already proven yourself, Mihai. But the path ahead is fraught with dangers beyond anything you’ve faced. If you choose to walk it, know that it may demand more of you than you can imagine.”

Mihai met his gaze, his resolve hardening. “I understand. And I’m ready.”

The elders nodded, a silent agreement passing between them. Conall clapped a hand on Mihai’s shoulder, his expression unreadable.

“Then let’s prepare,” he said. “You’ve come this far. The next step is to face the darkness—and to drive it back. Let’s meet at the bonfire.”