The sun rose and fell over Evicario, its warm rays ignoring any kind of magic barrier set up. As the day passed, a lone figure sat in the middle of the training ground. His long silver hair fell down his scarred, slightly toned back. He clutched the sword within his hand, flexing his muscles as his closed eyes snapped open. The moon’s soft rays bounced off his crimson pupils, which became a blur as he moved toward a wooden puppet. Its body, bruised and cut, shook as a muffled twacking sound echoed in the area. And another, and another… and another. Hit after hit, Kai’s voice began escaping his body as he grunted and moaned until finally… The wooden sword split in half as it hit the dummy one last time.

“Hahh… haah… ahh…” The boy’s groans rang in the air as he threw the hilt away, landing in a pile of broken swords not too far outside the training grounds. Clenching his fist, his nails dug into his flesh as he let out a long sigh. Sweat dripped down his blazing body as he picked up a towel with panting breaths, and he looked into the distance as he dried himself off. A complicated expression, a mix of regret and longing manifested on his face as he looked toward the manor, whose windows were shrouded in darkness.

Lowering his head, he walked toward a bench, above which hung a barbell with two thick discs hanging on each side. He laid on the bench and took a deep breath as his hands wrapped around the cold metal. Gripping it tightly, his muscles tensed and contracted as he lifted it, then brought it down just above his neck. His face flushed before turning as red as a tomato, a vein bulging on his forehead as he pushed the weight up, then took it down again and lifted it. Sweat drenched his trembling body, however, his trembling hands didn’t stop pushing the weight up. Finally, he placed it back within its holder and let out a heavy sigh of relief as his chest heaved rapidly.

I have to do this… I need to prepare my body for the creation of the core. He thought to himself as he stared at the moon, which burned his already blazing body. Although the pain wasn’t as intense as when the sun had hit him, he also grew accustomed to it, despite hurting more and more as the weeks passed. Soon enough I won’t even be able to train like this… it will be way more exhausting with clothes covering my body…

He got up and walked toward a bag placed alongside the weights, and, after rummaging through it for a few seconds, pulled out a water bottle. After quickly drinking more than half, he took another towel as he rested the bottle on the ground. Letting out a soft sigh, he brought the towel closer to his head and sunk his face into it, taking a deep breath before wiping the sweat off his forehead. My mana veins are almost completely healed, however, my core has suffered a lot of damage, and…my sword technique has been at a standstill for two weeks. I… Euphy… I have to check on her, I have to. He gulped and slowly made his way toward the manor, where Onyx waited for him at the entrance. Getting up with a wagging tail, he gently licked Kai’s shoulder as they went inside. “Come on boy, we’re going to pay Euphy a visit… after I shower.”

“Woof!” Onyx let out a gentle bark as he made his way through the hallways, going in front of Kai. The door to their room creaked open as the Obborik rummaged through a pile of clothes, out of which he grabbed a few pieces before bringing them to Kai with a wagging tail.

“Interesting choice…” Kai said, looking weirdly at the clothes his companion picked for him. “But I’m not going to argue.” He said, taking them and entering the bathroom.

…

Evicario’s streets were lit up by beautiful, pale green lamposts, evenly placed at about twenty meters away from each other. And, despite the night’s darkness, they were still filled with people of all different races and origins. A lot of them came here with business, as the First Gate didn’t exactly have any touristic spots, or for lodging before moving deeper into the Kingdom. Kai walked on one such street, his pale face hidden by the fox mask he bought a while ago, and his long, silver hair tucked in a hoodie which he used to cover the rest of his head.

Kai’s small figure allowed him to sneak through the crowd and rapidly advance toward the First Gate’s exit, where a portal remained available at all times to pass through to the other side. Looking behind, he let out a sigh as he imagined Onyx’s lonely figure standing in front of the manor. I’m sorry boy, but you’re too big to be stealthy with…

Passing through the crowds, he swiftly made his way toward the inner gates, where the portal stood guarded by a few dozen guards. Unlike the other side, the portal inside the inner gate displayed a crystal clear image of the outside world. Within, Kai saw the closed Outer Gate, along with the guards surrounding and patrolling it. In that same instant that he looked, he noticed Euphridia with the corner of his eye, nervously walking back and forth. With trembling pupils, he made his way to the portal, only to be stopped by a keen-eyed guard a few meters before walking in.

“Halt, what are you doing?” The guard stepped in front of Kai, his tall figure completely dwarfing Kai’s own. He held a halberd in his right hand, and wore the same type of light armor as every other guard, except for his head. Instead of wearing a normal helmet or going without one, the guard wore a helmet that resembled a bucket. Taken aback by the guard’s unique attire, Kai froze for a second before his lips parted behind his mask.

“I want to pass, I have business on the other side.” He said stoically in a fake, deeper voice. Despite that, the guard didn’t flinch. He did not react as he stood there like a statue.

“I’ve seen you before, walking with Miss Aina and Euphridia! I thought you had already been fed to the hounds, but it seems you’re still alive.” The guard snickered, grabbing the attention of the other guards and guests. “What about your Mutt? Where is that damned beast?”

Hearing his words, Kai’s hand almost clenched into a fist. However, taking a deep breath, he locked eyes with the guard before saying. “That is none of your business.” Peeking behind the guard, his eyes followed Euphy, who still did her usual routine. “I wasn’t aware we weren’t allowed access through here?” He questioned with a raised eyebrow.

The bucket head guard noticed Kai’s gaze and his expression suddenly turned into a frown. “No, this is an entrance only save for a few people.” His tone suddenly raised a notch, and his helm rattled as he stepped even closer to Kai. His halberd rattled as it hit the ground, causing Kai to jump in place as it left a small indent right between his legs. “Now tell me, what is your purpose here?”

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Kai’s pupils narrowed, and he grabbed the hilt within his cloak as the guard’s aggressiveness amplified. The tension rose higher as the guard’s lips parted once again. “Tell me before I make you say it!”

“I refuse, my business is no concern of yours. I’d much rather be informed of where the nearest exit is located.” The grip on his sword grew tighter as he noticed the bucket-head man’s hand begin to move, his halberd grazing the grass as it began to incline toward Kai’s head.

“Chylde! Stop this nonsense at once!” A sudden, imposing tone rang from behind the guard, which caused him to freeze in place as he slowly turned around. “E- Captain Euphridia!”

Euphy’s angry figure marched out from the portal, her purple eyes staring at the bucket head with anger and disappointment. “Were you really about to raise your weapon against a child?!” She asked, her voice filled with furry. “Get the fuck out of my face right this instant, you have two weeks' suspension! Please return your weapon to the Guard Headquarters and don’t let me see you this pathetic again!”

The guard named Chylde lowered his head and immediately left without saying a single word. Kai, on the other hand, remained stunned in front of Euphridia’s imposing presence. I’ve never seen her this… assertive before… she must be mad…

Their eyes locked, a complex expression manifesting on her face as she inhaled deeply. “Kai…”

…

On one of Evicario’s main streets, located in a corner between two platforms, a bar that wore the name “Sapheic” stood proud. The bustling commotion coming from outside of it wasn’t nearly as bad as any other, and, for the most part, seemed relatively quiet. Kai and Euphy stood at one of the tables in the corner. The bartender, elven woman of unknown age looked at Euphridia with keen, shining pupils. The other guests, like the bartended, were women of different races, shapes, and sizes. Not a single man was present, except for Kai, whose face flushed red behind his mask.

“Euphy… just what is this place?” He whispered as he tried to avoid the women’s gazes. “Why did you bring me here?”

The bar itself looked different from what he had seen so far. Instead of rough, wooden tables decorated with vomit and blood, this place had fancy, round tables covered in purple tablecloth. Beautiful chandeliers illuminated each table, on which stood a set of glasses and a beverage. Although made out of wood, the walls seemed to have a pattern engraved on them, which took much effort to see and appreciate. The bar itself - A large, wooden box with a marble countertop surrounded by high chairs, behind which stood the beautiful bartender. The woman didn’t look a day past thirty, however, in this city age could not be determined by appearance alone.

Her emerald green eyes shone under the chandelier. Her ebony locks of hair flowed down her chest and back like a waterfall, and her red, pinkish smile brought any man to a halt. Behind her were a little over a hundred different bottles, each one containing its own different taste and flavor. However, alcohol wasn’t all that this bar served, as most of the guests sipped a hot beverage from tea cups. And, just like the bartender, the women here were pretty enough to topple a kingdom over, and all of them looked at Kai with slight interest and curiosity, but most of them observed Euphridia.

She sipped silently from her cup, hot steam rising and crashing into her face as her eyes locked onto Kai. With a sigh, she placed it down and her lips parted. “I owe you an apology for not coming over to train you.” Her melodious voice rang in his ears like a church’s bell, however it only brought forth dread.

“I should be the one apologizing, I-”

“It’s alright, Aina explained everything to me already… Regardless my behaviour… wasn’t normal. I owe you an explanation.” Her trembling hand reached out for his, inviting the gasps of the women watching their conversation. Kai’s heart skipped a beat as he instinctively pulled back, however he fought the urge and allowed Euphy to grab him.

She looked toward the bartender, who immediately nodded and waved her hand, causing a small sphere to flicker into existence around them. Soundproofing barrier? Kai could not tell what it did, but making educated guesses was one of his stronger points. Turning to Euphy, he avoided her gaze while lowering his head, focusing on their interlocked hands. Her quivering voice escaped her body as her lips parted, and Kai could feel her heart race through her hand.

“When you first turned into that dragon form… I- I didn’t feel good, or normal, I didn’t feel like myself at all. I wanted to bow down, to kneel before you and heed your every command. It was awful and scary, I was frightened. You were asleep, unconscious, and yet- yet your power, your aura… it made me feel weak for the first time in my life.

At first, I didn’t know why, I panicked. But after some time I figured it out…” She recounted, touching her purple eyes. “It’s because of my father-” She stopped, her sentence cut off by a hiccup and a tear dripping down her cheeks. “He- He was… he wa- a vampire…”

Kai’s pupils almost popped out of their sockets as her voice landed in his ears, and a shiver ran down his spine as he stared straight into her purple eyes. “How is that possible? Weren’t vampires imprisoned before you were born?”

“Yeah… my father… was one of the few slaves that didn’t manage to return home after losing the war…” Her voice barely rose above a whisper as she mentioned the word slave, however, despite her racing heart, trembling hands, and clattering teeth, she continued. “My mother too was a slave, her blood was mixed with that of a dark elf. She wasn’t deemed worthy of a normal life and was sent with my dad to take care of plants and animals. Of course, things have changed, but the truth remains… I’m a slave born. They fell in love and eventually had me. However, my dad died for ‘unknown’ reasons soon after, and my mom- The Lord that owned her… he…”

A light hiccup escaped her lips, followed by a stream of tears that landed softly on the tablecloth. Kai immediately brought his other hand upon Euphy’s, doing his best to stop her from crying. “Euphy, it’s alright… you don’t need to speak any further. I understand. Thank you for telling me about it… I promise this information will be safe with me and… I apologize. I promise I won’t use that so recklessly from now on… if I can ever summon it again.”

“No Kai, it’s… you’re not at fault here. Yes you worried me, and you acted recklessly but, it’s also clear you regret it deeply. It’s just, that I was afraid of coming back to the Manor, of seeing and talking to you. I thought, what if at some point you turn into that thing again… what if you can’t control it? I- I was scared for my life.”

Kai stood silent, Euphy’s words shocking him greatly. His heart skipped a beat as he tightened his grip on her hand, and said. “You can trust me, Euphy. You’ve been my teacher for the better half of a year, nothing happened, and nothing will. It’s going to be alright.” His reassuring words brought some peace to the elf’s heart. She inhaled deeply, her pulse racing as she held onto Kai with trembling hands.

“I know… I just, need more time off. I didn’t expect you to come looking for me. Thank you.” Nodding, Kai’s expression turned to one of joy as he prepared to stand up. Euphridia’s next words, however, slowed him to a stop. “I still need some time off. I’ll come back in a month- no, two weeks. In two weeks I’ll be ready to teach you again.” Her soft smile, bordering on nervosity and love, trembled as he stood up. The soundproof barrier trembled as she stepped out, leaving Kai alone without even saying goodbye.