Kaen woke up early. The sky was still dark, and the air was cold.
He quietly stepped out of his house and walked to the training ground.
Master Thorne was already there, sitting on a stone, waiting.
"You're late," Thorne said.
Kaen smirked. "By two minutes."
Thorne stood. "Two minutes can change a battle."
They trained until the sun rose. Kaen's strikes were faster now. His movements were more balanced. He was getting better — but he still didn't feel strong enough.
---
Later in the academy, everyone gathered for a new class.
A woman entered, dressed in a long black robe. Her name was Mistress Vaela. She had calm eyes and didn't smile.
"I'll be teaching you blood control," she said.
Her presence was strange. Kaen felt it. Like she wasn't normal.
When her eyes met his, he felt a cold shiver in his chest — but she looked away like nothing happened.
---
After class, Kaen sat under the Crimson Tree again, thinking about the day.
His eyes closed for a moment… but then…
A voice. Faint. Like wind.
"You can't hide me forever..."
Kaen opened his eyes.
He looked around.
No one was there. But the leaves around the tree… had stopped moving.
He stood up slowly.
"Who's there?"
Silence.
Only his shadow… stretched longer than it should've.
---