During the 10 days that passed since the misunderstanding, Khal had spent every morning at 5 am with his father, learning various tips to feel his spirit energy. Although world energy was an effective way to get stronger, it was far easier for Elementums to use their elements. Elementums were born with their abilities and therefore could instinctively call upon their various elements. Only by consciously controlling the spirit energy and forcing it through the orthodox pathway in the stomach could a person manipulate spirit energy. It had taken Khal 1 week to accomplish this minor feat and another 3 days to see small successes in his wind element but his water and darkness elements were too difficult to control.

Whereas cladding grew quantitatively stronger in stages, Elementums were much more difficult to gauge. A 3rd class Elementum could generally only control their element enough to influence their own bodies. For example, Khal's wind element was only able to allow him to increase his speed by a third. This was because his spirit power was low and he had yet to appreciate the nature of wind. Avery had spent many days explaining that the only way to increase his Elementum powers was to meditate and practice.

While Khal could be called a 3rd class Elementum, his power only made him an elite within the squire masterclass. Elementums generally still needed cladding and cognizance to be regarded as a true Knight since they were too rare to be used as a standard for promotion. However, when comparing an Elementum to a regular Knight of the same rank, the Elementum would be seen as more senior. This was a socially accepted hierarchy in the knighthood with few ever voicing otherwise.

Khal sat on the floor of his room as he began meditating. This time, however, the energy felt different. While the task was strenuous before, it felt easier now; it felt like a part of him. He easily gathered the energy and guided it to his stomach. There, he was finally able to contain the energy long enough to condense it into liquid. This signified his awakening of Spirit Arts and the ability to finally start his spirit cladding and cognizance practice.

Avery entered the room a little while after with a rare smile on his face. "Khal? It's time to see your progress." Avery was left dumbfounded every time he assessed Khal. With his rare grade battleforce manual as well as his intelligence, Khal was able to accumulate spirit power as well as gain insights into his elements faster than anyone before him. Now, after learning to control his wind element to some degree, Khal was able to further increase his spirit power to 184E. His spirit power was increasing too fast. Avery knew his son needed to consolidate his foundation before his spirit power got out of control.

Avery had thus spoken to Sergeant Michael who agreed that the boy needed a new sparring partner. The news had come as both a shock to Khal but he was excited nonetheless. Learning that his opponent was Bryce of all people allowed Khal to sneer deeply. The man had thoroughly battered and bruised Khal and Erik every time he visited the barracks. Khal was itching for payback. With his newfound abilities, Khal thought there was no way he would lose to Bryce, a Squire. Khal first approached the field in the backyard with his wooden sword and shield.

Khal stared at Bryce, who approached the field lazily. The man stood in front of Khal without even adapting a fighting posture. Khal knew this was one of Bryce's frequent taunts and paid it no mind. He readied himself before he invoked his wind element towards his entire body to increase his speed. He thought he could catch Bryce by surprise by quickly pushing off towards the man's left flank. Bryce, however, lazily tilted his sword arm towards Khal to effectively block the overzealous slash towards his waist. Khal was taken by surprise. He was sure he would finally be able to catch Bryce off guard. Using the full force of his body, Khal twisted around Bryce's blade to send another slash towards the man's back.

Somehow, Bryce barely managed to step forward, dodging Khal's sword by a finger width. Khal became frustrated. Was it luck or was Bryce able to easily read his technique? Khal thought to himself. Khal knew that his spirit power was close to running out so he decided to try the only spirit arte technique he knew. Sergeant Michael raised an eyebrow in praise at what he was seeing. Usually, it took Elementums at least a year before they began developing their own spirit artes. Somehow, Khal was using his cladding knowledge to coat his sword as well as his sword arm in wind element.

Bryce was barely given a chance to turn around before Khal's blade was at his shoulder. Khal had forced all the wind around his body to his blade to create the quickest slash he could manage. The blade was faster than Bryce expected and thus he was unable to dodge or block the blow in time. To make matters worse, Khal's blade began buzzing slightly, forming a sharp edge on the dull wooden blade.

"Crack!!!"

Khal's wooden blade broke as it bounced right off of Bryce's shoulder. Bryce knew that if the weapon was metal he would have been in trouble. He used Khal's momentary shock to kick him in the stomach. "Well done, Khal. You finally became a worthy opponent," Bryce whispered to the slumped over Khal before he brushed off his shirt and turned to Sergeant Michael. "Very well done, Khal," Sergeant Michael reiterated as he helped to pick the boy up. Khal kept quiet as he stared at his broken sword. Was that cla...cladding?!

---

Khal spent the better half of the afternoon sulking around with his father on the farm. He opted to retire his training for the afternoon, too depressed to continue. Everything was going so well until Bryce broke his weapon. He, like everyone in Sydenham Town, had assumed that Sergeant Michael was the only Knight in service to Lord Tommel. Learning that Bryce was also a Knight had caused him to suspect all the soldiers in the manor. Even with the newfound strength, he was still at the bottom of the barrel. Nothing was more depressing than sticking his chest higher than his abilities could reach. He had made a fool of himself in front of everyone at the barracks.

It wasn't until the following day that Khal had regained his bearings. He had found out from Lord Tommel's teachings that Elementums were usually found only in noble and military families. This was because commoners found to be Elementums were hunted down and their blood extracted by rogue knights and enemies of the kingdom. Thus, blood extraction became the highest sin in Valeria and anyone found guilty of or associating with blood extractions was killed in the most brutal ways possible.

Avery had warned him that regardless of his sudden power-up, most knights would still be able to defeat him. This as well as his recent defeat, deflated Khal's rising ego automatically, forcing him to train even harder to gain cladding and cognizance.

It took him 1 more day before he finally became comfortable with convocation. It was the easiest of the 3 stages of cladding and usually takes between 1 hour to 2 weeks to get the hang of it for most Elementums. He knew this meant that he had above average talent with Spirit Arts and needed persistence and determination to catch up with those geniuses from noble families. Conversion proved to be harder than convocation by a large margin. Khal found himself with no luck in accomplishing it anytime soon. No matter what he did, he couldn't convert the world energy around him.

"You've made great progress, Khal," Avery said as he sat next to his son on the bed. "There is no reason to force yourself to become stronger. Strength comes with time." Khal became solemn after his father's statement. The image of his father covered in blood had haunted his dreams. He couldn't sleep knowing the man that could have possibly killed his father was still out there. He knew that although his father was strong, he had stopped practicing his skills a long time ago and was not as sharp as when his mother was alive. "The men that hurt you are still out there, papa. What if they find us here?", Khal asked in a sad tone. Avery looked at his son pensively before replying, "Don't worry, boy. Your father isn't so easy to deal with." Avery ruffled his son's hair as he smiled. "Besides, Michael is fully capable of defeating a tier one knight so you need not to worry."

Khal unconvincingly nodded as he changed the topic, "Papa, how come I never hear your speaking of grandpa? All I know is that he's a Knight at the northern wall defending us from intruders." Avery's face became stern as he listened to his son. He knew that sooner or later the boy would become curious about Nicole's father. "The last time we spoke was the day of your mother's funeral. He wanted to take you away but thanks to Lord Tommel he didn't." "Take me away papa? But why?"

Avery became silent. He looked through the window deep in thought. . How was he supposed to explain to his son the rift between his grandfather and himself? Although he knew that house Dor, one of the prominent houses in Seabo, was more capable to look after Khal, he had denied the man with Lord Tommel's help on the grounds that it was Nicole's last wish. Grand Knight Dor had made it clear that he would be back for the boy on his 10th birthday without delay to raise him as heir to house Dor. Avery knew he had no say in the matter since he was a commoner in Katar. That still didn't stop him from feeling helpless and ashamed of his own worthlessness.

"Sigh, only Lord Tommel and I know your status Khal. House Dor is a military family and they would not rest lightly knowing one of their spawn is away from home," Avery finally stated dejectedly. "These are affairs for adults to deal with Khal, you need not to worry." Khal thought about what his father said, was it as simple as that? Surely there was something else amidst. However, Khal could only accept the answer. Whenever his father was ready to explain things to him properly he would listen, "ok papa", he responded.

Avery nodded his head and smiled at his son, relieved that the boy didn't pry too much into the touchy topic. He got off the bed and gave his son the warmest hug and kiss on the crown of his head before exiting Khal's room.

---

Lord Tommel reclined in his chair as he read the latest report. The Burgan men proved to be a difficult bunch to deal with. He sent messenger pigeons to warn the entire northern sector of Seabo about the Burgans as soon as he found out. However, he read the reports 5 minutes later that the pigeons were intercepted and killed. Only the initial letter that he had Avery send made its way out of the barony uninterrupted. He could only sigh in relief that he had made a quick decision that would probably save Seabo.

How disgraceful. His powerful nation disrespected right outside the barony. Katar's borders had never been breached before. All scholars before him had boasted about how powerful and impenetrable the small nation of Katar was. It had made them too complacent and weak. Too comfortable behind their walls and natural defenses. Too lazy to realize the danger they were in if an invisible army suddenly showed up at their doorsteps.

This was the first real threat Seabo had faced in 200 years. To make matters worse, nobody in the entire region knew of the existing threat besides Tommel. The Burgans had effectively cut off the entire barony from outside communication. Tommel's reports stated that it had only taken a few hours for the entire barony to be surrounded by Burgan men. Reports kept coming in from scouts about sightings of other platoons littered all over. Lord Tommel could only imagine what would happen given the swift and coordinated actions of the Burgans.

Tommel had tried a coordinated attack on the Burgans a few days ago, with the help of the Baron, only to see the Baron's men retreating at the sight of the Burgan numbers. This infuriated Tommel to no end as he lost 5 good men during the retreat. When he asked for an explanation from the Baron, he was given excuses and false promises about disciplining the commanders. During the strategy discussion with the Baron, Tommel was belittled and ridiculed for his 'inexperienced' and 'commoner' tactics to deal with the situation.

Lord Tommel ignored the man's disrespect and tried his best to look for solutions. He was however met with talks of negotiating with the Burgans or other misguided solutions to the problem. The Baron was convinced that the enemy could not number more than 300 men else they would have attacked already. He proved incapable of reasoning. His decision to send the pigeons in groups hoping that would one get through to the Count was foolish. His idea of resisting the insurgents was to turtle up in the Barony and wait until the Count sent help. The man's faith in the northern and southern gates of the Town to hold until then was unfounded yet he insisted on waiting.

Tommel knew that the reason the Baron never made any major moves against him was that he found favor with Duke Braxton. The only moves the Baron could make were underhanded tactics like pulling his men out at the last minute to wither away Tommel's troops and attribute it to a 'miscommunication' between ranks. Tommel had suspected it the minute it happened but it was too late to prevent the loss of his men. How deep did the Baron's jealousy run? Was he willing to destroy the entire town just to hold on to power? Lord Tommel pondered but could not come up with an answer nor was he willing to find out.

Black was a dangerous opponent if left unchecked. The man was even willing to allow a mere Baronet to live in his town without any fuss, something most Barons would not permit. What he did not anticipate was that Lord Tommel would become more successful than him. Baron Black feared that given time, Duke Braxton would see more value in Lord Tommel's policies for agriculture than Black's strict taxes on the people. After all, it was better to prevent a revolt by having the township pay fewer taxes while the kingdom still benefits from an increase in revenue.

"Sergeant Michael, if you have any suggestions I'm all ears," Lord Tommel said as he massaged his temple. He had gone 3 days without rest, brainstorming possible ways out of this situation. It was especially difficult since he only had 18 soldiers at his disposal. "Without Baron Black, our options are limited. The best we can hope for is sending a small party to Viscount Milon and hope he sends help," responded the Sergeant.

Lord Tommel stroked his beard as he listened to the suggestion. "Most nobles only care for their own power and social standing. They are greedy, power-hungry fools that can't be trusted with power," Lord Tommel said with a hint of disgust in his voice. "The Viscount is a glory-seeking ass. He won't help unless he's sure he can win," Tommel added, angrily this time. "Hmmm, then how about we give him a winning situation?" Sergeant Michael said with a smile on his face.