"So how do I even use four daggers simultaneously?" I ask.

Veaos started laughing. "Those daggers you picked are meant to be used in close quarters and a ranged option. You fight with one or two daggers and then have two or three more to throw."

That's good. I feared I'd have to hold knives between my knuckles or something else silly.

"So, what are we starting with?" I ask.

"First, some ground rules. We won’t be using our Words, and I won’t be using my weapon. You are free to use those daggers if you think it’ll help. Attack with the intent to kill but listen for when I call the match. I will only call it if one of us would have died from the wound,” Veaos says.

My fight with Gabriel showed me the difference between someone who's never been in a battle in their life and a hardened combat veteran. Even knowing that Veaos doesn't like sparring with Gabriel because it's "not fun" doesn't make me feel more confident about my chances against the mountain before me.

“Why can’t we use our Words? Shouldn’t I be practicing using it in combat?”

“Because one of the most critical factors in Forchunae battles is knowing your opponent’s Word. The best thing you can do is keep your cards hidden or let people make false assumptions about what you can do. If you can defeat your opponents without ever needing to use your power, that’s even better. Now come at me, show me the resolve of a man willing to put his life on the line," Veaos says while beckoning me towards him.

He said that I could use the daggers as throwing weapons as well. I’ve never thrown anything other than a ball, but I might as well give it a try. Moving three knives into my left hand, I threw the fourth knife with my right hand. It didn’t even reach Veaos’ feet. It just bounces off the ground harmlessly while Veaos chuckles. Don’t get angry. Relax, Tyler, relax. He’s faster, stronger, tougher, and more experienced. The only way I win is by surprising him.

He still hasn’t moved an inch, but that can work to my advantage. I take aim and arc my next knife throw, so it’ll hopefully go near his head. As the knife reaches the height of its flight, his eyes begin following it. This is my chance. I ran straight at him, clutching the remaining two daggers. All the pain, sweat, and tears from the hellish training were for this moment. Dirt crunches beneath my boots as I rush him. All it takes is a couple of long strides, and I'm in his face. I slash out with my right hand while he's still looking up. I got him.

His eyes shoot down at me, and he smiles. My brain rattles in my skull as I'm sent flying by a backhand. Rushing to my feet, I prepare for a second strike, but he hasn't moved an inch. The smile is gone, and his arms are crossed once more. No sweat comes off him, still as a mountain, as if the fight hadn't started yet. I don't even remember being hit, only the pain and taste of blood in my mouth as a memory. He doesn't seem like he will press his advantage, so I take a couple of seconds to calm myself and look for the daggers. Luckily two of them are nearby, and I grab them. He stands still like a marble statue watching, waiting.

He’s bigger than me, faster than me, and stronger than me. He’s been a Forchunae for far longer than me and has actual combat experience. But I bet I’m smarter. All I need is a plan, and if he isn’t going to move, that gives me plenty of time to devise one. I circle him, slowly looking for any kind of glaring weakness I could exploit. He won’t fall for the same trick as before; he’s not an idiot. Advancing carefully, I keep my sight trained on his arms.

I creep forward with my daggers at the ready, and my eyes peeled. This time I see the hit coming, and just like last time, there is absolutely nothing I can do about it. Veaos explodes towards me like a round from a Justicar rifle. A blurred limb slams into my gut. It could be his foot or his knee; I can’t tell. My stomach empties itself all over the field as I fall over. Chunks of breakfast lie on the ground, and the bile mixes with the blood in my mouth. I spit the disgusting concoction out in between pained breaths.

He’s using his Word. He has to be. Well, if he’s going to cheat, then so will I.

Feeling my Word activate, I focus on his body as a whole and try to make him twist at the torso. His grin falters for a second, and he looks genuinely angry at me. Pumping more and more aether, I try to Warp him, but nothing changes. Memories of all the effort and energy I had to put in to bend steel come to mind. Veaos has a monstrous physique, and while I can tell I could eventually put enough aether in to move him, it wouldn’t be worth it. I stop my attempt and go for the sneakier option.

“BOY! WHAT DID I SAY? NO ABILITIES ALLOWED!” He screams.

I teleport just to his left and slash out before he notices me. The blade grazes his skin without even drawing blood. I’m in disbelief. How could the daggers not even leave a mark? My eyes meet his, and all I can feel now is fear. Seeing Veaos so serious feels wrong. I fucked up. I fucked up really bad. I need to get out of here.

His hand strikes out like a viper and grabs my shoulder. The pressure he’s putting on makes me whine in pain. All I can do is claw at his arm to try and get him to let go. My weapons lie at my feet as he picks me up with one hand. Punch after punch after punch lands on my chest. Is he going to cave my chest in? Can we survive having that happen? The pain and the blows are making it impossible to focus. I can’t Warp while he’s beating me senseless. He’s not targeting my face, probably so I don’t get knocked unconscious. His next punch hits me right in the sternum, and I can tell he broke something.

I fall as he releases his grip and whatever he broke pushes itself against my lung. Inhaling hurts, and I’m swallowing a worrying amount of blood. He kicks my arm as I try to push myself up. Tears stream down my face while I choke on my blood.

His boot slams down next to my head, and the ground erupts like a bomb went off. “You think you’re so clever, boy. But cleverness won’t stop bullets, blades, or me,” Veaos softly says.

He wasn’t trying before. Forget using his Word; he was pulling his punches from the get-go. I have completely fucked up.

I’m waiting for the next hit to deliver me to unconsciousness, but it never comes. I can hear the crunch of the packed ground as Veaos walks away.

“Veaos, you don’t need to be so harsh,” Helena says.

“Do not defend what he did. You know better. We are giving it our all to help him become a self-sufficient young man. But at every turn, he proves to be a brash pretentious bastard. Ahh. It’s just so frustrating. I know that it’s not his fault and that there is a good kid in there somewhere, but by the Goddess, he is an unlikeable shit.”

“It is our job to shape him into the man he could be. Beating him bloody isn’t going to help his attitude.”

“What you teach him in your lessons is your business. I don’t tell you how to help Forchunae explore and test their abilities, so don’t tell me how to do my job.”

“You are letting anger cloud your thoughts, which isn’t conducive to a thoughtful discussion. Sam said Gabriel would be back here by tomorrow. He’ll have to have a more hands-on approach with Tyler, so we don’t have a repeat of you know who.”

“Fine,” Veaos growls before walking away.

Being awake while my body heals is nearly as painful as the injuries that caused my current state. Gabriel wasn’t joking when he said Forchunae could recover from any harm that isn’t permanent. Burns, bone breaks, internal bleeding, cuts, and bruises all heal in hours, with more severe injuries needing maybe a day at most. Our regeneration is genuinely fantastic. The bones in my chest slowly start shifting back into place, grinding against each other like factory gears that weren’t oiled properly. Minutes pass in utter agony. Any hope of someone coming to help died at the two-hour mark.

I wake up as someone rolls me onto my back. There’s no lingering pain, but sleeping outside always leaves me sore. Staring down at me is Gabriel holding my cloak.

“Get up,” he says as he tosses me my cloak.

“Huh?”

“Get. Up. Now. You and I are going on a trip. We’re leaving immediately.”

His face is blank, and his voice is neutral. He doesn’t seem mad, just firm.

“Are we having breakfast before we leave?” I ask.

He answers no as I scramble to my feet and catch up to him.

“Where are we going?”

He doesn’t answer me and continues walking away. We pass the kitchen and the dining area until we enter a hallway I haven’t seen before. Not that that means anything with the castle being so massive. The hallway ends in a single dark oak door with a tree carved onto it. Helena must have Connected this to somewhere. Gabriel marches straight ahead and opens the door. He motions for me to enter, and I can tell he isn’t asking. I can see vines and lush greenery through the doorway. Gabriel thought I was taking too long, so he shoved me through and closed the door behind us.

“This is the Ibarri Preserve, and these are not civilized lands. The only law that matters here is the law of Nature. Your upbringing means nothing. There isn’t a city or town for over a hundred thousand miles. You have been rude and disrespectful towards your instructors, people I consider friends. That is unacceptable. I have had Helena cut the Connection to that door. You cannot leave until I deem you better. And Tyler, if I don’t deem you better, you will never leave.”

What? “You’re joking. Haha. Good one, sir.” I respond nervously.

He does not laugh. He just stares back at me. “Listen, we rescued you because it was the right thing to do. And as soon as I’m not around, I hear you’ve shown worrying worldviews and tendencies. I have helped many young Forchunae throughout the years and made the mistake of not tackling these issues head-on. I will kill you before I let another monster roam free.”

“I haven’t done anything. I am NOT a monster.” I retort.

“Yet. You are not a monster yet. I am older than you by millennia and have made more mistakes than you ever will. I recognize the patterns that people fall into. It isn’t too late for me to help you. This is your last chance.”

I’m speechless as his words rattle around in my brain. Would Gabriel really kill me? Yes. Yes, he would. My brutal beatdown from him is as fresh in my brain as it was all those months ago. Gabriel seems like a man who does not repeat himself. He continues to stare at me expectingly. Even if I disagree with what he’s saying, I need to placate him for my continued survival.

“I’m willing to do whatever it takes, sir.”

His stern face softened into a smile. “No, you aren’t. But that doesn’t matter now. Either you’ll rise to the occasion or... you won’t. You’ve been learning survival skills with CJ, and Veaos was handling your physical training. As of today, I’m taking over for both of them. In terms of experimenting with your Word, you’ll have to do that independently. I am going to push you harder than you think possible. Our first order of business is to meet the owner of this place.”

“Owner? Isn’t the Ibarri Preserve just untamed wilderness?”

“Owner might be the wrong word, more like an overseer. Oh good, she’s coming to us. Tread carefully, Tyler. We are entering the belly of the beast.”

My eyes dart everywhere, looking for the woman Gabriel mentioned. Taking my time to look for her allows me to take in our surroundings truly. Bird cries, insect noises, and the rush of a nearby river are nearly deafening after being in the quiet castle for months. Everything is varying shades of green and brown, tinted darker due to the enormous trees blocking most of the sunlight. Vines drape down from above, blocking my line of sight. Overgrown moss blankets the trees and encroaches onto the jungle floor. Mushrooms and flowers intertwine in ways that shouldn't be possible. Something feels oppressive and suffocating from the jungle. I feel claustrophobic even though I’m outside. A primal part of my brain screams at me to run, but every direction gives me the same sense of danger. A glance at Gabriel shows he’s calmly waiting. Is he not affected by whatever is out there?

A rustle to our right nearly makes me jump out of my skin. A tree as wide as a house and taller than some of the towers back home. The bark begins to swirl like a drain and morph into a mouth and eyes. Sharp three-taloned claws emerge below the mouth and extend to grip the ground. I watch in horror as the creature pulls itself out of the tree. Ten feet tall, covered in moss and fungi, with a body shaped like a potato. Stumpy legs contrast against its long triple-jointed arms. The monster has a smooth flat face with nothing but carved eyes and tentacle-like appendages made of vines sprouting out of its maw. He brought me here to feed me to this thing, didn’t he?

“Tyler, this is the Primental Of Nature, Overseer of the Ibarri Preserve, and Protector of Balance. Or, as I know her, Cassandra Degaia.”

This thing is an Archon?

“We do not go by that name anymore. We have transcended beyond the woman known as Cassandra Degaia. Refer to Us as Terra Natouri,” the creature says.

“Forgive my rudeness. It’s been a couple of hundred years since I last saw you. Restrain your presence, please. You’re affecting my protege.”

“We will not. It is the duty of prey not to get eaten by predators. He will not last long here if he cannot withstand being in Our presence. Do you believe any of the creatures here will show him kindness? When an Ailloyn bares its fangs at you, will you attempt mediation?”

The fear hasn’t lessened even a tiny bit, and my heart is pounding like a piston. Is Gabriel an outlier? Do the other Archons look like monsters? My body won’t stop shaking, and I can’t even open my mouth.

“I will not ask you again. Restrain yourself, or I will make you,” Gabriel says his voice low.

The tension is so thick it’s palpable. Gabriel is several heads shorter than her, and as far as I know, his only ability is regeneration. I wouldn’t bet on him winning if they do end up fighting. After minutes that felt like hours, the terrifying presence recedes.

“We do not fear you, Immortal King, but we do not wish for the destruction a battle between us would cause. Now state why you have come here to Our land.”

“This kid here needs the kind of training that can only be found here,” Gabriel answers.

“He smells of man’s hubris; of the death of trees and the exploitation of the land. If he sullies Our home, I will use his flesh as fertilizer.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be keeping an eye on him.”

“As will We,” the creature says as it sinks into the ground.

From all around us, I hear a whisper; “We see all.”

“That went well. First thing we should do is locate shelter. It’s humid now but can get downright frigid at night.”

That was “things going well”? What the fuck? “Alright, how do we do that?”

“Best case scenario is that we find a nearby mountain. Mountains tend to mean caves. Get to climbing, and see if you can see anything from up there.”

I’m glad CJ made me learn to climb. I cannot imagine what would happen if I told Gabriel I didn’t know how. Heading towards the closest tree, I look up and wince. The very tops of the trees have to be at least a thousand feet high. He never claimed I couldn’t use my abilities, but I don’t want to upset him. “Umm, sir, can I use my Word?”

“Of course. While we are here, you will use everything at your disposal.”

Once given the go-ahead, I Warp to a branch halfway up the tree. Continuing to teleport, I reach the top quickly. I pierce through the leaves, and I’m finally out of the canopy. Every single direction I turn in is lush green for miles upon miles. To my left is a mountain range that is somehow also green. Remembering my lessons with CJ and Elle, I know it’s around noon based on the sun. I’ve never been this high up before; the trees at Sheira are half as tall. Gabriel saved me from execution, brought me to a place where I could learn and train safely, and helped me discover my Word. Even though he can be terrifying, part of me wants to impress him.

This is dumb and a waste of aether. Fuck it. “Look out below,” I yell out as I jump down through the canopy. With my cloak and clothes billowing with the wind, I plummet past all the branches. Below me, Gabriel is yelling, but it's unintelligible due to the air whipping in my ears. The ground gets closer and closer, and when I’m thirtyish feet from the floor, I Warp down safely. I can’t use my Word to throw weapons because it kills the momentum of anything it Warps; this also means that I can fall from any height and not get hurt.

“Wasteful expenditure of aether. What did you learn?” He asks.

The high from my dive is extinguished instantly. “There is a mountain range to the west, and we probably have five hours left of sunlight.”

He heads off towards the mountain range. “It’s going to be close, but I think we’ll make it if we don’t stop for breaks. Oh, and good form on the dive.”

A huge stupid smile spreads across my face as I jog after him. Maybe this trip won’t be terrible.