The Dread of Damned

"Your control, reaction, and utilization are impressive, but you're far too reckless," Lucian said, his voice calm but firm as he looked down at me.

"Especially at the end, expending all of your essence in a single attack while under a barrage of strikes yourself. In a real fight, that would have killed you," he continued, sitting beside me as I lay exhausted on the floor.

"But that attack almost got you," I replied, trying to justify myself, though I knew he was right.

"Almost isn't enough," Lucian responded, his gaze meeting mine, unflinching. "In battle, it's either success or failure, life or death."

"I knew your barrier wouldn't hold the moment I realized you'd drained all your essence. That's why I retreated. I simply bought time until you injured yourself and could no longer maintain the attack," he explained, his tone as analytical as ever.

"It could've been fatal for me too, had I misjudged, and if you'd actually conserved enough essence. But my gamble paid off. I was running low after that relentless barrage, but I never used up all of my essence," he added.

"So, what should I have done differently?" I asked, wanting to absorb every lesson from the spar.

"Everything else you did was commendable. But not saving enough essence to maintain both the barrier and the spear was your critical mistake," Lucian explained patiently.

"Had you held the barrier longer and kept me at bay, I would have had to cease my attacks to conserve my own essence, giving you the perfect moment to counterattack," he continued, his voice calm but firm, emphasizing every word.

"Understand this very clearly: never run out of essence if you want to survive. Always keep a reserve. Even in a losing battle, you can retreat if you still have enough essence," Lucian instructed, standing up and extending a hand to me.

I took it and pulled myself up, feeling the weight of exhaustion settle over me. I really had pushed myself too far this time.

"Not bad for your first spar. You'll improve with time," he said as I made my way out of the room, leaving him behind as I closed the door.

"That was intense," came a voice from the shadows, ancient and wise. The headmaster's figure slowly outlined itself in the hall.

"Greetings, Headmaster," Lucian said, bowing slightly in respect.

"No need for formalities, Lucian," the youthful-looking man responded with a wave of his hand.

"What's your assessment?" the headmaster asked, his eyes gleaming with interest.

"The progress of his highness is astounding. I don't think I'll have much left to teach him in just a few more days," Lucian explained, his tone modest, though there was a trace of pride in his voice.

"Come now, no need to be so humble. You didn't even give him close to your best," the headmaster replied, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

"Still, for him to push me this far in his first real fight is truly impressive. Especially that final attack—it nearly forced me to go all out to protect my heart. If he'd had just a bit more essence, I would've been in serious trouble," Lucian admitted, his expression turning thoughtful.

"Indeed. His potential is exceptional," the headmaster agreed, nodding.

"But enough about that," the headmaster said, his tone shifting. "Have you made any progress with your... personal matter?" he asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Lucian's face darkened, his eyes flashing with contempt. "No, not yet. My brother has refused," he said through gritted teeth.

"I could assist you, but it would require me to visit the castle... something I cannot do," the headmaster said, his voice lowering, laden with unspoken reasons.

"But you could seek the prince's help. He would be more than capable of solving your problem," the headmaster added before his figure slowly faded away, leaving Lucian alone, lost in thought.

I, meanwhile, entered my washroom, tossing my torn clothes aside and sinking into the tub filled with warm water. As I lay back, I closed my eyes, feeling the exhaustion wash away along with the silver blood that had clung to my body. The water turned a light silver as it rinsed off the remnants of battle.

After cleaning up, I exited the washroom and donned a robe. I poured myself four glasses of blood and drank them all in quick succession. I felt the essence surging back into my body, refueling me. I guided the flow to my lungs, refining the organ until I sensed a new, dee white spot emerging there.But I could also feel the reaction starting.

Satisfied, I closed the gallon and made my way to the bed, lying down and instantly falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Sometime later, I woke again in the dead of night, resuming my routine of refining my lungs until the first light of dawn broke through the windows. As soon as the sun rose, I closed the blinds, shielding the room from the harsh daylight, and fell asleep again.

A sharp knock on the door woke me.

"Who is it?" I asked groggily, still half-asleep.

"My prince, Yelena is asking to see you," Vasen's voice called from the other side.

"Has she completed the task?" I asked, irritation creeping into my voice.

There was a brief silence before Vasen replied. "She says she is still working on it."

"Then tell her to come to me when it's done. Don't bother me before that," I said, already drifting back to sleep.

I woke later, well into the day, feeling more refreshed. After changing, I headed to the training hall.

"Are you ready for today, my prince?" Lucian asked, standing at the center of the room as I approached him.

"Is this how you plan on greeting me from now on?" I asked, half-joking. Something flickered across his face—something he almost said but held back. His expression returned to its usual composed self as he straightened.

"You've learned the theory and honed your powers through practice. What you need now is experience—real combat," Lucian said, his voice steady and serious.

"And this is your idea of the best method?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Absolutely," he affirmed.

"Then let's begin," I said, allowing my curved jade white horns to emerge, along with my silver claws and extended fangs. In an instant, Lucian's figure vanished, and so did mine as I moved behind him.

Silver and white figures clashed in the vast hall, the air growing cold as our powers collided. Silver essence and ice met with thunderous force, making the walls tremble.