Chapter: Chapter 45: Claws, Water, and Bruised PrideFour matches passed in a blur of footwork, sparks, and strained breaths. A few impressive. Most forgettable. The crowd, still buzzing from Nyomei’s performance, was hungry for the next highlight.They didn’t have to wait long.“Next match—Lotanni Ryel versus Bryon Aros.”A hush settled.The name Bryon alone drew tension. Petrusia’s second-in-command. Royal werewolf. Born with both privilege and power, and trained like a weapon since childhood.He stood and cracked his knuckles, shoulders flexing as he rolled them back. His golden-brown hair shimmered faintly in the sun, eyes narrowing with anticipation.Across the room, Lotanni exhaled slowly, rising to her feet. Her loose braids swayed slightly as she stood. On her shoulder, a small, liquid-like creature purred—a cat-shaped familiar, glimmering like sunlight on rippling water.“Be careful,” Bainer warned, gently brushing Lotanni’s shoulder. “Don’t try to match him in brute strength.”Lotanni smiled, a little too calmly. “I wasn’t pla
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-04-05
Chapter: Chapter 44: The Prodigy Behind the Shy EyesA bell rang twice, silencing the chatter. The instructors had returned with a brass raffle box—one by one, names would be drawn to determine the match-ups. The tension thickened, each aspirant sitting stiffer than before, eyes trained on the box like it might bite.One instructor held up the first strip of parchment. “Nyomei Eral.”Lotanni and Bainer instantly turned to her.“You’ve got this,” Lotanni said, bumping her knee.Bainer nodded with an encouraging smile. “You’re stronger than you think.”Nyomei’s stomach twisted, but she rose anyway. “Thanks,” she said quietly, nerves prickling under her skin. She walked toward the gate that led out to the sparring ground, each step heavier than the last.Across the field, her opponent was already grinning as he warmed up. Wiry, confident, and brimming with kinetic energy. He bounced on the balls of his feet, fists flaring with dull-orange sparks.“Your opponent,” the announcer said, “is Orin Zarrin. Mage class. Energy Burst magic.”That dr
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-04-05
Chapter: Chapter 43: The Test of Strength“Why are you alarmed by the news? Or don’t you see the resemblance?” Kalu Drya asked, smiling a little deeper.“No, it’s just . . . I didn’t expect to meet the commander’s mother so soon. Least of all like this. It’s really an honor to meet you,” I said, sliding off the couch and dropping to one knee.'Naila would’ve been so thrilled if she wasn’t stuck in the void right now.'But then something clicked.My heart began to race. 'Wait . . . the head healer is a mage. Kema’s a werewolf. So—does that mean he’s a hybrid like me?'I looked up at her, eyes wide.“Get up, child,” she said gently. “It’s fine. And yes, I know what you’re thinking.”I stayed silent, but she didn’t wait for me to speak.“You’re wondering if Kema is a hybrid, aren’t you?”“Well,” I mumbled. “Yeah . . . is he?” The question left my mouth faster than I could stop it.Kalu Drya smiled, but this time there was a quiet sadness in her eyes. “He’s my adoptive son. No blood between us—just bond. I’ll say nothing more on
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-04-05
Chapter: Chapter 42: Cray Cray“So, the test of the Great Gods for you was Jodeicasca, the tailless snake of regret?” Kalu Drya, the Sky Border’s head healer, asked. She was an elderly woman with a smile as gentle as her voice, her presence oddly soothing despite the weight of her words.“For the last time . . . Yes!” I snapped, exasperation leaking into my tone.I lay on a long chair, staring at the ceiling, arms crossed in defiance—yet fear coiled around my heart, twisting inside me.Ten Hours EarlierI woke up gasping, as if I had been drowning and had just broken through the surface. My breaths came in frantic gulps, my chest rising and falling with violent urgency.I was in a large bed—soft, unfamiliar. Blinking through the haze of panic, I took in my surroundings. The room was spacious, pristine, and entirely white. The only piece of furniture was the bed I lay in. Even the loose garment draped over my body was a stark white, blending me into the room like a ghost.I didn’t understand what was happening, but
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-04-03
Chapter: Chapter 41: Light & DarknessThere was no warmth left in Klaus's lifeless body to fight the cold, but I clung to him regardless, my tears soaking into his brittle skin. I wept until my sobs dwindled to whimpers, shaking not just from the icy darkness but from the fear creeping through every inch of me.Then, without warning, a violent force yanked his body from my arms. It happened so fast, so silent, that I couldn't tell where he had been taken or what had done it. The air seemed to hold its breath, leaving only an oppressive, heart-pounding silence in its wake. My chest thudded so hard it felt like my ribs would crack under the pressure.'What just happened?'"The smaller creatures are warm as a meal from an oven," Klaus had said. Could it be that the larger ones are the opposite? But there was no light, no glowing hint of whatever had taken him."Please . . . don't hurt me," I quavered, my teeth clattering as I wrapped my arms around myself. I looked to my left, then to my right, but the darkness was lung-crus
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-03-31
Chapter: Chapter 40: The Icy Mouth of Death“Find her head and crawl out of her mouth,” Klaus said, his voice weighed down by hopelessness. “Her tail is endless, leading straight to death and then hell. It’s a gamble to know which side leads to her head—right or left.” He let out a long, defeated sigh. “It’s up to the Great Gods to decide our fate. There’s no such thing as luck here.”‘Her mouth . . . Of course, that must be the way out!’ I thought, my pulse quickening. 'Oh Spirits, what direction should I take if I’m to start this fickle journey?'“I followed the worms,” Klaus continued. “I suppose you were doing the same?”His hand brushed my thigh, and I cleared my throat sharply. He withdrew it without a word.“I got caught in a slime,” I said. “It swallowed me, and I ended up down here. After that, I followed the sound of your humming. But now that I really look at the worms, they’re all moving in one direction.”I clenched my fists, fighting the urge to scratch at the wounds that pained me so. My lovely skin—although not
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-03-31
Masuk
