Shroud Arcanum

As the minutes ticked by, Liam realized it was time for practice. He stretched briefly, then exited the room to make his way outside. Descending the stairs, he caught sight of Alric, lost in thought, tenderly playing a tune on his flute — a familiar melancholic melody that Liam had heard before.

The tune had a melancholic undertone, a reminder of distant days and old stories, yet it also carried a lullaby's soft, reassuring warmth. Those who listened found their minds drifting, lulled into a state of peaceful reflection. The weight of the world seemed to lift momentarily, replaced by the comforting embrace of the melody.

"Hey Alric," Liam greeted, "have Zalya and Irys already headed to the practice grounds?"

Alric paused his playing, lifting his gaze to meet Liam's. "Yes, they went on ahead. I was waiting for you so we could head there together."

Liam nodded, appreciating the sentiment. As the two began their walk towards the training area, "Alric, how well do you know Irys and Zalya?"

Alric appeared contemplative for a moment. "I've encountered Zalya several times even before the trial. Honestly, it took me by surprise when she decided to undertake it. Given her capabilities, she could've accessed the shroud directly."

Liam raised an eyebrow inquisitively, "Isn't the same true for you? I thought you didn't need to go through the trial either."

Alric shrugged, "You're not wrong. But considering her situation, I didn't think she'd push herself to this extent."

Liam pondered for a moment, then responded, "Some people chase their dreams no matter what. They're just determined that way."

Alric nodded in agreement, "Given her personality, it does make sense. She's always been the type to go all in when she decided on something."

Liam then inquired, "What about Irys?"

Alric raised an eyebrow and teased, "Ah, getting to your main question, huh? As for your... possible future girlfriend, I met her during this trial. Zalya's mentioned her a few times; they're very close, practically sisters. So, if you're serious about her, tread carefully."

Liam chuckled, shaking his head. "I doubt anyone messing with her would survive, but we've just met, and I have a lot on my plate. I'm not looking to start any relationship soon. I will just see where things take us."

Alric nodded, "Well, I don't know a great deal about Irys, but I do know she became a gladiator champion and earned her place in the royal family."

Liam's eyes widened. "You need to be a gladiator to enter the royal family?"

"Yeah," Alric confirmed, his tone serious. "Irys is a Valandrae, a warrior race where people respect only strength. To be part of the royal family, you must become a champion in one of their arenas. Not even blood relatives can claim a place there. And mind you, every battle in those arenas is life and death."

Liam's expression turned thoughtful as he absorbed this information. "No wonder she is so fierce when fighting."

Alric clapped him on the back, grinning. "Well, my friend, you're trying to woo a member of the Valandrae royal family, I wish you the best of luck!"

Liam glanced over at Alric with a curious expression, "Got anyone special? You and Zalya seem pretty close."

Alric let out a hearty chuckle, waving the notion away. "Zalya and me? Nah. Her family would never approve. Besides, I'm an outcast, estranged from my own family. I've got a lot going on, and frankly, I don't even know how long i will survive, even if I manage to get my goal here."

Liam's eyes darkened as memories of past betrayals and heartbreaks washed over him. "Sounds like you have some powerful enemies."

Alric's expression hardened, his gaze turning steely. "Yes, and they are among the reasons I despise the Covenant lunatics. You might think my hatred blinds me, but trust me, if you ever encounter them, ,you'd detest them just as much."

Always keen to gather more information, Liam asked, "How strong are your enemy?"

Alric smirked, reading Liam's intentions. "Trying to gauge how dangerous affiliating with me might be? Worried about making enemies?"

Before Liam could respond, Alric continued, "My foes are of celestial rank, but they believe I'm dead. Just keep our association under wraps, you should be safe."

Liam shrugged, "I'm just being realistic. I'm unfamiliar with the dynamics of the Shroud. Knowing more always increases one's odds of survival. And if you ever need assistance, I'll help where I can—as long as it doesn't directly put me in the crosshairs."

Alric nodded appreciatively, "Well, i will take on your offer, People like you "fortunate misfortune", usually end up one of two ways: either they die early on or they grow unimaginably powerful. Given your luck so far, I'd bet on the latter for you."

Liam looked ahead, his gaze thoughtful. "I genuinely hope that's the case. If i have the strength, I'd be more than willing to offer some help."

Liam and Alric continued their conversation as they navigated the pathway leading to their designated training area just outside the village.

The once-dense forest that bordered the soldier camp had undergone a massive transformation. Instead of thickets and towering trees, a vast expanse of cleared land lay ahead.

Dominating this cleared space was an impressive makeshift arena. It had strong metal bars holding it up while meticulously placed earth tiles filled in the gaps. The tiles themselves seemed to have been crafted with care, seamlessly integrated. The sun made the arena shine, reflecting the amount of effort and detail that had gone into its creation.

Liam observed the arena, impressed by the sheer attention to detail. "This is... quite something," he remarked.

Zalya beamed, puffing out her chest in pride. "Well, what do you think? Impressive, right?"

Alric looked around, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Isn't this a bit overkill just for a single training session?"

Irys laughed, playfully nudging Zalya. "You know her. When she wants to do something, it's always 1000%. Remember when she just wanted to bake a simple loaf of bread?"

Alric chuckled, "Ah yes, she ended up attending a baking course, sourcing the finest ingredients, and even importing a special kind of oven. By the end, she could have opened her own bakery.

Zalya grinned, undeterred by the playful jabs. "If you're going to do something, why go halfway? You should go all the way!"

Liam raised an eyebrow, amused. "I think there's a difference between going 'all the way' and... scaling a mountain when you just needed to cross a hill."

Zalya's eyes twinkled, and she gestured proudly at the arena. "Well, now we have a mountain of a training ground! Isn't it better to be over-prepared than under-prepared?"

Brushing her hands together with enthusiasm, she continued, "Alright, enough chat. Let's start the training! We'll spar in pairs, rotating partners after each round. Our aim is to get a grip on our new abilities, so prioritize using them. First up, Zalya and I ,while Alric with Liam. After that, Liam, you're with me and Alric with Irys. Lastly, Irys with Liam, and Alric, with me."

Liam and Alric exchanged a nod of agreement. As Irys began stretching, her expression clearly said she was ready. With a swift movement, she summoned her Warhammer and lunged straight into the action without any talk.

Liam instinctively rolled to his left, narrowly dodging her aggressive strike, while Alric performed a nimble backward leap. As Liam stood up from his roll, he swiftly conjured his Talonstrike, dashing towards Irys with a powerful swing.

Simultaneously, Alric shaped a glistening water projectile, aiming it directly at Irys. However, before it could strike her, a metal projectile shot out of nowhere, deflecting Alric's attack.

Zalya had joined the battle. With a graceful flick of her wrist, she lashed her whip towards Alric, aiming for his arm. But Alric was ready; he deftly used his staff to parry the whip. To ensure Zalya couldn't entangle him, he infused his staff with water, making it slick and slippery, making sure her whip couldn't get a solid grip.

On the other side, Liam squared off against Irys. As he aimed a swift strike at her, Irys promptly summoned an earth shield. The blade met the dense barrier, getting embedded halfway through. But Liam used the momentum to detach one side of his dual-bladed talon strike and slash with the free blade at her.

But before it could connect, Irys's Warhammer swung from behind the shield, aiming directly at Liam. Reacting instinctively, Liam leaped upwards, dodging it, and proceeded to slash downwards in response. Irys swiftly adjusted the trajectory of her Warhammer to meet Liam's descending form.

Thinking quickly, Liam used his talon strike to nudge the Warhammer to the side, altering his own descent path.

With a graceful twist in mid-air, Liam infused his blade with fire and slashed powerfully downward. The force generated a wave of fiery energy directed at Irys. She took a quick step back and raised another earth shield, blocking the incoming fire.

The sun's rays pierced through the gaps in the trees as the group honed their skills in the makeshift arena. At one moment, Liam attempted to imbue Alric's staff with flames. But n Alric yelled out, "Oi! What are you thinking? The staff's becoming too hot to grip, and it's even starting to get damaged!"

Liam, looking surprised, doused the flames and explained, "I used this flame technique on Irys's greatsword before and it was fine." He tried casting his flames onto Zalya's whip to showcase what he meant, but again, it didn't take well.

Curiously, when he tried it on Irys's Warhammer, it worked flawlessly. The inconsistency left the group scratching their heads, but they chose to move on without answers.

Later, as dusk began to paint the sky, the group rested in a circle on the arena floor. Zalya broke the silence, "I think this is enough,. We should head back to the village."

Irys, still in spirit, responded, "I could keep going."

Alric chuckled, "Of course you are, you are a battle freak." 𝑏𝘦𝘥𝑛𝘰𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝑐𝘰𝑚

As Irys beamed at the jest, she turned to Liam, "What you think?"

Liam pondered for a moment before responding, "I think we should take a break, we're heading to the city tomorrow and there's no telling what we will face. But I'm still confused, why I could only use my flames on your weapon."

Irys just shrugged. Zalya added, "We need to seek someone more knowledgeable. It's useless pondering over it, with our limited knowledge."