Chapter 36: Threads of Growth
It began with a thought.
A quiet, relentless thought that refused to leave Alaric alone.
Each night, after training ended and the others rested, he sat in silence. The divine heart in his chest pulsed gently, like a forgotten star. The forest slumbered around him, heavy with dew and residual magic.
The girls were improving. There was no doubt about that.
But it wasn't fast enough.
Not for what lay ahead. Not for the forces gathering beyond the mortal realm's thin veil.
He had used the Authority of Growth before—first, as a method of restoration. A healing force. A way to rebuild broken foundations.
He'd used it on the Serpent Dragon, and had seen the creature surge past its own limits like a dam finally unsealed.
But what if it wasn't just a remedy?
What if it was a catalyst?
A sacred current meant not to repair, but to elevate?