Chapter 13: Binding Oath
Ash rested on the floor as she watched Raiden.
"I’m not sure what it is you see, Ash, but when everything’s on the line, I’ll need to know you’re just as committed."
Rising from his meditation on Ash’s profound act of entrusting her soul to him, Raiden’s words carried weight.
He grasped his sword’s hilt firmly with both hands, shutting his eyes as he inhaled slowly and deliberately. The familiar words of his ritual flowed from his lips as his training commenced.
His body trembled with more than just the sword’s resonance; anticipation of the coming day’s trial sent fear coursing through him. Whatever power his ritual words possessed, they offered no comfort against an opponent like Levi.
How he’d measure against Levi in pure combat, stripped of magical enhancement, was anyone’s guess—but that question haunted him above all else.
Levi’s self-assurance was intimidating, yet what truly chilled him was the thought that he might seize up during the fight if he realized his own strength exceeded his opponent’s.
His practice resumed with an intensity that surpassed all prior sessions, extending far beyond his typical duration.
He drove himself relentlessly until his palms ran red with blood and his body shook from exhaustion. Only when complete darkness surrounded him did he finally acknowledge the late hour.
[ALERT]
[MANA CONTROL +5