The Dread of Damned

I woke to the sound of a knock on the door.

"We should head to meet your sparring partner now, Prince," came Vasen's voice from outside.

"Wait," I said, getting up. I walked to the washroom, freshened up, and dressed in fitted white trousers and a shirt—comfortable for movement yet snug enough to allow agility. Once ready, I opened the door.

"Let's go," I said, and together we walked down the grand hallways of the palace.

"Who's my sparring partner this time?" I asked as we strolled.

"Only the best, Your Highness," Vasen replied with a small smile.

"You said the same last time," I quipped, amusement clear in my tone.

"And I wasn't wrong then, nor am I now," he replied, his voice as calm and composed as ever.

I glanced at him. "You're an interesting character, Vasen."

"I'm glad my company isn't a bore to you, my prince," he said with a slight bow.

"Not at all," I replied with a half-smile as we arrived before a large double door.

Vasen pulled the door open, revealing a vast training hall. The white walls and marble floor, etched with intricate patterns, extended endlessly, making the room feel imposing yet unbreakable. Chandeliers lit the space, though the massive floor-to-ceiling windows were concealed behind heavy white curtains, blocking out all sunlight. The room's cold brilliance radiated power and secrecy.

At the center of the hall stood a man. He appeared slightly older than me, with short-cropped black hair and an angular face. He was smaller in stature but lean and fit, dressed in simple trousers and a shirt—likely his training gear.

"Welcome, my prince. I am Lucian Blackwood, and I cannot express how honored I am to be your training partner," he said, bowing slightly.

Blackwood. I recalled the elder I met before, a towering and intimidating man. Lucian, however, seemed different—sharp but not overwhelming, a more subtle figure, a figure I had to sway in my favour.

"Well, Lucian, you'll have to express that honor by being excellent at your task," I said, glancing at Vasen.

Vasen bowed lightly before turning to leave. "I'll take my leave, Prince. Should you need anything, ask for me."

Once alone with Lucian, I turned to him. "How do we begin?"

"First, my prince, I'll need to understand everything about your power. Then, we'll train its applications before finally engaging in a sparring session to test what we've learned," Lucian explained.

"You do know that asking someone about their powers is the riskiest question you can ask? Sharing the details of one's abilities is a trust reserved for those you would trust with your life," I said, stepping closer, my tone even but firm,"And I dont think we have formed a trust like that yet"

Lucian lowered his head. "Forgive me if my request seemed inappropriate, my prince. However, this is necessary. Rest assured, my own abilities will be made clear to you. I was assigned by the house and the academy, and any breach of confidence would result in the cruellest of deaths."

I studied his face, then nodded. "Very well. I trust you understand the consequences. If this trust is broken, it won't just be your head—it will be anyone who so much as whispered to you."

I closed my eyes, focusing my essence, guiding it into my hand. Slowly, the power coalesced, taking the form of a staff. I planted the staff firmly into the ground with a thundering "thud" that echoed through the hall.

"Incredible… absolutely marvellous. The power of manifestation. I am honored to witness power of such a high tier firsthand," Lucian said, his voice laced with excitement.

"How long can you maintain this form?" he asked, clearly intrigued.

"It depends on the object and its purpose. I could keep this staff manifested for hours with minimal effort. But in combat, where essence is spent on creating attacks, the drain increases significantly. A single, fully charged attack using all my essence could unleash unimaginable destruction, but it would leave me drained for a long time."

"Could you demonstrate an attack for me?" he asked eagerly.

With a nod, I shifted the staff into a sword in a matter of seconds. With a swift slash, a wave of essence rippled through the air, colliding with the reinforced walls, creating a loud thud but leaving no visible damage.

"Impressive! Can you release an attack like that without forming a weapon?" Lucian asked.

"I've tried, but the essence becomes unstable and dissipates too quickly. Using a medium like a sword condenses the essence and channels it properly. Without it, I'd need to use significantly more essence to generate momentum, which is far more taxing," I explained.

"That makes sense. As your essence capacity increases with each refinement of your body, perhaps you'll master such a feat in the future," Lucian speculated.

"Possibly, but it will take time," I agreed.

"As powerful as your ability is, we must ensure it's used efficiently. We'll train to help you channel attacks while moving, reduce the time it takes to manifest and shift forms, and consider defensive techniques."

"I've tried something for defense, but it's too draining for now," I said.

"What is it?"

I raised my hand, drawing power, and a silver material formed a glove around it. "Something like this, but for my entire body."

Lucian studied the manifestation. "Impressive, but yes, it would deplete your current essence reserves quickly, especially in a fight where it would need more supply of essence to truly be useful and protect you. We'll work on something more sustainable for now. Let's begin."

He stepped back, and I stood straight.