The Bladeweaver [Book 1 Complete]

Kale lay on the ground after another morning training session, his body barely responding to his will. Every muscle screamed in agony, and his limbs felt like lead. Rika and Liliana stood nearby, both looking concerned.

"You're pushing yourself too hard," Rika said, her voice filled with worry.

"He's going to tear himself apart if this keeps up," Liliana added.

Sylorin, standing off to the side, crossed his arms and shook his head. "Pain is part of the path. Pain breeds competence. Without it, there can be no growth."

He tossed a vial to Kale, who managed to catch it with trembling fingers. With great effort, he uncorked it and downed the contents in one gulp. Almost immediately, his body began to heal. Muscles mended, energy returned, and within moments, he was sitting up, wide-eyed.

"Wow," Kale said, amazed. "That stuff is potent."

Sylorin chuckled. "That? That was just a potion of minor rejuvenation. Hardly anything."

Kale blinked, looking at the now-empty vial in disbelief. "That was... minor?"

Sylorin gave a knowing smile but then his expression turned serious. "Still, you're too weak. Too slow. Your body gives up too fast to benefit from the kind of training I'm putting you through."

Kale's face twisted in determination. "No, please. I need this training."

"There's more than one way to train," Sylorin said. "Of course, you can level up through training like this. But it's the slowest method. Effective for building mastery, sure, but it takes time—time you might not have."

Kale looked at him, frowning. "Then what's the fastest way?"

Sylorin gestured toward the mountains surrounding them. "Monsters. Defeat them, and you'll gain experience. You don't even have to kill them, but killing gives a bonus. And if you're serious about leveling up fast, killing is the best way. The rarer and more powerful the creature, the more you gain. Plus, you can harvest parts, sell them for coin, or trade them for gear."

Kale made a face, clearly not fond of the idea, but Sylorin pressed on.

"And then there's the fastest and most dangerous way to level up," Sylorin continued. "Fighting people. Killing strong warriors grants a huge boost, but it comes with risks. Killing some random librarian won't do you any good, might even get you thrown in jail or executed. But powerful fighters? They're worth the effort. Just be aware that powerful warriors tend to have powerful friends. Kill the wrong person, and you'll have a bounty on your head. Not to mention, you might attract their buddies, or their master."

Kale's mind flashed to the followers of Xeroth, already hunting him. He grimaced. "I know what that's like."

Sylorin nodded. "I figured. So if you're serious about this, there's always the pits and the arenas. Just... don't go chopping pieces off people like you would monsters. That's generally frowned upon."

Kale gave a weak chuckle. "Got it."

Sylorin's gaze fell on the dagger at Kale's side. "And another thing. I've noticed you often fight with Aeloria's Promise in dagger form. That's fine, but you're not experienced enough to be getting that close. You'll end up dead."

Kale looked down at the blade, realization dawning.

"Turn her into a sword before you fight," Sylorin advised. "Or, better yet, carry her around in sword form from the start. It's bulkier, sure, but it'll take some of the thinking out of the equation and let you react faster."

Kale nodded, absorbing the wisdom. It made sense. He had been holding back, relying on the familiarity of the dagger without realizing that doing so was actually putting him in even greater danger.

"And as for Swiftform," Sylorin continued, "it's incredibly powerful. But push it too hard, and you'll tear every muscle and tendon in your body. Use it wrong, and you'll cripple yourself. It's one skill that won't improve just by using it more. You need to strengthen your body, endurance, stamina. That's the only way to make it work for you."

Kale's mind flashed back to his last fight in the arena. He had pushed through Cyrus's slow, using Swiftform to catch him off-guard. He had won the fight, but he had torn every muscle in his body in the process, just as Sylorin said. He had been left immobile, unable to move, and if Liliana, Daryn, and Varrick hadn't stepped in, he would've been dead. Without Varrick's healers, he might have been crippled forever.

Kale shuddered at the memory. Would he have fought the same way if he'd known the cost?

Sylorin seemed to notice his discomfort. "So, what's it going to be, Kale? Keep training the slow way, or risk everything to get stronger faster?"

Kale looked up at him, determination burning in his eyes. "There don't seem to be many fighters around here, what about monsters?"

"Good. Then let's see if you've got what it takes to survive." He turned to Rika and Liliana, then back to Kale. "There's a cave not far from here. You'll find plenty of monsters lurking inside, perfect for testing your limits. And while you're at it, make sure to take some of the meat for tonight's dinner."

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Kale's stomach tightened, his mind flashing to the creatures they might encounter. He wasn't sure if he was more concerned about the monsters or what Sylorin might consider "dinner."

"Oh, and one more thing," Sylorin added, his voice casual but laced with warning. "The deeper into the cave you go, the meaner the monsters get. If you want a real challenge, that's where you'll find it. Good luck." He started to turn away but paused, looking directly at Rika. "And Rika... make sure he doesn't get himself killed, will you?"

Rika grinned, cracking her knuckles. "Don't worry, I've got him."

Kale glanced at Liliana, who hovered nearby. "I suppose this is where things get interesting," she said.

Kale took a deep breath and nodded. "Let's do this."

Sylorin waved them off with a dismissive gesture. "Get going. I expect a feast when you get back."

As they made their way toward the cave, Kale felt a mixture of fear and determination bubbling inside him. He was about to test his limits once more, and failure could mean death. But the thought of growing stronger, of honing his skills, kept him moving forward.

Rika glanced at Kale, her expression shifting from playful to serious. "You know what Sylorin's doing, right?"

Kale frowned. "What do you mean?"

"He's not just testing you. He's seeing if you can push through the pain. If you have the will to survive. If you don't, you'll die in that cave."

Kale gave her a firm nod, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I thought I had you to protect me?"

Rika grinned wide, then pulled him into a tight, affectionate hug. "Of course, Kaley. You'll always have me."

Kale felt the tension in his chest ease, just for a moment. Despite the danger, despite the uncertainty, Rika's loyalty made everything feel a little more manageable. He chuckled as she let him go, rubbing the back of his neck. "Guess I'm in good hands then."

Rika gave him a wink, her playful demeanor returning. "Damn right!"

Liliana, who had been floating nearby with her usual detached air, rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the faint hint of amusement that flickered across her face. "Honestly, you two are unbearable," she said. "If you're done with the heartwarming nonsense, we have a cave full of monsters to deal with."

She floated a little closer to Kale. "Rika's right," Liliana said. "Don't get careless, Kale. If you die in there, I'll have to drag your body out again, and I'd rather avoid the mess this time."

Kale smiled sheepishly. "Noted," he said, grateful for Liliana's unusual mix of sarcasm and concern. It was her way of caring, even if she'd never admit it.

***

The trio stood at the mouth of the cave, staring into the yawning darkness that seemed to stretch endlessly into the mountain. A cold draft emanated from within, carrying with it the faint stench of damp earth and something metallic, like blood.

Kale made sure to use Fluid Edge to transform Aeloria's Promise into a sword before entering, remembering Sylorin's advice. While he also had Mistress, he still felt most comfortable with the blade he had carried around since the beginning of his journey. Rika was beside him, hammer resting easily on her shoulder. She looked over at him with a grin, though her expression held a bit of seriousness this time.

"Ready for some fun?" she asked.

Kale swallowed hard and nodded, trying to shake off the nerves. "Let's just make sure we don't become dinner."

Liliana floated beside them, scanning the entrance of the cave. "This place reeks of death. Sylorin wasn't exaggerating. The deeper we go, the worse it's going to get."

Kale looked between his two companions and took a deep breath. "Well, if the monsters in there are anything like the ones we've fought before, we'll be fine." He didn't sound convinced.

Rika laughed softly. "You know, we probably should have brought some of those potions..."

"We'll be fine without them," Kale said. "We always are."

Liliana raised an eyebrow. "Kale, have you forgotten everything that has happened in the past few weeks? You are never fine."

Kale sighed. Thanks to Liliana's encouraging words his doubt was now back in full force.

With a final glance exchanged between them, Rika hefted her warhammer, Liliana drifted closer to the cave's entrance, and Kale stepped forward. Together, they descended into the cave's suffocating darkness, the world behind them fading into silence.

Inside, the walls were slick with moisture, the air damp and heavy. The further they walked, the tighter the space became, the shadows closing in around them. Strange sounds echoed from deeper within—scratching, clicking, and distant growls that reverberated off the stone walls, sending chills down Kale's spine.

Rika swung her hammer lightly, testing its weight as her eyes flicked around, always alert. "Remember, the deeper we go, the meaner they get."

"Maybe we'll find some friendly ones first," Kale said.

Rika chuckled, glancing over her shoulder at Kale. "Friendly monsters? Sure, maybe they'll invite us to tea before they try to rip our heads off."

Kale smiled. "Tea sounds good, actually. Maybe they'll have those little sandwiches."

"Yes, Kale. I'm sure the cave-dwelling monsters are experts in hospitality," Liliana said.

Rika swung her hammer again, grinning. "Hey, who knows? Maybe they're just misunderstood. We show up, crack a few jokes, share a meal…"

"And then they devour us," Liliana interrupted.

Kale sighed. "I mean, I bet I'd taste pretty good."

Rika laughed, the sound echoing through the dark tunnel. "You do look yummy."

Liliana rolled her eyes. "I hope they eat both of you."

***

The cavern ahead loomed large, shadows creeping along its walls as they moved deeper into the darkness. The once playful banter had faded, leaving only the echo of their footsteps and the low, distant drip of water. Kale gripped his sword tightly, his senses heightened, feeling as though soon he would be fighting for his life again. Knowing how things usually went, it would probably be another mid-step situation. He did wonder why they always seemed to target him first, though. Maybe he did look yummy?

Rika was the first to break the silence. "You know, for a place that's supposed to be crawling with monsters, it's pretty quiet."

Liliana floated nearby, her eyes scanning the cave with caution. "That's never a good sign."

"Yeah, well, I'm not exactly complaining about the lack of flesh-eating beasts," Kale said.

Just as the words left his mouth, a low growl echoed through the chamber. The group froze, their eyes darting toward the source of the sound.

Rika grinned. "Must be the wind!"

The tunnel grew larger as they walked deeper, the air cooler and heavier with each step.

Just as Kale was about to say something else, another low growl echoed through the cave, closer this time, vibrating the stone under their feet. They all froze.

A hulking silhouette appeared ahead of them, blocking the path. Massive claws scraped against the stone floor, and two glowing eyes fixed on them, unblinking.

Rika's grin widened as she tilted her head toward Kale. "Well… he looks friendly."