Chapter 64: Checkmate And Ice
"Yes. Sage… made me understand something." Ravena revealed.
Her lips were curled in that enigmatic smile. The anger that had radiated from her moments before had vanished, replaced by something unreadable.
She was mad at Zaeryn when she left, but now she didn't seem that way. It was like she mow had a new understanding of him and the dynamics surrounding him.
"I'm curious, Ravena. What exactly did Sage make you realize?" Aeris asked.
Ravena's smile widened, and she looked at Zaeryn, their eyes meeting. "That…." she said, with a playful shrug that was equal parts condescension and affection. ".... I should probably forgive his… natural inclination to get distracted by shiny things."
Zaeryn was okay with whatever Ravena and Sage had talked about, as long as it had fixed his relationship with Ravena and prevented it from collapsing. He simply gave a nod.
Without another word, Ravena walked forward. Her steps were deliberate, her hips swaying with a newfound confidence. She didn't stop at the empty chair. Instead, she walked directly to Zaeryn, who was still seated next to Marceline.
With a fluid motion, she sat down sideways on his lap, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and leaning her head against his.
He could feel the soft warmth of her thigh against his, the gentle weight of supple body settling against him in a way that was both comforting and ridiculously arousing. "Making yourself comfortable?" he murmured.
"You bet I am." She grinned, her lips brushing his. It was as if she was never upset with him.
A slow, roguish grin spread across his face as his arm instinctively came to rest around her waist, his hand settling possessively on the curve of her hip..
"What did Sage even say to you?" Kayla was not happy seeing this. She was happier when Ravena was angry at him.
Ravena's gaze flicked up, meeting Sage's across the room. "Not that much. But Sage is far too logical to argue with."
A slow, victorious smirk spread across Sage's face. Checkmate.
"Well, what matters is that you two get along." Marceline remarked.
From across the room, Kayla made a quiet sound of disgust and looked away, thoroughly repulsed by the entire display.
Somewhere else.
The morning sun made long shadows across the palace training area as Princess Viora walked into the crystal arena.
The floor wasn't regular marbles, it was made of shining crystal that caught and boosted the light from the palace towers.
Magic targets and walls flickered in the air, ready to react to combat magic. The arena itself was buzzing with raw power, tiny gold sparks dancing in the light like living stars.
Viora's long, white hair was braided into two tight knots, keeping it neatly out of her way as she moved with royal elegance. Her sleek battle gear, white trimmed with gold and shimmering faintly with protective spells—clung to her form, accentuating every curve while allowing fluid movement.
She radiated an effortless beauty, the cut of her armor revealing perfect thighs that hinted at elegance. Everything about her was a reminder that power and allure could coexist in perfect harmony.
Her ice-blue eyes held a strong focus that seemed to freeze the air around her, colder and sharper than usual.
The weight of her mother's secrets. A potential hidden male child, and the consequences not only Athea but the whole Lumina Queendom royal family would face if that was true, pressed on her thoughts like a knife at her throat.
Five War-Ladies stood in a line before her. Their outfits were different from hers; smooth blue armor shining, their faces showing determination and respect. These weren't regular guards, they were top fighters, each chosen for their skill and complete loyalty to the crown.
Captain Nyx stood among them as a hardened veteran, her body was unmarked by any collection of battle wounds that would normally decorate any soldier. Yet everyone knew better than to mistake her smooth skin for inexperience. Her name alone carried weightt.
As a Tier 3 Vitae wielder, she possessed the rare gift of Geo kinesis, the ability to bend stone, soil, and mineral matter to her iron will. She could even control volcanoes.
Lieutenant Sera next to her, had lightning-fast moves and electrical powers that had saved dozens of lives in battle. Talia controlled flame, Vex bent wind to her wishes.
And then there was Zara, the shadow weaver, whose connection to darkness ran deeper than most people's relationship with light.
"Today's exercise will push us all to our limits," Master Elyra, the strict training master announced her voice carrying across the arena with calm authority that barely hid the storm inside. "Full magic use. Fight to kill. Trust the revival systems."
The War-Ladies nodded together, though their eyes showed worry at something different in their princess today. She barely said anything, which was usual because she was so nice and would not start training without speaking with them even briefly.
Captain Nyx looked at Viora before her, and then looked at her teammates. "Ready?" She asked.
"Ready!" they all replied in unison.
Death training was the ultimate test, a way to prepare for the brutal reality of facing the star beasts, where hesitation meant instant death. As barbaric as it sounded, no one actually stayed dead during training; a healer or revivalist was always on hand to bring them back.
Far safer than the battlefield, where mistakes were permanent.
When facing a Vorthak in real combat however, a healer or revivalist was almost useless, they wouldn't survive long enough to save anyone. Their only power was healing or reviving, and even that came with strict limits: a revival could only occur within a short window after death. Beyond that, you were on your own.
Master Elyra, raised her hand from the watching platform. "Begin!"
"Brace yourselves."
Viora didn't wait for her opponents to move. Her Tier two ice magic exploded outward in a crushing opening move, a storm of razor-sharp ice pieces that filled the arena from every corner with deadly beauty.