"The Solarian Edge: Blade of the Astral Realm"

The air in the training ground felt heavier than usual, charged with an unspoken tension. Kaius was relentless, his blade slicing through the air in a controlled frenzy. Every strike, every motion carried a weight of frustration, an anger simmering beneath the surface. He had reached Level 6, but it wasn't enough—not nearly enough. Not when he saw how far Eira stood above him. Not when the burden of weakness pressed against his chest like an iron chain.

Ravel and Aldric watched from the sidelines, their expressions grim. This wasn't training. This was self-destruction masked as discipline. Again and again, Kaius attacked, his grip tightening until his knuckles turned white.

"Kaius! Enough!" Ravel's voice cut through the night air. He stepped forward, catching the blade mid-swing with his own. Sparks flew as steel met steel, but Kaius didn't falter. His breath came ragged, his golden eyes burning with something unspoken.

Aldric exhaled sharply, stepping in as well. "You're pushing too hard. This isn't how you grow."

Kaius grit his teeth, yanking his sword back. "Then tell me how. Tell me how to reach where she is." His voice held a raw desperation, a rare moment where his walls cracked enough to reveal his true fear—falling behind.

Ravel's gaze softened, though his stance remained firm. "Not like this. You think throwing yourself into the fire will forge you into something greater? It'll burn you to ash first."

Aldric nodded, crossing his arms. "Even we couldn't reach Edge Bearer. And we started training from the moment we could hold a sword."

Kaius let out a sharp breath, frustration still clawing at him. But he didn't resist when Ravel placed a hand on his shoulder. "You'll get there," Ravel murmured, his voice steady. "But don't lose yourself in the process."

---

Meanwhile, frustration of a different kind gnawed at Ravel and Aldric. Despite all their efforts, despite prying into every corner, they had uncovered nothing more about the Valreth family's true intentions. Everything appeared in order—too perfect. And that only made them more suspicious.

"It's maddening," Aldric muttered, running a hand through his hair. "Everything seems to check out, and yet... it's like there's something just out of reach."

Ravel leaned against the stone wall, his jaw tight. "That's what bothers me. When things are too clean, too neatly arranged—it usually means someone's hiding something."

Aldric let out a humorless chuckle. "If only we had a rat in their ranks. Someone to spill their secrets."

Ravel huffed, rubbing his temples. "Yeah, well, until that happens, we're stuck piecing together fragments that don't fit."

---

Eira found herself riding beside Lord Valreth in the quiet sanctuary of the horse shed. He wasn't an unpleasant man—his features were sharp, his demeanor composed. He wasn't overly forceful nor particularly cruel. Yet, the weight of what their marriage meant pressed against her ribs like a vice.

He rode beside her in silence for a long while before speaking. "You resent this arrangement." It wasn't a question.

She didn't answer immediately, watching the way the wind rippled through the grass beyond the training grounds. "I resent that I don't have a choice."

Valreth let out a soft sigh. "Nor do I." He turned to her, his green eyes unreadable. "If it's any consolation, I won't force anything upon you."

Eira met his gaze, searching for any trace of deception. She found none. "That doesn't make it easier."

"No, I suppose it doesn't."

A strange sort of understanding passed between them. They were both bound by duty, by expectations neither of them had set. And yet, in this moment, they weren't adversaries. Just two people caught in a fate neither of them had chosen.

As they rode back toward the training ground, the soldiers paused in their sparring, watching them intently. Whispers passed between them, curiosity thick in the air. Even Ravel and Aldric exchanged glances, their earlier frustrations momentarily forgotten.

Theo, standing at the edge of the field, grumbled under his breath. "This is a damn mess."

Vaelen chuckled, nudging him. "Come on. Let's get a drink before we start brooding like the rest of them."

The moon hung high above, casting its silver glow over the land. The night felt still, yet beneath the surface, change was brewing. And none of them knew just how deep it would run.