The clang of steel rang sharp through the Vale’s practice field, echoing against the stone walls blackened from the Hollow’s fire. Warriors moved in tight formations, their bodies slick with sweat, muscles taut and trembling, blades meeting in harsh rhythm. This was no longer battle—it was rehearsal for survival, a way for the Vale to remind itself how to breathe when the air still smelled of ash and fear.At the center, Maxim stood like a pillar of storm. Sweat slicked his skin, muscles coiled beneath taut fabric, chest heaving as he sparred with two younger fighters. His movements were clean, precise—a predator in full control. Yet beneath that control, something roared, restless, gnawing at him. No steel could carve out the emptiness that had taken root in his chest.“Again,” he barked, shoving his opponents back with a shove that rattled their footing. His voice was gravel, roughened by sleepless nights.The young warriors exchanged uneasy glances. They were bone-tired, muscles sc
Last Updated : 2025-08-28 Read more