Corin leaned against the cool stone wall of the training hall, breathing heavily. Sweat clung to his collar, but his heartbeat was strangely calm, almost too calm after such an exercise.
Viviana stood before him, completely unaffected. Her breathing was even, her black dress fitted flawlessly, as if she hadn't had to put in a moment's serious effort. She had almost let him win or at least let him think he had a chance.
Now she was looking at him with her trademark crooked smile, her pink eyes full of curiosity.
"Not bad, Corin." she finally said, crossing her arms. "You have good perception and damn good instincts.
"Experience." Corin stood up. "Anyone who lives in the slums long enough develops that. Either you learn, or you lose."
Viviana took a step closer, her pink eyes twinkling with amusement.
"Then imagine what you could accomplish with proper training."
Corin snorted softly. "What do you mean?"
"You have talent, but you're raw. You fight with pure instincts, but that's not enough when you meet real fighters. If you expand your mastery into different areas..."
She deliberately left the sentence hanging in the air and eyed him challengingly.
"Then...?"
"Then you'll be a dangerous man..." She grinned. "Maybe even too dangerous."
Corin held her gaze but said nothing.
"However, I mean something beyond that experience. I should be clearly superior to any opponent you've seen. But even I noticed something. It's as if you sense danger before it even arrives."
Corin frowned. "You mean like a premonition?"
Viviana shrugged her shoulders.
"Not quite. It's more subtle. You don't react hastily, but with a strange precision. Your movements are calm, silent. And if I'm honest..."
She put a hand to her chin as if she were thinking about a difficult math problem.
"It's hard to perceive you."
Corin blinked.
"What?"
"Your presence is... muted," she explained.
"You're there, but it feels like you're not quite tangible. I don't know if that's intentional or not, but it's damn useful."
Corin looked down at himself
"Does that mean it's part of my path?"
Viviana smiled. "Very likely."
"And these are my... Blessings?"
"Your basic blessings." she corrected
"Every path bearer gets them. They are the fundamental forces associated with the respective constellation. They are independent of the personal Blessings that develop later."
Corin thought for a moment. "And that applies to everyone?"
Viviana nodded.
"Each path has certain basic Blessings. I, for example, the Path of the Rose, have increased mental control and a certain connection to other people's feelings. My personal Blessings, on the other hand, are unique."
"And the raven path?" Corin asked.
Viviana grinned wryly.
"Hardly anyone knows anything about it. Your path is... rare."
Corin looked at the ground for a moment, then back at her.
"So I can't just ask someone."
"Not directly. But maybe we can find out." She winked at him. "I love secrets."
Corin sighed, straightened up and smoothed his rumpled shirt.
"Then I hope I can reveal one myself."
Viviana watched him for a moment, then turned elegantly.
"Tomorrow is a new day, Corin. Who knows what we'll find out then?"
Then she left the room, her silhouette framed by the torches. Corin stood still for a while before looking out into the night.
A path that no one understood.
A sign that he belonged to her.
And a fate he could not foresee.
But one thing he knew for sure, he was no longer the boy from the slums.
After training, Corin had withdrawn to freshen up. It was unusual to have so much water at his disposal, clean water, warm water. A luxury he could never have imagined in the slums. But he accepted it in silence.
When he had finally changed into fresh clothes, he set off. Viviana had expected him to join her for dinner.
The dining room was elegant, but not cluttered. Candles burned in ornate holders, the cutlery gleamed in the warm light. Viviana was already seated at the long table, one hand leaning casually against her wine glass. Her black dress clung perfectly to her figure and her pink eyes lit up with amusement when she saw him enter.
"You're on time," she remarked with a small smile. "That's a good start."
Corin sat down, his gaze briefly wandering over the food. It was plentiful, carefully arranged, a contrast to the simple, often meagre meals he was used to.
"Let's talk about your next steps," Viviana began as she helped herself to a grape.
"Your acceptance to the academy will be decided in the coming week. It hasn't been officially accepted yet, but I don't expect any problems."
Corin nodded slowly. "And until then?"
Viviana leaned forward, her smile widening. "You'll be working until then."
"Of course," he muttered dryly.
"Daily," she added with playful emphasis. "Combat training, because we need to find out what you can really do. And etiquette lessons, because if you want to survive in Veyna, you need to be able to move in the right company."
Corin paused, put his cutlery to one side and looked straight at her.
"So you want to turn me into a weapon?"
Viviana laughed softly.
"Oh Corin, everything here is a weapon. The only question is what kind you'll be."
She took a sip of wine, letting the taste linger on her tongue for a moment. Then she looked at him with a penetrating gaze.
"And you, raven boy... what do you want to be?"
Corin remained silent. He had to give himself the answer first.