"I'm not answering your stupid question," Grim said, still keeping his distance from the robed man. "Just tell me what you—"
The ground beneath them shook. A low rumble came from below, making small rocks move across the training yard.
"What the hell is that?" Grim asked, looking around. "An earthquake?"
The robed man's smile widened. "No, junior brother. The Master has arrived."
He sat down cross-legged in the same spot he'd been when Grim first entered the yard. His back straight, hands on his knees, eyes closed.
"Hey! We're not done here!" Grim shouted, but the man ignored him.
The rumbling got stronger. Each second that passed, the shaking got worse. Grim had to spread his feet wider to stay standing.
[This isn't natural,] the voice warned. [This is mana. Massive amounts of it.]
"What do you mean?" Grim thought back, but before the voice could answer, he saw someone at the far end of the yard.
A figure walked slowly toward them. As he got closer, Grim could see more details. The man wore dark red robes with gold trim, a hood pulled up to hide most of his face. Only a long gray beard was visible, hanging down to his chest. He was tall, about 188 centimeters, with broad shoulders that made him look even bigger.
With each step the hooded man took, the ground under his feet cracked as if it couldn't hold his weight. A red aura surrounded him, pulsing like a heartbeat, extending about a foot from his body.
As the man got closer, Grim suddenly found it hard to breathe. It felt like something was squeezing his chest, forcing the air from his lungs. His knees gave out, and he dropped to one knee, grabbing at his chest.
"That's his mana aura," the robed man said, still sitting in his position, not affected by the pressure that was crushing Grim. "Few can stand near him without proper training."
The hooded figure stopped a few steps away from them. Up close, the red aura was even stronger, with streaks of gold and black moving through it.
"Is this Caius's great-grandson?" The Master's voice was deep and loud, seeming to come from all around them.
"Yes, Master," the robed man answered, bowing his head low. "This is Grim van Ambrose."
The Master grunted. "He's a far cry from Caius."
He waved his hand, and suddenly the pressure was gone. The red aura shrank until it was barely visible around him. Grim gasped, breathing deeply as his lungs could finally fill with air again.
"Get up, boy," the Master ordered. "If you can't even handle my aura, we have a lot of work to do."
Grim got to his feet, still breathing hard. "Who... who are you?"
The hooded figure pulled back his hood a bit, showing a weathered face with deep-set eyes that glowed. His skin was tanned and wrinkled with age, but he stood strong and moved easily.
"You can call me D," he said. "For the next two weeks, I am the only thing that matters in your life. I owe Caius a debt, and I will transform you into something worthy of his bloodline."
Grim stood up straight, his breathing getting back to normal. "Transform me into what?"
"Into someone who might survive what's coming," D replied. He turned to the seated robed man. "Chen Xing, get the training area ready. We start now."
The robed man—Chen Xing—stood up smoothly. "Yes, Master." He moved to the center of the yard and began drawing symbols in the air with his glowing green fingers.
D turned back to Grim. "Your great-grandfather saved my life once, and it cost him a lot. When I heard his bloodline still had the light affinity, I knew it was time to pay him back."
"So you're here to train me?" Grim asked, still not trusting him.
"No," D replied, his beard moving as he smiled. "I'm here to break you down and rebuild you from nothing. Training sounds too gentle for what I do."
[He's not lying,] the voice warned. [I can't even count his mana hearts. There are too many, and they're too packed together to see them clearly. Be careful what you agree to.]
"I didn't agree to anything," Grim thought back.
D's eyes narrowed suddenly. "Who are you talking to, boy?"
Grim froze. "I... I wasn't talking to anyone."
"Don't lie to me," D snapped, the red aura flaring up. "Your mana moved like you were talking to someone. There's something inside you, isn't there? Something that talks to you."
Before Grim could answer, D stepped forward and put his palm on Grim's forehead. The touch was hot and cold at the same time, painful but numbing. Grim tried to pull away but couldn't move.
"Interesting," D said after a moment, taking his hand away. "Very interesting. Caius, you clever old fox."
"What? What did you see?" Grim demanded, stumbling backward once he could move again.
D ignored the question. "We have a lot to talk about, but first, a demonstration. You need to see what you're working toward."
He turned to Feng, who had finished his preparations. "Attack me with everything you have. Don't hold back."
Feng bowed deeply. "As you command, Master."
What happened next was so fast that Grim could barely see it. Feng's body blurred as he attacked D, his hands and feet leaving trails of green fire. The air bent around him as he struck at D from many angles in just seconds.
D stood still, not even trying to defend himself. Each of Feng's attacks stopped just before hitting him, blocked by the red aura that got brighter with each try.
After thirty seconds of non-stop attacks, Feng jumped back, breathing hard.
"Pathetic," D said. "Is that really all you've learned in ten years under me?"
Feng lowered his head. "Sorry, Master. I will train harder."
D nodded, then turned back to Grim. "Your elder brother has five full mana hearts and has trained with me for ten years. Yet he can't even touch me. This is the difference between a disciple and a master."
He pointed at Grim. "And you, with your two weak hearts and no real training, aren't even worth calling a beginner. But we will change that."
D clapped his hands together once, the sound booming across the training yard. "Your father is gone. The palace is empty. For two weeks, you belong to me. We will use Caius's techniques as a base, but my methods will push you far beyond what your father could ever teach you."
He smiled, showing teeth that looked too sharp. "By the time I'm done with you, you'll either be twice the man your great-grandfather was—or you'll be dead. Either way, my debt will be paid."
Grim swallowed hard, feeling scared but excited. This wasn't what he'd planned when he'd asked the Empress for a real sword and training, but somehow he knew he'd gotten exactly what he needed.
"When do we start?" he asked, squaring his shoulders.
D's smile grew wider. "We already have."
Without warning, the ground under Grim's feet gave way, and he found himself falling into darkness.