Caius stood in the underground training hall, sweat clinging to his skin as he panted. His arms ached, his legs burned, and his fingers were numb from gripping the wooden sword for too long. Across from him, Garran stood firm, barely winded.
"Again," the old knight ordered, voice like iron.
Caius gritted his teeth and picked up his training sword, ignoring the dull throb in his wrist. He had lost count of how many times Garran had disarmed him, how many times he had hit the ground. His body screamed at him to stop, but something deeper inside—the same stubborn will that had kept him alive all these years—refused to yield.
He lunged.
Garran deflected effortlessly, his movements fluid, controlled. He struck back, forcing Caius to parry. The impact jolted up Caius's arm. His grip faltered—Garran saw the weakness and exploited it. A sharp twist of his blade sent Caius's sword clattering to the ground.
Caius swore under his breath.
Selene, watching from the sidelines, let out a low whistle. "At this rate, he'll be dead before the Hollow Legion even finds us."
Caius shot her a glare. "You could always come down here and help."
"I could," she said, smirking. "But watching you fail is way more entertaining."
Garran ignored the exchange. He stepped forward and picked up Caius's discarded sword, offering it back. "Your form is weak. Your stance is unbalanced." His tone was calm but firm. "You fight like someone used to running."
"I am used to running," Caius shot back.
"And that's why you keep losing," Garran replied. "You need to stop thinking like a survivor and start thinking like a warrior."
Caius clenched his jaw. The words stung because they were true.
Selene leaned against the cavern wall, arms crossed. "That's all well and good, but we're ignoring the real problem." She met Caius's gaze, her blue eyes sharp. "Your power."
The air in the chamber grew tense.
Elias, who had been silently observing from the back of the room, stepped forward. "She's right." His gruff voice carried over the quiet murmurs of the gathered rebels. "We know you can use it. But can you control it?"
Caius hesitated.
"I—" He stopped himself. No more dodging the question. He exhaled sharply. "No. I don't know how to control it."
Elias nodded