novelblue
Chapter 74: The White Ravens’ Training Begins
Chapter 74: The White Ravens’ Training Begins
The underground fortress was eerily silent as dawn broke, but deep within its stone walls, the sound of steel clashing against steel rang out. Elowen and Sylvaine stood in the open training hall, their twin blades in hand, facing their mother.
Seraphis watched them with a critical gaze, arms crossed. Today was their first true test. She had given them weapons, but wielding them effectively was an entirely different challenge.
"The blades I forged for you are not just weapons," Seraphis began, stepping forward. "They are extensions of your very being. If you do not treat them as such, they will betray you in battle."
Elowen and Sylvaine nodded, their golden eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"Now, show me what you can do."
The First Strike
Sylvaine was the first to move. She lunged forward, her dark green twin blades slicing through the air with fluid precision. She aimed for Seraphis' midsection, but in a flash, Seraphis sidestepped, effortlessly dodging the attack.
"Too slow," she remarked.
Elowen took the opportunity to strike from the other side. Her light green blades moved like the wind, swift and unpredictable. She aimed for Seraphis' shoulder, but Seraphis raised a single metal playing card, blocking the attack effortlessly.
Clang!
The sound of metal meeting metal echoed through the hall.
Seraphis smirked. "Faster. Sharper. Again."
Form and Precision
The twins didn’t hesitate. They launched themselves at her again, moving in perfect sync. Elowen struck high, Sylvaine struck low. Their blades hummed with energy, their bodies moving with newfound agility.
Seraphis countered effortlessly, parrying each attack with the edge of her playing cards. The speed at which she moved was almost inhuman, as if she could predict every strike before it came.
Elowen’s frustration grew. She feinted left, then spun, bringing her blade toward Seraphis' ribs.
For a split second, Seraphis narrowed her eyes in approval. A clever move.
But still not good enough.
With a flick of her wrist, she twisted her body and caught Elowen’s blade between her fingers. Before Elowen could react, Seraphis flipped her over her shoulder, sending her tumbling across the floor.
Sylvaine, seeing an opening, lunged. She slashed upward in a powerful arc, aiming straight for Seraphis’ heart.
Seraphis dodged—barely.
A single strand of her white hair fluttered to the ground.
Sylvaine’s eyes widened. She had almost landed a hit.
Seraphis smirked. "Better. But not enough."
Endurance and Speed
The training continued for hours. The twins pushed themselves beyond their limits, sweat dripping from their brows.
Seraphis forced them to repeat movements over and over. "Again."
"Faster."
"You hesitated. That hesitation would have cost you your life."
Sylvaine’s strikes became sharper, more precise. Her dark green blades seemed to disappear into the shadows, her movements nearly silent.
Elowen, on the other hand, became like the wind. Her light green blades danced, unpredictable and relentless.
They were improving. But they were still not ready.
The Trial of Reflexes
Seraphis decided to raise the difficulty. She took ten of her metal playing cards and flicked them into the air.
"Dodge."
Before the twins could react, the cards shot toward them like bullets.
Elowen dropped into a roll, barely avoiding a card aimed at her throat. Sylvaine twisted midair, the sharp edge of a card grazing her sleeve.
But they weren’t fast enough.
Three cards pinned Elowen’s sleeve to the ground. Two stopped just inches from Sylvaine’s chest.
"Dead," Seraphis said flatly. "If those were real enemies, you would be corpses."
Sylvaine growled, ripping the cards from her sleeve. "Again."
Seraphis smirked. "Good answer."
Unlocking Their Potential
The second round was different. This time, the twins weren’t just reacting. They were anticipating.
Elowen, instead of dodging, used her speed to redirect a card midair, sending it spinning away.
Sylvaine, instead of moving randomly, calculated the angles and twisted through the smallest gaps.
Seraphis watched with silent approval. They were learning.
The Final Test
After what felt like an eternity, Seraphis finally stopped.
"Enough."
The twins panted, their bodies covered in sweat, but their eyes were sharper than before.
Seraphis walked toward them, inspecting their postures. She could see it now—the change.
"You are no longer just children wielding blades."
She reached into her belt and pulled out two white raven feathers.
"You are warriors of the White Raven."
Elowen and Sylvaine fell to one knee, accepting the feathers with solemn expressions.
Seraphis smirked. "Now, let’s see if you can kill."