The sun was setting beneath the horizon, streaks of orange and red streaking the sky.
Zane and Sofia took a walk around the castle and stood atop the castle walls to watch the sun disappear.
For a minute, they didn’t say a word.
The cool evening air blew through the castle corridors.
Sofia glanced at Zane and smiled, remembering how the boy she stood by was once frail and shy, crying often, and never meeting anyone’s eye. He had spent most of his time with his own kind, and feared to interact with others until his eyes were caught by something important to him.
But now...
Sofia smiled softly.
"You have really grown up, Zane."
"Mmmm..."
Sofia crossed her hands behind her back and looked up at the setting sun.
"When I last saw you some four years ago, you were always so timid. You’d always run to your mother when someone would shout to you or boss you around," she said, looking to the side.
"Do you still remember Aveline, the girl from the House of Everhart?
"Yeah, I remember her," he replied.
" What is this strange feeling I feel in my chest whenever her name is spoken"?, he said while holding his chest.
"Do you remember when she came to the palace? You always ran and hid behind your mother’s dress."
" Sister... Stop teasing me ," he said, looking away with a slight blush.
"Haha... You are still the same deep down," she laughed, looking out over the distant mountains.
"So Zane, what were your plans for the future? Are you going to contest the throne with our brothers?"
"I’m not sure about that yet. For now, all I need is to get into the magic academy on my own merit, without having to rely on being a prince," he said, his expression darkening.
Cool wind blew past as Sofia studied his face.
She smiled. "So you do have higher ambitions."
"I do. But other than protecting the people I care about, I need to be stronger," he said, tightening his fist.
"That is truly admirable, young master," the butler interjected, giving a polite, shallow bow.
"You have grown far more than I expected during my time watching over you."
"Who assigned you to watch over me?" Zane asked, looking the butler in the eye.
"There is no need for caution, young master. It was the Fourth Queen- Princess Sofia’s mother."
Zane relaxed his posture. He remembered his mother telling him of the Fourth Queen in his past memories. The two had been close, and she had expressly told him to seek her out in the event of his need for guidance.
"In any case, my prince and princess, dinner has been prepared," the butler announced.
"Thank you. We’ll be right there."
They followed the butler down the hall and into the dining room, where the smell of roasted meats and seasoned spices filled the air.
"This looks incredible! It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such a spread," Zane remarked, looking around at the dishes laid out before them.
"What on earth have you been eating to get you excited?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Usually just dried meat, bread, soup, and tea," he said, looking up at the table thoughtfully.
"That’s all?" Sofia asked, raising an eyebrow as well.
"Yes, pretty much."
"Aah..." Sofia sighed, laying a hand on her forehead.
"It seems you’ve been really roughing it. Well, since you don’t have anyone here to manage cooking, cleaning, and security, I am assigning Maria to you," she said, gesturing to the young guard standing dutifully by the door.
"It would be my honor to serve you, young master," Maria said, bowing deeply.
"I appreciate it, but I don’t really need an attendant. I’m fine on my own," Zane said, looking towards Sofia.
"If you refuse her, then you’re coming back with me to the main palace."
" Sister, wait... "
"No excuses, Zane. You need proper support, and you are still young. Consider it settled," she said, taking a bite of her food.
"Fine... She can stay as my guard and attendant," he said, sitting back and crossing his arms.
They continued eating in silence for a while before Zane broke the silence.
" Sister, I want to travel to the Demon Mountain."
Sofia stopped, half-way to her mouth.
"WHAT...?"
"Huh?"
"You want to go to the Demon Mountain? Have you lost your mind?"
"Hear me out sister... "
"You know the stories our mothers told us! Even seasoned adventurers are still cautious when entering those grounds. Why on earth would you want to go there?" she demanded, getting up from her seat.
"I need combat experience."
"Sigh... You really are full of trouble, Zane," she said, sinking back into her chair and crossing her arms.
"Fine, then I am coming with you."
"No, Sister! No way," he said, waving his hands.
"And why not? You’re still young and haven’t fully mastered your mana control. Why shouldn’t I come?" she asked.
"Because if you come along, you’ll step in to protect me every time things get dangerous. I won’t be able to push past my limits. Besides, if anything were to happen to you while traveling with me, the whole kingdom would hold me responsible."
Sofia let out a long breath.
"I suppose you have a point. But I won’t let you head out completely lacking in preparation. Maria goes with you, and for the next three months, you will stay here while I train you in our family’s techniques and etiquette."
"Train me for three months...?"
"Take the deal, or you don’t go at all."
"Fine..."
The next few weeks were unlike anything Zane had experienced before.
Sofia didn’t just accompany Zane, she trained him.
Every morning at dawn, they would spar in the castle courtyard. Sofia wasn’t teaching him basic swordsmanship or spellcraft, she taught him the secret martial disciplines passed down from their royal family.
"These are techniques passed down strictly by our bloodline," Sofia said in one of their lessons.
"Most people outside the royal court don’t even know they exist."
Zane wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"How many are there?"
"Several core forms."
Sofia raised her right hand, and a brilliant golden mana began pulsing around her arm.
"Observe the first."
She took a silent step forward.
"Heavenly Dragon Step."
WHOOSH!
In a matter of seconds, Sofia was gone from Zane’s line of sight and behind him by ten paces.
Zane turned around, dumbfounded. "That wasn’t space magic."
"No. It’s mana discharge through your feet. You release the pulse the exact moment your soul hits the ground."
She demonstrated the movement again, at half speed.
"Do not force the mana flow. Let it channel naturally through your lower body."
[DING]
[HEAVENLY DRAGON STEP RECORD ED]
" Nice system, I will learn it later"he said to himself.
Zane studied the mana pathway carefully.
Next, Sofia showed him a defensive form.
"Heavenly Dragon Guard."
A dense layer of golden energy covered her skin like a seamless armor.
"This reinforces your physique and repels incoming strikes. However, if your mana circulation fluctuates, the barrier breaks."
Zane nodded, carefully memorizing the internal flow.
[DING]
[HEAVENLY DRAGON GUARD HAS BEEN RECORDED]
Over the next few weeks, Sofia taught him additional techniques:
Heavenly Dragon Strike: A technique that condenses compressed mana into a single point of impact.
Heavenly Dragon Pressure: An aura technique that radiates dense mana outward to overpower weaker targets.
[DING]
[HEAVENLY DRAGON STRIKE AND HEAVENLY DRAGON PRESSURE HAS BEEN RECORDED]
Zane didn’t learn them right away; that was something Sofia made him aware of.
"Understanding the theory behind a technique is very different from executing it."
"I’ll get it down eventually," Zane replied.
"I know you will."
However, there was one technique that Sofia was determined not to show him.
One evening, when their training session was over, Zane asked about it. "You mentioned earlier that there was one ultimate technique you haven’t shown me."
Sofia’s expression darkened the moment she heard his question. "You are not ready for that one."
" Why not? "
"Because it isn’t something we use lightly."
Zane looked right into her eyes. "What is it called?"
Sofia looked out towards the evening sky.
"Heavenly Dragon Sovereign."
"What does it do?"
"I can’t tell you."
"Are you serious? "
Sofia met his eyes. "That technique is only revealed to bloodline members when a specific condition is met."
"What condition?"
"When every other option has failed," she said softly. "It is a weapon reserved for absolute crisis when the life of a Williams heir or the fate of the kingdom is directly on the line."
Zane chose not to ask further.
Sofia turned to him. "There is one more thing you must know. Our family line carries an ancient obligation."
"An obligation?"A contract formed long ago," she said, her tone grave. "With a Void Dragon."
A strange feeling echoed in Zane’s chest, though he could not place it.
"Every direct heir in our lineage must eventually undergo the Void Dragon Trial."
"At what age?"
"When you reach twenty years of age."
Zane frowned. "What does the trial involve?"
"The full details are known only to the current ruler."
"And if someone fails?"
Sofia stared blankly at him for a few long seconds. "You will find out if and when that time comes."
Zane sighed quietly. "That isn’t very reassuring."
Sofia smiled faintly. "You have more than a decade before you need to worry about that. Focus on the steps in front of you."
Zane looked towards the dark outline of the distant mountain range.
At the end of three months, Sofia concluded her training. Shortly after, an official messenger arrived, summoning her back to the main palace. She got her things and prepared her carriage.
"Zane, I am returning to the capital. When our paths cross again, I expect you to be significantly stronger. And Maria- take care of my brother."
"Understood, Princess Sofia," Maria replied with a sharp bow.
"I’ll see you at the academy, Sister," Zane said, waving as the carriage passed through the outer courtyard gates.
Once the dust settled, Zane turned back towards the main keep. "Well, it’s just the two of us now. Are the preparations for the trip complete?"
"Everything is packed and ready, young master," Maria answered.
"Good. And you can drop the formal bowing while my sister isn’t around," he said, going inside to get his gear.
A few days later, Zane and Maria arrived at the base of their destination.
"So this is the Demon Mountain," Zane murmured, looking up at the jagged, towering peaks before them.