The chill of early dawn pressed against the mountainside, but I was already awake, crouched among the jagged rocks that overlooked the forest below. My body was still sore from the previous day’s unexpected confrontation with the rogue hunters, muscles stiff but humming with a sense of power I had never felt before. The months of relentless training, endless drills, and brutal endurance tests had honed my body into something sharp and resilient. Yet, it was more than just the physical strength that had changed, I had grown sharper in thought, quicker in perception, and more cunning than I had ever imagined possible.
I allowed myself a moment of quiet reflection, the wind tugging at my silver-streaked hair, the bond throbbing faintly at the base of my neck. Its pulse was subtle but insiste
