Lukas found himself in the cool morning on the practice field, facing Vorcan. The man’s sword leaned against a stool, slowly executing a series of stretches he had taught Lukas just days ago.

  Lukas had already stretched and completed one set against the pole, but he had been permitted to use a quarterstaff instead of the sword for most of the sets during the last two sessions. The seven-foot-long weapon, over an inch thick, felt comfortable in his hands. The quality of the wood and the staff’s balance starkly contrasted the sticks the children in the village used for training at his family’s estate.

  However, Vorcan interrupted him after only one set and directed him to the open practice area for sparring. Lukas had to wait almost five minutes for Vorcan to explain his intentions.

  Finally standing tall, he took the sword and held it at his side. “Reza wanted us to experiment with your wraith and determine its potential capabilities.”

  Lukas glanced over his shoulder. Severin leaned against the wall, shuffling his cards and ignoring everyone. “Do you think this is wise? How do we know neither of us will get hurt?”

  Vorcan chuckled, summoning his Wraith, swiftly ascending to the roof and gazing down at them. “Well, we don’t know for sure, but I can handle myself as well as anyone. It’s not like I’m incompetent; take it slow, and if you need to stop, just let me know. But fighting and stress are the most effective ways to learn; Marius was right about that.”

  The older man crouched, holding his sword steady and pointing it at Lukas. Lukas mimicked his stance, positioning his quarterstaff between them. He moved his hands closer to one end to maintain a distance from Vorcan. The only chance he had was to keep him at a safe distance.

  “I won’t simply overpower you like Reza did the first time. But be prepared. Are you ready?” He asked, raising his sword slightly, one foot sliding back into a readied position.

  Lukas nodded, holding his ground and waiting for Vorcan to strike. Despite knowing Vorcan would likely emerge victorious, he wanted to demonstrate his newfound skills and see how well he could do against a superior opponent.

  Vorcan remained still, “Activate your powers, Lukas, before I attack.”

  Lukas mentally spun his power, sensing Severin’s hand drawing a card. The card shot over his head, elongating into a thick rope that formed a noose around each of their necks. The rope glowed with a twisted crimson light.

  Vorcan lunged forward, attempting to sever Lukas in half with his sword as if it were a sharp blade. However, Lukas swiftly retreated, using his quarterstaff to maintain a safe distance. Undeterred, Vorcan swiftly slid past Lukas’s defense and struck his thigh with a swift blow. Pain surged through Lukas’s thigh, but it quickly subsided as he prepared for another assault from Vorcan.

  Damnit, barely ten seconds in, and he already hits me. Lukas moved to the side and launched another attack to strike the staff against Vorcan’s side. However, the sword effortlessly deflected his blow, the two weapons clashing with a resounding thud as the wood struck each other.

  No good, no weak attempt like that will work, Lukas realized.

  Withdrawing, Lukas moved more than twenty feet to the edge of the practice square, keeping himself at a safe distance from Vorcan. The noose around his neck remained steadfast, adjusting in length as they moved apart or drew closer. Vorcan gave Lukas little time to compose himself before launching another attack, maintaining relentless pressure.

  Three swift attacks came quickly, but Lukas could only block the first two. He dodged the first and used the quarterstaff to deflect the second by striking the sword to the side.

  However, Vorcan seized the opportunity and maneuvered past Lukas, slashing across the lower part of his thigh. Pain once again spread through Lukas’s thigh, causing him to limp slightly. Despite the discomfort, he managed to continue fighting without stopping.

  Echoes be damned. Lukas was growing increasingly frustrated; all he could do was defend. Every counter he made was blocked with ease, leaving him with little chance of striking. He still had no clue what Severin was doing with the noose and rope connecting them.

  A sound behind Lukas jolted him back to reality. “Damn,” he cursed, quickly turning to face the source of the noise. His thoughts had taken him out of the fight, leaving him unprepared for Vorcan’s next assault.

  Lukas was forced to dance away to keep Vorcan at a distance. He used the quarterstaff to fend off every attempt Vorcan made to come close with his short sword. As he moved, Lukas spun the staff using its length to keep them separated. He quickly circled the practice area, retreating and blocking as much as possible.

  As the fight commenced, Lukas was acutely aware that Vorcan could emerge victorious whenever he wanted. Every move made by the skilled warrior was precise, and Lukas remained vigilant, anticipating every one of his opponent’s attacks. Despite his best efforts, Vorcan repeatedly deflected or blocked Lukas’s quarterstaff. It took an immense amount of his skill to prevent him from surrendering.

  With each attempted counter, Lukas channeled every ounce of his energy, his leg burning with pain as he fended off Vorcan’s sword. Vorcan fought silently, making no comments as he relentlessly onslaughted Lukas.

  Recognizing his only advantage, Lukas kept Vorcan at a distance and maintained a defensive stance. He knew that Vorcan was not intent on killing him. As they continued to spar, Lukas remained steadfastly defensive, and they engaged in a brief dance of evasion.

  Although he was not flawless, Vorcan broke through Lukas’s defense multiple times, landing hits on his ribs and arms and another on his thigh. All likely would have led to a death with real weapons; however, the sparring continued. Each blow intensified the pain while his limp became more pronounced.

  Sweat poured down Lukas’s face, and his arms grew weary from the constant fighting. This was not a familiar experience for him, and the pain, coupled with the exertion, was taking its toll. Despite his desire to end the fight, he could not do so. He yearned to land at least one hit on Vorcan, but the man appeared remarkably unaffected by the pain, even with the grimace he had from the slightest limp. Had he sustained an injury?

  Lukas prepared himself, smacking the sword away one final time before attempting to retreat. However, his left leg gave way, and he fell to one knee. Vorcan paused, seemingly ready to conclude the sparring session. But Lukas quickly rose to his feet, unwilling to relinquish this moment.

  Damn leg, give me one last chance. Lukas realized he might have just one last opportunity before conceding defeat. He could launch an all-out attack, aiming to score a single hit and ultimately give up.

  Lukas prepared himself and closed the distance to Vorcan, striking his quarterstaff against Vorcan’s sword. The impact caused the sword to bounce off, but Lukas seized the momentum to swing the staff through his hands, altering his grip. Lukas’s intended strike on Vorcan’s ribs found its mark on the side of his head instead.

  Falling to one knee, Lukas attempted to turn back and assess Vorcan’s condition. He had not intended to hit him in the side of the head. A brief glimpse of Vorcan standing, his face etched with pain, confirmed his mistake.

  As Lukas tried to speak, a sharp pain pierced the side of his head, causing him to fall to his knees. His vision went white, and the staff fell and rolled away as he lost control of his power. He felt Severin’s presence dissipate, and the slight pressure he had felt within the pain vanished.

  Lukas sat down and held one of his hands to the side of his skull, feeling the excruciating pain as if he had cracked his skull. It took a moment for his vision to clear, and the pain gradually subsided. Lukas sat down again and carefully examined the side of his head, but he could not find any wound or swelling. His hand remained unscathed, devoid of any bleeding. However, the pain was undeniable.

  “What was that? How did you hit me so quickly?” Lukas inquired. He tried to locate Vorcan, wondering how he had managed to strike him so swiftly, but the man was still ten feet away, still holding his sword.

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  “Well, that was certainly an experience,” Vorcan replied quietly, his eyes still narrowed in pain.

  That was not a satisfactory answer, but before Lukas could ask again, Vorcan slowly moved back to retrieve a water pitcher. He poured two glasses and brought one to Lukas.

  The water felt soothing, and the pain gradually diminished to a deep ache on the side of his head. “What was that? I turned around to check on you, and then suddenly, I was in excruciating pain. You weren’t close enough to have a chance at hitting me.”

  Vorcan merely smiled, indicating that his pain had largely subsided. He sat across from Lukas. “I believe I know, but I want you to think it through and see what you can come up with.”

  Lukas gathered his thoughts, but it was an arduous struggle to focus. Despite the lingering headache, the cold water provided enough relief that he could suffer through the pain. “I accidentally struck you on the head as I passed you, but I quickly moved away to prevent you from hitting me back. So, I’ll consider that you could not have hit me. I apologize for that; I didn’t intend to cause harm.”

  Vorcan shrugged, though he touched the side of his head. “It happens, though I wasn’t expecting you to smack me in the head. I gave you the opening, but my leg gave out. I couldn’t dodge out of the way. I was testing and theory.”

  Testing something while I hit him? It was apparent he was referring to Severin’s power. But how did it work, and how did he figure it out? He took a moment, and something seemed to click in his mind. “Severin made a connection between us?” Lukas asked. It seemed the most likely answer. Otherwise, he couldn’t guess what Vorcan would be hinting towards.

  “I do believe so,” Vorcan nodded. “Every time I scored a hit on you, I felt the same pain in the same spot.” He rubbed his thigh, where he had hit Lukas’s thigh.

  No wonder he had a slight limp; it wasn’t a pulled muscle. But he had taken a beating too magically. He felt strange about the power and wasn’t quite sure what it was. “Now, how does that help me? Getting hurt by being hit and hitting your opponent doesn’t seem useful?” Lukas questioned. “Do you see any use, Master Vorcan?”

  Vorcan nodded, leaning back. “A few, and I could probably think of more for this power. But you forgot one important fact we saw with your first attempt to use power against Reza.”

  Lukas summoned Severin. The Wraith appeared already shuffling his cards, standing over the two of them and looking down passively. Lukas thought, staring at his wraith; what was he overlooking? It took time, but he finally noticed the cards. “Severin pulled a different card the second time I summoned him against Reza.” First, it had been the Hangman and then the Lovers. So, were each card a different power or the same power? Did each just the creation of the noose was made through the cards? Each answer gave more questions for them to answer; it was beyond frustrating.

  “Exactly; I think maybe we should try to use the power again and see what happens. We know what the Hangman does?” Vorcan said.

  Lukas turned to look at Severin. “How did you know which card it was?” he asked.

  “I saw it when Severin threw it over you. You wouldn’t have been able to see it from your position,” Vorcan replied, gesturing towards Severin. “Try again, and we can see.”

  Lukas nodded and spun the power. Severin smiled as he pulled another card from the deck. This time, the card showed the High Priestess on its face as it slowly turned in the air. It emitted a crimson glow as it morphed into a new form.

  It swiftly twisted and morphed until a wicked curved ritual dagger materialized. It fell into Lukas’s hand, and the crimson light faded to reveal a dagger nearly a foot long. The entire hilt was made of grey wood, while the blade was a dark, smoky metal that seemed to have just cooled into its final form, almost alive. The dagger had a glowing yellow and black gemstone carved into an eye, staring up at them at the base of the blade.

  “I wasn’t expecting a weapon,” Vorcan whispered, examining the weapon.

  Lukas felt the blade in his hand. It was perfectly balanced and seemed crafted for his hand alone. “Me neither. It’s quite remarkable, unlike any dagger I’ve ever seen.”

  What have you given me, Severin? The Wraith maintained his impassive face as he, too, gazed down at the dagger. Lukas couldn’t decipher what the man might be thinking.

  “It appears to be the daggers used in the church for sacrifices. I’ve seen a few on display in the church of Kelmanus. The churches abandoned sacrifices about two hundred years ago, though.” Vorcan explained. “It’s a rather vicious-looking thing, though. Check the edge.”

  Lukas used one finger to inspect the blade, and the edge was keen and sharp. He barely touched it, and blood welled up on his finger. The blade’s jeweled eye momentarily intensified before he withdrew the edge from his finger.

  What on earth was that? Lukas released the power, and the blade gradually vanished. The eye was the last thing to disappear, almost glaring as it vanished into crimson smoke.

  “Well, that was intriguing. Not every card is identical, and not every card conjures a noose like the first two. Let’s have Severin draw one last card for today.” Vorcan looked up at the sky.

  Lukas followed him and noticed the sun had risen high in the sky. It was well past noon.

  “You don’t have much time before Sabine’s fight,” Vorcan said, glancing back.

  Damn, he had forgotten in all the excitement of the sparring and the use of his power that he was expected to meet up with the rest of the family in just a few hours to watch the fight. He didn’t want to miss the contest, especially if it was close to the last few he had witnessed. Lukas had learned a few valuable lessons from it.

  Lukas focused and spun the power once more. Severin drew another card, The Lovers, this time. It elongated, forming a crimson and emerald rope that again encircled their necks, creating two nooses.

  Another rope? It likely did something similar to the last one. “How do we want to test this?” Lukas asked. There was no way he could spar until he received a healing session.

  Vorcan stood, limping slightly towards his wooden sword. He returned and faced Lukas. “I’m going to strike you with the blade somewhere on you, hard enough to cause pain. We’ll witness the consequences.”

  Lukas leaned back, allowing Vorcan to strike the top of his left leg. Vorcan grasped the blade and hit the top of the thigh with its flat edge.

  Vorcan’s leg spasmed, and he dropped to one knee. Lukas gazed down at this leg in astonishment. That was something extraordinary. “I didn’t feel any pain. But you did. How fascinating is that?” Lukas remarked.

  “Of course, damn, that hurt. I shouldn’t have struck you that forcefully.” He rubbed the spot where Lukas had been hit. “My leg is numb now. Here, you try it.”

  Lukas took the blade and stabbed Vorcan in the opposite leg. A slight pain shot through Lukas’s left leg when he struck Vorcan. It was an unusual experience. Lukas looked up. “Did you feel it?” He asked eagerly.

  “No, this is intriguing. We experience the pain we inflict on others. I’m uncertain about what to expect with this Wraith any longer.” He glanced over at Severin with a curious expression. “I have one final experiment I want to try, but you must trust me.”

  Lukas nodded, but his eyes widened when Vorcan drew a dagger from his belt. “Are you not doing what I anticipate with that?”

  Vorcan smiled, coming close to Lukas. “Perhaps, stand up.”

  Lukas hesitantly complied with the request. He knew the man was going to cut him. But he was uncertain if Severin’s power would be strong enough to cut him. It was an insane prospect, but it had to happen if they were to learn as much as possible about each of Lukas’s powers.

  Vorcan grasped Lukas’s arm firmly and held the blade tightly against it, severing his forearm. A sharp pain shot through him, but it swiftly dissipated as the wound opened on his arm. Instead of blood gushing out as Vorcan cut Lukas, a crimson smoke rose from the incision, sealing it shut behind the blade. Not a single drop of blood had escaped; instead, a small red line remained where the sword had cut his flesh.

  Lukas stared with amazement at the power before him. This spectacle was undoubtedly the most extraordinary thing he had ever witnessed, a power far beyond his wildest imagination.

  “Well, now that’s something,” Vorcan remarked, lifting his shirt sleeve to reveal a small, two-inch cut in the exact spot he had cut Lukas. The wound bled steadily, prompting Vorcan to grab a bandage from his bag and wrap it to stem the bleeding. “Lukas, you possess one of the most extraordinary powers I’ve ever witnessed. However, I’m overwhelmed with questions about it. How long can you sustain this power? Can you select the cards, or is Severin in control? How does he make these choices? These are merely a fraction of the questions that plague me. There are too many at the moment.”

  Vorcan and Lukas turned to Severin, but the man shrugged, unwilling to disclose any information or admit his lack of knowledge.

  “Time will tell, I suppose—more practice and training. At least I can repeatedly invoke this power. I can now test it as frequently as I desire.” Lukas remarked. The spinning of the power felt natural already, but he had little understanding of how to control the rest or whether he should simply trust Severin.

  Vorcan shook his head. “You must proceed cautiously and only use your power when Reza or I are present. You should connect to one of us rather than accidentally hurting a random person who cannot protect themselves. We will do this meticulously.”

  Lukas’s eyes widened, and he allowed Severin to vanish into crimson smoke. He hadn’t considered the potential consequences of this power. How foolish he was at the mere thoughts that had gone through his head. Carelessness would get him killed if he was patient.

  Vorcan smiled reassuringly. “I wouldn’t be overly concerned, but the risk is undeniable. Therefore, we should approach this with caution and learn these powers correctly. From what we’ve witnessed, these abilities may be exceptionally impressive.”

  Lukas nodded solemnly. “I will refrain from thinking about paralyzing or killing myself with these powers. Even though the thought is now already in my mind, Master.”

  Vorcan smiled and shrugged. “It’s better to be cautious than reckless. We’ve had enough for today; go ahead and enjoy the duel. I’ll give you the afternoon to recover, and we can meet tomorrow. I need some time to think about our next steps. When you see Reza, update him; he might have some insights based on what we’ve learned.”

  Lukas nodded and left while Vorcan gathered the equipment.

  A mix of fear and excitement swirled in his mind. He had discovered some of his powers, but Vorcan’s warning made him almost eager to master them, so he refrained from causing harm to himself or others. “Give yourself time,” he thought. “Only time and practice will dispel this fear.” He hoped.