A year had passed since the shadowy figures infiltrated the estate. Guards now patrolled every corner, their presence a constant reminder of that night.

  The training ground rarely fell silent. Julia’s voice rang out: “Only ten more to go.” It echoed not just across the field, but deep in the children’s minds.

  Ten children turned fifteen that year, and they took the entrance exam to enter Acacia. Only one succeeded. The other nine returned with downcast eyes and bruised pride. Julia consoled them, “Don’t be sad, you can join our ranks and train with me and the guards.” The nine of them smiled through the loss of the chance at knighthood. But even serving under a duke was a great opportunity.

  The ones who returned helped the next set of students who would take the entrance exams, so that more of them could pass.

  Elaira trained her precision with daggers, and through illustrations in books that Ray got for her from the library.

  “Listen here, Ray, train with us as well.” She said heartily. Ray scoffed, “Who would get your techniques then? You hate the library.”

  Elaira frowned, clearly annoyed, but didn’t press further. Ray walked away and cheered for Sera, who ran by, training to be faster than anyone else. Sera smiled at him and continued.

  In front of the dormitory, Jon and Aidan sparred daily, mimicking the same sword styles to see who could master them faster.

  “You cannot beat me like this, Jon,” Aidan smirked.

  Jon smiled. “We’ll see.” And attacked. Through their sparring, they formed a brotherly bond of rivalry.

  Ray spent half his day buried in books and the other half by Cedric’s side, absorbing all the knowledge he could. His body fell behind, but his mind raced ahead.

  Cedric—often unknowingly—let slip tactics and insights. Ray listened to every word. Through the books found in the library, he learned about Acacia.

  I’ll certainly make use of Cedric’s knowledge; he’s the Timeless Strategist after all.

  After months of trying to learn about Harmony, Ray gave up when he couldn’t understand it and began training with Elaira and Sera.

  Elaira remained the children’s representative.

  The five of them bonded more than any other children—a sibling bond.

  Following the yearly sparring assessment, they considered Elaira the strongest, and Sera was second. Aidan ranked third, and Jon fourth. Ray, having trained less than others, was ranked eleventh.

  Just you wait. Ray thought under his warm smile.

  Seasons blurred by as another year passed. More children took the entrance exams.

  This time, nine out of fifteen succeeded. The others returned and started training with the Korax guards.

  This year, Julia completed her regimen and became a squire. Before she left, she gathered all the children at the training grounds.

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  “We won’t be seeing each other for quite some time.” She said with a smile. “But don’t worry, once you graduate, I’ll take you under my wing as squire apprentices.” The children hugged her and cried as they parted ways.

  Ray smirked. “If you slow down, I’ll leave you in the dust.”

  Julia pinched his ear. “Smug as ever. Try catching up to me first.”

  Ray rubbed his ear, watching her disappear down the path. Even the training grounds fell silent after she left.

  Over the year, they trained relentlessly. Elaira perfected her dagger techniques, and Sera became the fastest of the bunch. At the same time, Jon and Aidan started combining their techniques.

  Ray, again, spent half his day in the library and the other half learning what he read.

  “Internal harmony is becoming one with your senses.” He muttered every day as he trained his sight and hearing. He muttered it every day, not because he understood it, but because it was too easy to forget. Mastery wasn’t the goal. It was only the way. Harmony was the final destination.

  He spent half the day with his eyes closed, using only his ears to see — and the other half with his ears blocked, learning to hear with his eyes.

  Six months after he started, he had mastered both sight and hearing.

  He immediately told Cedric, who looked more shocked than impressed. A fourteen-year-old boy has mastered two senses? He reminds me of my younger days. He was undoubtedly proud of Ray.

  With his heightened hearing and sight, Ray could hear everything around the estate and spot a hawk hunting for rodents a few miles away.

  He began training with Elaira and Sera. During their spar, his heightened senses allowed him to predict Elaira’s precise dagger technique and Sera’s fast attacks from their muscle movements. However, because of insufficient training, he dodged or blocked the attacks two out of ten times.

  Over the next six months, Ray trained his speed with Sera and continued sparring with Elaira.

  Only Cedric knew Ray had mastered two senses and was intentionally using Sera and Elaira to master his external harmony.

  If this kid keeps going at this pace, he’ll realize his path before even entering the academy. Cedric thought with a proud smile.

  But Ray had different plans. He read the books about Harmony, and he knew he would soon unlock his path. He wanted complete internal and external harmony. And he would do that inside Acacia.

  The others were also close to mastering their external harmony.

  That year, Ray defeated Elaira, reclaimed his representative position, and was deemed the strongest. Ray helped her up afterward. She brushed dirt from her sleeve. “You’ve gotten better,” she said with a smirk that almost hid her pride. Ray smiled, and Sera patted his back. Jon and Aidan vowed to defeat him in the future.

  Cedric finally introduced the other children to Internal Harmony and asked them to learn earnestly inside Acacia.

  It was here, with only a week left, that Ray and the others would finally take their entrance exams.

  That night, Ray lay on his bed, his blonde hair covering his ears, flowing as the night breeze swirled through the open window.

  He stood and walked outside the dormitory. Duval’s words from almost three years ago rang in his mind (I want you to learn everything you can from whoever buys you and come to me.). Ray circled the dormitory (I need comrades to achieve my goal, and I think you could be one of them.).

  Under the starry night sky, behind the dormitory, Ray sat by the well. The night breeze carried a scent of flowers from the distant grasslands. The moon reflected off the water inside the well.

  I have gotten stronger, so should I just… run away?

  He pushed the bucket into the well, and it landed with a splash. Memories of the past years flooded his mind as he pulled on the rope—his training with Elaira and Sera. His banter with Jon and Aidan. He pulled up the bucket and poured the cold water onto himself. He stood there shivering and panting.

  No, I’m not strong enough yet.

  He glanced at the sky, his voice trembling. “Just a few more years, then I’ll be ready.”

  He turned and strode towards the dormitory, shivering and cold.

  The shining stars in the dark sky faded as the sun rose from behind the mountains, coloring the sky crimson.

  The children woke up one by one, prepared to set out for Acacia, and a life of adventures or honors waited patiently for them.