CHAPTER 87: A TALE

Hope surged inside Kaedros. There’s a way?

"Tell me," he said immediately, not noticing or ignoring the troubling tone Nyra had used.

Nyra narrowed her eyes. "It’s a very hard way... I don’t know."

Thalso turned toward her, his voice cold. "Which way? ...You don’t mean that, do you?"

Nyra shrugged. "It’s the only thing I could think of."

"Then no." Thalso’s tone dropped, flat and final.

Kaedros had been following their exchange, but the flame of hope within him dimmed as they continued to argue, shutting him out.

"Why?" he cut in sharply. "What are you talking about? What way?"

"Don’t worry about it, Kael," Thalso growled. "You’re not going there, so don’t trouble yourself."

"Go where exactly?" Kaedros pressed.

They ignored him, and Nyra faced Thalso squarely. "Why not? You can’t shelter them forever, Thalso. It’s not even a dangerous place anymore, we cleared it long ago!"

"You and I both know it’s still dangerous!" Thalso shot back, each word laced with tension. "And whatever they find there... nothing good will come of it."

But Nyra didn’t flinch. She held his gaze, voice flat. "So what then? We coddle them? You know that’s no longer an option. Not now. Not when they’ve already stepped into here. Pain lies ahead, with or without this path. Especially if they don’t grow stronger."

She must be telling the truth, Kaedros thought. Thalso didn’t argue he just growled and looked away.

Kaedros couldn’t focus on the talk of Throne of Ruinlight or pain. All he could think of was that there might still be a chance. A real chance to remove his Bloodline Trait.

"Tell me. How can I remove it?" he asked again, desperation cracking into his voice.

"It’s not that simple," Nyra replied. "It’s not a method to remove it, but you might find someone who knows how. Or at least learn more about how the experiment worked."

"Yes. Tell me." Then he hesitated. "Please."

He didn’t care how slim the chance was,he’d take anything that might point him toward a solution.

Nyra turned to Thalso. "Well? Should I tell him?"

Thalso sighed and stroked a hand down her fur. "What choice do I have? Tell him. But before he goes there, I want a promise. They must finish the first phase of training, secure the first stone."

Kaedros nodded without hesitation. Then paused. "Rota? Rauk? I don’t know if..."

"I’ll go with you!" Taria cut in enthusiastically.

Kaedros was quietly relieved. He had hoped she’d say something like that, but trust didn’t come easily for him. He’d learned to expect that people always acted out of self-interest.

Still... her words warmed him.

He turned to Rauk, who was still deep in thought. He didn’t need to say anything; Rauk already had his answer.

"You could’ve killed me back there," Rauk said, recalling the moment Eleanor had wanted him dead. "You could’ve walked away and let her do it."

Kaedros shrugged. "I don’t like being told what to do by people I don’t like."

"Your death wouldn’t have saved us anyway," Taria added.

Rauk gave a small smile. "Either way, I owe my life to you two. Of course I’ll follow you. Even if you do keep secrets from me."

That warmed Kaedros further. But he only nodded. His gratitude remained buried, deep and silent.

He turned back to Thalso. "We promise. We’ll complete the first stage of training and claim the first stone."

Thalso nodded, finally appeased. His hand moved slowly through Nyra’s fur as she purred softly.

"Then let me tell a little story..." Nyra began.

"There was once a boy in a quiet village. His parents were ordinary, his life simple. He had a good childhood, and when it came time to learn the Flow, he began his training with hope. He didn’t dream of greatness, he just wanted a comfortable life.

"But everything changed two years in. He discovered something... something terrible."

She paused, and they all leaned in, tension creeping into their postures.

"He had reached his Threshold," she said quietly.

"Threshold?" Taria echoed. "What’s that?"

"The Threshold," Nyra explained, "is the point at which a users of mana reaches their maximum potential. Their progression halts. Their core ceases to grow. No matter what they do, they cannot improve any further."

Her words hit them like a strike to the chest.

"That’s... possible?" Kaedros asked in disbelief.

"Is it natural?" Taria asked, anxiety tightening her voice.

"Yes. Everyone is born with a potential," Nyra said. "It’s more common than you think. That’s why most experienced circles measure potential before training. If your limit is low, it’s better to know early. Otherwise, disappointment will destroy you later."

Taria shuddered. The thought of hitting such a dead end terrified her.

"Is there no way to go beyond the Threshold?" Rauk asked.

"Some use potions or medicines to boost their potential early on," Nyra said with a faint note of distaste. "But it’s risky... and impure. Strength should be earned, not purchased."

Her disapproval hung in the air like smoke.

Kaedros remained quiet, his mind spinning. A Threshold... a cursed Bloodline... hidden organizations... The more he learned, the more it felt like the world had stacked its cards against him.

And yet... he still had one sliver of hope left.

"You don’t approve?" Kaedros asked, catching the disapproval in Nyra’s voice. He was genuinely curious,he didn’t see anything wrong with it. Shouldn’t one take any opportunity to improve?

"Of course not. I don’t approve," Nyra said calmly. "The Threshold is nature’s way of telling you to focus on something else... or at least accept a certain limit."

"But shouldn’t we always find ways to improve our standing and our power?" Kaedros argued. "I believe nature shouldn’t dictate how far we go."

Nyra was silent for a moment, and Kaedros wondered if she’d be offended. Instead, she smiled.

"I like that mindset," she said. "It mirrors mine. Since the world only listens to power, why shouldn’t we do everything we can to gain it?"

"I thought you disapproved," Rauk said. He found them all far more complicated than expected. Were they heroes? Villains? He was beginning to realize those words didn’t fit anymore. People weren’t simple like that.

"I do disapprove," Nyra said with a smug grin. "But don’t think I wouldn’t have used every advancement drug in the world if my potential had been poor. Still, I don’t like people who do."

Rauk almost laughed. So she’s a hypocrite. But really, who wasn’t? He wasn’t a shining beacon of morality either.

"Why, though? Why don’t you like it?" he asked.

"Because people like that often become greedy, too greedy and their jealousy festers like poison. Just like the boy I mentioned..."

She paused, and her gaze darkened.

"His life was flipped upside down. He wanted a peaceful life. But when he hit his Threshold, he couldn’t accept it. How dare nature tell him what he could or couldn’t be? He was furious. That fury drove him to begin his spiral."

"He started drinking. Then he started buying cheap advancement medicine, desperate to push through the barrier."

Nyra leaned in slightly.

"Keep this in mind he had a defect in his core, yes, but not in his mind. He was smart. Brilliant, even."

She continued, her voice smooth and low like a storyteller drawing her audience in.

"He began experimenting on himself and the medicines he took. They didn’t work, not at first, but he made headway in another field and that’s poison."

"His genius made him rich quickly. He built influence through the local underworld. But it wasn’t enough. He moved to a bigger city and began building an empire of toxins and assassins."

She smiled faintly, but her eyes stayed sharp.

"He stopped working on advancement medicine for a while. Focused on growing his underworld network. But once he had the power and money, he picked up his research again, still desperate to overcome the Threshold."

"But he hit another wall," she said, voice hardening. "He lacked... test subjects."

Nyra paused just long enough for them to tense before she said it.

"And that was how we met."

"You... helped him?" Rauk asked, stunned. "With that?"

Nyra laughed, fangs glinting. It wasn’t a sweet laugh, it was sharp and cold.

"In a way. I brought him people to use."

"You... scouted for him?" Taria asked, already horrified.

Nyra shook her head.