We entered the training chamber, a vast stone room lined with weapons and banners from battles long past. In the center of the room, Sir Garrick, our swordmaster, stood waiting. His grizzled face broke into a rare smile as we entered, his massive arms crossed over his chest. He had been training us for years, and though he was tough, he was fair. He was some sort of grey wolf, I liked him. He was demanding but knew we had our limits. He is a great mentor in terms of fighting techniques. 

“Let’s see if you two remember anything from last time,” 

he said, tossing a wooden practice sword to each of us. Valentina caught hers easily, already bouncing on her toes with excitement. I gripped mine a little tighter, focusing on the task at hand. Here, in this room, things felt simple. The movements were clear, the focus direct. It was just me, the sword, and the rhythm of the strikes.

But even as I trained, I couldn’t shake the strange feeling that had settled over me. That shadow in the sky I keep seeing lately, the way my father keeps looking at me- it all left a knot in my chest, tight and unsettling.

As the day drew to a close, Valentina and I made our way back to the courtyard. The sun was setting now, casting long shadows across the floating islands. The sky was painted in brilliant hues of orange and purple, the stars just beginning to twinkle in the growing darkness. I was sweaty and felt how tight my muscles were. I felt stressed out, I felt that way a lot in the last years. I may be eight by age- but believe me. In Eldoria you don’t age nearly as fast as you humans do. According to your age calculations I would be a couple hundred years old at that point of time. 

Valentina flopped down onto the grass, exhausted but grinning, her earlier excitement finally spent. I sat beside her, my gaze drifting toward the horizon. The islands floated serenely, untouched by the troubles of the world below. From up here, everything seemed peaceful. But there was a tension in the air, something just beneath the surface, waiting to break free.

“Do you ever think things won’t always be like this?” 

I asked softly, not really expecting an answer that would calm my feelings, I just wanted to get it off my chest and speak it out for once. Valentina glanced at me, her brow furrowed. 

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know,” 

I said, shrugging. 

“Sometimes, it feels like something’s coming. Something big.”

She rolled her eyes, a small smile playing on her lips. 

“You’re overthinking things again, Evander. Nothing’s going to change. We’re safe here… and we’ve got each other.”

I smiled at her, but inside, the unease remained. I couldn’t explain it, but something about the way the shadows stretched across the sky made me feel like the peace we had always known couldn’t last forever. 

But for now, as the stars blinked into view and the world quieted, I let myself believe her.