I quietly slipped back into the training hall, the silence unsettling as I closed the door behind me. The dim light cast long shadows across the polished floor, the racks of weapons standing like silent sentinels in the darkness.The air felt heavy with anticipation, each moment stretching out into an eternity as I made my way deeper into the hall.

It was… eerie to walk through the quiet training hall. I had spent the rest of the afternoon working on maneuvers with Lysander and the other soldiers and to now retrace my steps without the noise of combat or the voices of others felt… ghostly. Like the memories from earlier in the day had taken place years ago rather than only a few hours ago. 

I could sense Lysander's presence before I even laid eyes on him, his aura a tangible force that seemed to permeate the very air around him. As I approached the center of the room, I saw him standing there, his form illuminated by the remaining hues of sunset filtering in through the high windows.

"Javier," his voice cut through the silence like a blade, sending a shiver down my spine. "You came."

I nodded, my gaze steady as I met his intense stare. "You told me too."

A faint smile ghosted across Lysander's lips, his eyes gleaming with a fierce determination. He held his metal blade in his hand and I caught the staff he tossed to me.  "Good. Let us begin."

I gripped the staff tightly, its familiar weight grounding me as I prepared to face Lysander once again. There was a different energy in the air tonight, a tension that seemed to crackle between us like static electricity before a storm. I could feel the weight of Lysander's expectations pressing down on me, and I knew he would not accept me holding back this time. I mentally cursed Sabien’s memories as I readied my stance, annoyed that it had given me an unfair advantage. There goes my chance of learning for myself.

As the first strike came, I met it head-on, the clash of metal against wood reverberating through the silent hall. Lysander's attacks were relentless, each blow delivered with precision and power that threatened to overwhelm me. But I refused to yield, pushing myself to match him blow for blow.

Time seemed to blur as we fought, the minutes stretching into eternity as we moved with a primal intensity that bordered on savage. Sweat beaded on my brow, my muscles burning with exertion as I strained to keep up with Lysander's relentless assault. Every fiber of my being screamed for respite, but I pushed through the pain, drawing strength from the fire that burned within me.

Lysander's strikes came faster now, his movements a blur of motion as he pressed his advantage. I heard the wood start to splinter with each strike, my earlier worry returning. Sabien’s memories filled my mind, showing me how to prevent the staff from breaking, but I still hesitated. Lysander didn’t know I was a living demon and everyone knew I hadn’t had my revealing ceremony yet. I wasn’t supposed to use magic yet. 

Don’t hold back. Lysander’s words from earlier swam through my mind and I gritted my teeth, quickly swinging up the bottom of the staff to force Lysander to step back from me. I panted as I gripped the staff tighter in my hands, a soft ice blue glow emanating from the interior of the staff. I could see the glee on Lysander’s face and I watched as his own blades began to glow a fiery orange, matching the intensity of the moment. His eyes narrowed in focus, his movements becoming even more fluid and precise as he unleashed a flurry of strikes unlike anything I had seen from him before.

But this time, I met him head-on with a newfound confidence, the energy coursing through my veins lending strength and speed to my movements. With each strike, I felt the magic crackling in the air around us, the staff in my hands humming with power as I pushed myself to keep pace with Lysander's relentless assault.

The intensity of our duel escalated, the clash of metal against wood echoing through the hall like thunder. Sparks flew with each collision, illuminating the darkness with a fiery brilliance that seemed to consume us both. My muscles burned with exertion, but I refused to falter, drawing upon every ounce of strength and skill I and Sabien possessed. Sabien had never been able to best Lysander in combat, always falling behind his teacher as he struggled to surpass him, but I had an advantage Sabien didn’t.

But even as I fought with all my might, a nagging voice in the back of my mind whispered warnings of the consequences of my actions. I was playing with fire, risking exposure and retribution with each display of magic. But at that moment, with Lysander's blade bearing down upon me, I couldn't bring myself to care. Lysander had told me not to hold back and this wasn’t my magic that I was using. 

“Enough!” Kozani’s voice boomed through the demo hall and Lysander and I immediately froze. I had never heard Kozani’s voice so deep and angry and I slowly turned to meet the gaze in the emperor’s eyes. His bore into mine with a mixture of shock and anger, his expression a mask of disbelief at what he had just witnessed. I could feel the weight of his disappointment pressing down on me, suffocating in its intensity.

"Javier," he began, his voice low and dangerous. "What in the name of the Goddess do you think you're doing?"

I swallowed hard, the realization of my recklessness crashing down upon me like a tidal wave. I had allowed myself to be consumed by the heat of battle, to lose sight of the consequences of my actions in pursuit of victory. Even if it wasn’t truly magic, if someone like Aldrin had seen, there was no way the elf wouldn’t have tried to use that knowledge to our disadvantage. I bowed my head, ashamed of my actions. 

“Your Majesty,” Lysander stepped forward then, his expression a mixture of concern and frustration. “I am to blame for the Prince’s reckless behavior. I sensed during our fight earlier that he was holding back in front of the others, so I invited him here to fight without an audience so I could truly understand his skill.”

Kozani's gaze flickered between Lysander and me, his brow furrowing in disbelief. The tension in the air was palpable, thick with the weight of his disappointment and the gravity of my actions.

"Lysander," Kozani's voice softened marginally, though the edge of authority remained unyielding. "Your intentions may have been noble, but I can not overlook Javier’s lack of judgment."

Lysander nodded, his jaw tight with tension. "I understand, Your Majesty."

“Good, then leave us,” I flinched with Kozani’s words, not daring to look up as I heard Lysander walk by me to leave the demo room. Now alone with the emperor, I felt the full weight of his gaze and I resisted the desire to tremble. Even in my previous life, I hated my father’s anger more than my mother’s: not because he was worse than her, but because I couldn’t handle disappointing him. 

“What was that, Javier?” Kozani demanded and I chanced a look up and caught the stern look in those green eyes, causing me to drop my gaze again. I hated this. 

“I… the staff was about to break, so I pulled on the magic in the air to re-enforce the staff.”

“And how did you know how to do that?” The emperor pressed, his voice like a whip crack in the tense silence. I knew I couldn’t tell him the truth about Sabien’s memories and the memories of the other summoned, but what else would be a responsible reason?

“I… read in a book that it was possible and I have become sensitive to magic in the air around me,” I answered slowly, hoping that my admission earlier in the day that I could sense magic would make the lie sound more believable. I didn’t really want to lie to Kozani but I still didn’t know how to tell him the truth. “When I heard the staff about to break, I just… reacted.”

"Reacted," he repeated, the word heavy with skepticism. Kozani’s expression softened slightly, though the disapproval still lingered in the lines of his face.  "You took a risk, Javier. A risk that could have had dire consequences."

"I know, Father," I murmured, the weight of my own guilt settling like a stone in the pit of my stomach. "I didn't think, I just... acted."

"Thinking before you act is crucial, especially in situations like these," Kozani admonished, his tone stern but not unkind. "You have a responsibility, not only to yourself but to the empire. You must learn to control your impulses, to think before you act, no matter the circumstances."

His words struck a chord within me, a reminder of the weight of my duty and the expectations placed upon me. I was the Emperor’s heir, the first adult demon found in a long time and more importantly, I was a living demon. Any one of those things was bad enough on its own, but as long as my existence as a living demon was a secret, I needed to be careful with how I acted and what I did. I needed to behave as if I was always being watched, and it was very likely that I was. 

“I understand, Father,” I replied, my voice barely above a whisper as I met his gaze with a mix of regret and determination. "I will do better."

Kozani regarded me for a moment longer, his expression unreadable before he finally nodded. "See that you do."

With a heavy sigh, he turned and began to make his way towards the exit, his footsteps echoing through the hall like a solemn drumbeat. I remained rooted to the spot, the weight of his disappointment still heavy upon my shoulders.

As the door closed behind him, the silence of the training hall enveloped me once more, broken only by the sound of my own ragged breathing. I closed my eyes, allowing the stillness to wash over me, a balm to soothe the turmoil raging within. I stood there for what felt like an eternity, grappling with the weight of my actions and the consequences. 

“I need to be more careful,” I whispered to the empty room, taking a deep breath to steady myself. With renewed determination, I picked up the fallen staff, feeling its weight in my hands like a tangible reminder of the path I had chosen.