The first time Abell saw a Malignant, he was six years old.

  The creature crawled from the darkness; its twisted limbs stitched together by glowing fractures. The glowing eyes burned a hole in his heart, but Abell’s fear locked onto the bright magenta orb in its chest a pulsing wound writhing with hunger. its stretched skin shimmered uhe eerie gloulse feeding its unnatural thirst.

  Abell had frozen, too small to run, too scared to scream.

  Then Genevieve, his big sister, stepped forward. With a determined gaze she stht iween Abell and the Malignant.

  She uhed her bde, it was a sleek and radiant fal, shimmering with golden energy. She poi at the creature, taunting it to move forward.

  Her sword sliced through the creature’s jagged cws with a burst of light. The malignant screeched in pain, its body squirming. But Genevieve didn’t stop. She lunged, her bde fshing toward its pulsing magenta core ending it.

  Abell looked in awe. Her determination, bravery and gratrigued him.

  “I alromised I’d protect you, didn’t I, Abell”

  The memory burned as he stared at the broken hilt resting in his palm. That sword, like her, was gone now.

  A gust of wind pulled him back to the present. The farmnds of Iridius stretched before him, golden in the m sun. His grip tightened on the hilt.

  “Thinking about her again?”

  Abell turo see his mother, Keeko, standing behind him with her arms crossed. Her hair fluttering in the breeze.

  “No, It’s nothing.” He said.

  “Hmm, if you say so. Are you ready?” Keeko asked.

  “Always.” he replied

  Training Grounds

  They two walked to the backyard of their house, where they trained every m. Today Keeko had a special twist for Abell.

  She g Abell with an unusually bright expression—a rare sight for her.

  “Why are you looking at me like that?” Abell asked

  “Today, I’ll only be terattag.” Keeko said with a smirk. “Hurry go a your wooden sword.”

  “I ’t use my Lux?” He questioned.

  “Nope.” Her tourned serious. “I want to see what you do without relying on your Lux.”

  Abell walked to the side of the cottage and grabbed a wooden sword. “Always got some surprise for me.” He thought while he looked at his mother.

  “Alright, I’m set.” He spun the sword in his grip and grinned. “Don’t bme me if you get hurt. I’m stronger now.”

  Keeko let out a small chuckle, rolling her wrist as she loosened up. “fident, huh?” She took her stance, her sharp gaze locked onto him.

  “, then. Show me.”

  Abell charged her with little hesitation, He swung his sword directly at her midse.

  Keeko blocked the swing with her right hand and swung her left palm into his stomach.

  “Stop being predictable.” Keeko’s voice was calm but firm.

  Abell gritted his teeth from the strike. “Still 't nd a hit on her huh.’ He thought. Quickly rushing forward he went ba the offensive, swinging wildly in all dires. However, nothing ected, Keeko tered every strike perfectly.

  “After all these years—I still ’t pete with her.”

  Keeko yawned purposefully to anger Abell. “You know, at ye Genevieve was already giving me a hard time.” Keeko said poking at his pride. “And that was when I was in my prime.”

  The mention of her harder than expected. Memories of that night fshed before his eyes. Abell ched his jaw and got series.

  Abell picked up the pace of his attacks while trying to maintain trol. He swuedly with all his strength, but she was faster and anticipated all his attacks.

  Then—a misstep.

  Abell overitted on his final swing. Too much force. Too predictable.

  Keeko shifted. Her foot swept under him.

  Before he could react, his legs flew out from under him, and he crashed onto his back, his sword cttering to the ground beside him.

  Keeko offered him her hand, but Abell spped it away, clearly frustrated.

  “ don’t be like that. Keeko chuckled.

  “Seriously, how strong you be your already an old woman.” Abell said, rubbing his sore stomach.

  Keeko’s smile faded. Before he could react, her fist smmed into i, knog him back.

  “Show me some respect, Abell.” she said.

  Abell gritted his teeth, nodding his head apologetically.

  After a moment, Keeko gestured towards the vilge. “Enough about that. Let’s go to the market. You promised me if I won, you’d apany me.

  Abell crossed his arms, pouting. “Yeah, whatever let’s go.”

  The market was busy, the air was thick chatter of the townsfolk. In Iridius the market was the social hub for all things. Abell walked behind keeko but his attention was caught by a nearby versation.

  “Malignant attacks are getting worse, when will those dames helps us,” a woman said.

  “You know the Alsaint’s are too busy lining their pockets,” another woman scoffed. “When's the st time you saw a Luminary stationed here? We’re nothing to them.”

  Her friend sighed; the weight of her friend’s words hit her. “Do any of the Four Families even care? The western region isn’t the only region struggling.”

  “Same old story.” Abell thought. He ched his fist. “Those Luminaries.”

  Keeko nudged him, snapping him out of his own head. “ keep up, I finished up at this stall already.”

  They moved through the crowd, and Abell noticed how vilgers greeted Keeko with appreciation, thanking her for her prote. Pride stirred in him—she wasn’t always this well-regarded.

  Then, something else caught his eye.

  At the ter of the market stood a t statue of the Liberator, arms crossed, gaze cast toward the horizon. Heroiyielding. Larger-than-life.

  Abell stared up at it, fists g at his sides.

  One day, maybe—no I'll reach the same heights you did. I ’t stay here forever; I promised her that.

  “Face me, Abell!”

  The challenge rang out across the market.

  Abell sighed. He didn’t eveo turn to know who it was.

  Misha, the ever-eic troublemaker, erched atop a stall, brandishing a wooden sword like a seasoned warrior.

  “Misha! Get down from there!” a girl’s exasperated voice followed.

  Astrid, his older sister, rushed forward, clearly mortified. “Sorry, Abell. He’s always like this when you’re around.”

  Misha leapt down, nding with a thud. “Fight me!” he grinned, pointing his sword at Abell. “Show me your Lux!”

  Abell barely spared him a gnce. “Not now, Misha.”

  But Misha was relentless. With a dramatic battle cry, he charged.

  Abell sidestepped with ease, flig Misha’s nose mid-swing. The boy yelped, tumbling backward.

  “No fair!” Misha whined, rubbing his face. “You’re supposed to use your Lux, not just your hand!”

  Abell smirked. “It’s not a toy. Besides, you’re not worth the effort.”

  His tone was teasing, but the ughter from the onlookers made him uneasy. A few people frowned, murmuring among themselves.

  Astrid, sensing the shift, quickly grabbed Misha’s arm. “e o’s go find Mom before you cause more trouble.”

  Abell exhaled sharply, adjusting his tunic as he followed. The whispers didn’t fade as he walked.

  “Great.” He thought while sighing. “They probably think I’m being a nuisance again.”

  The group found Keeko in the middle of a versation with a t man, his presenandie the casual way he stood.

  Abell immediately took iails—battle-worn tunic, a faint scar under his eye, and stars for pupils that gleamed with amusement. A grin stretched across his rugged face, ohat trasted with the sharpness in his gaze.

  “Keeko!” the maed, arms outstretched. “Still as youthful as ever!”

  Keeko’s smile instantly tightened.

  Before he could react, she swung at him.

  The man tilted his head back just enough to dodge, the motion smooth, effortless. His grin widened.

  Keeko’s scowl deepened. “Why are you here, Hugo?”

  "Hugo, never heard of him.” Abell thought.

  “I thought I hid my location well from the Luminaries,” Keeko muttered.

  Hugo chuckled. “You really thought we wouldn’t find you?” He leaned in slightly. “This is one of the safest spots iern Eudora. Someoh power had to be here.”

  Then, his gaze shifted—nding squarely on Abell.

  A beat of silence passed.

  “So, this is what you’ve been hiding.”

  Before Keeko could respond—

  A blood-curdling scream tore through the air.

  The entire market froze.

  Then, the chaos began.

  Vilgers scattered in every dire, knog over stalls as they ran. Fear rippled through the crowd, spreading like wildfire.

  Abell’s breath quied. Adrenaline surged. This was it.

  “Is it one of them?” he asked, sing the crowd.

  His answer came in the form of a deep, guttural growl.

  Emerging from the edge of the marketpce, grotesque and unnatural, a group of Malignants slithered into view. Their hollow eyes burned with primal hunger, and the magenta glow of their twisted orbs pulsed with siing energy.

  Abell acted immediately. He turo Astrid. “Take Misha and run. Now.”

  Her eyes widened, but she didn’t hesitate. She grabbed her brother, pulling him away, Misha resisting for only a moment before the sheer terror of the creatures took over.

  As the market emptied, the weight of the Malignants’ presence grew suffog. Their energy coiled in the air, thid malevolent.

  Abell smirked.

  Abell’s palm tained golden sparks which bent and danced as though they were a real fme. The energy formed a coil which stretched out before snapping into an unstable yet living and rae.

  FWOOOM! A sudden fsh of light emerged aled into the form of a streamlined curved sword. The on pulsed in his hands while remaining light yet deadly. The on's glowing edge emitted a golden light that appeared to draw strength directly from his energy

  “Finally, some a.” His voice was steady, but his pulse pounded with excitement. “I was starting to get bored.”

  Hugo, still beside Keeko, whistled low. “Iing…” he murmured, watg the bde with undisguised intrigue.

  Abell took a step forward.

  The fight was about to begin.