Kyle looked at him for a long moment, his face unreadable. Then, with deliberate slowness, he leaned back against the tree again, his smirk returning faintly. “You’ve really thought about this, haven’t you?”

  Alex groaned, throwing his head back in defeat. “Unbelievable! Why do I even bother?” He turned away, raising his sword and resuming his practice, though his swings now carried a frustrated edge.

  Kyle closed his eyes, letting the tension settle back into silence. But despite his outward calm, Alex’s words lingered in his mind longer than he’d like to admit.

  Kyle’s smirk deepened, his voice dripping with mockery as he leaned forward, finally showing some spark of engagement. “Why don’t we talk about you for a change, Alex?”

  Alex froze mid-swing, his sword hanging in the air as he shot Kyle a wary glance. “What about me?”

  “You’re already fifteen, dreaming of becoming a knight,” Kyle began, the smirk never leaving his lips, “but you haven’t even tried to awaken your Shard yet. Come on, tell me, do you honestly think just swinging that sword around all day will make you a knight?” He chuckled, the sound low and sharp. “Pathetic.”

  Alex’s jaw clenched, his grip tightening on the sword. “What are you trying to say, Kyle?” he asked, his voice low and taut with restrained anger.

  Kyle gestured lazily toward Alex with one hand, his expression the picture of condescension. “To awaken your Shard, you need to form a Contract. But here’s the thing, you haven’t even found a partner yet, have you?” He tilted his head, his eyes narrowing slightly as if to scrutinize Alex’s very soul. “What’s the matter? Afraid no one will take you seriously?”

  Alex’s grip on his sword trembled, his knuckles white. “You think you’re better than me?” he snarled, his voice trembling with suppressed rage.

  Kyle leaned back against the tree, unfazed. “Not better. Just honest,” he said coolly, his smirk softening into something closer to a taunt. “But hey, don’t let me stop you. Swing your sword at the air all you like. Maybe one day this tree will knight you.”

  The tension lingered in the air as Kyle walked away, leaving Alex to vent his frustration on the empty air, his sword slicing through it with precision and purpose. Alex’s jaw was still tight, his swings harder than before, each one a physical rebuttal to Kyle’s pointed remarks.

  Meanwhile, Kyle wandered aimlessly, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his tunic. His sharp words echoed in his head, but he didn’t regret them. Alex needed to hear the truth, and he wasn’t the type to sugarcoat it. Still, he sighed, shaking his head. ‘Maybe I overdid it,’ he thought.

  In the vast and intricate world, most living organisms possessed a Shard, a fragment of power buried deep within their essence.

  For some, it remained dormant, a quiet pulse of possibility. For others, it awakened, transforming them and granting abilities far beyond the ordinary.

  A while later, Kyle returned, two mugs in his hands sloshing with ale he’d gotten from the tavern. His footsteps were slow and deliberate as he approached Alex, who was still relentlessly practicing, the rhythmic sound of his swings punctuating the quiet.

  “Here, take it, you buffoon,” Kyle said with a smirk, holding out one of the mugs.

  Alex stopped mid-swing, glancing at Kyle suspiciously before accepting the mug. “Thanks,” he muttered, his tone begrudging but softened.

  Kyle plopped down under the shade of the tree once again, taking a long swig of his ale. “And just like that, we forget everything again, eh?” he teased, raising his mug as if to toast their unspoken truce.

  Alex let out a small chuckle despite himself and took a sip. The bitterness of the drink settled his nerves, easing the remnants of their earlier quarrel.

  For a moment, they sat in silence, the quiet companionship filling the space where anger had been. Then Kyle broke it with a mischievous grin. “So, why don’t you propose to Sebi?”

  Alex nearly choked on his drink, coughing violently as he turned to glare at Kyle, his face flushed. “What?” he spluttered, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand.

  “You heard me,” Kyle said nonchalantly, leaning back against the tree with an air of mock innocence. “You like her. She likes you. So what’s the issue?”

  “She doesn’t like me,” Alex said.

  Kyle leaned forward, swirling the ale in his mug as he spoke, his tone taking on a rare seriousness. “Look, Alex, let’s cut the nonsense. You’re overthinking this. Sebi likes you—hell, even I can see that, and I don’t exactly have the sharpest eye for romance. But even if she didn’t, that’s not a problem.”

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  Alex frowned, tilting his head in confusion. “What do you mean by that?”

  Kyle waved a hand dismissively. “I mean, love between both parties of the Contract is a nice thing, sure, but it’s not necessary. This isn’t some bard’s ballad where everything needs to be drenched in drama and passion. It’s about mutual goals and respect.”

  Alex stared at him, still skeptical but listening. Kyle smirked and continued, “Think about it. You want to be a knight, don’t you? To awaken your Shard and get your shot at something bigger than this village. For that, you need a Contract. You need her. And Sebi? She wants to live the city life, away from the grind of Cragmere. By supporting you, she gets that opportunity. It’s a perfect symbiotic relationship.”

  Alex shifted uncomfortably, his grip tightening around his mug. “It’s not just about needing her, Kyle. She’s not some tool to be used.”

  Kyle raised an eyebrow, leaning back against the tree. “Obviously. I’m not saying to treat her like that. I’m saying you both get something out of it. A partnership. A Contract. Call it whatever you want. And if there’s already a spark between you two? Well, that’s just honey on the cake.”

  Alex sighed, looking down at his mug. “I don’t know. It feels… calculated.”

  Kyle chuckled, shaking his head. “Alex, this is life. You think those knights in their shiny armor and grand halls didn’t make choices like this? They did. They just dressed it up in fancy words. Stop romanticizing everything and start acting like the knight you want to be.”

  Alex didn’t respond immediately, his gaze fixed on the horizon. The sunlight caught the edge of his sword, reflecting a faint gleam.

  Kyle took another sip of ale, letting the silence linger before adding, “Look, I’m not saying to rush into anything. But think about it. Talk to her. Hell, even if it’s not Sebi, you’ll need someone eventually. You know the rules.”

  Alex finally looked at Kyle, a flicker of determination in his eyes. “I’ll think about it.”

  Kyle smirked, raising his mug in a mock toast. “That’s all I’m asking. Just don’t take too long, Alex. Life doesn’t wait.”

  Alex gave a slight nod, the weight of the conversation settling on his shoulders as he stared into the distance.

  The awakening of Shard abilities was a pivotal moment for anyone in Wynthorpe, or even on the entire land. It was a gift, a mark of power and potential bestowed by the Shards, fragments of the world's ancient, mystical essence. But for men, it came with a price.

  When a female awakened her Shard abilities, it was celebrated. Her powers flowed seamlessly, harmonizing with her body as if they were always meant to be a part of her. She could train, grow, and harness her abilities without fear of consequence.

  For males, however, the story was different. Awakening a Shard brought with it a strain, a relentless toll on the body. The more the abilities are used, the heavier the toll manifesting as fatigue, pain, or even debilitating illnesses if left unchecked. This condition was called Eclipsing.

  At the peak of Eclipsing one would feel pain much worse than childbirth, and if this is not halted, such a person would die.

  This was where Contracts came into play.

  A Contract was more than a simple agreement; it was a bond formed between a male and a female. Through this connection, a male could channel the warmth, love, and presence of his partner to mitigate the toll his abilities inflicted. The Contract acted as a lifeline, stabilizing his powers and allowing him to wield them without the risk of tearing himself apart.

  The rules of the Contract were strict, however. For most, a male and female could only maintain a single Contract at a time. It was a profound link, blending the physical, emotional, and spiritual in ways that bound them deeply.

  Kyle leaned back against the tree trunk, the cool shade offering some respite from the sun's heat. He watched as Alex, now slightly flushed from the ale, rested his sword against the wall of his house.

  “What about you?” Alex asked, his voice tinged with curiosity. “Still no thought of your future?”

  Kyle exhaled, brushing a hand through his disheveled black hair. “Like my mother, I’ll heal people. I'm familiar with medicines and herbs already. Once I awaken my Shard, maybe I’ll get a healing ability like hers. But even if I don’t, I’d still make a decent enough physician."

  Alex laughed, a hearty sound that broke the tranquil hum of the village. “A healer, huh? You know what? If you’d just open your eyes completely for once, you’d realize you’re handsome enough to charm the Baron’s daughter. Word is that she’s a real beauty, and her mother is a healer too. Imagine marrying into nobility. You’d fit right in.”

  Kyle groaned, a mix of frustration and amusement playing across his face. “Shut up, man. I can’t even imagine matching with someone like that. Nobility? Seriously? Be realistic. I’ll find a wife from one of the neighboring villages, a commoner, obviously. Someone who understands our life.”

  “Come on,” Alex teased, leaning toward him with a sly grin. “You’re thinking too small, man. Dream big. What’s the worst that could happen?”

  Kyle shook his head, smirking faintly. “You’re the last person who should be giving me advice about love. Focus on your own girl first.” He pointed toward Sebi, who had just stepped out of Alex’s house.

  Sebi’s purple hair shimmered in the sunlight as she walked toward them, a playful smile lighting up her face. She was carrying a small basket. Her presence immediately softened the air, as if the entire village paused to take notice of her gentle charm.

  Alex froze for a moment, then hastily gulped down the remaining ale in his mug. “Shut up,” he muttered, his cheeks coloring.

  Kyle chuckled, leaning back again. “Look at you, already flustered. She hasn’t even said anything yet.”

  “Keep talking, and I’ll shove this mug down your throat,” Alex growled, but his voice lacked any real bite.

  Sebi approached with a knowing look, stopping a few feet away. “You boys seem like you’re up to no good again,” she said, her tone lighthearted.

  “Always,” Kyle replied, flashing a lazy grin. “But I’m trying to keep this guy in check. He’s the real troublemaker here.”

  Alex shot Kyle a glare before turning to Sebi. “Do you need help with that?” he asked, gesturing toward the basket.

  “I can manage,” Sebi said, but her smile lingered on Alex a moment too long, betraying the affection she tried to hide.

  “Alex didn’t you say that you needed to tell Sebi something?” Kyle looked at Alex with a smirk.

  Alex looked back at Kyle with a murderous gaze.