CHAPTER 99: SILVER STONES

"First, you should understand the importance of Throne ofRuinlight," Thalso began. "The master uses this Castle for candidates’ trials, yes but it also serves another purpose." He spread his hands. "It is where the best of his warriors are trained."

Nyra continued for him. "The finest warriors are sent here to train, and those who survive are given gifts for their service. One of those gifts is what you’ve just earned: the Silver Stone."

"It symbolizes strength," Thalso said. "It will double your natural power, and when you draw on it, it grants a burst of extraordinary might. Don’t worry, it doesn’t drain your own mana. It stores its own mana and uses that."

His hand dropped sharply, and the stones shot forward, slamming into their chests like lightning strikes. All three arched backward unnaturally, toes straining against the floor, eyes glowing silver as the stones sank into them, pulling them into unconsciousness.

The instructors watched in silence until Gold spoke.

"My lord... Kael... is he—?" His voice was careful, hesitant.

Thalso’s reply was a low rumble. "I don’t know. From what I’ve observed, he might be. But even him gaining the First Mantle doesn’t prove it. His line wasn’t the first to hold it, after all."

Gold flinched at the hard tone, but he understood.

He looked at Kael, whose uncanny blue eyes were closed now. Gold could easily imagine them blazing with fire.

He hoped Kael was the one. Gold longed to leave the Castle, he could almost taste the freedom. He knew he was lucky to live in this place spoken of only in legends, a fortress for chosen warriors of the Stars and for trial candidates.

But even among such figures, he wanted his own story to be written.

Months ago, when strangers had arrived and set the Castle ablaze with their presence, he’d felt real joy for the first time in years. His father had forbidden him from meeting them, promising a gift instead.

Now, watching Kael, Gold made his decision. His heart pounded, the fire in his chest pulsing as he slowly knelt before Thalso. "My lord... as a Metalperson, I wish to—"

"I know," Thalso interrupted, looming like a hulking shadow. "Your father told me. It would please me greatly if he turned out to be who we hope he is. Either way, I see you’ve made up your mind. But we must wait until the end of his trials."

Gold nodded, disappointment flickering across his face. He had hoped the vow would be made now.

"Wait for what?" a voice rasped from nearby.

They all turned and none were surprised to see Kael standing there, looking at them.

"What are you waiting for?" he asked, his gaze drifting to Gold, who was still kneeling. An eyebrow lifted.

"Never mind that," Thalso said. "How are you feeling?"

Taria and Rauk shuddered, then slowly straightened, blinking as their eyes opened fully.

"I don’t know," Kaedros admitted. "Like I have a stone in my heart... and at the same time, I don’t. How’s that possible?"

As he spoke, his awareness brushed against the stone within him, and it flared with brilliant silver light.

"I feel the same," Taria said, grimacing. "Not in a bad way, though."

Rauk nodded. "It’s like it’s there and not there at the same time. Weird."

"That’s the Silver Stone for you," Chef said.

"How does it work?" Kaedros asked. They had risked their lives for it, he wanted to know exactly what it could do.

"Instead of telling you, why not find out for yourself?" Thalso replied. "It’s simple, picture that silver light in your mind, then draw it into yourself."

They obeyed. Kaedros pulled the light inward and inhaled sharply as something like frost filled his lungs, his veins, his bones. It wasn’t truly ice, it was silver radiance, cold as starlight.

Looking down at himself, he felt the change. His muscles tightened, his bones took on the hardness of metal though it wasn’t metal at all, merely as strong. His blue eyes glowed faintly, lit from within, though the exact nature of the transformation still eluded him.

Kaedros glanced at Taria and Rauk, their eyes shone silver as well.

"We’ve done it, so what—"

Thalso didn’t let him finish. He threw a punch at Kaedros’s face.

Or tried to.

Kaedros caught the strike with a single hand, his hair rustling from the force.

"Why are you—" His eyes widened. He had just caught Thalso’s punch. With one hand. And felt no pain.

"Yes," Thalso said, and struck again—this time driving his fist into Kaedros’s chest before he could react. The blow hurled him back, slamming him into the wall hard enough to leave his imprint there.

"That’s a lot of power," Taria said, grinning. She understood now, the Silver Stone was like one of her own core patterns.

"So that’s it," Kaedros said, stepping out of the rubble without a scratch. He felt no pain from the hit or the impact. "Strength."

"Yes," Thalso confirmed. "Strength."

Rauk had been drawing on the stone’s power as well, marveling at the raw force coursing through him. He punched the air experimentally and a small shockwave rippled outward. "Impressive!"

"It is," Taria agreed. She knew exactly how much their strength had just multiplied.

"So how long does—" Kaedros staggered as the power drained away, leaking with each breath. In his mind, the stone’s glow dulled to lifeless gray. "Guess I have my answer."

The same happened to Rauk and Taria.

"The Silver Stone’s power is limited," Thalso said. "It lasts only a short while. It’s meant to turn the tide of battle, not for constant use. Still, the more you use it, the longer it will last."

"Too bad," Kaedros said, though he knew it would be invaluable. And hadn’t Thalso just said they could extend its duration with practice? More importantly... "You mentioned this is just the first of the stones. Are there others?"

"Of course. You already have the Shadow Blades, that’s another stone, though subtler than the rest. Unfortunately, the Silver Stone is the most powerful of them all." Thalso waved a hand dismissively. "Don’t bother with the others."

But Kaedros had learned in this life to seize every advantage, no matter how small. "We’d be honored to acquire them."

Rauk and Taria nodded. They had two, why not hunt for the rest?

Nyra laughed. Chef snorted.

"You can’t call them greedy," Chef said, taking a swig from her bottle. "You gave them a taste, now you can’t expect them not to want the whole feast."

"Better that way," Nyra added. "Let them have the rest. It won’t harm them."

Thalso sighed. "I only wanted them to go to the Dream Prison first, so they’d be ready to challenge the trials after. But if that’s what you want, I won’t stop you."

"Challenge the trials?" Taria exclaimed. "I thought you said we were too weak for that!"

"You are still too weak," Thalso said flatly. "Most candidates have trained their whole lives for the Throne of Ruinlight. But most candidates don’t have me and the others as instructors."

Truth, Gold thought. They might not realize it, but having these instructors was a privilege. From the stories his mother told, the likes of Thalso and the others usually focused on breaking candidates, not training them.

Gold sighed. Even with training from all of them, and his father, he wasn’t as free with them as Kael and his companions seemed to be.

He watched the easy camaraderie between the three and their instructors, and a flicker of envy rose in him. Nyra and Chef, usually so stoic, were relaxed with these newcomers.

"Are you not going?" Kaedros’s voice jolted him from his thoughts. The others had left, only Kaedros remained on the stairs, looking down at him.

"What?" Gold asked.

"Are you not going out? I assume your work here is done."

Gold smiled faintly. "I’m still the owner of this room, and yet too weak to leave it, unless the Castle excuses me."

Kaedros nodded once and, without another word, turned and left.

Gold was alone again.