Rise Of Royal Phantoms And Qixi Festival

Episode 10

The brisk morning air sends a shiver down my spine as I exit the familiar haven of my residence. Steward Kael's words about Captain Amelia's temper echo in my mind, urging me to arrive promptly. Following the carefully manicured gardens, I navigate the maze-like palace grounds, anticipation and a hint of nervousness swirling within me.

Finally, I arrive at a vast training ground, its neatly trimmed grass and strategically placed dummies radiating an air of focused intensity. Several figures are already gathered, some chatting amongst themselves, others stretching and warming up. A wave of relief washes over me - I'm not the last one to arrive.

But my relief is short-lived as my eyes fall upon the woman standing at the front of the group. Captain Amelia.

She's every bit as imposing as I imagined. Clad in gleaming silver armor that seems to move with her every breath, she exudes an aura of unwavering discipline. Her piercing blue eyes scan the group, their sharpness leaving no room for doubt - tardiness would indeed not be tolerated.

As I approach the group, a hush falls over the trainees. Captain Amelia's gaze lands on me for a fleeting moment, a hint of something akin to amusement flickering across her face. Perhaps Steward Kael's warning about her tantrum wasn't entirely unfounded.

She clears her throat, her voice ringing out with a commanding presence. "𝑮𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅, 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒔," she barks. "𝑾𝒆𝒍𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒃𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒚 𝒔𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒂𝒄𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒆𝒔. 𝑯𝒆𝒓𝒆, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒂𝒓, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒆𝒇𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑬𝒎𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒆."

Her words are sharp and impactful, leaving no room for argument. This isn't some playful competition or a display of flashy techniques. This is about raw strength, tactical thinking, and the unwavering will to protect the realm.

As Captain Amelia continues to outline the training program, sweat begins to bead on my forehead. It's clear that the days ahead will be grueling, pushing us both physically and mentally. But amidst the apprehension, a spark of determination ignites within me. I am here to learn, to grow stronger, and to contribute to the Empire's well-being.

As the sun climbs higher in the sky, Captain Amelia launches into the first lesson - basic swordsmanship. Her movements are swift and precise, a deadly dance of steel against imaginary foes. Each trainee receives a simple wooden sword, and under her watchful eye, we begin to mimic her movements.

It's a humbling experience. The graceful swings and parries seem effortless in Captain Amelia's hands, yet my attempts are clumsy at best. Muscles I never knew existed scream in protest, and sweat stings my eyes. But with each awkward strike, with each fumble and correction, a sense of accomplishment builds within me. I am learning, slowly but surely.

The morning training session concludes with Captain Amelia barking out a final command and dismissing us for a brief respite. Collapsing onto the cool grass, I catch my breath, my body aching from the unfamiliar exertion. But a sense of satisfaction washes over me.

A glance around reveals similar expressions on the faces of my fellow trainees. Exhaustion mingles with a newfound respect for the path we've embarked on. A path that promises to be challenging, rewarding, and perhaps even lead to unexpected discoveries within the grand tapestry of the Imperial Palace.