The Unspoken Legacy

Chapter 4 - Ariah's POV

It's been another year, and I'm starting to realize that Grey's training is as much about breaking me down as it is about building me up. He's relentless, pushing me to my limits and then beyond, as if he's testing to see how far I can go before I break. But I won't break. I can't.

This morning, the training was harsher than usual. Grey seemed more distant, more intense. We went through the usual physical exercises, but when it came to dueling practice, he didn't hold back. His spells were faster, stronger, more precise than ever before. I barely had time to react. By the end, I was on the ground, gasping for breath, my wand flung across the courtyard.

"Get up," he ordered, his voice cold. I struggled to my feet, feeling the sting of failure. He tossed my wand back to me, and I caught it, my hands shaking.

"You're not focusing," he said, his eyes boring into mine. "You're letting your emotions get in the way. That's a weakness, Ariah. And weaknesses will get you killed."

I knew he was right, but the words still cut deep. I had always prided myself on my control, on my ability to keep my emotions in check. But lately, something had been stirring inside me—a restlessness, a growing frustration with the endless training and the isolation of the manor.

"What are we even preparing for?" I finally asked, unable to keep the question bottled up any longer. "Why are you pushing me so hard? What's the point?"

Grey stared at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, he sighed and looked away, as if deciding whether or not to tell me the truth.

"There's a storm coming, lass," he said quietly, almost to himself. "A darkness that's been building for years. Your father knew it, and he wanted you to be ready for it. That's why he asked me to train you, to make you strong enough to survive what's coming."

"What kind of darkness?" I pressed, but Grey shook his head.

"That's not for you to worry about right now," he said firmly. "Your job is to focus on your training, to become the witch your father believed you could be."

His words did little to quell the unease growing in my chest, but I nodded, knowing that I wouldn't get any more answers out of him. For now, I would have to trust that Grey knew what he was doing.