Inside the grand training hall. Every corner of the hall was filled with the sounds of strikes, cries of effort, the rapid stomping of feet, and the clash of wooden and metal weapons.
But amidst this clamor... there was a different kind of sound.
Valerian stood alone in one of the corners, surrounded by two walls of massive mirrors. His body was stiff, muscles tense, and his gaze fixed on his reflection. His eyes monitored every movement, every slight tremble in the shoulder or minor tilt in the foot. In front of him was a dagger specifically designed for training, light but sturdy enough to simulate reality.
He took a deep breath, then...
"Phantom Stab, attempt number nineteen," he muttered softly.
He stepped forward, his body bending smoothly, his legs gliding across the polished floor without a sound, and his arm moving in precise synchronization. In a split second, his body seemed to blur, as if the images in the mirror overlapped and that was the moment... the stab.
