After dinner, Alex walked alongside Elli under the evening sky. The light had started to fade into gold and violet shadows.
He held a long weapon wrapped in cloth. "You know, holding a trident changes you," he said, glancing at her. "But not all weapons are born from gods. Some are born from the soul."
He unwrapped it and handed it to her.
"This isn't the trident," he said. "But it's special. A spirit spear. When you bond with the spirit inside, it listens. You'll be able to control magic even in the driest desert. But you have to learn mana control first."
Elli held it with both hands. Her eyes gleamed.
Without waiting, she ran down to the open ground, twirling it like a child with a new toy. She spun it, struck the air, danced around.
Then Frank's gruff voice broke through the twilight. "What, you kids planning to bring back the spear age?"
Alex laughed. "Yeah. Especially her."
Frank raised a brow, waved Alex over, then faced Elli with a wicked grin. "You. Spear girl. Wanna test that skill?"
Elli spun the spear once, confident. "Be careful, old man. I might break you."
Alex chuckled, stepping back with Darcy beside him. "Careful, Elli…"
Before he could finish, she disappeared in a blink a burst of speed and attacked. Frank met her blow with one hand on his spear, blocking it easily.
She kept striking, throwing her weight in each attack. But he was toying with her deflecting, stepping aside, letting her burn her energy. She launched the spear into the air, spun midair, caught it again graceful, fierce
But Frank's voice was cold.
"Brute force won't win. You're wild. No technique."
"I trained for years! Don't mock me!"
Frank's eyes flashed. In a heartbeat, he swept her legs and slammed her to the ground with a single strike his spear at her throat.
"You're fast. Strong. But useless without control."
Alex stood. "Okay, okay enough. I think she got the message."
Frank turned to him. "Your turn. Show me what you've got."
Alex raised his hands. "Hey, I'm a sword guy, remember? I'm just playing around."
Frank pointed his spear at him. "Then don't open your mouth like a warrior if you can't back it up."
Alex grinned. "Alright then. Elli, go sit with Leo. Time to give the old man a proper duel."
She stepped back, watching with a tight chest. Her heart raced.
Is Alex… really going to fight Frank?
Alex drew his white sword slowly. The moonlight caught on the blade. Frank readied his spear.
Then
Clash!
A shockwave exploded as they collided, steel crashing on steel, light pulsing from the impact.
Theo, Rosly, Hellen, even their father came out, alarmed. But they didn't interrupt.
Two warriors were dancing in war's rhythm no magic, just pure force and skill.
Under the moonlight, Alex and Frank moved like shadows and wind, like two storms crashing into each other.
"Enough!" the father shouted.
The fight stopped.
Both landed smoothly. Frank loosened his grip, panting. Alex sheathed his sword in one calm motion.
"You crazy old man," the father growled. "Do you have no manners?"
Frank laughed, throwing an arm over Alex's shoulder. "What can I say? My bones forgot."
"Go sleep before you start a war in my courtyard."
Everyone began walking inside. Elli stayed behind.
"Are you okay, Alex?" she asked quietly.
He smiled. "Yeah. Good night. See you at sunrise."
Darcy curled beside him in her dragon-tiger form. Alex leaned back on Leo, the lion.
"Come on, Frank," he called. "Join the sleepover."
Frank lay down beside him. "Haa... beautiful sky, huh?"
Alex looked up. "Yeah. One of the best."
Next morning.
Rosly woke them.
Alex wiped his face with a flick of mana, then put on his bone armor. He started running laps around the church.
Two hours later, he dropped to the church stairs, breathing hard.
Elli came over with water. "Here. You look like you fought a sandstorm."
He drank. Then dropped the heavy bone armor beside him.
Thud.
Elli tried to lift a piece. "They're... seriously heavy. How do you run with this for hours?"
"Got used to it," he said. "It builds stamina."
"You always push yourself like this," she said. "Why go so insane?"
He stood slowly, wiped his forehead. "Because I had to survive."
They walked together to the dining hall. Elli sat beside him, quietly feeding him as he cooled down.
After the meal, Alex looked at her. "I talked to Frank. He agreed to train you."
She blinked. "Really? When?"
Alex grinned. "Right now. Go grab your spear."
After the meal, Alex leaned back, stretching his arms behind his head.
"I talked to Frank," he said casually, as Elli wiped her mouth. "He'll train you. Proper spearwork."
Elli's eyes lit up. "Seriously? When?"
Alex smirked. "Now. Go grab your spear."
She shot up, too fast.
And her legs wobbly from the training earlier betrayed her.
She stumbled forward. Straight into him.
Whump.
They crashed to the floor, tangled limbs and all.
And in that perfect, cinematic moment the gods love to write
Their lips met.
Just barely.
But it was enough.
Time. Froze.
Alex's brain:
Wait. Wha ?! Her lips !
Damn. She's soft. Why does she smell like vanilla and battle sweat?
Her hand's on my chest. I can feel her heartbeat...
No wait that's mine. It's slamming like a war drum.
Her thigh her whole damn body's on top of me. Calm down, idiot. Breathe.
Don't move. Don't blink. Don't ruin it.
Elli's mind:
Oh gods did I just kiss him?
come on ellie ! your are princess ! you can't ! but ..!
Why is he so warm?!
His chest his damn muscles feel like carved stone!
I can feel his breath on my cheek…
Nope. I'm gonna die. I'm actually going to erupt with this mixed feeling ! .
Their eyes met. Inches apart. Her lips hovered near his.
Neither of them moved.
And then
Theo walked in.
"WELL, WELL, WELL… should I leave or should I bring a priest and flower petals?"
Elli sprang off like she'd touched a lightning rune. Her face was tomato-red. "I it was an accident!"
Alex, still on the floor, dazed, whispered, "Pretty good accident…"
"What?!"
"I mean you fell! I didn't pull you!"
She wiped her lips, eyes wide. "That was my first kiss! You idiot !"
Alex sat up slowly, covering his face. "Mine too, dammit! I always imagined something cool, like like in the rain! With music! Not... this wrestling match in a church kitchen!"
Theo cackled from the hallway. "Y'all are so in love."
Elli turned away, hands over her face. "Ugh I hate you."
Alex just put a dark face and say " i am innocent here !".
Morning. Church Grounds.
Alex sat cross legged on the stone, his bone spear across his knees. The runes along the handle shimmered faintly in the morning light old, ancient, whispering things he didn't yet understand.
He poured water slowly onto the dirt where he'd sketched the rune's pattern again and again. The droplets spread like veins across the earth, bringing the lines to life. He stared at them.
"It's not just a weapon... it's a map. A key. Something is locked in here."
Hours passed. He didn't move.
Brock strolled up, spear on his back, watching with a raised brow. "What are you doing, Alex?"
"Trying not to get hexed," Alex muttered, eyes locked on the rune. "So... don't talk."
Afternoon. Dining Hall.
Alex sat beside Elli, still half-lost in thought. She fed him a bite of stew, cheeks burning pink, but he barely noticed his finger moved across the table, drawing the rune again in droplets of water.
"You're obsessed," Elli mumbled.
"Hm?" he replied, still tracing. "Sorry, what did you say?"
She sighed. "Nothing…"
Evening. Hallway Outside the Rooms.
Alex held the spear up to the torchlight, eyes inches from the carved handle. He turned it slowly, following the spiral of symbols like they were breathing.
Elli walked beside him, trying to talk. "Hey... did you even hear what I "
He stepped through his door mid-sentence and shut it gently.
No words. No goodbye.
Inside, he dropped onto the bed and kept staring at the runes, mouthing each symbol like it was holy.
Outside.
Elli stood frozen, fists clenched.
"IDIOT! Obsessive, rune loving, emotionally constipated idiot!"
She stormed off, slamming her door so hard the walls echoed.
Behind hers, Alex finally looked up from his spear, blinked once, then muttered:
"…I think I just made her mad."
Morning. Church Dorms.
Alex stirred awake with a weight on his chest. A little kid was sitting on him, giggling and playing with his hair.
"Oi what the hell…" Alex groaned, grabbing the boy and lifting him into the air like a sack of potatoes. He set him down, stood up, wiped his mouth with magic, and muttered with a grin,
"I cracked it."
Mana surged through his arm. His spear shimmered its rusted body melted into glowing gold, the blade sharpened like a whispering fang. He sprinted outside.
Church Grounds.
He yanked Elli up by both hands.
"I cracked the rune!" he shouted, grinning like a kid who'd just discovered fire.
She blushed, lips curling into a smile until she remembered last night. Her face hardened. She turned away without a word.
Alex frowned. He swung the golden spear like a sword in frustration.
She kept training with Frank, not looking at him.
He stepped in front of her. "Ellie... please. Talk to me."
Frank cut in. "Back off, Alex. She's working."
Alex sighed and held up the golden spear. "Then teach me. I've got this thing working now."
Frank raised an eyebrow. "Wasn't that thing rusted to hell yesterday?"
Alex laughed. "Didn't sleep. Figured out the rune tech."
He gripped the spear like a sword and swung. WHACK!
The rear end slammed into his shoulder.
"Damn it!"
Frank chuckled and corrected him. "Not a sword. Center grip, balance the weight."
Alex tried again. The other end smacked his thigh.
Elli and Brock burst into laughter.
Alex groaned, rubbing the bruise.
"Why do I feel like the spear hates me?"
Frank clapped his back. "Because it does."