The training ground was immense.
It stretched as far as the armory itself, its walls lined with racks of wooden training weapons. In the distance, archery targets stood in neat rows.
At the center of the chamber lay a vast sparring ring, the stone floor worn from centuries of battle.
Scattered throughout were strange stone statues covered with unfamiliar engravings.
Kazimir shifted uncomfortably. He wasn't fond of the feeling of being watched, even by unmoving figures. But they remained still, lifeless.
Satisfied that he was alone, he began changing.
The moment he donned the armor, he felt it.
The material clung to him like a second skin, fitting almost too perfectly, as if it had been made with his exact form in mind. The cold of the training hall vanished, replaced by his own body heath, like he was isolated from the climate and temperature outside.
Then he felt something else.
His connection to the shadows sharpened.
Before, he could sense them as faint whispers, fleeting and unfocused. But now, it was crystal clear.
He could feel every shadow in the castle, stretching across corridors, clinging to statues, shifting under candlelight.
Even the darkness beyond the castle's walls called to him.
Experimenting, he reached out.
The response was immediate.
The shadows obeyed him faster than before, swirling in a controlled vortex at his feet. He tried shaping them once more, this time, into a sword.
It was easier. Faster.
In seconds, a weapon took shape in his grasp.
Its structure solid, though still imperfect. The edges were dull, the balance off. But it was a step forward.
He dismissed the blade with a flick of his wrist.
Despite its rough, textured surface, the armor was flexible, moving as fluidly as regular clothing. There was no restriction, no stiffness, only an eerie rightness, as if it had been fated to belong to him.
Kazimir exhaled.
This was no ordinary armor.
Feeling more prepared than ever, he turned and made his way back to the armory.
Selis was waiting, she stood tall and dignified, arms crossed.
The moment she saw him, her sharp gaze flickered over his form, taking in the way the armor moved with him.
A small, approving nod.
"It suits you," she said simply.
Kazimir smirked.
"I feel better than ever."
Selis's expression remained unreadable, but something in her stance shifted, just slightly.
"Good," she said. Then, without pause, "But you will need more than armor to survive."
She turned, already moving toward another section of the armory.
Kazimir followed.
"Where are we going now?" he asked.
"The cloak will hide you," she said, "and the armor will protect you. But neither will help you hunt down prey."
She glanced at him over her shoulder.
"Now, we find you a weapon."
Kazimir's heartbeat quickened.
He clenched his fists, anticipation building.
Without another word, they strode deeper into the armory, past weapons of war forged for hands that had long since turned to dust.
And in the silence, the shadows followed.