The door slammed shut behind them.
Captain Madhav locked it with a casual flick of his finger.
He took off his cloak, tossing it to the corner. His boots echoed across the floor as he stepped forward and patted Ashen's back once—light, but deliberate.
"You ever played dodgeball, kid?"
Ashen narrowed his eyes. "Yeah."
Madhav cracked a grin. "Good. We're gonna play.
Except, you just dodge my throws. I get ten.
If you survive all ten—I'll grant you access to any magic item you want from the guild...
Once you're strong enough to wield it."
Ashen clenched his fists. Sounds fair.
"Alright," he said, steady.
Madhav didn't move much. Just raised his pinky.
FWIP!
The ball vanished from his hand.
Ashen's instincts screamed. He didn't see the ball—but he felt the shift in Madhav's posture, read the twitch in his wrist—and dove the opposite direction.
CRASH!
A crater the size of Ashen's body caved into the wall behind him.
Madhav chuckled, "Could you even see it?"
Ashen, breathing heavy, shook his head. "No."
Madhav pointed behind him. Ashen turned.
The wall was pulverized.
From outside, Garvic flinched at the noise.
"What in the—Ashen? Ashen!"
He banged on the door. No response.
THUD!
Another impact. Another dent.
Garvic's voice rose. "Ashen! Open the door!"
He tried ramming it. Nothing.
Inside, Ashen had barely rolled away from the second strike. Sweat clung to his face. His knees buckled.
Madhav folded his arms, amused. "You giving up?"
Ashen looked up, teeth clenched. "No."
Third throw. Faster. Sharper.
BOOM!
Ashen hadn't even moved this time.
"I didn't react…
My body froze. I didn't even see it…
At this rate—he's gonna kill me."
Madhav grinned. "Alright then... Let's raise the stakes.
I'll use two fingers now.
Still wanna keep playing?"
Ashen's eyes burned with something more than fear—defiance.
He screamed, voice hoarse, "YES!"
Madhav stared silently for a beat.
His spirit didn't crack… even now.
Truth was, the balls weren't aimed at Ashen's body at all. Madhav didn't want to break the kid. Just test how far he'd walk his talk.
With a sigh, Madhav waved a hand.
"Stop. You pass."
Ashen blinked, swaying on his feet.
"Take off the device on your back," Madhav said.
Ashen fumbled behind him—pulling off a small, metal charm.
"I stuck it on you when I patted your back earlier.
I wasn't planning to actually hit you.
If you'd jumped into a throw, that thing would've given you a shield." He chuckled. "But you didn't need it."
Madhav looked down at him, expression unreadable.
"You're not normal. That spirit... that instinct... That's not something you teach."
Ashen, still catching his breath, looked up at Madhav.
"So… does that mean I get a magic item now?"
Madhav laughed—deep, amused. "Not now, kid. But I'll make sure you get something better.
A teacher."
He stepped closer, resting a hand on Ashen's shoulder.
"That fire you've got—motivation like that?
It can take you to places even I couldn't reach."
Ashen didn't respond—but for the first time since the terror attack…
Since the moment his lost memories had returned…
He felt happy.
They walked out together.
The hallway was quiet—until Garvic sprinted forward and pulled Ashen into a crushing hug.
"My god—my child! What happened in there? Are you hurt?"
Ashen returned the hug lightly, smiling. "It's okay, Dad."
But inside, his thoughts were burning.
"This man..I can't let him go through the horrors of this world."
He looked up. "Master said he's assigning me a teacher.
She'll be back in a week or so."
Garvic turned to Madhav, concern still visible in his eyes. "He'll be alright, won't he?"
Madhav gave a small nod. "His safety is our responsibility now.
He's part of Whisper's Light Guild.
And believe me—this boy's got potential.
In a few months… he'll be the one saving you."
Ashen's chest swelled, not with arrogance—but with something far rarer:
Pride.
"That's the first time anyone's ever said that to me…
In both my lives combined."
Garvic looked at Madhav, still concerned.
"You're going to train him yourself… right?"
Madhav shook his head slowly, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
"Not me."
He turned to Ashen.
"Katrina will. She's… well, a prodigy too. Not three—but seventeen. Still young, but ten steps ahead of her generation."
Ashen's ears perked up.
But in his mind—
"Damn. A girl?"
"I just hope she's not one of those types… Ego through the roof, condescending tone, thinks she knows everything—"
"Otherwise I'm in for hell."
He kept his face composed… but a bead of sweat rolled down his neck.
Madhav caught the look.
"You'll manage, kid. Just don't get on her nerves. She's… intense."
Ashen muttered under his breath, "Sounds terrible already."