Life has a habit of becoming a habit. No matter how tough, no matter how intensive, there will always be a rough schedule that forms as you live.

  A day turned into a week. Weeks turned into a month, then three.

  Wake up as the sun does, next to Cerys. Wash up and talk for a bit. Have a new breakfast that is delivered straight to our door. Similar or far different, always. Kick out to arrive at the training chambers to have Desmond guide me further into the powers I have started to get fully used to.

  Have lunch, alone or with Cerys. Sometimes with Mary. Go to the ‘supervised study’. Sit in a quiet room with a woman that I truly wondered who she might actually be. For three straight hours. Sometimes we would talk, others we would simply just sit there and do our own things. I would study or examine anything of interest to me, while the librarian would sift through her many books.

  Afterwards, I would stop by Mary’s workshop to see if she had anything for me. Truly a marvel were many of the contraptions and weapons she made me test. Quite a few of them, I had to turn down. Since once I got into the field of battle, I would be unable to fully use them without risk of them breaking down. Many of her creations used metals mostly, but mostly wouldn’t cut it. If I were to be able to truly use and re-use said items, they would have to be fully metal.

  After either being shooed out by an inspired Mary, or exiting for my own sanity, I would head back over to the training grounds.

  No one would ever bother me here. Being a place of pure training, interrupting someone here was against the rules. I would directly train my abilities in shock wave form and feel out other formations and moves against enemies in my head.

  —-------

  ~over half a week in

  —-------------------------

  Sometimes, I could dodge or deflect the first swing from Agent Seer’s execution, only to die on the second.

  —

  ~ three weeks in

  —--------------------

  ‘I needed to fight someone, a being who could actually challenge me and make me sweat.’ I told myself one day after feeling like I hit a wall with Agent Seer. Cerys could do so, but I wanted to further expand my catalogue of people to fight.

  Taking my trusty training claymore, now slightly warped and battered after countless hours of expanding and contraction due to empowering and disempowering, I made my way to the coliseum. As I did so, the claymore received a touchup, no longer being in its battered state. I made sure to dull the blade though.

  The walk there was just as beautiful as always. The sun started to move lower in the auburn sky as the day waned. Roughly an hour or more until supper. The gentle wind moved past me as though it had places to be with plenty of time to spare. Those always perfectly shaped shrubs and trees continue to accompany the ever unchanging marble walkways.

  Instead of blowing past the front entrance like last time, I walked past with a confident, but measured gait.

  The staff who was present this time, watched me with reverence as I did so.

  The claymore leaned on my shoulder, being held by my right hand on the pommel. I trusted and respected this weapon. It felt like an extension of my own body and magical will.

  As I walked into the dueling grounds, many people were doing much the same as last time.

  Some sat further up in the amphitheater styled seating. Resting and recuperating after having their fill of duels.

  Others watched with bated breath and respect as two people dueled it out low in the pit.

  I walked further in, taking a place at the guide rails to watch the fight conclude.

  A man with a steady and tall frame, brown shoulder height hair and a spear fought a woman with a buckler and rapier who had all white hair and eyes, fair skin glistened, but probably not with sweat. ‘Is that frost?’ I wondered to myself.

  They seemed to be doing an only weapon duel, as no magical will or spells were being thrown in the expansive lower arena.

  I would guess the man was of house Essemer and the lady was of house Celly. Both being renowned knight houses, the former being from a middle-northern kingdom, the later being from a far north kingdom.

  They fought well, likely at the near expert level. As I watched with a perceptive and focused gaze, I heard a person to my right shuffle a bit.

  Turning my head, I saw the leader of the hooligans who had attempted to harm Cerys with schemes.

  Her eyes widened, realizing I recognized her. She snapped into a salute, “For the imperial will, how do you do, Your Eminence?” She said with reverence.

  ‘How many times must I run into this lout?’ I wondered to myself.

  “For the eternal service, I am well. Looking for a sparring partner to measure my growth.” I explained. Many of the people who realized who I was backed away, afraid and worried I may choose one of them. “Dismissed.” I said, turning away from her.

  As I watched the fight unfold, the rapier wielding lady parried the spear with her buckler to the upright position and clinched the spear, making it useless. She then slid the clinch down the shaft of the spear, stopping her thrusting stab just before it impaled his heart or lungs.

  “It's my loss, I didn’t keep my spacing.” The house Essemer noble allowed his spear to drop, and performed a bow after backing up.

  The house Celly noble, ever unreadable and impassive, made a simple nod, then spied the guide rails for the next opponent. The man climbed out after retrieving his spear.

  I spread my magical will to look into her magical cogs. Fifth cog of the house Celly cold attunement. A perfect match for I.

  I vaulted the rail down into the pit, I landed softly on the ground, my shoes, non-metal this time around. The Lady of house Celly turned to me.

  I performed the flourish of challenging a combatant to a duel. Weapon parallel to the middle forehead, then outwards and down. “Sir Erec Dohiedron, Fifth cog of the metal and electric attunement, challenges your ladyship to a formal magical duel.” I was mostly used to fighting while encased in metal, but was looking to improve myself.

  “Lady Lucy Celly, fifth cog of the house Celly cold attunement, accepts.” She performed the sword and shield acceptance flourish then moved into a ready state. Her rapier coiled in the middle of her chest, the buckler out top middle, blocking her left side.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

  I moved my claymore into a taunting stance as I probed her reaction and offense, using the tailwind stance. We approached, then circled.

  Ice formed from her feet as her magical will exploded out, causing ice to overtake the ground. I changed my footing, giving myself a wider stance and more rapid foot movement, so as not to slip.

  This gave her valuable time as she approached without issue, her buckler moving to block any overhead attack while the rapier moved from the middle to thrust into my sternum.

  I exploded into motion.

  With crackling electricity, I overcharged the ice at my feet, causing the ice to boil into water then evaporate. In the next second, I brought my claymore from the lower left hip upwards, catching the thrust with my crossguard, which I forced left-middle.

  Her buckler moved towards my head, which I stopped in place with my metal manipulation, then forcing her rapier upwards with my sword, I pressed diagonally, attempting to catch her collar bone or shoulder with the tip of my sword.

  The rapier, still in a bind with my weapon, froze over rapidly and ice then moved through her blade onto my crossguard then on my hands. This stopped me from manipulating or changing grips with my hands. The press started to go through, until ice formed along her shoulder and collarbone, taking the sword press with ease, deflecting the blow.

  I sent a charge of electricity through my weapon, boiling then evaporating the ice, freeing my hands and sword to move properly.

  I took a breath.

  I allowed myself to slip into the power at a low percentile, gaining the advantage of time. Shockwaves poured through my body as I prepared for backlash after a minute or so of unuse, which would be after the fight ended.

  She was skilled, but nothing like a man who could see through your future.

  As she let go of her buckler and rapier, she froze them over and discarded them, gained distance, disengaging and formed weapons out of ice. She once again attempted to gain superior footing with a field of ice. This time, far colder.

  I once again exploded into motion, this time a lightning bolt instead of a challenging parry and repost.

  The claymore, sparking and red-hot, moved out to my front. I let go and allowed my metal manipulation to take the weapon. Which went high and challenged her rapier from the top right. It was fast, but lost my time dilation by getting further from me. The sparking lessened, but the heat was still apparent.

  She deflected it with both her buckler and rapier, now ice, sizzling but not evaporating like the ice earlier. If she used this level of cold magic earlier, she may have put me into a more disadvantageous position. I took three pieces of metal from my emergency stash on my belt. I then lifted off, being balanced by the undershirt of steelwool given to me by Mery and the metal pieces I inserted into the lining of my workout pants below my calf.

  Two of the pieces of metal then clasped around her rapier, attempting to stop it in place. With an emission of magical will, she froze them in mid air, causing my command of them to wane.

  I then flew to her left as the third piece of metal went upwards, turning to twenty small magical darts. Lucy had to choose, which was the more threatening and pressing matter?

  The darts or me?

  ‘Both’ was the correct answer.

  The darts all moved at a rapid pace towards her less guarded left side, her right still contending with my claymore, which was mostly frozen solid by her magic, still moving because the heat was keeping it from being fully encased.

  As I moved to her flank, I charged my right hand with electricity.

  She attempted to freeze most of my darts, but plenty got through.

  I lost myself of the power, returning to normal time.

  “I surrender.” She stated.

  Everything paused.

  My metal darts stopping just shy of her skin, the electrical charge in my palm culminating into a deadly mass of electricity, now shot upwards into the sky harmlessly with a flash. The claymore, still glowing hot, lost its weidlers’ intent, dropping to the ground.

  The bright flash of my electrical discharge was followed by a massive chorus of thunder that many covered their ears over. Some simply weathered through it by forcing will into their ears.

  The colosseum went silent. I landed on my feet, a satisfied grin appearing on my face.

  “A worthy fight, Lady Lucy.” I complemented.

  Her impassive face changed none as she nodded. A cold but respectful movement. “As are your actions even more worthy of the victory you made for yourself.” Lucy then turned on her right heel and moved out of the ring. Her rapier and buckler following behind her, encased in ice.

  I picked up my claymore with my will, which moved to my shoulder, ending up in the same shoulder carry as before, the heat dissipating.

  I looked for another opponent.

  My gaze moved cog-wise as I looked upon anyone who would challenge me. It seemed I came at a less active time, since most people seemed to be resting or incapable of fighting at my level.

  Just as I was preparing to leave, I heard boots impact the ground behind me.

  I turned to see who it was. “Sir Leandros Hekali, fifth cog of the Hekali electrical attunement, challenges your lordship to a magical duel.” The lean and tall man with transparent hair and eyes stated. His voice is as clicky and quick as mothers’. He was wielding a scepter and kite shield. A miniature version of the armaments Her Wrath was armed with. He performed the flourish as he finished his last word. I could see excitement in those sparking but transparent eyes.

  My grin widened. “Sir Erec Dohiedron, fifth cog of metal and electric attunement, accepts, my brother-in-law.”

  He showed recognition in his multicolored sparking eyes. “Have at thee, Erec!”

  The scepter started sparking as he started casting through it. I crumpled the scepter with my metal manipulation, making it useless to cast through.

  I then said “That ball of metal and kite shield will now spike outwards,” giving him proper warning.

  A split second later, both metal weapons spiked back towards Leandros, he avoided massive bodily injury by causing a discharge of electricity that snapped and crackled, causing a flash. Both metal dangers stopped mid-air as I caught them before they went anywhere.

  I then sent my claymore middlewards as I sent all three metal plates in lobbing trajectories towards him and I charged towards him, pushing one of the metal plates on my calf to my heel, making sure to make a ground. All while slipping into the power to give me an advantage.

  A flash erupted out as I put will into my ears and made sure to circulate the multi-colored energy that was forced into my body at break-neck speeds downwards and into the ground. Through the metal plate, which glowed, turning into slag, then exploded.

  Thunder erupted out across the arena.

  The protective barrier flashed, now activated due to electricity causing possible risk to those spectating.

  I definitely had massive damage caused to me. My body was sparking with both the blue-ish electricity of my own magical energy and Leandros’s chrono-electrical discharge.

  My vision swam and I continued to move towards him, a battle cry sounded out as I punched him in the face with my right hand. My body was numbed and spasming, but rapidly regaining full use as I used my magical will to eliminate the evasive energy.

  I hooked him with my left directly on the chin as I defended a right hook aimed at my chin with my left elbow.

  My claymore then caught up to my movement as I grasped onto it, holding it directly under his throat.

  I allowed the power to leave me, returning to normal time.

  “I surrender,” he said, falling to his butt.

  I held out my left hand, still slightly tingly as the nerves and fibres of my muscles lost the shock wave form.

  He grasped it with his left, allowing me to pull him up. “A worthy battle, brother-in-law,” Leandros said, massaging his bruised chin with his right hand.

  As I let go of his hand once he was upright, he steadied himself. I allowed him some time to regain his equilibrium after giving him that ‘one-two’ on the chin/face area.

  “I would like to invite you to join us for dinner, brother Leandros.” I said after I waited for a few seconds.

  He grinned, holding out his right hand in a shake. Moving my claymore into the air, I took it, shaking his hand. “I would be honored to join you, brother-in-law.” He accepted, his eyes betraying interest and slight confusion. “There seem to be many things you must catch me up on.” He said in a conversational tone.

  —-------

  ~more than an hour later

  —--------------------------------

  As I set the table, Leandros sat opposite of me, while Cerys sat next to me to my right. Today's dinner was roast giant orb weaver legs with butter and potato fries with a variety of dipping sauces for either. It tasted like a giant brine crab mixed with chicken, not something I usually had. The main flavor came from the many dipping sauces arrayed in front of each person. I was most partial to the spicy sauces.

  “Now, Erec, you must tell me about how you awakened your Hekali bloodline.” Leandros led the discussion after everyone stopped silently devouring the delicious ensemble.

  “Ah, now that is a story and a half.” I said, organizing my thoughts. I really wasn’t one-hundred percent sure exactly how much to reveal to him. Since a lot of my later realizations might go against mother’s wishes of what to be revealed. That really couldn’t be, since I had no real way of knowing if Agent Seer wasn’t in this very room.

  “Well, after formally announcing my fourth cog awakening around two weeks ago, I was punished for assaulting an instructor.” I said, leaving out key items of interest.

  “During said punishment, I fought to my utmost best, but was taken down and nearly or fully killed by said instructor.” I explained, showing zero discomfort from the remembered tragedy.

  “During that moment of near or true death, I underwent a metamorphosis and awakened a version of the Hekali power.” I confessed, allowing his suspicions to rest easy.

  “Afterwards, I was able to use and manipulate electricity and other facets of said electricity.” I finished, taking a drink of red-wine.

  He shook his head, “did that supervisor not know their place?” he spat with disdain, “Was the said instructor punished?” He said with genuine hate.

  I grabbed Cerys’ left hand gently with my right, “directly and indirectly.” I confirmed loosely.

  He looked relieved, likely knowing just how bad the Steelblood training regime was. “This is also news, you and Lady Cerys.” He said in a congratulatory tone as he signaled with his right hand.

  “Queen Deborah von Steelblood arranged the engagement quite literally the day Erec awakened.” Cerys chipped in, helpfully.

  “Ah, my congratulations, may your marriage be long and joyful.” Leandros formally stated.

  He returned his look unto me, “Now, how in this ever expanding world did you awaken your fifth cog in less than two weeks, my brother-in-law?”

  “That is also a story and a half,” I described in a joking manner. “You see, after unlocking my fourth cog’s attunement change, I soon unknowingly slipped into a power capable of manipulating time.” Leandros’s eyes widened in shock. He stayed silent to let me continue.

  “Doing as such, mostly unlike myself because of the attunement change. Thus, I ran around the Steelblood estate in a dilated time period of nearly full.” He couldn’t hide his shock from me, but he stayed silent further, clearly interested. “I then was brought out of the time's power by myself and at the opportune time, a shadow of the Steelblood corps was able to anchor me to the current time.”

  He shook his head, likely knowing what would come next, his face turning a little green. “It seems like you might know or half-know what could happen next in such a scenario, so I will spare you the details.” I divulged the outcome without ruining everyone’s appetite.

  “Suffice to say, after I survived with the help of multiple high class healers, I underwent another metamorphosis.” I explained, finishing another story.

  Leandros seemed to get it together, his complexion turning back to that of health.

  “You have indeed had your share of trials and tribulations, Brother Erec.” He said with a hint of solemnity.

  “Indeed.” I confirmed with an impassive look on my face.

  “I won't ask you to broach on the subject of your family name, but I will offer my condolences and unconditional support.” He said, his right hand moving over his heart.

  “That would be much appreciated.” I said with a genuinely thankful tone.

  We then enjoyed our meal together.

  —-----------------

  ~Two months, one week later

  —-------------------------------------

  I walked into the training room, retrieving my claymore and disrobing down to my workout pants.

  I felt different tonight.

  Something was calling my name, like a simulacrum of the sword, just begging me to swing it.