The snow had not yet melted from the courtyards when my parents finally told me the news.

  I would be joining my first expedition.

  At twelve years old, I stood at the threshold between childhood and the first step toward becoming a true Tempest Knight. The thought exhilarated me and terrified me in equal measure. Even after everything I had learned about cores, class slots, purity, and the careful dance of power that governed this world, nothing had prepared me for the idea of leaving the safety of Frostwall territory to face real monsters. Not training constructs. Not sparring targets.

  Real monsters. Creatures with instincts honed over centuries. Creatures that killed without hesitation. Creatures with their own cores.

  Creatures that could help me refine my own.

  The morning had started normally. I had awoken to the dull burn of yesterday’s training still lingering in my arms and legs. Sir Darvish showed no mercy in the mornings, always pushing me beyond what I thought possible. That man could drill footwork into a corpse and still complain about its posture.

  After washing and dressing, I found my parents waiting for me in the hall. My mother wore her usual composed expression, soft but firm. My father looked like he had something sharp hidden behind his eyes, something like the excitement he tried to hide whenever I succeeded at something.

  Mother was the first to speak.

  “Today,” she said, “you take your first step beyond our walls.”

  The words struck me harder than any sparring blow.

  “We believe you are ready,” Father added. “Sir Darvish agrees. Your core is integrated. Your first class skill is anchored. Your mind is focused. You have earned this.”

  I felt my breath catch. “An expedition. Today?”

  My father gave a short nod. “A simple one. A Tier One hunt. Supervised. Controlled. You will join a group of other youths beginning their training paths as well. You will observe, learn, and, if the chance arises, engage.”

  My mind buzzed with a thousand questions. A thousand fears. A thousand thrills.

  “Who are the others?” I asked.

  My mother smiled. “You will meet them soon.”

  I controlled my breathing and gave a respectful bow. “I will not disappoint you.”

  Her gaze softened. “Do not seek to impress. Seek to grow your understanding of your own powers.”

  Those words lingered with me as I walked outside to the courtyard where our expedition would gather. The snow crunched beneath my boots. Frostwall’s towering walls cast long shadows across the yard. The air tasted sharp and clean, the kind of cold that made every breath feel purposeful.

  A group of children, and some larger individuals stood on watch around the children as they gathered by the main gate. Frost still coating the leaves in the early morning.

  Sir Darvish stood with his arms crossed, gaze stern as ever. Beside him were two young youths I have seen not too long ago.

  The first was a tall, broad-shouldered boy, maybe a year older than me. His skin was the color of tanned stone, and the faint roughness of dormant earth mana clung to him. He wore thick gauntlets and boots that looked too heavy for someone his age, yet he held himself with surprising ease.

  “Slade Stoneson,” Sir Darvish said by way of introduction. “Vanguard class. Earth affinity. A sturdy one.”

  Slade raised a hand in greeting. “Nice to meet you. Looking forward to working with you.”

  His voice was calm and grounded, fitting for someone shaped by earth. Seems hes matured a bit these past two years.

  The other youth was a girl, slightly shorter than me, with light auburn hair pulled into a tight braid. Her eyes were sharp and restless. Every few seconds a gust of wind would flutter around her ankles, lifting tiny spirals of snow without her seeming to notice.

  “And this,” Sir Darvish said, “is Aoife Aldrige. Windstrider class. Elemental Blade variant. Quick feet, quick temper, quicker skill than most her age.”

  Aoife smirked. “Nice to see you again Sir Lance.” She gave a quick sarcastic curtsey with a smirk.

  Slade sighed in the way only an older brother might, even though he clearly was not. Aoife ignored it entirely.

  Sir Darvish then addressed the group, “Today is simple. We travel two miles into the Whisperpine Outer Trail. We track and eliminate a small nest of Frostfang Vulpes. They are Tier One. Dangerous only if underestimated.” His eyes lingered on me for a heartbeat. “Lance, you will stay near the front with me. I want to see how you apply our training to real combat situations. The rest will be spread out in equal length while we sweep through the trail. There are several other instructors who will help me keep an eye on the rest of you.

  Aoife perked up. “He already picked a class skill?”

  Slade looked surprised as well.

  Sir Darvish nodded. “Legendary classes open early once integrated. Lance has the first slot active.”

  Their reactions were satisfying in a way I would never admit aloud.

  Aoife crossed her arms. “Lucky. I am still stuck with my mobility art and passive airflow sense.”

  Slade shrugged. “We all start somewhere.”

  Sir Darvish raised his voice. “Enough idle chatter. Ready yourselves.”

  We prepared in silence. I tightened my gauntlets and flexed my fingers, feeling the faint hum of lightning in my blood. My core pulsed with a soft rhythm. Arclight Guard rested quietly in the back of my mind, ready to snap into action with a thought. I had my twin daggers rested in their sheaths that are nestled right above my tailbone. I debated bringing a spear or sword with me but being weighed down wouldn't help my test. I would have more chances.

  Sir Darvish inspected us once more before turning toward the gate. “Move.”

  The massive iron gates groaned as the heavy mix of Black Mountain Iron and other metals were forced open, and the cold air of the outer wilds swept in. Pine trees and heavy drifts of snow carpeted the world ahead. Whisperpine Forest stretched like a frozen sea of green and white, quiet but never still. The forest was peaceful at a glance, yet I could feel the faint dangers lurking beneath the surface.

  We moved into formation. Sir Darvish led. Slade walked directly behind him, shield strapped to his arm. I followed next. Aoife brought up the rear, twirling one of her slim training blades as if practicing bored fencer drills.

  Slade broke the silence after a few minutes. “You nervous?”

  I considered lying. Decided against it. “Yes.”

  “Good,” Slade said with a grin. “Makes me feel better if even the legendary class is nervous.”

  Aoife snorted softly. “If you are nervous, just follow my lead. I can scout circles around any Frostfang.”

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  “Overconfidence kills faster than claws,” Sir Darvish said without looking back.

  Aoife fell quiet instantly.

  We walked for nearly forty minutes into the depths of the Whisperpine before the snow beneath our feet changed. The usual smooth drifts broke into scattered scratches and thin gouges. Tufts of fur. Faint tracks.

  Slade crouched immediately. “Three. Maybe four. Light weight. Sharp paws. This is Frostfang territory.”

  Sir Darvish nodded. “Good eyes.”

  Aoife tapped the air with her blade. “Wind sense confirms movement ahead. Two hundred paces. They are restless.”

  Sir Darvish glanced at me. “You three, advance and show me your Northern Pride.”

  The other group of children weren't so eager to fight. Most of them being trained with the regular militia groups. Common classes.Sstill need a few years to grow into their bodies and minds.

  Luckily, I didn't have that problem. My core stirred.

  Lightning gathered along my arms. A controlled field of energy threaded across my gauntlets and forearms, humming softly. The sensation was strange. Not painful. Just a soft vibration as the pure energy coats my arms and hands. When I trained with Sir Darvish this allowed me to punch quicker and harder. The Lightning also blocks other skills/mana and blunt force quite effectively as well. A perfect skill for a fighter.

  A small drawback is the noise. Not too loud but noticeable with how tense everyone around us was. Sneaking up on the vulpes wouldn't be happening now.

  Sparks danced when I curled my fingers.

  “Good,” Sir Darvish said. “Keep it stable.”

  We advanced.

  The forest grew darker where the pines clustered tightly. The air seemed to hold its breath. Frostfang Vulpes were small wolf-like creatures with white fur, frost touched fangs, and a tendency to ambush from above or behind. They relied on speed and pack tactics, both dangerous for novice fighters.

  Slade raised his shield as a growl echoed through the pines.

  Aoife slid sideways, eyes sharp. “Left.”

  The first Frostfang launched through the air, teeth gleaming. Its fure blending in with the surroundings like camouflage.

  Slade intercepted it with a resounding clang as its fangs scraped his shield. The force pushed him back half a step, but he held steady. I felt a lightning coil instinctively through my limbs as I stepped forward.

  Arclight Guard crackled. The creature tried to leap away, but my hand shot out and grabbed its neck. Sparks erupted at the contact point. The Frostfang spasmed violently, One of the sparks finding its way to an exposed eye, Lightning exploding the eye on contact. then collapsed unconscious.

  Not dead. Not yet.

  Aoife whistled. “Nice grab.”

  Another growl. Then a third. Then the forest erupted.

  Three Frostfangs came from the branches above. Aoife leaped with startling height, her blade carving a clean arc that severed the one’s spine. One of the other group members who I didn't know ended up stepping forward, and stabbed a Vulpe in its side while it was focused on Slade's shield.

  I un-sheathed my daggers, Lightning extending from my hand to coat my blades now that I have brandished them. I Slit the throat of the one I knocked out.

  [+12 XP] Frostfang Vulpes defeated.

  [+20 XP] First Frostfang Vulpe Kill Bonus XP awarded

  Aofie dashed behind me, blood dripping from her blade as the third vulpe collapsed.

  She landed with a dancer’s grace. “Too slow, Slade.”

  Slade rolled his eyes. “You always go for the dramatic finish.”

  I Glance at them both, “Did you both receive a kill notification?”

  They nodded their heads with a smile, “First time I have seen this, I Can see why people wish to grow strong. Its fun.” Aoife said with a wide smile plastered on her face, her eyes unfocused. Probably looking at her own interface.

  Sir Darvish checked the bodies. “This is only the outer pack. The nest is deeper.”

  We moved again, leaving the fallen creatures behind.

  Deeper meant colder. The air shifted from crisp to biting. Frost grew thick around the branches, forming crystalline webs. This was the territory of a maturing Frostfang matriarch.

  Sir Darvish slowed. “Slade. Shield up. Aoife. Flank. Lance. Stay centered.”

  My heartbeat steadied as I inhaled. My lightning pulsed in rhythm with the frost tinged air. Perhaps it was the Snow affinity lingering in my blood, or the mixed nature of my Bond, but the cold sharpened my senses rather than dulling them.

  We reached a clearing blanketed by a strange silence.

  Then I saw it.

  The ice cave.

  The entrance was carved naturally into a slope of frozen earth, wide enough that the Frostfangs could swarm freely. Dark blue light pulsed faintly inside.

  Slade braced his shield. “The Matriarch is inside.”

  Aoife crouched, fingers brushing the snow. “Wind sense picks up six, maybe seven. One large mana signature.”

  Sir Darvish sheathed his weapon. “This is where your lessons matter. Do not rush. Do not overextend. I will stay here, you three will be going alone. Come back with a trophy.

  I nodded, gripping my daggers tighter.

  We entered the cave.

  The interior was cold enough that my breath fogged immediately. Frost lined the walls in jagged patterns. The air tasted metallic. I could sense movement in the shadows.

  A low rumble echoed from the back.

  The matriarch stepped into view.

  She was larger than the others by several lengths. Her fur shimmered with frost crystals, her eyes glowed pale blue, and her fangs dripped with freezing vapor. Her presence pressed down on us like the weight of stone.

  Slade exhaled slowly. “She is strong.”

  Aoife tightened her grip on her blade.

  She is a freshly evolved Tier 1. The difference in appearance made it obvious.

  The matriarch roared.

  Multiple Frostfangs burst forward. Aoife vanished in a burst of wind, reappearing behind one of them and severing its hind legs in a single sweep. Slade caught another full force strike with his shield, sending a shock through the cave walls. He used his Earth affinity to manipulate the earth. He clad his feet in dirt and hardened it, keeping his stance immovable.

  I moved to take the other two smaller vulpes. Striking one with my daggers enhanced with Arclight Guard, the lightning burning the insides and spreading through the vulpes organs. The third one went down when I gave it a spinning kick, and Slade hefted his shield up, bringing it down hard on the fallen vulpes neck. Breaking it.

  Then the matriarch attacked. A monstrous Roar echoed within the cave, snow flying in the air like a smoke bomb.

  She surged forward with astonishing speed, claws extended, fangs shimmering with frost essence.

  I leapt.

  Arclight Guard ignited fully. Lightning roared across my limbs. My vision sharpened as my body accelerated. I used frost to cover my legs and chest, creating another layer of protection as I faced the Matriarch head on.

  The moment my Dagger made contact, electricity discharged in a sharp crack. The matriarch snarled as the current disrupted her movement. She tried to shake me off, but the lightning made her muscles lock for a heartbeat.

  Slade seized the moment and slammed his shield into her side. The impact shoved her off balance. Aoife darted in and sliced a deep line across her shoulder.

  The matriarch roared and spun, claws swiping wildly.

  A blast of frost struck the wall where my head had been a moment earlier. Shards of ice exploded outward. I felt one graze my cheek, leaving a shallow sting.

  The slam by Slade gave a slight opening. We seized it

  “Lance,” Slade yell. “Finish it.”

  My heart pounded.

  This was the moment. My first true kill.

  Lightning surged through me. My core responded instinctively. I stepped forward, pulled back my fist, and struck with everything my young body could muster. The blowback almost dislocated my shoulder. The Concentration of lightning Mana more than I was used to.

  The lightning discharge shook the cave.

  The matriarch convulsed, snapping her Jaws at my arm. My left arm got grazed by her fangs. The cut sprayed blood as I yelled.

  I clasped my right hand over the cut and imbued frost mana within the open wound to help stop the bleeding. Aoife came whooshing in and Cut the back of the Matriarchs legs. Severing her tendons.

  Matriach stumbled and dropped. Slade uses his earth Affinity to clasp the Matriarch's wounded leg in stone to impede her movements.

  I used my daggers and stabbed her eye with my lightning coated daggers. Again and Again.

  Burnt fur assaulting my nose. Aofie Stabbed her in the neck when It stumbled, and I followed up with a finishing cut across its throat, making sure my Daggers burned her insides.

  Lightning was very lethal. This is my first experience in both lives at such up-close destruction and death. It was a bit unsettling.

  Silence followed. Heavy. Final. Broken by the flash of the kill notification from the system.

  [+50 XP] FrostFang Matriarch (Tier 1) Eliminated

  [Skill Progress +12%] Hand to Hand.

  [Skill Progress +15%] Arclight Guard.

  [Skill Progress +10%] Daggers.

  For a moment none of us spoke. The cold air filled the space left by her fading presence.

  Then Aoife exhaled. “Well. That was intense.”

  Slade lowered his shield with a grin. “Good teamwork.”

  We placed the Matriarch on Slades Shield. Honors Sir Darvishes request to bring him a trophy.

  Walking out of the cave, Sir Darvish saw us exit. Wounded, tired, but victorious.

  Sir Darvish looked at me. Not with pride. Not with surprise. Simply with confirmation.

  “You did well, Lance, and you two as well.”

  I swallowed, breath unsteady. “Thank you.”

  Sir Darvish crouched beside the matriarch’s body, reached into her chest cavity, and extracted a glowing core the size of his fist. The light refracted inside it like shifting frost.

  He held it out to me.

  “Your first monster core. Absorb it when we return home. Let it strengthen your purity and your understanding of power.”

  I accepted it with both hands. The core radiated cold through my gloves, almost as if it were breathing against my palms.

  Aoife elbowed me lightly. “Not bad for your first time.”

  Slade nodded. “You are sharp with that lightning. Keep training it.”

  I felt a smile pull at my lips. “Thank you both.”

  Sir Darvish sheathed his weapon. “We return.”

  We walked back to the main Whisperpine trail. Meeting up with the rest of the group who have been fighting the stragglers in groups.

  I walked behind Sir Darvish, the core held close, feeling the hum of its energy even without using my senses. Mother had been right.

  Understanding was only the beginning.

  Real mastery would come from moments like this.

  Moments where lightning, ice, and fear met in the dark.

  Moments where choice shaped destiny.

  And today, I took my first step toward what a Tempest Knight was meant to become.