The night training grounds burned with energy. Bonfires cast long shadows over the combat circles, where warriors clashed with wooden swords, iron staves, and makeshift shields. The convoy had stopped to rest before entering the Forest of the Forbidden Horizon — but rest was a luxury the Fernandes never knew.
Lukas, shirtless, drenched in sweat, slammed his wooden gladius against a training post. His hands bled along the edges, but he didn’t stop. His eyes steady. His soul restless.
— The faster with wood... the sharper with steel — he muttered, breath ragged.
At the edge of the field, a group of Trevos recruits whispered to each other as they watched.
— He’s really incredible…
— Even bleeding like that, he hasn’t stopped training.
— That boy has something different.
Lukas didn’t notice. He just kept going, strike after strike, as if trying to carve through his own shadow.
Then Luiz burst onto the scene, shattering the silence:
— HEYYYY! WHAT ARE YOU ALL WAITING FOR, THE GRAND FINALS OF THE PATHS?!
A roar spread across the camp. Bets started flying among soldiers, squires, and scouts. The reason?
Valquíria — Queen of the Valkyries, leader of the Trevos Squadron — had just accepted a challenge from Alenna Fonseca, her second-in-command and representative of the Summer Path.
The crowd parted as Valquíria strode into the center of the improvised arena. Her stance was firm, her smile crooked, the kind of smirk born from surviving a hundred battles. Behind her came Alenna, sword in hand, golden eyes burning with discipline and respect.
Lukas, still dripping sweat, tried to back away from the post.
— Uh… maybe I should step aside so I don’t get in the way…
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But Luiz stopped him.
— Where do you think you’re going, Virgin-boy?! Get in the circle, now!
— WHAT?!
Before Lukas could react, Luiz grabbed his arm and hurled him into the center of the circle — right between the two fighters.
— OUR FUTURE COMMANDER NEEDS TO SEE THIS UP CLOSE! — Luiz roared. — LET’S SEE IF HE’S STILL A VIRGIN AFTER THIS EXPLOSION OF WARRIOR PHEROMONES!
The crowd erupted in laughter and cheers. Lukas landed on his knees, frozen.
— You bastard, Luiz… — he muttered, struggling to stand. — I’ll break you someday…
— Nope. First, you’ll lose your virginity before you die, Luiz whispered, laughing as he walked off to bet on Valquíria.
The clash began.
The sound of wooden swords striking echoed like dry thunder across the field. Alenna pressed forward with steady, disciplined strikes. Valquíria blocked each blow with ease, countering with the strength and precision of someone who had been forged in endless combat.
The crowd roared with every impact. Soldiers swapped coins, recruits shouted, and the Trevos pounded their fists against their chests.
Then came the final blow.
Valquíria twisted her body with brutal force and drove a direct punch into Alenna’s stomach.
The impact hurled the second-in-command two meters back. Alenna hit the ground on her knees, gasping, then lifted her sword in salute, bowing her head in respect.
Total silence.
Valquíria calmly brushed her hair back. Then she raised her chin and smiled crookedly.
— Did you really think you could defeat the Queen of the Valkyries?
At that exact moment, a tree behind her split down the middle. A rock shattered into fragments.
Alenna’s last strike had cut through everything in its path… except Valquíria.
But… Valquíria’s armor bore a scratch.
Lukas went pale.
— Th-th-that… that almost cut me in half.
— Almost? — Adriele replied, casually eating grapes. — If you’d breathed a little deeper, you’d have lost a kidney.
— HOW DO YOU EVEN KNOW THAT?! — Lukas gawked.
Adriele popped another grape into her mouth and winked.
— Did you forget I’m a Valkyrie too?
Lukas dropped to the ground, defeated.
— I’m surrounded by monsters…
Valquíria pointed at him and shouted:
— And this one in the middle? What’s that face for? You gonna run from the next fight?
The whole camp burst out laughing. Except Lukas.
— I swear I never asked to be born here… — he muttered, staring up at the sky.
Luiz returned, sack of coins in hand.
— Thank you, my queen! I bet on your victory! Copas undefeated once again!
Lukas dragged himself to his feet.
— One day… I’ll defeat you, damn Copas.
Kátia of the Copas, seated atop a wagon, smiled.
— You’ll manage one day, Lukas.
End of Chapter 8.
Thank you so much for reading! ??
What did you think? Valquíria is a little brutal, haha.
See you in the next chapter — it drops at 8 PM!
