Chapter 82: A Temporary Separation

CH82 A Temporary Separation

***

The day had finally come.

Alex was returning to Ashen Castle.

The Enclave’s security department had already confirmed the arrival of a knight squad marching toward their borders, flying the crest of Earl Drake Fury.

Alex, of course, was already prepared.

His luggage had long been packed into the Sanctuary.

Now, he stood inside the Tower Master’s office, ready to bid his final farewell to the people who had helped shape this stage of his life.

"Thank you for all your teachings, Master," Alex said solemnly. "I’ll make sure to live up to your expectations."

"That you should," Merlin replied, sharp as ever. "As my True Disciple, your performance reflects on me. It would be unacceptable if you ended up a second-rate mage and dragged my name through the mud."

Alex just smiled.

This wasn’t his first time dealing with Merlin’s prideful jabs. He was too mature—and too used to it—to take offence.

From the side, Zora gave him a sidelong glance, arching a brow at the old man’s choice of words.

Merlin let out a very fake cough, as if suddenly realising his tone.

Then, unexpectedly, his eyes shifted—the pupils becoming vertical slits, Draconic and ancient.

When he next spoke, the voice that emerged seemed to come from both within and beyond him.

"Listen carefully, boy."

"You have the tools. You have the talent. You even have the drive. You can reach the pinnacle... but only if you do not grow complacent."

"In my lifetime, I’ve seen many geniuses—some far more gifted than you. But only a few ever made it to the top. Do you know why?"

"Complacency."

"No matter what you’re doing—cultivation, politics, battle, or even a simple walk—until you cross the final threshold, never assume you’ve arrived. The moment you believe you’re safe... is the moment you’re most vulnerable."

"So hear me now, and remember this always—until you reach the end..."

"Never. Grow. Complacent."

The voice echoed not just in Alex’s ears, but deep within his mind.

It was the ancient voice of Uthvaazgol—the entity whose very presence carried the weight of millennia.

Alex felt his blood stir.

He would remember those words for the rest of his life.

"I will never forget your words, Master," he said with gravity.

The presence receded, the aura fading.

Merlin’s eyes returned to normal.

"In that case, you may go." The old mage waved him off with practiced nonchalance.

Alex nodded.

He and Zora turned and exited the room.

Just as they stepped out—

"Wruff!"

A small white figure leapt into Alex’s arms.

It was Fen.

The wolf cub had been stabilised under the supervision of a Beast Tamer and Researcher. With their help, the chaotic energies inside the pup had been harmonised, allowing him to complete his atavism.

The result?

Fen was no longer a Crimsonspine Wolf. Nor was he a Frostback.

He was something new—a hybrid of both, and more. An unknown species that no longer matched any known classification of the coloured spine wolf lineages.

The transformation had left him dazed for a while, but under magical guidance, he was recovering steadily. The beast mage had even given him a full bill of health.

Alex’s role now was to help him master his new elemental composition.

Fortunately, the wolf was still young. He had time—plenty of time—to grow into his power.

And Fen’s power was special.

Not only did the cub retain Fire and Ice affinities from his bloodlines, but now, he also held affinity for a third element—Wood.

More precisely: Nature, a derivative of the Wood element, just as Ice was derived from Water.(1)

[A/N: The elemental system is far more complex than this. We’ll explore its intricacies later, so I’ll spare you a heavy info-dump for now.]

-

Alex and Zora, with the small white cub nestled comfortably in Alex’s arms, made their way toward the Enclave’s main gate.

To any casual observer, it simply looked like the Enclave’s majordomo was escorting one of the Tower Master’s official disciples at the end of his discipleship tenure.

That was the narrative.

And that was exactly how the two of them wanted it.

Very few people—those who could be counted on one hand—knew the truth:

They were lovers.

It wasn’t out of shame. But in a place like the Enclave, and the realm in general, filled with schemers and gossips, the last thing they needed was their relationship being dissected into political intrigue, apprenticeship manipulation, or even bedchamber conspiracies.

It was simply less hassle to keep things quiet.

So, the two of them walked in silence.

There was nothing left to say. What needed to be said had already been spoken in the quiet corners of their time together.

Eventually, they arrived at the gate.

And in the distance, a dust trail signalled the arrival of the squad from the Ashen Castle.

Even from afar, the figure leading the charge was unmistakable.

He was a giant of a man, clad in heavy black armour that looked far too cumbersome for any ordinary warrior—yet the man moved with ease, as if the armour weighed nothing at all. But that was a lie. It weighed a lot.

The scars and gashes decorating the armour told of countless battles. Slashes, stab marks, gouges... it looked like he had walked through war itself.

The spikes and thorned edges that once adorned the armour were now worn smooth—evidence of age and usage, not polish.

But perhaps even more fearsome was the beast beneath him.

The horse.

No, not a horse. A nightmare.

Like its master, the creature was a giant among its kin. Its thick, scarred armour hanging heavily to its knees. Its blood-red eyes gleamed with a predator’s menace, and it radiated the kind of killing aura that could make lesser men piss themselves.

Together, they were unmistakable.

Saint-ranked Dark Knight Jarred—one of Earl Drake Fury’s Hounds—and his monstrous Nightmare horse.

Jarred reined his mount to a halt in front of Alex and Zora.

The beast huffed once, snorting steam, but neither Alex nor Zora flinched.

They didn’t need to.

Alex stepped forward slightly, his gaze sweeping over the massive steed. His eyes flickered with a sudden regal pressure, a quiet, commanding air that startled the nightmare horse.

Just for a moment, the creature’s savage air wavered—uncertain, confused.

Alex’s eyes moved next to the group of knights gathered behind Jarred.

They stiffened instinctively, flinching under his gaze, but held their positions with professional discipline. Their eyes never left Jarred, awaiting orders.

The moment didn’t go unnoticed.

Jarred observed the interaction silently. His hardened face betrayed nothing—except for the briefest flicker of appreciation in his eyes.

It came and went in an instant.

No one else noticed it.

No one except Zora.

She didn’t comment on it. But a faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

Jarred finally spoke.

His voice was as deep and steady as a war drum.

"By the order of Earl Drake Fury, we are here to escort you home, Master Alex."

-

Alex’s expression almost betrayed his surprise.

Though Jarred remained seated atop his horse—just as disrespectfully as he had five years ago—this time, his tone carried a faint trace of genuine respect.

He had called him, "Master Alex."

It wasn’t much. But in this world of nobility, even the smallest gestures meant something.

Jarred was one of Earl Drake Fury’s most trusted Hounds—perhaps even his right hand—and this small shift in tone signified that Alex had earned, at the very least, a modicum of acknowledgement from the grizzled Saint Knight.

Alex gave a single nod.

Then he turned to Zora.

"This is me."

"I know," Zora smiled softly.

"This isn’t a farewell. Just a temporary separation."

"I know, Alex. I’ll see you later."

She winked—subtle, almost imperceptible.

Alex’s heart ached to pull her into his arms, to kiss her in defiance of etiquette.

But that wasn’t how nobility worked here. Public Displays of Affection were frowned upon—even more so between an unwed couple.

So, he settled for a respectful bow.

And then, without further hesitation, he turned to face Jarred once more.

"I am ready."

Jarred examined him.

"Where is your luggage? Do you have a horse? If not, you’ll ride with the men."

It was blunt. Almost dismissive.

Under other circumstances, a noble heir might’ve taken offence—an escort sent by his father should have come with everything arranged, especially a mount.

But Alex only stared back calmly.

He understood something important:

Being offended changes nothing.

"I don’t need a horse," Alex said coolly. "Don’t worry about it."

Suddenly, the small wolf cub in his arms leapt down and landed firmly on the ground.

Before the knights could process what they were seeing, the beast began to grow—muscles stretching, limbs elongating, fur bristling.

In the span of seconds, the once-small cub had transformed into a towering six-foot-tall direwolf, radiating power.

A murmur swept through the knight squad. Even Jared’s eyes narrowed slightly.

But Alex?

He moved as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

He placed one foot on Fen’s lowered back and vaulted up with grace, settling into a composed seated position.

He glanced at the stunned faces of the knights without a word.

He didn’t need to explain.

Still, in the back of his mind, he recalled the moment Fen had first revealed his size-shifting ability. Both he and the Enclave’s Beast Mage had been floored.

It was unexpected—even by magical beast standards.

Their best guess was that it was connected to Fen’s Nature affinity, a rare derivative of the Wood element. But how it worked exactly? No one knew.

That didn’t stop Alex from making it useful.

Using the framework of a Vitality Rune, Alex had created something new—the LifeBank Rune.

It allowed Fen to store nutrients over time, condensing them for later use. When the wolf enlarged his form, those stored nutrients were used to sustain the transformation.

Fen had been storing energy for months.

Now, at peak Class 1 strength, the direwolf could maintain his battle form for at least a week, so long as he didn’t exert himself too much beyond carrying Alex.

Alex straightened on the wolf’s back and looked down at Jarred with quiet poise.

"Shall we get going?"

Jarred stared at him for a moment longer, eyes weighing something unseen.

Then he nodded once.

"Let’s go."

And so, with that, Alex closed the Chapter on his time at the DragonHold Enclave.

A period of training, discovery, loss, and growth.

In its place began a new arc:

The reclamation of his noble title.

And with it, the foundations for something far greater.

***