The days after their return to the Vale Estate slipped by quietly —a golden peace that Aren cherished more with each sunrise.
But even as the sunlight warmed their halls,as Mira's laughter and Elara's determination filled the gardens,the shadow of what was coming grew closer.
And Aren —he would not allow himself to be lulled into false security.
It was time to see if his family was truly beginning to forge strength from peace.
Challenge Day
At dawn, Aren called them to the training grounds.
The family gathered without question:
Mira bounced slightly in place, excited but sensing the unusual gravity in the air.
Elara stood straight-backed and silent, her small fists clenched with anticipation.
Alice, the Imperial granddaughter still staying at the estate, clutched Mira's hand tightly but said nothing.
Among the adults,Darian, Lyra, and their partners took their places.
Selene watched from the sidelines, serene but attentive.
There were no jokes this time.No laughter.Only the cool breath of the morning wind, and the steady gaze of Aren Vale.
He stood before them, arms behind his back, golden eyes unblinking.
"Today," he said, voice low but carrying across the grounds,"I will measure what you have built within yourselves."
Not a suggestion.A declaration.
Their bodies stiffened in instinctive respect — not from fear, but from the sheer presence that Aren carried like a second skin.
"There will be no games," he continued."No celebration."
"You are my family.You are my blood.And because of that, I will not lie to you about what strength demands."
The children swallowed nervously.
The adults nodded grimly.
First Test: Endurance
Without another word, Aren sent them running.
Not a leisurely jog.
A brutal, grinding marathon around the estate —a test of lungs, hearts, and will.
Mira faltered early but refused to quit, teeth gritted and arms pumping.
Elara ran steadily, mechanical and determined, sweat dripping from her brow.
Alice pushed herself with quiet desperation, unwilling to fall behind.
Among the adults, Lyra's partner stumbled first, then caught himself.Darian, fueled by a fire born of both pride and guilt, pushed past him.
Lap after lap, Aren stood silently at the center, his gaze never wavering.
He did not call encouragement.
He did not offer comfort.
Only the cold, unyielding measure of progress.
Second Test: Strength
Panting, trembling, they returned to the grounds.
Aren gave no pause.
"Form stances. Hold them."
Simple commands.
Excruciating in practice.
Mira's knees wobbled.Elara gritted her teeth until her lips turned white.Alice closed her eyes tightly, fighting against the urge to collapse.
Minutes stretched into eternities.
Selene and the others watched in tense silence.
This was not punishment.
It was forging.
Aren's golden eyes missed nothing.
He saw the slight tremor in Lyra's arms —the growing resilience in Darian's usually seriouss stance —the silent, furious determination in the children.
He saw it all.
And in his heart, he recorded every crack, every victory, every hidden seed of future greatness.
Third Test: Awareness
Finally, Aren moved among them.
A whisper of his aura.A sudden flick of energy.
A small stone hurtling toward Darian — blocked.A gust of air aimed at Mira's blind side — dodged, barely.A sharp, crackling pulse near Alice's foot — startled, but not broken.
He pushed them without mercy.
And they fought back —weakly, clumsily sometimes —but they fought.
And that mattered more than perfection.
The Final Word
At the end of it all —sweat-drenched, exhausted, half-collapsed onto the earth —they knelt in the fading light.
And Aren spoke:
"You have improved."
A pause.
"But it is not enough."
Mira's chin trembled, but she nodded fiercely.
Elara, face set like stone, simply bowed her head.
Alice wiped her nose on her sleeve and blinked rapidly.
Darian, Lyra, and their partners accepted the judgment in grim silence.
Aren looked over them —his family, his world —and his heart ached.
Not from disappointment.
From the knowledge that even this might never be enough to shield them from what was coming.
But he would not falter.
And neither would they.
Not if he had anything to say about it.
That Night
After the children had been bathed and tucked into bed,after the adults had retreated to their rooms to rest aching muscles,Aren stood alone once again on the highest balcony.
Selene joined him wordlessly, slipping her hand into his.
They watched the stars bloom across the night sky.
Tomorrow, Aren thought.
Tomorrow, I will meet Arthur.Tomorrow, I will take the first step into the unknown.
He squeezed Selene's hand gently.
One more day of peace.
And then —the future would no longer wait.