I turned to Father. "Huh? You can hear the voice, too?"

He chuckled. "Of course, everyone beside you can. That's Ghost," Father said, without realizing how funny he sounded.

"Huh? That's his name? Ghost? Or do you mean he, you know…"

"Dead,?" the voice replied. "Nahh, kid, I'm alive. People call me Ghost. Can't tell you my real name—I would have to kill ya if I did."

A shape emerged. The air, blowing cloth slightly and obscuring eyes, folded in on itself. There he was: the man stepped out of the wind as if the world had made room for him.

His cloak rippled with the same deep wine color as the others, but his posture was different casual, confident, as though he wasn't supposed to hide. The collar of his long, flowing outer coat stood high, a striking band of pristine white against the wind-whipped fabric. This coat, cut in a stylized military fashion, was predominantly the color of fresh snow, yet its edges the deep split hem and the cuffs of the sleeves were all trimmed in the rich, dark crimson of his cloak.

Beneath the coat, a fitted vest or tunic of deep wine was visible, laced tightly with black cord and fastened with a line of gleaming silver clasps that ran up to his throat. This dark underlayer contrasted sharply with the white exterior, drawing the eye and giving him a formidable silhouette. His trousers, a dusty charcoal-grey, were tucked into tall, wine-red boots that rose to his knees, reinforced with dark leather strapping. The entire ensemble spoke of a warrior-scholar, a dangerous individual who wore the solemn colors of his order but carried himself with the brazen freedom of a rogue.

He smiled faintly down at me as I stared in awe, my mouth wide open in shock at what I had just witnessed, and what felt like a moment later, he tilted his head and his hand gently pushed my jaw closed.

"Easy now, there are flies around. No need to panic, young Fula. I'm a friend of your dad."

I immediately turned to Dad. Was this man going to be Astraya's new teacher, who already looked the part? Oh man, my mind wandered into oblivion. I was drooling; I wanted to learn that move so bad.

Father grinned as both men stood with me in the middle. "Ghost, you made it, but late as always," Father said.

The man now known as Ghost gave him a lazy wave. "Good to see you again, Vaulgabread."

Father gave a short nod, his expression worried. "So what do you think? My daughter, does she have a chance?"

Ghost's grin widened. "You're right, your daughter is a prodigy. But…" He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "…it's not for me to decide that. Let's just hope he likes what he sees."

"He?" What was Ghost talking about? Was there another person who could simply materialize out of thin air? My attention was immediately drawn back to the fight.

Out of perhaps pity, Rose decided to attack. She looked seemingly unimpressed. The easy victory of the single arrow she shot at my sister moments ago had made her conclude she had seen all she needed to.

Rose sighed, the sound carrying easily through the strained silence. "Fine, you asked for it. Let's make it quick then. If one made you cough this much, perhaps seven will make you surrender."

Voom! Voom! Voom! Voom! Voom!…

In rapid succession, seven compressed-air arrows ripped through the air, the sound like tearing thick canvas. The force made my ears ring; the rush of displaced air alone forced me to shield my eyes. And Astraya was right in their path.

Yep, she's finished. No way out now. She wasn't fast enough to dodge, nor powerful enough to overpower them. How the hell would she even escape this? I thought, watching Astraya. Why do they keep forgetting she is freaking four?

—Fwwhhhmmm!

Even as the arrows flooded through the last few meters, I heard it. An immediate, almost reflexive command against the incoming attack. Astraya's voice, raw with desperation and effort, pierced the wind. "MAXIMUS!"

The three glowing spheres behind her expanded in a heartbeat, merging into a single, roaring barrier of compressed wind. The first arrow hit—

BOOM!

A deafening shockwave exploded outward, sending dust, pebbles, and debris flying in a massive cloud. Astraya was pushed back far beyond where she had stood, skidding across the cracked ground and leaving deep furrows behind her.

When the dust began to clear, a collective gasp escaped the onlookers. To my utter shock, only one arrow had struck her barrier. The other six hung suspended midair, their deadly momentum arrested just inches from the expanding cloud of pulverized earth. They were poised like waiting sentinels, only able to follow the command of their master, Rose.

Just one... one out of the seven caused this much. The stress was clearly weighing on her, as she was breathing heavily, her small body trembling slightly. If this wasn't a test, those remaining six would definitely end her title of prodigy.

Astraya looked up at Rose, her face grimy and smudged, now able to see only one of those arrows had struck her barrier while the others remained still, waiting. Her breathing was ragged, but her expression wasn't one of defeat—it was one of absolute irritation.

"Tch, why did you stop the remaining arrows?" she yelled at Rose, spitting a fleck of dirt out of her mouth.

Rose yelled back, her voice ringing with exasperation. "I'm sure you know by now this is a test, and your father and brother are not truly in danger, so just give up and accept your loss!"

Astraya stared in our direction. I waved at her, smiling my encouragement. She didn't smile back; her face remained dead serious, her dark hair plastered to her forehead, and her chest continued the labored heaving of someone struggling for air. She turned her hard gaze back to Rose.

"Sooo?… I knew that already," Astraya said, her voice strained but firm. "Like I said, I promised I was going to win, and that's what I intend to do!"

"Tch, stubborn child! Give up already!" Rose insisted, annoyance clear in her tone.

"You can ask me as many times as you want. I, Astraya Fula, will say the same thing! I won't stop until you render me useless!"

Rose put her hands on her hips, shoulders slumping as she let out a massive sigh. "SIGH! Why do I get stuck in situations like this?" She shook her head, a new steel entering her eyes. "Alright, Astraya, I won't treat you like a kid anymore. You are my opponent."

Her stance straightened, and the suspended arrows behind her vibrated with renewed, lethal energy. "So now, prepare yourself! I, Rose Vintergard, will take you seriously! Now get up and face me!"

Astraya now fully upright smirked. "I thought you would never ask."

This drew more murmurs from among the cloaked men around us, yet Ghost and Father remained perfectly calm, observing the scene. All I could do was trust her. What was the purpose of these tests? They all seemed far too extreme to me.

Astraya's eyes glowed white. Four new orbs of air formed and zipped into place behind her. She's definitely running out of tricks, I thought, if she even had any in the first place.

"Gale Shroud," Astraya announced, her voice strained.

At this point, the whole situation was becoming embarrassing.

"MAXIMUS!" Astraya commanded.

The four spheres behind her expanded in a heartbeat, instantly merging into a single, roaring barrier of compressed wind.

"That's it?" Rose scoffed, her voice laced with disappointment. "That's all you've got now that I've decided to take you seriously?"

"Alright, then," Rose declared, her voice now sharp and holding nothing back. "Here they come!"

All six arrows flashed forward simultaneously. I gasped, instinctively clutching my neck.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

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