Sword Brother

Ambrosius briefly glanced at the woman still standing, tension stiffening her shoulders. She did not flinch, but the sharp glint in her eyes made it clear, she did not appreciate professor Avalon's intervention.

"I'm listening." The Exalted's voice was neutral.

Professor Avalon crossed his arms and took a few slow steps across the room, choosing his words carefully.

"We all know only young men inherit the Severance. Not my rule, unfortunately, shame, really, I'd have had some ideas. So, if we follow this rather predictable logic, there's a good chance our heir is already wandering through the halls of the Academy, wouldn't you say?"

He paused, his calculating gaze flickering toward the dancing flames of a bronze lumen chandelier.

"That said, another possibility comes to mind… What if our dear Severance inheritance has yet to find a worthy wielder? What if it's still lying somewhere beneath the ruins of Kernéval, waiting for someone to pick it up? Maybe even wrapped up with a pretty little ribbon?"

A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips before he continued, his voice laced with amusement.

"After all, our brilliant investigators probably had no idea what they were looking for. Can't blame them. It's not as if they're trained to recognize a fragment of legend amidst a pile of rubble."

His eyes shifted toward Ambrosius, watching for a reaction.

The Exalted did not so much as blink.

"Go on."

Avalon let a thin smile stretch across his face.

"Our students do love their little merit quests, don't they? So why not add a new one to the list? A little treasure hunt, if you will… see who manages to get their hands on this… Severance shard. But let's keep things vague. With a bit of luck, one of them might stumble upon it… and receive their inheritance."

Silence followed his words.

Cassandre, who had remained rigid until now, shook her head. But it was Ambrosius who broke the silence.

"The only problem…" he murmured, slowly placing a hand on his oak desk, his fingers drumming a thoughtful rhythm against the wood. Then, he lifted his piercing gaze toward Avalon.

"…they could die. Few are capable of surviving contact with the Severance."

Avalon gave a small shrug.

"Oh, of course, there's a risk. But let's be honest, when isn't there? If it were easy, then it wouldn't be worth becoming a swordBrother, would it?"

This time, Cassandre could not contain her outrage.

"Exalted! This is far too dangerous! We'd be sacrificing students over a mere hypothesis!"

Ambrosius closed his eyes for a brief moment, weighing the arguments. Then, taking a deep breath, he reopened them.

His gaze, sharp as forged steel, cut through the tension in the room.

"We'll do it."

Cassandre took a step back, as if struck.

"Exalted…!"

He silenced her with a wave of his hand.

"It's a calculated risk. And the benefits the academy stands to gain will more than make up for the losses. We'll find an explanation for the families."

Avalon allowed himself a satisfied smile, carefully masked behind a facade of neutrality.

Cassandre, however, remained silent. But her eyes burned with restrained fire. There was nothing more she could say, the Exalted had already decided.

"Very well, this matter is settled. Now… let's discuss the horde wreaking havoc in the east. Their alpha is an hollowborn, correct?"

"Our scouts report that a man is among them. Worse still… it appears he commands the hollowborn." Avalon clarified.

Cassandre Délviane's head snapped up.

"Daemon of Briseterre, the immortal!" she exclaimed, her fingers tightening around her sleeves, a rare crack in her disciplined composure.

"That isn't certain," Avalon countered smoothly. "The reports are… let's say, unclear. Our scouts saw what they wanted to see. A man leading an hollowborn? It could be an illusion… or worse, an hollowborn taking human form."

"We need to be sure!" Cassandre cut in, her jaw clenched. "If it's him, we can't afford to underestimate the threat. That horde didn't gather by accident."

"That land hasn't seen an hollowborn in its forests for over half a century," the Grand Druid mused. "That such an abomination would claim these lands is hardly surprising. The nature of a void is to draw in darkness."

He cast a sidelong glance at Cassandre, who held his gaze without wavering.

Avalon added,

"Now, what if we saw this as… a live test for our third years? After all, they need to learn somewhere, and what better way to forge them than a true baptism by fire?"

Cassandre's teeth clenched.

"Sending students against a horde led by Daemon—if it really is him, is madness."

"Or… a golden opportunity. It's all a matter of perspective, isn't it?" Avalon retorted with a smirk and a knowing wink. "They say warriors are forged in the flames of battle. You're living proof of that, aren't you, Professor Délviane? Or… have you changed your mind on the matter?"

"I..."

Ambrosius raised a hand, and the room fell into silence.

"Hmmm… before we jump to conclusions, we must confirm the identity of this abomination. Rushing to certainty is the first step toward error."

His piercing gaze moved from Cassandre to Avalon.

"The Umbra knows how to deceive. It wouldn't be the first time an abomination shrouded itself in human guise. Avalon, send in experienced Watchers. If the man truly is Daemon… we will act accordingly."

Cassandre slowly nodded, though her expression remained grim.

"If it's him… this won't just be a battle. It will be a trial for the entire Academy."