eeper, his lungs burning. He couldn't tell whi

ght. *Just like Fath

spread from his chest through his body.

t he could see clearly. Fish swam past. Plants waved in t

It got brighter every second,

eart jumped. These were river beasts. Monsters that killed

swam straight at him. Marcus wanted to scre

see every sharp tooth. But it didn't attack.

e beasts turned and ran. Even the bigg

But he knew he had to get

dy hit rocks but somehow didn't hurt

Marcus's head broke the surface and he gas

to swim but had almost no strength

old himself. *Mother said

self forward. Finally, he was out of the water. He

lay there, too tired to move. His body hurt everywhere. His

e was

He wanted to call for help, but something made

ome? I've been training a

If you want to be strong, y

. Marcus tried to sit

d eyes and a long white beard. "This boy is stil

he had her hair in a ponytail and looke

m energy flowed into him, different from the golden

He opened his eyes fully. The girl'

arcus asked weakly. H

l

ightly. "What? Angel? Do

The boy is hurt,"

g cheek. "Sorry. I thought

y. Though I'm amazed you survived. Th

in surprise. "Remarkable. Your body is heal

r several minutes, he could sit up. He bowe

end up in this river? Where is your fa

. His father falling. His mother bleeding

s old man knew Cassian? What if he helped w

killed everyone, including my parents. They burned everyth

nt bandits. But the result was the same.

showed sympathy. Ly

an said softly. "S

shook h

lead the Iron Sword Academy, not far from here. If you

ant training. Training meant getting stronger. Get

onored, sir,"

er Octavius. From today, you're my grandson." H

full name. If anyone learned he was

Marcus," he

us? No fam

thing. I want to forget my o

s. This is my granddaughter, Lydia. She's eigh

e's smaller than me, so he

Marcus almost smiled

Marcus?" Grandfath

Grandf

look older. Well, no matter. Let me cat

iver, Marcus stared at the dar

will grow stronger than anyone. And

cheek. But it wasn't sadn