Chapter 2 - A morning in Cryos.

…10 hours earlier…

The training grounds are alive with anticipation; the air thrums with energy as Alina faces off against the warriors of House Xalveria.

They are the best, handpicked by her father, the Lord Alinos Xalveria himself. They are highly skilled, highly trained, and utterly ruthless. But they are not Lycans. Though they are of the House Xalveria, they are not of noble birth and do not come directly from the Xalverian bloodline since their blood has been diluted. Only those with the last name Xalveria had distinct platinum white hair, but everyone else also had melanated skin, and blue and/or silver eyes.

They are all staring back at Alina, the warriors she is meant to train with. They are dressed in platinum and black combat attire, bearing the crest of House Xalveria. Their battle gear is nothing short of perfection, with deadly silver swords in hand. Even without armour, they are a sight to behold... formidable and terrifying.

But none of them compares to her.

Even unarmed, Alina stands as the most dangerous presence among them.

She is the weapon.

She stands tall at the centre, wearing sleek black and grey training attire, a black catsuit embroidered with platinum and her family crest, her long white hair flowing all the way down to her back. Her silver eyes are fixed with surgical coldness on the warriors before her. She remains still... calm... Every breath is slow as she analyses them.

It's another freezing day in Cryos, with the temperature a regular -10°C for members of House Xalveria, even though it is technically springtime. It is a land where it is always winter, and the sun rarely reveals itself, and today, like most days, it is hiding beneath a blanket of white clouds.

The warriors circle her, and her gaze locks on her first target as he steps forward, his expression vigilant but still wary. She can see how he tries to mask his apprehension, but it shows, subtle, yes, but she sees it. They all do. The others form a loose circle around her, their blades ready, eyes trained on her with a mix of readiness and dread.

They’re afraid of her.

As they should be.

Unfortunately, they’re forced to train with the one material that could bring real harm... silver. In this day and age, Humans know of their existence, and Hunters remain the greatest threat to Lycan and Werewolf survival. Training against silver is a necessity, even against each other.

Hunters aren’t the only problem. There are the Rogues too — Werewolves who refuse to recognise the authority of the noble bloodlines. The Kingdom of Lycania may be unified, but it is never at peace. There is always a threat — external or within.

Lycans may be more powerful than ordinary Wolves, but silver still brings great harm and will slow down any Lycan. And so, they must know how to fight it. To endure it.

The only thing capable of killing a Lycan is Rezionite, a rare mineral, often forged into weapons. It is so scarce, only the royal families of Lycania are said to possess it.

The duel begins in a flash of silver.

Her opponent moves quickly, his blade slicing through the air with precision. But she is faster.

Another reality of training — swords. They don’t often shift into wolf form during combat. Lycans don’t need to. Their Human forms are already superior. And Alina, above all, does not require fangs to dominate.

She swerves and dodges with grace, letting the blade pass within inches of her skin. The tension in her opponent snaps and he falters. Just slightly, but it’s enough for her to take the opening. With a sharp pivot, she knocks the sword from his grip, sending it flying across the field. It lands with a hard clang, skidding to a stop well out of reach.

She huffs and simply turns, eyes cutting toward the next warrior.

He steps forward. Then another. They come at her in quick succession, their blades gleaming and their strikes relentless. But Alina does not falter, she does not yield. Each attack she evades. Each opening, she punishes. Her body moves with deadly intent, a blend of honed technique and pure predatory instinct.

Then the air around her changes.

A chill begins to form. It radiates outward from her body as she senses them regrouping — seven of them now, all preparing to strike her at once.

Foolish.

She takes a slow, deep breath and focuses.

Then she releases it... the ancient, primal Xalverian power that dwells within her.

A surge of ice-laced wind explodes from her, howling outward in every direction. The ground beneath her feet freezes instantly, shimmering frost cracking across the training yard in a wide, dangerous radius, making the temperature drop sharply. Gasps sound around the circle as footing fails and blades slip from frozen fingers. The warriors stumble, wide-eyed and bewildered, as the ice lashes their skin.

Then moves her arms outward.

The wind intensifies, spiralling from her in violent arcs. The warriors are tossed backwards, flung several meters into the air. Their weapons scatter across the frozen ground. They groan in pain, slipping and sprawling like prey under the gaze of a predator.

And afterwards, she stands alone at the centre, unmoving, unbothered, motionless...

Cold.

The icy storm dissipates, her breath visible in the now-frigid air. Her pulse doesn’t quicken, it remains slow and relaxed, and her expression doesn’t change. She merely surveys the field of downed warriors like a queen examining pawns.

None of them dares to approach.

She should feel triumphant. But the exhilaration is already fading, replaced by the familiar, low hum of tension in her chest.

And then...

“Alina!” A loud voice grabs her attention, piercing through the still air, cold, terrifying and completely unmistakable.

She turns and watches as Lord Alinos Xalveria steps into view...

His platinum and black robes whip in the icy breeze as he strides forward, his expression harder than the frozen earth beneath him. His aura is powerful and demands silence, respect and fear.

He is her father.

She watches him approach, unflinching as a frustrated sigh leaves her breath. His silver eyes meet hers with fury as he finally reaches her.

“That display was reckless,” he snaps, his voice a razor’s edge. “You were showboating. Your exercise today was defence, not offence.”

She faces her father, her expression seemingly blank as she stares back at him.

“I disarmed all of them without so much as a scratch,” she replies coolly, as if her father is merely overreacting.

Her tone is devoid of warmth. There is no humility, no submission. Only fact. This is their constant rhythm: clashing, always clashing.

Her relationship with her father has never been simple. He made her train relentlessly and moulded her into a weapon. And now he resents the sharpness of the blade.

“You were supposed to disarm them without using the easy way out,” he retorts sharply. “Do you think Hunters will hesitate? Do you think they’ll give you room to dodge and dance? You need to be better than this, Alina. Smarter.”

Her wolf stirs beneath the surface, but still, she remains calm. It's the only way for her to truly suppress her abilities.

She holds his gaze, cold and defiant as she stares back at him.

“Smarter?” she echoes, her voice steady as she faces him. “Was it not smart to read their movements? To exploit their weaknesses? If I used any more physical force, they would be dead. I need more of a challenge.” She says calmly, disinterested in what her father is telling her.

The truth is, she is the most powerful person here, and her father knows it. If he really wants to push her, she will need to fight people that match her in strength, speed and agility... other Lycans...

“You were reckless, Alina,” he says. “One mistake, one miscalculation, and you’d be bleeding out on this field with silver burns that refuse to heal. Just because it can't kill you doesn't mean you need to make stupid decisions in battle.” He growls at her, and it immediately sets off her temper. How is she making stupid decisions?

Her eyes narrow, her anger suddenly spiking. She needs to keep it together. But unfortunately, it might already be too late...

The temperature shifts again, but not from the air.

From her...