Sylvara's Rebirth A New Dawn for Abel novel Chapter 146

**Chapter 146: His Past**

Veyric was so taken aback that he found himself frozen, a morsel of food still lodged in his mouth, as if time had stopped around him.

He straightened his posture, straining to catch every sound in the tense atmosphere.

Sylvara, sensing the gravity of the moment, fell silent, her gaze shifting as if searching for the right words to break the heavy silence.

Holy crap, he thought. That was brutal on a whole new level.

Bane, unable to contain his excitement, thumped his chest with a fist and stomped his foot into the ground with a force that sent vibrations through the air. “Exactly!” he exclaimed, his voice booming with fervor. “I hail from the First Military Academy. We faced the same kind of deceit. Those clueless instructors and commanders set up a fake finish line to toy with us. We thought we had triumphed, only to be yanked back into the fray.”

“Just picture it,” he continued, his eyes wide with the memory. “You cross what you think is the finish line—victory in your grasp, first place secured, and fame just around the corner. But then, those jerks pull the rug out from under us in an instant! Isn’t that just the dirtiest trick?!”

Sylvara, caught off guard by the intensity of Bane’s recollection, struggled to find a response.

The tactics they employed were undeniably ruthless.

Rainy, eager to contribute, jumped into the conversation, his voice laced with indignation. “You think that’s bad? My experience was ten times worse! I graduated from the Third Military Academy.”

“Our year was particularly brutal. The seniors led the freshmen into live combat training, and we thought we were in for an adventure. But the moment the training commenced, the seniors obliterated us in less than ten minutes.”

He shook his head, the memory still fresh and painful. “A complete wipeout. It was pure misery.”

“After they crushed our spirits, the commanders, instructors, and seniors laughed at us, calling us worthless trash. Even now, when I recall that day, I can’t shake the feeling of being utterly worthless.”

Veyric felt a shiver run down his spine.

Those soldiers from the Hunting Legion—each one of them could easily carry a team in any other legion. If they were considered trash, then he didn’t even register on the list.

How was he supposed to stand a chance against the empire’s commander, who was looming right there before him?

Sylvara, having finished removing the bones from the meat, rolled the tender flesh into neat, bite-sized pieces and arranged them on a plate with care. She glanced over at Agares, who stood tall and imposing like a mighty oak. With a hint of curiosity in her voice, she asked, “So, did your commander have any intriguing stories from his training days?”

Bane, catching the shift in conversation, abruptly halted his stomping and maneuvered closer to her. “I’m a graduate of the First Military Academy. Commander Vaelor is my senior—three years ahead of me.”

“You have real intel?” someone piped up, their tone shifting to one of eager gossip.

The group leaned in, their voices dropping to hushed whispers. Agares turned slightly, noticing his soldiers huddled together, whispering and stealing glances at Sylvara.

“So, guess who trained our commander?”

Everyone exchanged puzzled looks, shaking their heads.

They all knew he was formidable. He had completed five years of training in three, then gone on to Kolar planet to battle the Swarmborn.

But the specifics of his academy days were always shrouded in mystery, mostly just whispers and speculation.

“Idiots,” Bane exclaimed, exasperated. “It’s General Kenobia!”

General Kenobia? Blake?

Sylvara leaned in closer, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “And then what?”

Bane surveyed the group, ensuring he had their complete attention before continuing. “When Commander Vaelor enrolled, General Kenobia had to leave Kolar planet due to health issues. He sought treatment in the Fourth Civilization alongside His Majesty, but his body never fully recovered. He couldn’t maintain control over Kolar anymore.”

“The Swarmborn were quiet for a while, but that silence was fleeting. After some time, they began to stir again. With General Kenobia absent from Kolar, the empire’s forces started losing ground rapidly.”

“The empire was in desperate need of a strong leader to counter the Swarmborn threat. Commander Vaelor was the perfect candidate. But he was just coming of age and was completely inexperienced. He had to adapt quickly. That meant he needed a teacher.”