The Sovereign Chronicles novel Chapter 16

Kaelen Stormridge left the clearing with the Gilded Bronze Sword in hand. He wasn't in a rush to return to Hawk's Crest; instead, he continued prowling through the Veilwood Forest, scavenging for Aether-flora and hunting Spirit Beasts to test his mettle.

With ten days remaining until the rendezvous, he refused to waste a single second of this rare excursion.

Now that Moria Vance's threat was eliminated, a heavy weight had lifted from his shoulders.

For the next few days, his haul was bountiful. He harvested four stalks of Minor Aether-flora, three Minor Aether-fruits, and clashed with several vicious Spirit Beasts. Kaelen was relentlessly pushing himself, consolidating his foundation at Phase Four of the Spirit Warrior Tier, expanding his limits for future breakthroughs.

Along the way, he spotted numerous Mercenary bands plunging through the wilds. Usually, he steered clear long before they could cross paths.

But today, upon spotting a heavily armed Mercenary crew, Kaelen didn't fade into the shadows. He slowly closed the distance.

By the edge of a rushing stream, the Mercenaries had just finished slaughtering an Ironhide Minotaur-Beast. They were sweating profusely as they butchered the carcass, carving out its horns and thick hide—premium materials that would fetch a small fortune in the nearest trade hub.

Every member of the crew was draped in bulging leather sacks, their expressions painted with the satisfaction of a massive haul.

Kaelen's gaze locked onto one man in particular. The Reaver Captain radiated an intense, suffocating pressure. Violent arcs of violet lightning crackled across his muscular frame, casting harsh shadows over his jagged, battle-scarred face. The most terrifying display, however, was wrapped around his right arm: a massive, coiled serpent forged entirely from pure, crackling electricity. It looked incredibly lifelike, its head reared back as if hissing furiously at the heavens.

It was a stunning, visceral display of raw destructive magic. A deep hunger ignited within Kaelen's chest.

Just moments ago, he had watched this man obliterate the Ironhide Minotaur-Beast with a single strike. In a blinding flash of incandescent light, the lightning serpent had detached from the Captain's arm, lunged across the battlefield, and coiled around the beast before detonating in a catastrophic thunderstorm.

"The Violet Serpent's Fury. Truly worthy of a Greater Martial Art. The sheer kinetic force is staggering—worth every ounce of gold I paid for it," the Captain boomed, raising his arm toward the sky as lightning danced wildly and the phantom serpent hissed. He had executed the spell repeatedly, and every single time, it was a spectacular, one-hit execution.

"Only you could tame such a violent spell, Captain!" a fiery female Mercenary laughed, thoroughly impressed.

Another Mercenary washing blood from a Minotaur horn grinned. "We hit the jackpot this time. Once we fence this in the city, we can buy the Captain a proper weapon to match that magic."

The Captain willed the lightning serpent to dissipate. "Forget the weapon. We need to find better Martial Arts for the rest of you. Only with overwhelming power can we survive the deeper wilds. In three years, I want every man and woman in this crew wielding Greater Martial Arts."

"Aye, Captain!" the crew roared in unison.

Suddenly, the Captain's eyes narrowed to venomous slits. "Who lurks there! Show yourself!"

Ambush? The Mercenaries instantly drew their steel, their faces hardening into icy masks of pure hostility.

Kaelen remained hidden within the treeline. "Stand down. I mean no harm. I was just passing through and heard the commotion."

"The forest is wide enough for all of us. Move along, boy!"

"Not so fast. I have a rather exquisite blade in my possession. I'd like to trade it for your Violet Serpent's Fury."

A Greater Martial Art, and one completely aligned with lightning? It was an absolute godsend for Kaelen.

The Azure Sky Sanctum forbade him from accessing their Martial Arts archives—a ban that would likely last for a very long time.

If they wouldn't give him power, he would rip it from the world himself!

Corin's Gilded Bronze Sword was the perfect bargaining chip.

"A blade? Bring it out into the light," the Captain demanded, subtly signaling his crew to fan out and check the perimeter for an ambush.

Kaelen waited a beat, strapped on a crude bark mask, and stepped out from the ancient pines, holding the Gilded Bronze Sword high.

The blade hummed a sharp, melodic note, its surface gleaming with intricate gilded runes. One look was all it took to know this was a weapon of master craftsmanship.

The Mercenaries' eyes lit up with raw greed.

"Bring it here," the fiery female Mercenary demanded. She was a sword-wielder, and her eyes were absolutely glued to the gilded steel.

Kaelen took a deliberate step backward toward the shadows. "We trade over there, by the gorge."

"Captain, could this be a trap?" one of the men muttered.

"Fan out. Keep your eyes peeled. We go take a look," the Captain ordered, stepping cautiously forward.

Kaelen retreated to a sheer cliff overlooking a roaring, turbulent river. If things went south, he would dive straight into the abyss. He trusted these sellswords about as far as he could throw them.

The Captain and the female Mercenary emerged from the treeline, stopping near the edge. The rest of the crew stayed back, weapons drawn.

"Where did you steal a blade like that? And why trade it?"

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