Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder-Chapter 1623 - 65 : Shadow Boxing

*Kryzen*

Sweat dripped into my eyes as I pounded my fists into the air, imagining an invisible enemy before me. With every kick and punch, a rush of frustration surged through my veins. These people wandered through their days with eyes blind to the shadows creeping at the edges of their peace.

It was maddening how they seemed incapable of sensing the impending darkness that threatened to swallow us all, even when warned.

I had set out with one goal in mind: to safeguard my realm from the encroaching threat. That should have been enough to occupy my thoughts and fuel my relentless training. Yet as I executed another precise combination of moves, it was not my homeland that spurred my determination but the image of Briella’s bright green eyes and her fearlessness in the face of danger.

It was for her that I pushed myself harder, sharpening my skills and honing my senses. She laughed in the face of adversity and fought with the ferocity of a born warrior. Briella, the daughter of Alpha Noah, carried within her the same fierce love for her people that burned within my chest. It was this realization that propelled me forward, a newfound purpose that made each drop of sweat worth it.

She was out there somewhere, likely surrounded by the light-hearted chatter of her newfound friends, unaware of the silent oath I had taken to stand by her side and be her shield against the dark tide that loomed on the horizon. This was about protecting her and ensuring that her laughter would never be stifled by the cold grip of fear.

"Kryzen!" Her voice would call out to me in my mind, sharp and clear amidst the clatter of training swords and the murmur of the wind. I could almost feel her presence, urging me on, reminding me why I could not relent and had to remain vigilant.

"Focus," I muttered to myself, steadying my breath as I envisioned the battles to come. For Briella and our future, I would become the warrior she needed.

Sweat dripped from my brow as I threw another punch into the empty air. The rhythm of my heavy breathing was a stark reminder of the solitude enveloping me in this open field—a warrior alone with his thoughts and a relentless drive to prepare for an invisible enemy.

We had no idea what we were up against, what we would face, or idea how to fight it.

"Looks like you need a sparring partner."

The voice cut through my concentration. I turned to see Roy approaching, his soft features sharpened by a playful grin. His blue eyes sparkled with challenge, his dark blonde hair tousled by the wind. There was a boyishness to him. I wondered if it would ever fade.

"Roy," I acknowledged, lowering my fists slightly but keeping my stance ready. "Thought you’d be off doing princely things."

He shrugged off the comment, already rolling his shoulders in anticipation. "Even princes need a break from politics. Besides, you look like you could use some real competition."

"Is that what you’re offering?" I teased back, unable to suppress a smirk. He had always been quick to jump into a fight, and this day was no different.

Without another word, he lunged forward, initiating a dance of strikes and parries. Our bodies moved in sync with the swaying grass beneath our feet. This was a skill we had honed over years of training.

His movements were fluid, a contrast to my more forceful style. It was this balance between us that made sparring with Roy not just beneficial but exhilarating.

We exchanged a flurry of hits, neither gaining ground nor yielding any. With every block and counter, I found myself thinking less of the frustrations that had plagued me before. My focus narrowed to the man before me, the match we shared, and the silent promise I held within my heart to protect her.

She was my mate. Briella Black had become the core of my very being. As I ducked under a swift jab from Roy, I knew my dedication to her was as natural as the instinct to fight.

"Come on, Kryzen," Roy goaded, drawing me out of my reverie. "Show me you’re not just daydreaming about your lady love."

I responded with a feint to the left, followed by a quick right hook that Roy narrowly avoided. Our banter faded, replaced by the sound of our exertion and the occasional grunt when a hit landed.

"Good form," he complimented between breaths, stepping back to regain his stance.

"Learned from the best," I said, acknowledging our past battles and shared training that had shaped us both into formidable fighters.

We continued like that, trading blows and matching each other’s intensity until the setting sun cast long shadows across the field. It was a momentary escape, a brief respite from the weight of responsibility that loomed over us. Even as we sparred, I knew the true battle was yet to come. It was a battle for which I would lay down my life without hesitation.

I would fight for Briella and the future she deserved.

Sweat dripped into my eyes, stinging and blurring my vision as I parried another of Roy’s relentless strikes. His blade whistled past my ear, a reminder that even in practice, the threat of pain was very real.

"Roy," I panted, dodging to the side and feeling the strain in my muscles. "You fight like a man possessed."

He grinned, the action reaching his bright blue eyes. "Only way to keep up with you, Kryzen."

We slowed, our breaths heavy in the still evening air. The training field lay deserted around us. The only sounds were our ragged breathing and the distant chirp of crickets. It was peaceful, almost too peaceful given what we knew loomed on the horizon.

"You look like crap, by the way," Roy said suddenly, concern creasing his brow. "What’s eating at you?"

I sheathed my sword with a sigh. "It’s Embervale," I admitted, running a hand through my black hair. "All of it. They’ve got hardly any security here. And the guards are lax. They wouldn’t know danger if it slapped them in the face."

Roy’s expression sobered as he considered my words. "Makes sense, though, doesn’t it?" He leaned against a nearby tree, wiping sweat from his brow. "These folks have lived in peace for so long. Can’t blame them for getting comfortable."

"Comfortable could get them killed," I muttered, frustration lacing my voice. "If we’re right about Tian, which I’m pretty sure we are, they’re about to have a rude awakening."

"We’ll just have to be ready to fight twice as hard," Roy said, clapping me on the shoulder with a resolute look. "For their sake and Briella’s."

I nodded, a grim smile tugging at my lips. "For Briella," I echoed.

The night had settled in, casting a calm over the training grounds. My muscles ached from exertion as I leaned against the sturdy trunk of an old oak, Roy’s words bouncing around my mind like ricocheting arrows.

"Have you thought about talking to Alpha Azure?" Roy broke the silence, his voice tinged with a seriousness that matched the darkening sky above us. "Maybe a warning could–"

"Would he even listen?" I cut in, skepticism heavy in my tone. "We tried telling other Alphas, and we were ignored. They’ll believe what they want to believe, even with the darkness settling over this land. It’s making the land, creatures, and people sick, but it’s like they don’t even see it. They’re doomed. They’ve never faced anything like Tian." 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Roy was quiet for a moment, his gaze lost among the stars peering out from the velvet sky. "Maybe convincing them isn’t the point," he finally said. "We can help prepare them and show them how to defend themselves. It’s something, at least."

A wry chuckle escaped me, and I pushed off the tree. "You have more faith in these people than I do."

"Someone has to," Roy replied with a shrug, a spark of determination lighting up his blue eyes. "We’ll start with the guards tomorrow. Small steps, Kryzen."

"Small steps," I echoed, nodding in reluctant agreement. Briella would want that. She always believed in giving people a chance to rise to the occasion. And if it was for her, I’d walk through fire.

"Go find her," Roy urged, sensing my resolve. "She should hear about this too."

I gave him a grateful clap on the shoulder before turning away, my thoughts shifting as I made my way toward Astral Haven. The soft strumming of a lyre and the gentle hum of voices guided me through the twilight.

Astral Haven was alive with a warm glow from lanterns hanging from the trees, casting dancing shadows on the ground.

I found her by the water, a vision that arrested my breath and held it captive. Briella floated among the other girls in the pool, the fabric of her bathing suit clinging to her form like the petals of an exotic flower. It was a cascade of shimmering blues and greens that fluttered around her with every graceful movement. She looked like a mermaid. For a moment, I forgot myself and just watched.

"Isn’t it lovely?" one of the girls sang out, her voice twining with the others in a melody as enchanting as the scene before me. They were beneath the waterfall now, the spray casting prismatic droplets across their smiling faces. The rocky wall behind them glittered with embedded crystals like stars fallen to earth.

Briella laughed, the sound clear and bright against the thrum of falling water, as she listened to another girl who spoke with a hand gently skimming the surface of the pool. "You see, the water is like magic," she explained, gesturing to the flow cascading down the rocks. "It’s a stream that never ends, always moving, always changing, but still the same at its core. We can learn much from its constancy and adaptability."

I took a step closer, the pebbles beneath my boots gave me away. Briella’s laughter faded into a softer hum as her gaze found mine across the shimmering pool. The way her eyes sparkled like twin emeralds catching the morning sun made my heart thrum against my chest. It was a reaction that never failed to surprise me.

"Kryzen," she called out, the sound of my name on her lips weaving through the air with an ease that disarmed me.

"Hey," I managed, my voice rougher than I intended.

Her friends paused their chatter, curiosity lighting their features as they watched us.

She excused herself from the girls, their melodic voices fading into a backdrop for our unfolding scene. As she approached, water droplets cascaded from her dark hair, tracing paths along her skin that glowed with the vibrancy of life and innocence I felt compelled to protect. Her bathing suit clung to her like a second skin, painting her as the mythical being I had envisioned moments before.

"Everything okay?" she asked, her smile wide and infectious, but I could feel the weight of responsibility settle back onto my shoulders.

"Let’s walk," I suggested, leading her away from the mirth of Astral Haven, preparing myself to burst the bubble of peace that surrounded us for her and everyone else’s sake.

I hesitated, torn between the lightness of her happiness and the gravity of what we faced.

"Can it wait?" she interrupted, a playful twinkle in her eye as she flicked water at me with a quick movement.

For a fleeting heartbeat, I wanted nothing more than to say yes and let us bask in this rare moment of peace. But the warrior within me refused to rest.

She started speaking before I had a chance to answer. "Look, I’ve got something incredible to tell you," she began, the words rushing out in a torrent of excitement. "The girls want me–"

"Not really," I replied solemnly. "I think we should leave."

Her smile wavered, the joy in her eyes dimming as she read the seriousness etched into my features. "Oh," she said softly.