Timeless Assassin

Once Charles had shattered Leo's illusions, he led him to a private office tucked away from the bustle of the base, as there were matters of significance regarding Leo's future that required a quieter setting, details that couldn't be shared in the open.

"Boy… how do you feel about being named the Shadow Dragon?" Charles asked once the door was shut behind them, as Leo immediately let out a deep, resigned sigh.

"To be fair, I never really wanted the responsibility," he admitted, his voice calm yet honest, "but I don't mind learning the Cult's secret techniques. I mean, you were the one who said they're the best in the universe, right?"

Charles gave a slow nod in agreement, his expression unreadable.

"They are. The techniques you'll inherit are unrivaled, refined over several millennia and capable of cementing your foundation as one of the greatest warriors alive. But don't get cocky just yet… learning them won't be nearly as easy as you think."

He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes, clearly frustrated before continuing.

"These Elders… Most of them have devoted decades, sometimes an entire century, to mastering just one of the twelve signature techniques. That's one move, perfected over a lifetime.

And you? You're expected to master all twelve, and that too at the Grandmaster level, when the techniques themselves are designed for higher tiered warriors."

Leo frowned slightly, sensing the gravity in Charles's voice.

"Some of the techniques they'll teach you aren't meant for a Grandmaster's body. The internal strain alone will shred your muscles, rupture your organs, and corrode your circuits if you're not careful. If Veyr, standing beside you, can manage ten or twelve repetitions while training a technique, you might only be able to pull off one. Maybe two. That's the level of damage we're talking about."

Leo's frown deepened. He didn't mind training or pain, but the idea of limitations, of starting each day at a disadvantage, gnawed at him more than he cared to admit.

"And it won't stop there," Charles added, his voice firm. "Your life, from this point on, will be consumed by training. When you're not honing those techniques, you'll be grinding under me, learning what it truly means to be a military leader. And don't expect me to go easy on you just because you're juggling both paths."

He looked Leo square in the eyes, not with cruelty, but with the hardened clarity of someone who had carried these weights before.

"You will learn everything I have to offer about commanding. Because anyone with a dagger can call themselves a warrior, boy, but very few have the capacity to become true commanders."

He started listing the burdens one by one.

"You'll learn how to build and maintain planetary defenses. How to assess the capabilities of your soldiers and the limits of your ground to air weapons.

You'll understand supply chains, resourcing, and how to restock ammunition mid-conflict.

You'll grasp tactical formation, remote troop deployments, and the delicate art of maintaining morale when your men are on the brink of breaking.

And while you do all this, you'll also be expected to understand the Cult itself, its inner workings, its politics, its fractures, because you haven't just been named as the Shadow Dragon, but also the future Vice Sect Master."

Leo exhaled slowly, his chest rising with the weight of what had just been laid out.

This wasn't the life he had hoped for, not even close.

He had never dreamed of command, of politics, of leading men into war or managing bureaucratic nonsense. He only ever cared about one thing, his own strength. His own growth. His own survival. If he had truly wanted to lead the Cult, he wouldn't have turned down the title of Dragon to begin with.

"And boy…" Charles said, his tone dipping slightly lower, more serious than before. "I probably don't even need to say this, but I'll say it anyway….. beware the Elders Council.

No matter how warm they act. No matter how much they seem to care. No matter how much rapport you build. Never trust them."

He paused, letting the words sink in.

"You can trust your worst enemy and it'll probably still work out. But never trust a snaky politician. Never. There's no telling what those robed bastards are plotting in the shadows."

Leo nodded, the warning etching itself clearly into his mind.

If nothing else, that at least he already understood.

"The only individuals within the Cult who are allowed to have contact with the righteous faction are the Elders…..

They're the only bastards who occasionally sit down with the enemy, negotiate peace deals or perhaps plot the downfall of the Cult.

So if there's anyone within the Cult who may sell you out to the enemy…. It's them, you understand?" Charles warned, as although he did not mention Noah and the controversial circumstances surrounding his death, Leo got a good grasp of what he wanted to convey.

"Don't worry old man, I'm not the easily trusting type.

Matter of fact…. I barely even trust you," Leo said jokingly, as Charles smiled at his words.

The smile on Charles's face this time wasn't one of amusement, but rather a quiet, melancholic curve that tugged at the edge of his lips.

As he looked into Leo's eyes—clear, sharp, and untouched by the heavy toll of leadership, he couldn't help but see glimpses of his own youth.

A time when he too had been wild and free, a stallion that hadn't yet tasted the reins of duty or the bite of sacrifice.

'You joke now, boy, but life has a way of breaking that spirit in more ways than you can count. And by the time it's finished with you, you won't have the luxury of emotion left to spare.'

'If it were up to me, I'd never place such a heavy burden on a pair of shoulders so young, but fate doesn't ask for permission. It simply drops its weight and walks away.'

'The naming of a new Dragon is more than a ceremony. It is a declaration. It is the beating of war drums beneath a silk curtain. The Cult of Ascension will not remain silent forever.'

'We weren't built to simply defend our current borders and watch time pass. Sooner or later, the Elders will approve a counteroffensive, and when that happens, it will be you and Veyr who are thrown into the storm's eye.'

'Whether you go as a Dragon or as a Commander makes no difference in the end. Either way, war is coming for you. And it will not knock gently.'

'I will try my best to teach you how to stay alive…. But in the end, it will be up to you to find a way to stay alive.'