The next morning, sunlight spilled across the estate, painting the grounds in shades of gold.
Arthur's orders had been clear: training would begin at seven sharp.
By the time everyone gathered outside, the backyard had already been converted into a training area. Mats covered sections of the grass, training dummies stood in neat rows, and several guards watched over the equipment from a distance.
Liam and Jeff started first.
Dressed in a black tank top and sweatpants, Liam studied Jeff for a moment before shaking his head.
"You depend too much on strength."
Jeff raised an eyebrow. "That's a bad thing?"
"It can be."
Liam began circling him.
"If someone is faster or smarter, all that strength won't help you."
Jeff smirked. "Then teach me."
Without warning, Liam moved.
A second later, Jeff found himself flat on his back on the mat.
For a moment, he simply stared at the sky.
Liam offered him a hand.
"Lesson one," he said. "Never assume you know what's coming."
Jeff accepted the help and climbed to his feet.
"Noted."
For the next two hours, Liam put him through drills.
They practiced balance, defensive techniques, and ways to break free from holds. More than once, Jeff ended up on the mat while Liam calmly pointed out another mistake.
By the end of the session, both of them were exhausted.
Jeff wiped sweat from his forehead and shook his head.
"I thought I was doing pretty well."
"You were."
Jeff blinked.
"Wait, really?"
Liam laughed.
"Don't sound so surprised."
A few meters away, Rylan was working with Smart.
Unlike Jeff, Smart looked nervous before they'd even started.
Rylan noticed immediately.
"We're keeping it simple today," he said. "No pressure."
Smart nodded.
"Okay."
The session started with basic defensive movements. Rylan demonstrated each step before letting Smart try it himself.
Whenever Smart got something wrong, Rylan corrected him patiently.
"Like this."
Smart adjusted his stance.
"Better?"
"Much better."
The praise caught him off guard.
By the time he successfully blocked a practice strike, he couldn't hide his grin.
"There you go," Rylan said.
Smart rubbed the back of his neck.
"I still feel completely out of place."
"You shouldn't."
Rylan folded his arms.
"Not everyone needs to be the strongest person in the room."
Smart looked up.
"What do you mean?"
"Different people bring different strengths."
A small smile appeared on Rylan's face.
"You're smarter than most people here. That's just as valuable."
Smart suddenly found the grass very interesting.
Rylan noticed but chose not to mention it.
Inside the main house, training looked very different.
Abbey sat on the living room floor with Lin while Ben demonstrated a few simple safety techniques nearby.
Lin's laughter echoed through the room whenever Abbey made another exaggerated face.
Ben tried his best to stay serious, but even he couldn't stop smiling.
Arthur entered carrying two cups of tea.
He handed one to Ben before sitting beside him.
For a few moments, neither spoke.
Then Arthur broke the silence.
"I'm sorry."
Ben glanced at him.
"For what?"
"For pushing you to stay out of things."
Ben sighed.
"You know why it bothers me."
Arthur nodded.
"You've always been the one protecting everyone."
"Exactly."
Arthur looked toward Lin.
"And right now, I need you to protect yourself too."
Ben followed his gaze.
Their daughter was happily stacking blocks with Abbey.
The frustration on his face softened.
"Fine," he said at last.
"But I'm still annoyed."
Arthur laughed quietly.
"I know."
By lunchtime, training was finished.
Everyone gathered on the terrace for a meal.
The atmosphere felt lighter than it had the night before.
Even after the attack, there was a sense that everyone was pulling together.
Arthur watched the group from the head of the table.
For the first time in a long while, he felt something close to pride.
His family was stronger than it had ever been.
Then one of his lieutenants approached.
The man leaned down and whispered something into Arthur's ear.
The change in Arthur's expression was immediate.
The conversation around the table died away.
"What happened?" Liam asked.
Arthur stood.
"Another message."
Nobody spoke.
"They want me to abandon the ascension."
His voice was calm, but there was anger underneath it.
"And if I don't?"
Jeff asked.
Arthur's jaw tightened.
"They're threatening all of us."
A heavy silence settled over the table.
Finally, Jeff spoke.
"We'll handle whatever comes."
Arthur looked around at the people seated there.
His family.
The people his enemies thought they could use against him.
"They can come after me," he said quietly.
"But nobody touches my family."
That evening, the estate slowly settled into its usual rhythm.
Abbey helped Ben with Lin.
Rylan and Smart disappeared into the music room to continue a conversation that had started during training.
The sounds of everyday life filled the halls.
For a few hours, the estate felt less like a fortress and more like a home.
But beyond its walls, danger still lingered.
Somewhere in the city, enemies were watching.
Waiting.
And whether they liked it or not, the battle ahead was only beginning.