The Eclipsed Order

Chapter 52: Chapter 52: Those Who Chose to Walk Beneath the Eclipse

The training grounds of the main headquarters were unusually quiet that evening.

Five Harbingers stood in the center of the field, swords already drawn.

Opposite them stood Valentine.

There was no exchange of words.

The moment the signal was given, all six moved.

Steel collided.

CLANG!

The first Harbinger’s sword met Valentine’s blade head-on, the impact sending a sharp shock through the ground beneath their feet. Before he could recover, two more swords came from opposite directions.

Valentine turned.

CLANG! CLANG!

She deflected both strikes, but the remaining two Harbingers were already moving into position.

Their coordination was precise.

One pressed forward while another cut off Valentine’s retreat, forcing her toward the other three.

Valentine’s sword moved continuously.

Block.

Deflect.

Counter.

The five Harbingers attacked without hesitation, their movements fast enough that the watching members could barely follow the exchange.

The ground cracked beneath several heavy clashes.

A few steps away, Lydia watched without blinking.

"Lady Valentine is being pushed."

"Only slightly," another Harbinger replied.

The next exchange proved his point.

One of the five suddenly broke through Valentine’s guard.

CLANG!

Valentine’s blade was forced aside.

A second sword immediately followed.

She twisted away.

The blade passed close to her shoulder.

Another came from behind.

Valentine turned and caught it.

The force of the collision sent both fighters sliding across the ground.

Before either could recover, the other three were already upon her.

Five swords moved at once.

Valentine’s expression remained calm.

Her movements suddenly became faster.

She stepped forward instead of retreating.

Her blade struck the first sword aside.

She turned and caught the second.

A third came toward her side.

She lowered herself beneath it.

The fourth attacked immediately.

Valentine raised her sword.

CLANG!

The impact shook the field.

She pushed the blade away and continued forward, forcing the Harbinger backward.

"Maintain formation."

Her voice remained steady even as the battle continued.

The Harbinger immediately adjusted.

"Understood."

The five changed their positions and attacked again.

This time, they were even faster.

Their swords crossed from different angles, forcing Valentine to defend continuously. For several moments, the six fighters moved across the field in a blur of steel.

The observers could barely distinguish individual movements.

"Look at that..."

"Five Harbingers are actually keeping her occupied."

"They’re not giving her a single clean opening."

Lydia remained focused on the battle.

"That’s because they’re finally fighting properly."

A violent clash suddenly echoed across the grounds.

CLANG!

Valentine was pushed several meters backward.

The five Harbingers immediately followed.

One attacked from the front.

Two closed in from the sides.

The remaining two moved behind her.

The trap was nearly complete.

Valentine looked around once.

Then she stepped forward.

Her sword struck the first Harbinger’s weapon with enough force to throw it off line.

She moved through the opening before the others could close it.

Another blade came toward her.

She blocked.

A second followed.

She turned.

A third struck from behind.

Valentine caught it without looking.

The fourth came immediately after.

She deflected it.

Then her sword swept across the formation.

CLANG!

All five were forced apart.

The observers fell silent.

One Harbinger stared at the battlefield.

"Even together, they still can’t contain her."

Lydia nodded.

"They’re strong."

Her eyes remained fixed on Valentine.

"But Lady Valentine is stronger."

The five Harbingers recovered almost immediately.

None of them hesitated.

They raised their swords again.

Valentine did the same.

"Continue."

The next clash was even more violent.

The five attacked simultaneously.

Valentine met them head-on.

Steel struck steel again and again, each impact echoing through the training grounds while the ground beneath them cracked from the force.

For a brief moment, the five Harbingers managed to push Valentine back.

Then she changed direction.

One step.

A sudden turn.

Her sword struck the nearest blade aside.

The Harbinger lost balance for only an instant.

That was enough.

Valentine passed him and entered the center of their formation.

The five immediately turned.

Too late.

She struck one sword away, blocked another, then forced a third backward with a powerful clash.

The formation collapsed.

All five retreated several steps.

Valentine stopped.

"Enough."

The five lowered their swords.

Their breathing was heavier, but their expressions remained composed.

Valentine looked at them.

"Your coordination has improved."

The five bowed slightly.

"Thank you, Lady Valentine."

Valentine turned away.

Around the field, the watching Harbingers remained silent for several seconds.

One finally spoke.

"Five against one, and she still had control of the entire fight."

Another nodded.

"Even when they managed to surround her, she broke through before they could finish the formation."

Lydia looked toward Valentine.

"That’s why she’s one of the Seven Crowns."

They had pushed themselves to their limits.

And still, Valentine had remained one step ahead.

For the Harbingers, it was not humiliation.

It was simply another reminder of how far there was still to climb.

Valentine stopped at the edge of the field and looked back.

"Your next spar will begin the same way."

The five immediately straightened.

"Yes, Lady Valentine."

She gave a small nod.

"Then improve."

With that, Valentine walked away while the five Harbingers remained behind, already reviewing the mistakes they had made during the spar.

Lydia stepped forward as Valentine left the field.

"Enough standing around."

The five Harbingers immediately turned toward her.

"Resume your training."

"Yes."

Lydia’s eyes moved across them.

"And don’t slack off simply because the spar is over. Your swordsmanship is important, but your control over Eclipse power is just as important. If you cannot maintain precise control while fighting, then all that strength is meaningless."

"Understood."

"Good."

Lydia folded her arms.

"Start again. This time, focus on your coordination and Eclipse control."

The five immediately returned to their positions and raised their swords.

Around them, the other Harbingers quietly watched for a moment before returning to their own training.

The headquarters quickly became lively again with the sound of steel clashing across the training grounds.

On another training ground farther inside the headquarters, a different group was undergoing their own training.

The recruits stood in several lines, each holding a sword while facing their instructor.

Among them was Tasha.

Her arms were already trembling from exhaustion, and sweat ran down her face as she struggled to maintain her stance.

"Again."

The instructor’s voice was cold.

Several recruits immediately raised their swords.

Tasha tightened her grip.

Again...

She was exhausted.

Her muscles hurt, her breathing was heavy, and even keeping the sword steady was becoming difficult.

But she didn’t lower it.

I can’t stop.

The instructor walked slowly between them.

"Your sword is an extension of your body. If you cannot control it when you’re tired, then you have not learned anything."

He stopped in front of Tasha.

"Your stance is too wide. Correct it."

Tasha immediately adjusted her footing.

"Better."

The instructor continued walking.

"Now use Eclipse power."

The recruits concentrated.

A faint darkness gathered around their bodies and flowed into their swords.

Several struggled to maintain the flow.

Tasha gritted her teeth.

Control it... Don’t let it escape.

The Eclipse power around her blade flickered before stabilizing.

"Don’t force it."

The instructor’s voice came immediately.

"Control it."

Tasha took a slow breath.

The unstable energy gradually became more concentrated around the blade.

I can do this.

She remembered why she had joined the Order.

She remembered everything she had lost.

I won’t be weak again.

The instructor suddenly raised his hand.

"Attack."

The recruits moved.

Wooden and steel swords collided across the training ground as they practiced against one another, each exchange becoming faster as the instructor increased the pace.

Tasha blocked one strike, stepped aside from another, then countered.

Her movements were still rough, but she refused to stop.

"Again."

They continued.

"Again."

Tasha’s arms grew heavier.

"Again."

Her legs nearly gave out.

Still, she raised her sword.

The instructor watched her for a moment before speaking.

"Good. At least you understand one thing."

Tasha looked toward him.

"Strength isn’t given to those who ask for it."

His gaze moved across all the recruits.

"It is built through repetition, discipline, and the willingness to continue when your body tells you to stop."

The recruits straightened.

"Understood."

Tasha tightened her grip around her sword.

I’ll become stronger.

She looked toward the other recruits before turning her eyes back toward the instructor.

One day, I’ll become strong enough to stand among the others and protect father.

The training continued beneath the fading evening light.

No one was given special treatment.

No one was allowed to slack off.

For the recruits of the Eclipse Order, this was only the beginning.

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