The kingdom of Elaris was alive tonight. The arena roared with hundreds of thousands of voices, banners snapped in the wind, and the streets below brimmed with merchants and cheering crowds. Every six months the Squire's Examination drew hopefuls from every corner of the realm an ordeal that could turn a nameless apprentice into a knight.
For Kai, that dream ended tonight.
He walked out of the arena with his head bowed, eliminated in the very first round. This had been his one shot, and he had blown it. His parents' money barely enough for two months had been stretched by him into six, but now it was gone. No rank. No transportation. No future.
"Hey, wait up, kid," a guard called.
Kai didn't stop. He'd heard the same lines before. People liked to butter up losers.
"I saw you out there," the guard said, jogging to catch him. "You've got potential."
Kai let out a weary sigh. "Thanks, but I don't"
"No, listen," the guard cut him off. "I've seen you fight. For someone with no K.I., you move better than half the ranked squires. Sir Alexander IV is looking for raw talent before he leaves for the capital. Take this coin."
He pressed a bronze coin into Kai's hand. Javeon's face was carved into it.
"Show him this and tell him Javeon sent you. He's always at the pub in the morning but tomorrow's his last day."
Kai stared at the coin, hope flickering in his chest for the first time in months. "Thank you. This means a lot."
"Don't mention it, kid"
Kai hugged him tightly before he could finish. Then he hurried off toward the tavern, clutching the coin like a lifeline.
"I can't believe it," Kai whispered later, grin stretching ear to ear. "Sir Alexander IV… me, his student…"
He was still daydreaming as he neared the tavern when a woman stepped out of the shadows and touched his arm.
"Hey boy," she purred. "Want to become a man?"
Kai chuckled nervously. "Would love to, but I'm in a tough spot. Maybe another time."
She smiled, bent close, and kissed his cheek, leaving a perfect red imprint. "I guess I shouldn't waste your time then." Her hips swayed as she vanished into the crowd.
Kai touched his cheek, stunned. "Wait… was that my first kiss? Yes! Yes! Yes!"
Laughing to himself, he pushed into the tavern. The room he rented was tiny, with rat droppings in the corner and a sour smell in the air, but none of that mattered. He fell asleep dreaming of Sir Alexander IV.
A pounding at the door jolted him awake. "Breakfast is almost over come eat!" someone called.
Kai shot upright. "How long did I sleep?" He scrambled into his boots and bolted into the crowded street. This was it. His one chance. He couldn't be late.
"Stop!" a voice shouted behind him, but Kai didn't even turn.
Flames cracked and hissed in the air. He glanced back four patrol knights, chasing him hard.
"Kid! Stop right there!"
No chance. Not now. Not when his future was on the line. He ran faster.
Then THUMP. He slammed into a girl carrying a book, knocking her flat. She had a shock of red hair.
"I'm so, so sorry do you need help?"
The girl lay unconscious.
"I'm sorry," Kai murmured again, then forced himself onward. Two more minutes. Just two more minutes
He burst into the pub, panting, sweat dripping to the floor in little puddles. He staggered to the counter.
"I… have… this coin," he gasped. "I'm here… for Sir Alexander IV."
The barmaid raised an eyebrow. "Kid, you just passed him on the way in."
Kai's face went pale.
She laughed. "Kidding. He was here a moment ago oh. Looks like he left just seconds before you came in. Sorry."
Kai's heart sank.
Will Kai find Sir Alexander IV before it's too late? Find out next Saturday.