It had been a month since Kael's rebirth, and he was still an infant, held in the arms of his mother, Lady Elyra. The morning sunlight made the Ardent estate seem lovely as she carried him along the cobblestone roads of their ancestral home.
The air was filled with the sweet smell of wildflowers, which mixed with the faint sound of steel ringing against steel in the distance. His mother's warmth was reassuring, her soft hum buzzing against his tiny frame as she softly told him about the world.
They passed by an open courtyard where a young girl trained with a spear facing against dummies.
Her dark hair moved with every step, her eyes glowed—green locking onto her target.
As the first dummy charged at her, brandishing a wooden sword, she waited steadfast.
As the first dummy charged at her, wielding a wooden sword, she waited steadfast.
The dummy swung its sword high, towards her shoulder. She swerved quickly to the side, the sword striking into the floor with a thud.
She did not hesitate and kicked the dummy with her leg, making it stagger backwards.
And rushed forward in an insane speed, leaping into the air, and with a powerful thrust of her spear she struck the dummy dead center.
The impact of the strike busted the dummy into pieces, and fragments went flying in all directions.
Even during the intensity of battle, her mind was alert. She felt more than she saw the second dummy coming for her from behind.
She vanished in the blink of an eye, reappearing behind the attacker, a blur as she stomped down hard on the back of the dummy, which crashed to the floor.
The spear followed in a smooth arc, slicing through the dummy with deadly precision. It also shattered, its pieces flying apart like dust in the wind.
There was only one dummy remaining, already running towards her with determination.
Her eyes glowed with an even more intense green as she focused her energy, calling upon four sources of power. With perfect aim, she launched her spear.
"Whoooosh"
The spear flew, thrusting straight into the dummy's heart. With such a powerful throw, the spear ripped through the dummy's chest, shooting out of its back and deep into the ground beneath.
Her teacher, the House Guardian Drathis, nodded in approval beside her. "Well done, Lira. Again. Your blows need to be quicker. The enemy will not wait for you to think."
Kael felt this odd sensation rouse within him—admiration? Or maybe something else? Lira was six years old, and she was training as a soldier. Childhood here was not like what it was back on Earth. On Earth, childhood was when you played in parks and learned easy things.
But here even a child was expected to wield a weapon. It was both inspiring and terrifying. He had grown up in a world where survival was in terms of clearing examinations and securing a good job. But here survival was quite literal. Strength dictated one's place in society and those who could not fight… perished.
It was a certainty — if he was going to live in this world, he could not be weak like he once was.
Suddenly, the sound of hooves on stone drew the estate's attention. A carriage with the crest of House Ardent—a gold hawk in diving position, clutching a black serpent—rolled through the gates. Guardsmen and servants stood along the way, whispering to each other.
"Roran has returned from Volgard."
Lady Elyra herself halted, her hold on Kael growing firmer. "Your brother is home," she said, her voice proud and anticipatory.
At the entrance of the great hall, Lord Torren stood, arms crossed and his expression unreadable. He was a man of discipline and few words, but he couldn't hide the flicker of happiness in his eyes. His son had returned, not as a boy, but as a warrior. As the carriage came to a halt, a rare smile ghosted his lips before vanishing just as quickly.
The door of the carriage creaked as it opened, and a tall dark-haired young man stepped out. He had a thick cloak of fur around his shoulders, which was crafted from the skin of a mighty Frostfang Alpha, a magical creature.
His bright blue eyes scanned the assembled people before resting on the familiar faces before him.
Whispers rippled through the assembled servants as they beheld their returning heir. "Lord Roran has returned!" someone called out, and a cheer erupted from the crowd.
Children pushed forward to catch a glimpse of the legendary beast-hunter who had heard countless tales about him. Some of the younger women blushed and giggled behind their hands, their admiring gazes following his every move.
Lady Elyra wasted no time, stepping forward and embracing her son. "Welcome home, Roran," she whispered, holding him close for a moment before pulling away.
Before Roran could respond, the sound of hurried footsteps cut through the murmurs of the crowd. "Big brother!" Lira's excited voice rang out as she pushed past the onlookers and threw herself into his arms.
Roran let out a deep chuckle, catching his little sister. "And how's my little warrior doing?" he teased. "Is the House Guardian still frightened by your strikes?"
Lira puffed out her cheeks. "I'm getting stronger! Soon, I'll be even stronger than you!"
Roran smirked, setting her down. "I'll hold you to that."
As he placed Lira on the ground, his gaze turned to Kael, who was still being held in their mother's arms. He examined Kael's face before his eyes narrowed a bit. "So this is the new kid everyone's been talking about who's said to have golden eyes… A rare trait?"
Elyra nodded. "Yes. That's what the priests said. His eyes are a sign of something… something very, very rare. The Eye of the Primordial God, they called it. A gift only seen once a lifetime. Some believe it is the sign of a god's favorite, but others believe it is a myth, another legend. But if the priests are right… Then he is destined for something far greater."
Kael's infant mind reeled at the revelation. He had golden eyes? He had never seen his own reflection, so this was new information to him. But what did it mean? If rare eyes signified strength, did that mean he would develop some kind of ability? Could he fire lasers from his eyes? Maybe move objects with his gaze?
His curiosity got better of him. He decided to test it.
With great effort, he widened his tiny baby eyes straining with all his might. He focused, expecting something incredible to happen—a beam of energy, telekinesis, something.
Instead…
"Hic!"
A tiny, pitiful hiccup escaped his lips.
Silence hung in the air.
Then, Roran burst into laughter. "By the gods, I think the kid just tried to glare me to death!"
The crowd erupted with laughter, their joyous amusement rippling through the square. Lira giggled, and even Lady Elyra could not help but smile.
Kael, meanwhile, fumed in silence. So much for testing his grand legendary abilities.
Well… he'd just have to wait. His time would come.