Victor woke to the faint hum of energy vibrating through the air. The light of dawn had already begun to break through the treetops, spilling a warm, golden glow over the courtyard. His body ached from the training, the swordwork, and the magic lessons with Mira that left his head spinning. For the first time in days, his thoughts felt… muddled. The world he'd been thrust into seemed to be pulling at him in every direction—magic, danger, and mysteries too big to grasp.
He stood up, stretching his stiff muscles, and noticed Thorian already awake. The older man was standing near the edge of the courtyard, his back to Victor, looking out at the distant mountains that towered beyond the trees. Thorian's presence was always calm, like a stone in a rushing river. Victor had never seen him flinch, never seen him second-guess his decisions. But as he watched Thorian from a distance, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something beneath the surface—a well of secrets the man had yet to reveal.
The sounds of the village reached his ears—people waking, children laughing, the murmur of voices filling the air. It was a stark contrast to the dark reality of Aeloria that Thorian had introduced him to. The world was beautiful, but the undercurrent of danger, of hidden threats, seemed to lie just beneath the surface.
Victor approached the older man, unsure of what to say. He had learned a lot over the past few days—about fighting with a sword, about trying to feel the pulse of magic, about trusting people like Mira. But he still didn't understand why he was here. What was his purpose? And why did he feel like there were pieces missing from the puzzle that no one would explain?
Thorian turned to face him, his eyes sharp as always. "You're up early," he remarked, his voice neutral.
Victor nodded, brushing his hair out of his face. "I couldn't sleep. Too much on my mind."
Thorian's gaze softened, just for a moment, but it was enough for Victor to notice. "A lot has been thrust upon you. I won't pretend I know what you're feeling right now, but I can tell you this—you're not alone in this world. Not entirely."
Victor looked at him, eyebrows furrowing. "I don't understand. Yesterday, you said I was 'chosen,' but for what? What does that even mean? Why am I here? I don't even know who I'm supposed to fight."
Thorian sighed, looking away toward the horizon. "I can't give you the answers you want. The path you're on is one you'll have to walk yourself. But I can tell you this—there are forces at play in Aeloria. Forces older than you, older than me. And they are not kind. Magic, swordplay, survival—these are all skills you will need. But the most important thing you'll need, Victor, is trust."
Victor blinked, unsure if he understood. "Trust? You expect me to trust you?"
The older man's eyes were steady. "Yes, but also something else. Yourself. The magic. This world."
Victor wasn't sure if he was ready to trust any of those things. But before he could respond, the sound of footsteps interrupted their conversation. Mira appeared, her dark hair pulled back into a loose braid, her eyes still sharp and unreadable. She had always carried herself with a quiet strength, a no-nonsense air that Victor found both reassuring and intimidating.
"You're both awake early," Mira said, her gaze flicking between them. "Good. Today is going to be more practical."
Victor frowned. "More practical?"
Mira nodded. "I'm taking you into the forest today. We're going to see if you can survive without a sword—or magic."
Victor felt a pit form in his stomach. "What? How do you expect me to survive without either?"
Mira's lips twitched upward in something like a smile. "You're going to learn what it means to rely on yourself. Your senses. Your instincts. You're not always going to have a sword or magic to rely on, Victor. Sometimes, you'll be forced to think differently. You'll need to be resourceful, to learn how to survive when the odds are stacked against you."
Thorian spoke up, his tone low. "Mira is right. We're going to see if you're ready for what comes next."
Victor looked between them, feeling a surge of uncertainty. He hadn't even mastered the basics of magic yet, and now Mira was asking him to venture into the wilds of Aeloria with nothing but his wits? He wasn't sure he was ready for that.
"I don't understand," he said, his voice cracking slightly. "What exactly are we training for? Is it just survival, or is there something more? You keep saying I'm 'chosen,' but I don't know what that means. No one's told me anything."
Mira's gaze softened slightly, but her expression remained serious. "You're being trained to face what's coming, Victor. The dark forces that are gathering in Aeloria. The monsters, the rogue magic users, the ones who would destroy everything we've fought to protect."
Victor shivered. "That sounds… like a lot."
Thorian's voice cut through the silence. "It is. But you've already made the choice by crossing the threshold into this world. You're a part of it now."
Victor took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. He wanted to argue, to demand more answers, but he knew Thorian was right. There was no turning back. This was his reality now.
Mira stepped forward, her expression unreadable. "Let's go. Time is wasting."
The forest was alive with sound. Birds called out in the distance, the wind rustled the leaves overhead, and the scent of damp earth filled the air. But beneath it all was a sense of tension—a feeling that something was watching them. Victor couldn't shake the instinct that they weren't alone.
They had traveled deeper into the woods than he had ever imagined. The trees grew taller here, their trunks massive and twisted, the canopy above so thick that only slivers of sunlight managed to filter through. The path had all but disappeared, and they were forced to navigate by instinct alone.
Mira was the first to stop, her eyes scanning the area. "This is where we'll begin. Victor, show me how you would survive here."
Victor hesitated. "You want me to—what, hunt something?"
Mira raised an eyebrow. "Not just hunt. Survive. You don't need to kill anything yet, but you need to be resourceful. Find food, water, shelter—whatever you can. The sword and magic can only take you so far. You'll need to learn how to read the land, to survive with nothing."
Victor swallowed hard, looking around. He had never been in a situation like this before—he'd never even wanted to be in a situation like this. The reality of what he had signed up for was starting to sink in. This wasn't just about learning magic or fighting with a sword. This was about surviving in a world where he didn't understand the rules, where he was nothing more than a stranger, a child trying to figure out how to stand his ground.
"I'll give you an hour," Mira said, her voice low. "After that, we'll see how you've fared."
Victor nodded, though every instinct in his body was screaming to turn back, to run, to ask for more training—something that would make this easier, something that would make it safe. But deep down, he knew that wasn't an option.
As Mira and Thorian disappeared into the trees, leaving him alone, Victor took a deep breath and turned to face the wild unknown.
He didn't know how to survive out here. He didn't know how to hunt, or track, or find food. But there was something inside him—something that wasn't ready to give up.
It wasn't about magic. It wasn't about the sword.
It was about finding out if he could survive without them.