The dusty corridors of Rinor Orphanage were my whole world. My name is Kael. Just Kael. I don't have a family name. I was told a nurse found me on a battlefield where thousands died, my parents lost to the chaos. This place, Rinor, is all I've ever known.
In this world, we live in the shadow of monsters called Bores. They're why we have giant walls around our kingdom, and why we have Marions—the warriors who fight them. They gain power, money, and fame. Everyone respects them. They have ranks: starting from Barwo, then Zairo, Manio, Kario, Vario, all the way up to the legendary Primarch. The Bores are ranked the same way. Most Marions work in teams of ten, going out to hunt, then splitting the money from the guild.
Me? I'm just an orphan. I don't dream of being a famous Primarch. I just want to be a simple Marion. To earn enough money to be someone, to have people feel safe because of me. That's it.
My thoughts were cut short. Coming down the corridor was Brad, surrounded by his usual gang.
One of them sneered, "Hey, look Brad. The mouse is out of his hole."
Brad's face broke into a nasty smile. "Yeah, I see him. Let me show you some fun."
He swaggered over, blocking my path. "Hey, Kael. Why don't you walk with us?"
My heart hammered against my ribs. "Nn... no!" I stammered.
He leaned in, giving me a death stare. "Why not? You don't like us?"
"It's... it's not like that," I said, my voice barely a whisper.
"Then let's walk. And you can give us your food at lunch, huh?"
This time, I found a sliver of courage. "N-no. I can't. What will I eat?"
Brad's eyes narrowed. "What did you say? I didn't hear you. You wanna get beaten? You want me to kick your ass?"
Anger, hot and sudden, flared in my chest. I clenched my fists. "Don't talk to me like that."
He looked at my fists and laughed. "Oh? You wanna fight, loser?"
The punch came in an instant. A blinding crack against my face. "You bastard!" Brad shouted.
I was thrown to the floor. The world spun. I could feel the warm trickle of blood from my nose before I even saw it. The other kids in the corridor just watched. Brad grabbed the collar of my shirt, pulling me up only to punch me again. And again. Someone finally tried to pull him off, but it was too late. Through a blurry, tear-filled haze, I saw the other kids, the girls, laughing. They're laughing at me. Because I'm a loser. Am I that funny? The thought was the last thing I had before everything went black.
I woke up in the infirmary. A nurse was gently bandaging my face.
"Boy, I saw you in here just three days ago," she sighed. "Why do you pick fights with him when you know how it will end?"
I looked down at my hands, shame burning hotter than my bruises. "I just... I can't stand it when people disrespect me."
She finished the bandage and gave me a sad smile. "Don't worry. Everything will be okay. God is watching."
She left, and I was alone with my thoughts. God? What a joke. If there was a god watching, none of this would ever happen. Silent, helpless tears rolled down my cheeks as I fell into a troubled sleep.
Three days later, I was back in class, my body still sore but healed enough. I tried to lose myself in my book, Ancient Magic, staring at a chapter about fire. This is the power I'll master first, I thought. Then all the others.
"Kael."
The sharp voice of our magic teacher, William Morphan, cut through my thoughts. He was a strict man who knew everything about magic.
"Stand up. Tell me, what is the weakest point of a Bores?"
I stood, my voice clear despite the nerves. "Sir, the weakest point is its neck. If you cut its head off, it will die instantly."
"Correct," Mr. Morphan said, a hint of approval in his tone. "Now, sit."
I sank back into my seat, a small flicker of pride in my chest. But then I made the mistake of glancing behind me.
Brad was there. And he was smiling right at me.
A cold dread washed over me. I quickly turned back to face the front, my heart pounding, all thoughts of magic and power gone, replaced by pure, simple fear.
(Chapter 1 Fin)