Morning sunlight spilled across the Vlorian estate, painting the training fields in gold and green.
The air smelled of dew and freshly turned earth. Birds sang faintly from the treetops, but their melody did not reach the tiny figure already standing on the field.
Kaien Vlorian, now seven years old, adjusted his small sleeves and took a deep breath. Today would be different.
"Alright, Kaien," Luca said, his tone calm but firm. He stood at the edge of the training field, his arms crossed. "You've been reading for years, and observing the world, but today… today, we start the real work."
Kaien looked up, wide-eyed, his tiny hands clutching the hem of his tunic.
"Real work?" he asked quietly.
"Yes," Luca replied, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Reading is important, but knowledge alone will not make you strong. Today, you begin learning discipline, control, and effort."
Kaien's gaze flickered toward the horizon. "Discipline?"
Luca nodded. "Discipline is the foundation of awakening. Without it, even the strongest talent will crumble. Your mind must be sharp, your body must obey, and your spirit… must endure pressure."
Kaien's small fists clenched instinctively.
Pressure… I can handle it.
At that moment, Jay bounded onto the field, grinning broadly.
"Little brother, so you're finally joining the real fun?" he teased, holding his wooden training sword. "Don't tell me all that reading has made you soft!"
Kaien glared at him, though his frown was half-hearted. "I'm not soft."
Jay laughed, flipping his sword in one hand. "We'll see about that!"
Alora appeared a few steps behind, twirling her silver hair around her fingers. "Be gentle with him, Jay. He's still small," she said, though a mischievous glint sparkled in her blue eyes.
Kaien frowned at her as well. "I'm not small!"
"You're small compared to me," Jay said, crouching slightly to appear threatening, though his grin betrayed him. "But don't worry. You'll grow… if you survive my training."
Kaien's lips twitched. "I'll survive."
The first lesson began with basic body control.
Luca watched silently as Kaien struggled to balance on the uneven wooden beams laid across the field. Each step required careful calculation—weight distribution, foot placement, and focus.
Kaien's tiny legs wobbled at first.
Focus, focus… he muttered under his breath.
Jay, attempting the same beam, leaped easily from plank to plank. "See? Easy!" he shouted, laughing.
Kaien gritted his teeth, concentrating harder. By the fifth attempt, he managed to cross the entire length without falling.
Luca nodded approvingly. "Good. That's discipline. You'll need more than speed; you'll need patience."
Alora clapped softly from the sidelines. "Not bad, little brother. You're catching up faster than I expected."
Kaien's cheeks warmed. "I'm not just catching up."
"You're learning to survive," Alora corrected, her tone teasing but encouraging.
After the balance exercise, Luca introduced breathing and focus techniques.
"Close your eyes," he instructed. "Feel your body. Feel your heartbeat. Control it."
Kaien complied, his small chest rising and falling rhythmically.
"Good," Luca murmured. "Now imagine energy flowing through you… slowly… steadily…"
Kaien concentrated. He imagined warmth spreading from his chest to his limbs. He tried to sense strength in his arms, legs, and even his small fingers.
Jay snorted. "Is he even doing anything?"
Alora tilted her head. "Shh. He's focusing."
Kaien felt something stir inside him—a small, pulsing warmth that seemed to respond to his thoughts.
Luca's eyes narrowed slightly. "Interesting…"
Later, Kaien moved to physical endurance training.
He ran laps around the field, carrying small weighted bags, his tiny arms pumping fiercely.
Jay sprinted beside him. "Hey! No shortcuts!"
Kaien gritted his teeth and pushed forward. Sweat trickled down his forehead, but he did not stop.
"Don't stop until I tell you," Luca commanded.
Kaien kept going, his small legs moving faster than his size should allow.
By the tenth lap, he was panting, but his eyes shone with determination.
"You're stronger than I thought," Jay admitted grudgingly. "And stubborn, like father."
Kaien smiled faintly. "It's not stubbornness. It's… practice."
Alora laughed. "Someone's trying to be grown-up!"
Kaien stuck his tongue out at her, though he stumbled slightly over his feet.
After training, Kaien rested under the shade of a large tree while Luca and the children ate a light meal.
Kaien picked up a small scroll from the table. "Father… why is strength so important?"
Luca sighed. "Because the world outside these walls is dangerous, Kaien. You've read about demons, haven't you?"
Kaien nodded eagerly. "Yes. Cannibals, soul-eaters, corrupted creatures…"
Luca's expression darkened. "Exactly. And humans are not naturally safe. Only those strong enough to protect themselves—and others—can survive. Strength is not vanity, Kaien. It is necessity."
Kaien chewed slowly, thinking. "I don't want to be weak."
"You won't be," Luca said quietly. "But you must understand something: strength comes not from desire alone. It comes from practice, discipline, and focus… and yes, sometimes from mistakes."
Kaien nodded firmly. "I understand."
Later, Jay leaned against a tree, smirking. "Little brother, you think you can awaken like me and Alora?"
Kaien blinked. "When I'm eight, I'll attempt the awakening rite. Then… yes."
Jay laughed loudly. "Confident, aren't you? Just remember, talent isn't everything. Control matters more."
Kaien tilted his head. "I'll control it. I promise."
Alora shook her head, smiling. "You talk too much, little brother. Actions speak louder than words."
Kaien grinned faintly. "Then I'll show you soon enough."
The sun dipped lower in the sky as training continued.
Kaien practiced sword handling with a small wooden blade, his movements stiff at first, then gradually smoother. Luca demonstrated each motion patiently, correcting posture, balance, and grip.
"Concentration," Luca said, tapping Kaien's shoulder. "Don't think about speed. Think about precision."
Kaien's small arms moved deliberately. He imagined cutting through invisible obstacles, focusing on form rather than force.
Jay chuckled. "You're taking this way too seriously."
Kaien glanced at him. "I'm serious because you said survival matters, didn't you?"
Jay froze for a moment, then laughed. "Alright… fair enough."
Alora tilted her head. "I think he's learning faster than you, Jay."
Jay scowled. "Impossible."
Kaien smiled faintly, though his small fists tensed subtly.
As night fell, the family returned to the estate.
Kaien's body was tired, but his mind was alive. He thought about what his father said, about survival, about strength. He thought about Jay and Alora, about their awakenings, and the challenges yet to come.
He did not sleep immediately. Instead, he stared out of the window, moonlight illuminating his small face.
Three years until the Awakening Rite… he whispered. I will not fail. I will not be weak.
That night, while Kaien rested, the world beyond the barrier moved quietly.
Demons stirred in distant forests, their corrupted presence undetected by the mortals within. Noble families whispered of awakeners, of quotas, and of rivalries that would shape the next generation.
Kaien had not yet awakened.
He had not yet revealed his true potential.
But even in rest, even in silence, his mind continued to grow, absorbing knowledge and strategy like a sponge.
He was small. He was mortal.
But beneath the surface, a spark waited.
A spark that would one day challenge families, demons, and even the fate of the world itself.
And tomorrow, he would train again.