Failure in the Training Arena
The morning in the training hall of the Asran Kingdom felt colder than usual, or perhaps it was just Satya's imagination. The sunlight streaming through the tall windows wasn't enough to warm his trembling body. In his hands, the training sword given by Leon felt like a burden he couldn't bear. The metal was cold, heavy, and seemed to mock his weakness.
Leon stood in front of him, arms crossed, his eyes sharp like a hawk watching its prey.
"Swing that sword, Satya. Aim at the dummy. This time, focus on strength, not just movement," he ordered, his voice flat but full of authority.
Satya nodded, swallowing hard. He took a deep breath, trying to recall all of Leon's lessons from yesterday—steady feet, strong hands, eyes on the target. But as he swung the sword, his arms trembled violently. The blade missed, merely grazing the wooden dummy's side, and the momentum caused Satya to stumble forward. He fell to his knees, his hands clutching the dusty floor of the hall.
A small laugh rang from the corner of the room. Alicia, sitting on a bench in a blue dress far too neat for a place like this, covered her mouth, but her eyes sparkled with mockery.
"What was that? You can't even hit a target that doesn't move!" she said, her voice sharp and cutting.
Satya's face burned, a mix of shame and anger igniting in his chest. He wanted to respond, to yell that Alicia had no idea what he felt, but the words were stuck in his throat. He only bowed his head, breathing hard, his hands still clutching the sword that now felt like a symbol of failure.
Leon stepped closer, his shadow covering Satya from the sunlight.
"Stand up, Satya," he said, his voice firm but not cruel. "Failure is part of training. But you must learn from it, not sink into it."
Satya rose slowly, his legs still shaky. He looked at the wooden dummy, which now seemed to mock him with the small scratch on its side.
"I... I can't, Master Leon," he murmured, his voice breaking. "This sword is too heavy. I'm too weak."
The words escaped before he realized it, and once he said them, his chest felt tight, as if the truth hit him like a hammer.
Leon looked at him for a long time, his expression hard to read.
"Weakness is not the end, Satya. It's only the beginning. But if you give up now, you'll never be able to avenge the goblins who slaughtered your family."
The word "goblins" stabbed at Satya's heart. Images of his burning village, his mother's scream as goblins tore down their door, and his brother's laughter turning to shrieks flashed through his mind. His eyes filled with tears, but he bit his lip hard, refusing to cry in front of Leon and Alicia.
"I won't give up," he said, his voice trembling but filled with determination. "I will become stronger. I must."
Leon nodded slightly, a glimmer of pride in his eyes.
"Good. Then begin again. Now."
Night in Satya's Room
That night, Satya sat at the edge of his bed, staring at the small piece of cloth that had belonged to his mother, now lying in his lap. Moonlight from the small window illuminated the room, making the cloth look pale, almost like a ghost from the past. His fingers caressed the rough texture that once felt soft in his mother's hands.
"Forgive me, Mother," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "I couldn't protect you from the goblins. I couldn't protect anyone."
The tears he had been holding back finally fell, soaking the cloth. Every drop brought memories—his father's smile while teaching him to fish, his brother's warm hugs, and his mother's voice singing lullabies. All of it was now gone, stolen by the claws and laughter of the goblins who destroyed his village.
Satya clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms until they hurt.
"I'm weak," he muttered, his voice full of self-hate. "I can't lift the sword. I can't beat a dummy. How can I destroy the goblins?"
He closed his eyes, trying to picture himself as a Holy Knight, standing in the middle of a battlefield, his sword soaked in goblin blood. But that image faded quickly, replaced by the harsh reality: his trembling little body, his weak arms, and Alicia's mocking words still echoing in his ears.
"No," he said sharply, opening his eyes. "I won't stay like this."
He rose from the bed, his breath quick and filled with resolve. He looked at his reflection in the window—his face still swollen from crying, now lit with a new fire.
"I will train. I will become stronger. For Mother, Father, and Brother. To wipe the goblins from this world."
Satya grabbed the small training sword Leon had given him, which he kept in the corner of his room. He swung it slowly, though his arms still ached from that morning's training. Each swing felt heavy, but he didn't stop. Sweat began to drip from his forehead, mixing with the tears on his cheeks.
"I will do this," he murmured, his voice full of resolve. "I must."
Interaction with Alicia
The next morning, Satya returned to the training hall with slightly swollen eyes but a renewed spirit. Leon hadn't arrived yet, but Alicia was already there, standing near the training dummy with a small sword in her hand. She seemed to be trying to swing the sword, but her movements were stiff, almost like she was mimicking Satya from yesterday.
Satya paused, surprised.
"You... are training?" he asked, his voice full of wonder.
Alicia flinched, almost dropping her sword. Her face flushed, and she quickly turned with an annoyed tone.
"None of your business! I'm just... just trying something!" She threw the sword to the ground as if embarrassed to be caught.
Satya looked at her, and for the first time, he saw something familiar on her face—doubt, perhaps fear, just like what he felt.
"You don't need to be ashamed," he said quietly, remembering Alicia's words in the backyard yesterday. "Everyone has to start somewhere, right?"
Alicia glared at him, but then she huffed and looked down.
"You're really annoying, you know? But... maybe you're not completely useless."
She paused, then added in a barely audible voice,
"I also want to be strong. Like Grandpa. Like Uncle, who died fighting goblins."
Satya smiled slightly, feeling a small bond beginning to form between them.
"Then we can train together," he said, his voice full of spirit. "We're both weak now, but we can become stronger to fight the goblins."
Alicia looked at him with a doubtful expression, but eventually she nodded.
"Fine. But don't expect me to go easy on you."
Trigger of New Resolve
When Leon finally arrived, he found Satya and Alicia standing side by side, each holding a sword and trying to swing it at the dummy. Their movements were still far from perfect, but there was a new spirit in their eyes. Leon raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised, but then he smiled thinly.
"If you two are serious, then there's hope," he said, his voice filled with authority but also warmth. "But remember, true strength doesn't only come from the sword. It comes from the heart. What drives you to keep rising?"
Satya looked at Leon, then at the sword in his hand. He thought of his family, his village, and the promise he made to himself last night.
"I want to destroy the goblins who took my family," he said, his voice firm despite his young age. "And I want to make sure no one else feels what I felt."
Leon nodded, his eyes showing respect.
"That's a good reason, Satya. Hold on to that, and you'll find your strength."
As training began, Satya swung his sword with more force than before. Each move was still clumsy, every swing still weak, but in his heart, he felt a fire that would not go out. He knew the path was long, but for the first time, he believed he could do it—not just for himself, but for all who had been taken by the goblins.