He stood there in the shadows, watching. He had been following and observing every move for weeks. Ragnar, the legendary hero. Every feat he performed was historic. Kael, a simple boy, had the goal of joining the elite order, a place where the best warriors were trained, but Kael didn't want to waste time with exams or tests; he wanted the fast track to get in.
Then his chance came.
A demon emerged from the shadows, with red eyes and an unnatural glow. It let out a terrifying roar and fixed its gaze on a woman. It attacked and wounded her, and the woman, barely injured, crawled away from danger.
Ragnar saw her and ran to her rescue, but he was too far away to save her. Kael, without hesitation, jumped into the fight.
The beast turned toward Kael, lunging at him with a swipe, which he barely dodged. He felt the demon's breath close to his cheek, grabbed his sword, and struck it with all his might. But he barely managed to make a slight scratch on its thick skin.
—It's not enough! It's not enough to want to fight! I have to win!
The demon lunged, hitting Kael and sending him rolling across the ground, feeling every blow on his body. He stood up unsteadily. He had to finish off that demon.
He waited. He held his breath. And when the creature jumped, Kael moved toward it instinctively, his sword finding its target: the demon's throat. The body gave way and warm blood bathed Kael's hands.
The demon fell, and so did Kael.
Exhausted, he looked up to see the woman, still alive but trembling with fear. Then he saw him.
—You have shown courage. And sometimes, that's all that really matters,— he said, looking at him intently. — What is your name?
- Kael.
He swallowed hard before answering.
Ragnar nodded slowly, as if weighing something.
—Come with me —he ordered — I have a place for someone like you in the elite Order.
He was speechless when he offered his hand.
This was the moment he had been waiting for. Everything had gone according to plan. This was the first step toward joining the Order without having to take the tests, the way he had always known he would succeed.