Master Lior called me to the training grounds at dawn. The morning mist clung to the grass, dampening every sound. Today was not a lesson in magic or knowledge, but combat—a duel against a seasoned fighter from the village.
The duel was brutal. Every strike and counter tested not just skill but focus and endurance. I fell, rose, fell again, tasting blood and sweat, but learning the rhythm of battle. When the duel finally ended, Master Lior nodded.
"You have potential," he said. "But potential is fragile. True strength is forged in pain, perseverance, and the understanding that every action carries consequence."
I nodded, bruised and exhausted, but feeling more alive than ever.