Aedrin patted Kael's shoulder. "Your first hunt is complete," he said. "You did well. But you saw your mistakes, didn't you?"
Kael nodded. "I made a mistake when I backed off, my foot slipped and I got cornered. I must get into a better position."
Aedrin smiled. "Exactly. A battle is not won by swinging a sword. Position, timing and strategy are just as important as strength."
Kael looked at the lifeless bodies of the nekkers. Once again, he understood what it meant to be strong in this world.
Aedrin took a deep breath. "Come, back to Kaer Morhen. That's all for today."
______________
As Kael and Aedrin made their way back to Kaer Morhen, the cold air of the castle made them feel even more tired. While Kael felt the satisfaction of completing his first hunt, Aedrin remained silent the entire way. It was a seemingly ordinary thing on the surface, but inside there was a storm brewing.
For a boy like Kael to be such a fast and effective fighter... It should not have been possible. Faced with a group of Nekkers for the first time, one might be paralyzed or panicked with fear of death. But Kael fought as if he had fought this kind of battle many times before. His movements were not only quick and sharp, but also deliberate. It was as if he knew what his opponent would do.
Aedrin couldn't help but think of the boy's past. Kael had told him, without much detail, that he came from a hard life. But what life could have given him those reflexes? For a moment he forgot that he was not a mutated child. He was so resourceful that sometimes he seemed no different from a witcher.
As they passed through the great gates of Kaer Morhen, he realized that the other witchers in the castle had returned from hunting. Lambert, Eskel, and a few others were cleaning their weapons when they spotted Kael and Aedrin.
"Hey, Teacher," Lambert asked in a slightly mocking tone. "Did Kael shake with fear at his first kill, or did he just run and jump to his death?"
Aedrin shrugged. "A little better than I expected," he said in a calm voice. "But as we suspected, he fought for someone who hasn't mutated. He's still a long way from being a witcher."
Kael remained silent at Aedrin's words. He began to wonder why his master was lying.
After a few seconds, Kael realized something. He had thought about hiding his powers, but maybe his performance against the creatures on the mission had been too much.
His master had acted this way to protect him.
Eskel looked at Aedrin with raised eyebrows. "Really? Or are you underestimating him so that you can praise and spoil him?"
Aedrin smiled slightly and patted Eskel on the shoulder. "Maybe we shouldn't aim too high for every child."
Kael remained silent, deciding not to prolong the conversation. He had been in this world long enough to know what could happen to those who showed too much strength. It was best to stay in the shadows while growing stronger, to keep a low profile.
But in the back of his mind, one question kept echoing: Was Aedrin really acting this way to hide his abilities, or was he sensing the truth behind Kael's power?
That night, Aedrin lay awake for a long time, thinking. Finally deciding, he got out of bed and quietly made his way to Kael's room. He knocked lightly on the door.
Kael woke with a start when he heard a knock at the door. When he opened the door and saw Aedrin, he raised his eyebrows. "Is something wrong?"
Aedrin entered and closed the door behind him. "Kael, I need to talk to you," he said in a serious voice. "What you did today... Frankly, it was too good for a child."
Kael waited in silence. Aedrin continued. "Tell me the truth. Where could you have learned this kind of fighting before?"
Kael thought for a moment about telling about his past, but then backed away. "I just had a good instructor," he said simply.
Aedrin was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Okay. But know that whatever you are hiding will not go unnoticed. In order for me to help you, you must tell me the truth."
Kael looked into Aedrin's eyes. There was an unusual seriousness in his master's voice. Aedrin was suspicious. Kael had always been cautious, but now he felt there was nothing left to hide.
He took a deep breath and sat down on the edge of his bed. "Master," he said, his voice unusually firm. "You have always told me to trust you. Now I must trust you. I will tell you everything."
Aedrin hesitated for a moment, then nodded and sat down in the chair opposite Kael. "I will listen to you."
Kael began to speak without looking away. "I... I don't belong here. At least not in this world. I was born in another place, a place far away. It is... beyond the stars, on another planet. In our world, there are weapons other than swords. Technology is mightier than magic. And there was order: The Jedi Order."
Aedrin raised his eyebrows slightly but remained silent.
Kael continued. "The Jedi were warriors, trained to maintain the balance of the universe. But we were not just warriors. We thought, we made peace, we used the Force. But our Force was different from the wizards here. We called it "power," an energy that flowed through everything in the universe. We learned to feel it, to channel it. So I was trained as a Jedi. I had a Master, Mace Windu. He was hard, but he was fair. He trained me, taught me to fight, to think, to control... and to balance.
This was the first time Aedrin had ever heard the name Mace Windu. But what really intrigued him was the Force Kael was talking about. "This thing you call the Force... what kind of Force?"
Kael clenched his hands into fists. "I can show you, but not here. If I use it wrong, I'll attract attention. But in short, with the Force I can sharpen my senses, strengthen my body, move objects. I can even affect minds. But I don't do these things because... because I don't belong here and I shouldn't be noticed.
Aedrin tilted his head slightly to the side. "So how did you get here?"
Kael's eyes narrowed slightly. "My master and I were on a mission to another planet. We entered an ancient Jedi temple and encountered some strange things. Inside was an old man sitting on the floor, meditating. When he saw us, he attacked us and said he wouldn't let us leave. When I fought my master, he took me hostage and teleported me to this world. "
Aedrin's expression did not change, but his mind was full of thoughts. "Do you have any idea who did that?"
Kael shook his head. "No. But I want to know, because if I came here by accident, maybe I can go back. To my master... to the temple... I want to return to the Jedi Order. At least I felt that way once, but now..." He paused for a moment, then raised his eyes and looked at Aedrin. "Now Kaer Morhen is starting to feel like home."
Aedrin frowned slightly when he heard that. "But you still want to leave."
Kael could feel a conflict inside of him. "I don't know, but I do know this. I can't explain who I am here, what I am. The Jedi are not here. The Force is unknown here. If you stand out, people will try to kill you or use you. Only if necessary, only to survive."
Aedrin took a deep breath. "And that's why I didn't treat you like a mutant. Lambert and Eskel suspected your abilities, but I distracted them. I know you're different, but I thought it safer for you to keep it hidden."
Kael nodded slightly. "I realize that, thank you."
Aedrin stood and patted Kael on the shoulder. "It's good of you to tell me this now. But let me tell you something, boy. I don't know how you got here, but you're here now. And if you want to survive here, you must learn to think like a witcher. You may be a Jedi, but to the people here, you're just an orphan boy. Remember that."
Kael shook his head. "I won't forget."
Aedrin paused for a moment as he headed for the door. "Force or whatever... I'd like to see you control it, but for now, rest. We have training tomorrow."
Kael returned to his bed, but kept his eyes on the ceiling. Now his secret was out in the open. But Aedrin hadn't turned his back on him. That meant more than he realized.
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