The village of Rilath lay in the valley, wrapped in the cold embrace of the distant mountains. The sun had just begun to rise, its golden rays peeking over the jagged peaks, casting long shadows that stretched over the village's dirt roads. A small, unassuming settlement, it was a place where time felt still, where the hustle and bustle of the outside world rarely intruded.
But to Kael, the village felt like a cage. A prison of tradition and simplicity. For fifteen years, it had been his world. A world of hard work in the fields, his hands calloused from pulling weeds and repairing the thatched roofs of modest homes. The people here were kind but indifferent, resigned to their fate. They didn't question the old ways—they simply lived.
Kael was different. The world beyond the village was calling to him, whispering promises of something greater. He could feel it deep within his chest, a stirring he couldn't ignore, a thirst for knowledge, for power, for more. But he also knew that there was something he would never have—something he could never be. The world of magic, of swordsmanship, of nobility—it was reserved for those born with power, those whose names were written in the annals of history.
Not for a peasant like him.
He sat on the edge of the well, staring down at the water below. His reflection rippled and distorted, but even then, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more beneath the surface. Something hidden, just out of reach.
His fingers brushed the surface of the water, sending small waves that broke the illusion of his reflection. He had spent countless hours here, contemplating the same questions over and over. What was he truly meant for? What was his place in the world?
Behind him, a rustling of leaves interrupted his thoughts. He turned slightly, but didn't need to look to know who it was.
"Kael," came the gruff voice, thick with the weight of years of service and sacrifice. "The training grounds. Time to start your sword work."
His uncle, Edrin, stepped into view, his tall frame imposing even in the soft morning light. His face was weathered, eyes sharp yet soft with the care he'd shown Kael since he was an infant. Kael's parents had been taken from him long ago, their lives claimed by unknown forces. His only family now was Edrin, his uncle and the man who had raised him after their deaths.
Kael nodded silently, standing slowly from the stone well. His uncle's words carried a quiet authority, one he could never question, even if his heart burned with frustration.
"Why do I need to keep training, Uncle?" Kael's voice was tinged with exasperation. "I know the basics. Why do I need to keep at it? The nobles get to train in their towers and castles, learning magic and swordsmanship. They've got everything handed to them."
Edrin's face softened, and he approached Kael, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. His grip was strong, like a boulder, unyielding but warm.
"You know as well as I do," Edrin said, his voice steady and calm, "that magic and swordsmanship aren't for the likes of us. You're a commoner, Kael. People like us don't get the luxury of learning from the best. We don't get to walk the halls of the nobles' castles or learn from the most powerful mages in the kingdom. But it doesn't mean we can't fight. It doesn't mean you can't rise above it."
Kael clenched his fists, frustration building inside him. "Why not? Why do the nobles get everything? Why is it that I have to scrape by with the scraps, while they have all the power, the magic, the glory?"
His uncle's gaze hardened, and for a brief moment, Kael thought he saw something dark in Edrin's eyes, as if there was more to the story—more that Kael wasn't yet ready to understand.
"Because that's how the world works, Kael," Edrin said slowly. "Nobles rule, commoners serve. It's been that way for generations, and it's unlikely to change any time soon."
"But I don't want to serve," Kael's voice cracked slightly, his heart aching with the weight of his words. "I want to be more. I want to understand magic like they do, to fight like the knights, to have a place where I don't feel invisible."
His uncle's expression softened, and he sighed deeply. "I understand. I understand better than you think. But sometimes the truth is harsh. The nobles will never see you as their equal. Magic and swordsmanship… they're their tools, not ours. But that doesn't mean you can't carve your own path. It just means it will be harder."
Kael looked up at his uncle, a burning determination in his chest. "I'll find a way. I'll learn. I'll become what they can't ignore."
Edrin was quiet for a long moment, staring at the horizon as if lost in some far-off thought. "You have the spirit of your father," he muttered, almost to himself. "But be careful, Kael. The path you're on… it's not one you can return from once you start walking it."
"Why?" Kael asked, his curiosity piqued. "What do you mean?"
Edrin's face hardened. "There are things you don't know about your parents, Kael. Things I'm not ready to tell you. But they were no ordinary family. Your father wasn't just a noble; he was a knight of the king. And your mother… she was more than a noblewoman. The bloodline they came from was powerful—dangerous even."
Kael frowned, his mind racing. "But they're dead. What does that have to do with me?"
Edrin turned away, his voice lowering. "There are secrets, Kael. Secrets about your family, about their magic, and about why they were killed. It's not a story for now. You're not ready for the truth."
The words hung in the air between them like an unspoken challenge, but Kael could sense the fear in his uncle's tone. The fear of something bigger than both of them.
"Just focus on what's in front of you," Edrin continued, his voice regaining its usual steady calm. "Your training. Your strength. These things are what matter right now. If you want to survive, you need to master the sword, and later, magic. But don't let it consume you."
Kael nodded, though inside, the fire burned hotter than ever. There was something more to his family's death—a deeper mystery that needed to be uncovered. His parents' legacy had been erased, buried by the kingdom's shadows. But Kael swore he would find out why.
"I'll be ready," Kael said quietly. "I'll uncover the truth, Uncle. And I'll make them pay for what they did."
Edrin turned back toward the training grounds, his expression unreadable. "Then let's begin, Kael. The first step of your journey starts today."
As Kael followed his uncle toward the training grounds, his mind swirled with questions, but one