Two years had passed since Zero's death, but the pain was still raw in Kai's heart. He stood atop the cliff, staring at the crude grave marker that bore his brother's name.
[Kai - Level 7 Adventurer]
[Strength: 12]
[Agility: 16]
[Essence: 14]
[Abilities: Portal Redirection]
In the time since that terrible day, Kai had thrown himself into his training with single-minded determination. He had to get stronger. Strong enough to protect Grom and everyone he loved. Strong enough to never again watch helplessly as the people he cared about were cut down in front of him.
Soft footsteps sounded behind him. Kai turned to see Sarah, his closest friend, approaching with a serious look on her face. "Kai, come quickly. Knights from the capital are here."
Kai's blood ran cold. Knights in Grom could only mean one thing - they had come for Zero. Even after two years, his brother's pre-assessment scores from their childhood must have been exceptional enough to warrant attention.
They raced back to the village to find a towering figure in gleaming plate armor addressing the village elder and Kai's mother. The knight captain's gaze fell on Kai and he smiled.
"Ah, there you are! You must be Zero - we've been looking for you. Your test scores were exemplary. Solaris has a great future in mind for you."
Kai shook his head, fear and anxiety rising like bile in his throat. "No, you're mistaken. I'm not Zero. He...he died, two years ago. Defending our village."
The knight frowned. "I see. That is indeed a loss for the kingdom. But you - you look just like the boy in our records. You must be his brother."
Kai nodded mutely, dread settling over him like a suffocating blanket. The knight captain's eyes lit with a calculating gleam.
"Well then, you shall come in his stead. Solaris requires a tribute from this region, and your brother's scores grant your family that honor."
"No!" Kai blurted. "I'm not - I can't be a knight. I'm not a fighter, not like Zero. Please, I don't want to-"
The knight cut him off with a sharp gesture. "You misunderstand, boy. This is not a request. You will serve, or Solaris will be forced to withdraw its support and protection from this... quaint village."
The village elder paled but said nothing. Kai's mother had tears in her eyes. They all knew Grom couldn't survive without the resources Solaris provided. And now the price of that aid had come due.
Numb, Kai barely registered the discussion that followed. The knight captain led his mother and the elder away to hash out the details of Kai's recruitment. Sarah gripped his hand.
"Kai, I'm so sorry. But maybe... maybe this is a chance for you. To get the training you need, to become strong like you always wanted."
Kai tore his hand away, shaking his head vehemently. "Not like this! I don't want to fight, to hurt people. Sarah, you know what happened to Zero. I- I can't..."
She pulled him into a hug. "I know you're scared. But you're not alone. You'll never be alone. And no matter what path you walk, know that you always have a choice. Don't let them take that from you."
By the time the adults returned, Kai had mastered himself, burying his fear and grief beneath a fragile mask of composure.
"To ensure Solaris' continued protection, you will serve in your brother's place," the elder said heavily. "They believe you have the potential for greatness."
Kai thought of Zero's broken body. He thought of the portal he had conjured in his moment of desperation. The 'potential' that had gotten his brother killed. He wanted to scream, to rage against the fate being forced upon him.
Instead, he swallowed hard and nodded. For Grom. For his mother. For Zero's memory.
He would become the knight they demanded. And maybe, in so doing, he would find the strength to banish the specters of fear and pain that haunted him.
The sun was setting as he took his first heavy steps at the knight captain's side, toward a future he had never wanted. In his mind's eye, he could see Zero's grave marker atop the cliff, a silent reminder of the brother he had lost and the legacy he now bore.
"I'll make you proud," Kai whispered. "Somehow, I'll protect them all. No matter what it takes."
[Kai has accepted the quest: Become a Knight of Solaris]
[Reward: 5000 XP, Knighthood]
And so, with a heavy heart and a glimmer of desperate hope, Kai left the only home he had ever known behind. Ahead lay a winding path fraught with untold dangers and challenges.
But for the sake of those he loved, Kai would walk it to the end. No matter the cost.