James paced outside the hut, the cool morning air doing little to calm the racing thoughts that had kept him up all night. He glanced over at the worn structure, where he'd spent years studying under his master's guidance. The hut had always been his sanctuary, a place of learning, tinkering, and occasional explosions from experiments gone wrong. Now, the familiar surroundings felt both comforting and restrictive. His mind spun with the gravity of the mission that lay ahead.
The king himself… chosen me… for what? James's thoughts tumbled over each other. He couldn't fathom why he, of all people, would be selected for such an important mission. Is this really happening? The thrill of adventure was there, but so was the weight of responsibility, pressing down on him like a rock lodged in his chest.
