The village of Relton was a place forgotten by time—a dusty settlement tucked between towering cliffs and treacherous forests. It had been centuries since any great battle had been fought here, and only the remnants of ancient stories remained, passed down by the elders. Most villagers had long since given up on dreams of grandeur, accepting their lot as humble craftsmen, farmers, or traders.
Kael stood at the edge of the village square, staring at the ground. His hands, calloused from years of toil, clutched a small hammer—a tool of little significance in a world that revered weapons of legendary power. To most, he was invisible, a mere speck in the crowded life of Relton. He was the one who carried water from the well, swept the floors of the smithy, and worked the fields with no promise of anything more.
But today, something was different.
It wasn't the sun, rising low on the horizon, casting long shadows over the stone walls. Nor was it the hum of the market beginning to stir with the first customers of the day. No, today was different because Kael had found something—something that wasn't supposed to exist.
"Kael!" a voice shouted, pulling him out of his thoughts.
He turned to see Aldrin, the village blacksmith, striding toward him with a frown. Aldrin was a burly man, his arms as thick as the iron he forged, and his temper as sharp as the swords he crafted. "You're supposed to be on the east field by now," Aldrin said, his voice gruff but not unkind.
Kael nodded, the weight of his simple existence sinking back in. "I'll get to it right away."
But before he could take a step, something caught his eye. Beneath the gnarled oak tree near the smithy, there was a faint shimmer—like the air itself was rippling. He blinked and rubbed his eyes, unsure if the heat was playing tricks on him, but the shimmer didn't go away.
Without thinking, Kael walked toward it. The ground beneath his feet seemed to hum, a low, almost imperceptible vibration. He reached the spot where the shimmer flickered, and instinctively, his hand reached out.
The world shifted.
He gasped, stepping back as the shimmering air collapsed into itself, revealing an ancient stone doorway. Covered in moss and forgotten by all but time itself, the door seemed as if it had always been here, waiting. Kael's breath caught in his throat. The doorway pulsed with a strange energy—an energy that felt both foreign and familiar at the same time.
"Kael!" Aldrin's voice snapped him out of his trance. The blacksmith was now standing in the square, watching him curiously. "What are you doing? Get back to work."
Kael hesitated, torn between the mysterious doorway and the mundane tasks that awaited him. But before he could respond, the door seemed to beckon him, its presence undeniable. Without thinking, Kael stepped forward, reaching for the handle.
And as his hand brushed against the cold stone, the door swung open with a low creak, revealing a dimly lit passageway leading deep into the earth.
---
The passage was narrow, the air thick with dust and the scent of old wood. Kael's heart raced as he descended, his steps echoing in the silence. The further he went, the more he felt an inexplicable pull, like something was guiding him toward the heart of whatever lay beyond.
At the end of the tunnel, he found it—a forge.
But this was no ordinary forge. The walls were adorned with intricate carvings of strange symbols, and the flames that flickered in the hearth burned with an unnatural blue glow. In the center of the room was a massive anvil, worn but still sturdy, and beside it, a table covered in ancient tools.
Kael stood frozen, staring at the forge. This was no place for someone like him. But as he looked at the weapons lying on the table—swords, shields, and hammers—he felt an overwhelming sense of connection. It was as if these weapons had been waiting for him.
His fingers brushed against the nearest sword, and the moment he touched it, the forge roared to life. Flames erupted from the hearth, casting flickering shadows across the room. The sword in Kael's hand pulsed with a strange energy, and he felt a rush of warmth spread through his veins.
Kael staggered back, his mind racing. What was happening? What was this place? And why was he the one chosen to find it?
As he stared at the weapon, a thought began to form in the back of his mind. Maybe he wasn't as insignificant as everyone had led him to believe. Maybe, just maybe, this was the beginning of something far greater than he could have ever imagined.
But for now, the only thing he knew was that he had discovered a power unlike anything the world had ever seen. And it was his to control.