Five years changes a lot about a person. You grow taller, stronger, maybe a little wiser if you're lucky.
For me? I grew taller. Not much wiser, though.
I stood in the training yard, stretching my arms as the sun beat down on me. Across from me was the same trainer from years ago, the guy who'd once looked at me and decided my future probably involved being crushed by my own poor decisions.
His name was Garek, and despite spending half a decade under his watch, I'd never gotten used to the way he stared at me, like he was calculating the exact moment I'd trip over my own two feet.
"Ready, kid?" Garek asked, cracking his knuckles.
"I told you, I'm not a kid anymore," I said, pulling on a pair of battered gloves. "I'm practically an adult."
"Sure you are," he said, smirking. "And I'm the King of Fire Country."
"More like the King of Bad Breath," I muttered.
"What was that?"
"Nothing!"
Garek rolled his shoulders, and the ground beneath him rumbled. A thick wall of earth shot up in front of him, jagged and imposing.
"Show me what you've got," he said, gesturing at me.
I grinned. "You asked for it."
Five years of training had taught me a lot. Like how to focus my bending, how to use my surroundings, and most importantly, how to be annoying during a fight.
I slammed my foot down, and a chunk of earth shot into my hands. Molding it quickly, I shaped it into a rough blade, its edges sharp enough to glint in the sunlight.
Garek raised an eyebrow. "So you're still playing with dirt swords, huh?"
"Call it what you want," I said, lunging forward.
The fight was on.
I swung the blade at him, and he blocked with a slab of stone. I twisted, creating a spike from the ground to catch him off guard, but he dodged it easily.
"Not bad," he said, "but you're too predictable."
Predictable? Oh, he was not getting away with that.
I feinted left, then stomped hard, sending a wave of jagged rocks rolling toward him. He countered with a sweep of his arm, flattening the ground like it was nothing.
"You're gonna have to try harder," Garek said, smirking.
I gritted my teeth. Fine. If he wanted harder, I'd give him harder.
Dropping my sword, I slammed both hands onto the ground. The earth beneath us shook, and a massive pillar shot up, carrying me into the air. From my vantage point, I could see Garek looking up at me, his expression shifting from smug to slightly concerned.
"Not bad," he called, "but what's your plan now? Hide up there until I get bored?"
"Not quite," I said.
I jumped, free-falling toward him. As I fell, I shaped the ground below me into a springy platform, launching myself forward at high speed. Garek barely had time to react before I hit him with a shoulder charge, knocking him off balance.
He staggered, then planted his feet, sending a shockwave through the ground that knocked me flat on my back.
"Nice try," he said, looming over me.
"Thanks," I said. "But I'm not done yet."
Before he could react, I thrust my hands upward, and a pillar of earth shot out from beneath me, catching him square in the chest. He stumbled backward, and I followed up with a series of rapid strikes, each one forcing him further and further toward the edge of the training yard.
Finally, with one last push, I sent him tumbling into the dirt.
There was a long moment of silence.
"Did I… did I win?" I asked, panting.
Garek groaned, sitting up. "Don't let it go to your head, kid."
I grinned, offering him a hand. "Admit it. I'm getting better."
He took my hand, pulling himself up. "Fine. You're not terrible."
"High praise coming from you," I said, brushing the dust off my clothes.
"Don't get cocky," Garek said, clapping me on the shoulder. "You've still got a long way to go. Starting with today's exam."
Ah, yes. The exam.
I'd been training for this moment for years—officially registering as an adventurer. Sure, I'd been doing odd jobs for the guild here and there, but this was different. This was my chance to prove I wasn't just some country bumpkin playing with rocks.
"Think you're ready?" Garek asked as we walked back to the guild.
"Absolutely," I said, trying to sound confident.
"You know there's a written test, right?"
I tripped over my own feet.
"A… a written test?"
Garek smirked. "What, you thought it was all sparring and showing off?"
"Well, yeah!"
"Welcome to reality, kid."
The guild hall was as loud and chaotic as ever, filled with adventurers swapping stories, laughing, and occasionally threatening to duel over spilled drinks.
At the registration desk, the same guild worker from years ago was waiting. Her hair was streaked with gray now, but her sharp tongue hadn't dulled a bit.
"Leo," she said, looking me up and down. "You're still alive. Color me surprised."
"Good to see you too, Sara," I said, grinning.
She snorted. "Let's get this over with. First up, the sparring test. Try not to destroy the yard this time."
"I make no promises," I said, following her outside.
My opponent was a firebender, a cocky guy with a permanent smirk and a sword that looked like it had never been used for actual combat.
"You ready, dirt boy?" he asked, twirling the blade.
"Dirt boy?" I said, raising an eyebrow. "Really? That's the best you've got?"
He shrugged. "I don't need good insults to beat you."
"Good luck with that," I said, summoning a blade of my own.
The fight was fast and intense. He started with a barrage of fireballs, but I dodged, using the terrain to shield myself. When he closed the distance, I met him blow for blow, my earth blade clashing against his steel.
He was fast, but I was resourceful. When he lunged at me, I ducked and swept his legs out from under him with a wave of earth. When he tried to get up, I pinned him down with a spike just close enough to make him flinch.
"Do you yield?" I asked, grinning.
He glared at me, but nodded.
Sara clapped from the sidelines. "Not bad, Leo. You might actually survive out there."
"High praise," I said, bowing dramatically.
"Don't get cocky," she said. "You've still got the written test."
The written test was… an experience.
The first few questions were easy. Stuff like "What should you do if a teammate is injured?" (Answer: Don't panic, stabilize them, and don't leave them behind. Unless they're Garek. Then it's debatable.)
But then came the trickier ones.
"If you encounter a hostile spirit, do you: A) Run. B) Fight. C) Attempt to negotiate."
I frowned. "Why isn't there an option for 'Scream and hope it goes away'?"
"Focus, Leo," Sara said, watching me like a hawk.
By the end of it, my brain felt like mush. But when Sara looked over my answers, she actually smiled.
"Congratulations," she said, handing me a shiny new badge. "You're officially an adventurer."
I stared at the badge, a mix of pride and disbelief washing over me. "Really?"
"Don't make me change my mind," she said, shooing me away.
Garek clapped me on the back. "See, kid? Told you you'd make it."
"Yeah, yeah," I said, grinning.
As I left the guild that day, my badge in hand, I couldn't help but feel like this was just the beginning.
Sure, I wasn't the strongest or the smartest. But I was determined. And if there was one thing I'd learned over the years, it was this:
Sometimes, stubbornness was its own kind of strength.