Kael stood still for a moment.
The cold wind brushed against his wounded skin, mingling with the scent of sweat and dried blood. His breathing was steady, controlled, but each heartbeat echoed like the relentless beat of a war drum in his chest.
The training was over.
He had survived.
He had learned.
He had evolved.
But now, everything was about to change.
The forest had been both his prison and his forge.
Now, it was time to leave it behind.
Shen stood nearby, arms crossed, his sharp gaze assessing Kael one last time. There was something behind that calculating look, though—something rare for the errant.
Approval.
Kael had passed.
The young warrior turned to face Shen, his expression calm but resolute.
"What now?"
Shen's lips curled into a grin.
"Now, kid, you get out of this hole and face the world."
Kael stayed quiet, letting the words sink in.
Face the world...
That was what he wanted.
That was what he needed.
He took a deep breath and took his first step beyond the forest.
Without realizing it, he had just entered the first great chapter of his legend.
The Final Gift
Just as Kael was about to leave, Shen tossed something toward him.
Kael caught it instinctively, the weight familiar yet foreign in his hand.
A dagger.
The blade was simple but razor-sharp, its leather-wrapped hilt worn smooth by countless battles.
Kael turned it over in his hand, testing its balance and weight.
"A weapon doesn't define the warrior," Shen said, his tone carrying the edge of a lesson. "But a warrior without a weapon... doesn't last long."
Kael glanced up, meeting Shen's gaze.
The errant smirked, a mix of amusement and something harder to read.
"Consider it a parting gift. But don't get too attached to it."
Kael frowned slightly. "Why not?"
Shen shrugged casually.
"Because if you survive long enough, one day, that dagger won't be enough for you."
Kael said nothing, tucking the blade into the makeshift belt around his waist.
It was just a weapon.
And yet, somehow, it felt like more.
Shen pointed toward the horizon, beyond the forest's edge.
"Now go. The world out there isn't going to wait for you."
Kael didn't hesitate.
He turned away, stepping into the unknown.
This was his first step into a world that would test him in ways he couldn't yet imagine.
His first step toward the true path of strength.
His first step toward greatness.