Kael stepped outside, his hand lingering on the doorframe as he took a deep breath. The crisp morning air hit him, cool and refreshing, and for a moment, he just stood there, soaking it in.
His mind drifted back to the meditation. He still couldn't believe something so… boring could leave him feeling this good.
"If meditation feels like this, maybe it's not as useless as I thought," he muttered.
The sound of clinking dishes behind him pulled him from his thoughts. He turned to see his mother in the kitchen, wiping her hands on a cloth.
"Mom?" he called. "Can I go outside for a bit?"
Callia looked up, her brow creasing slightly. "Why?"
"I just need some fresh air," Kael said, trying to sound casual. "Promise I won't go far."
She hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Kael, you know it's not completely safe out there. Stay close to the house. And avoid the temple ruins. You hear me?"
Kael nodded quickly. "Yeah, yeah, I got it. Stay safe, don't go anywhere dangerous. I'll be fine."
Callia's expression softened, though a hint of worry lingered in her eyes. "Just be careful, my little flame."
He grinned, already turning toward the door. "I will."
Stepping off the creaky porch, Kael stretched his arms and looked around. The landscape was just as he remembered: peaceful, quiet, and open. Their house sat on the edge of a gentle valley, with patches of trees dotting the horizon.
To his left, a narrow dirt path wound its way toward the river. And in the distance, perched atop a hill, were the ruins of Hestia's old temple. Overgrown with vines and crumbling under years of neglect, it was a sad reminder of his family's past.
Kael shook his head, brushing the thought away.
He pulled up the quest screen again and groaned.
Daily Quest:
10 Push-ups
5 Minutes of Meditation ✔
Run 1 Kilometer
"Guess I'll tackle this one next," he muttered. "Might as well get it over with."
Kael started jogging, his steps clumsy and uneven. It had been years—no, lifetimes—since he'd done anything resembling exercise, and his body was quick to remind him.
"How… am I already… out of breath?" he wheezed, barely a minute in. His legs felt heavy, and his chest burned.
"You're weak, remember?" the system chimed in helpfully. "But don't stop now. You'll never finish if you keep complaining."
Kael scowled. "I wasn't complaining! I was… commenting."
"Sure you were."
Kael pushed himself forward, his gaze darting to the scenery around him. The valley was alive with color—wildflowers blooming in clusters along the path, their petals swaying gently in the breeze.
He passed an old stone marker, its surface cracked and weathered by time. Faded symbols carved into its face caught his eye, but he didn't stop to examine it.
Farther ahead, the shadow of the temple loomed, its broken pillars and jagged edges stark against the bright sky. Kael's chest tightened as he looked at it, but he forced himself to focus on the path.
"Not yet," he muttered under his breath. "I'll deal with you later."
By the time Kael finally stopped running, his legs felt like jelly, and his shirt clung to his back. He collapsed onto the grass, staring up at the sky as his chest heaved.
Pulling up the screen, he grinned when he saw the update.
Daily Quest:
10 Push-ups
5 Minutes of Meditation ✔
Run 1 Kilometer ✔
"Not bad for someone weak, huh?" he said between gasps.
"You have one task left, Kael," the system replied, "Don't get too cocky."
Kael sighed, brushing his damp hair from his face. "Of course you'd say that."
Kael sat in the grass, leaning back on his hands as he stared out at the horizon. His chest was still heaving from the run, and his legs felt like they'd been replaced with lead weights, but for the first time in what felt like forever, he felt… alive.
The meditation had left him feeling sharper, more focused, and the run—though miserable—had stirred something in him he hadn't felt in years.
Freedom.
He wasn't chained anymore. He wasn't beaten, mocked, or thrown aside like he didn't matter. He was here, standing on his own two feet, and for once, the world felt wide open.
His gaze drifted to the distant hill where the ruins of Hestia's temple stood, its broken columns barely visible against the bright sky. A lump formed in his throat.
"Hard to believe we were supposed to rule all this," he muttered, his fingers digging into the grass.
The House of Hestia—the house of his ancestors—had once ruled this region. But they'd chosen peace over power, stepping aside instead of fighting for control. And where had that left them?
In ruins. Forgotten.
Kael's mind flickered back to his previous life, to the scornful faces of the Twelve Families. The heirs who had beaten him down, the ones who had laughed as he crawled in the dirt. He clenched his fists, his jaw tightening.
"Not this time," he said, his voice low but firm. "This time, I'll destroy every last one of them. All those families that wronged me… I'll burn them to the ground."
"Good," the system said, its tone unusually serious. "That fire will keep you moving forward. Hold onto it."
Kael blinked, caught off guard. "No teasing? No smug comments?"
"Even I know when to shut up. Sometimes."
Kael snorted, his lips twitching into a faint smirk. "Guess you're not so bad after all."
"Don't get used to it."
He chuckled softly, the tension in his chest easing. For a moment, he let himself relax, lying back in the grass and staring up at the sky.
"Break time's over, Kael," the system said after a few minutes, cutting into his moment of peace. "You've got one task left. Let's see if you can handle it."
Kael groaned, sitting up. "You really don't let up, do you?"
"Not when you've got work to do. Come on, lazy flame. Chop-chop."
Grumbling under his breath, Kael got to his feet and dropped into position. His arms trembled as he lowered himself toward the ground. "Just ten push-ups," he muttered. "How bad can it be?"
The answer came quickly. By the time he reached the third push-up, his arms felt like they were going to snap in half.
"Four… five…" he wheezed, sweat dripping down his face.
His chest barely hovered above the ground as he struggled to push himself back up. His entire body shook, muscles screaming in protest, but he clenched his teeth and forced himself through sheer willpower.
"Six…"
"You're halfway there," the system said, its tone annoyingly chipper.
"Shut up," Kael gasped, his arms wobbling.
Seven.
Eight.
Nine.
"One more," he muttered, his breath ragged. "Just one more."
With a final burst of effort, he pushed himself up one last time, his body shaking violently. As soon as he finished, his arms gave out completely, and he collapsed face-first into the grass.
"Ow," he groaned, too exhausted to even lift his head.
A soft chime echoed in his mind, and the quest screen flickered into view.
Daily Quest: Complete
Kael rolled onto his back, wiping sweat from his face as the screen shifted again.
Level Up!
Points Earned: 10
He blinked. "Level up, huh?" He sat up slowly, still catching his breath. "All right, show me my stats. Let's see if I got anything out of this nightmare."
The system complied, and the screen changed once more.
Rank: Little Flame
Level: 1
Strength: F
Speed: F
Endurance: F
Ichor: F
Willpower: F
Kael stared at the unchanged stats, his excitement quickly replaced by confusion and then outrage.
"They're still all F?!" he shouted. "What was the point of all that?!"
"Did you think one day of effort would turn you into a god?" the system replied, its tone laced with amusement. "Rome wasn't built in a day, Kael."
Kael frowned. "What's Rome?"
There was a long pause. Then, the system sighed. "Never mind. You wouldn't get it."
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!"
"Focus, Kael," the system said, dodging the question. "You completed your first day. That's the point. Small steps, little flame. Keep going, and you'll get there."
Kael leaned back, still annoyed, but as the words sank in, a faint smile crept onto his face. "Fine. If it's gonna take time, then I'll make the time."
He glanced toward the temple ruins again, the flickering ember of his determination growing stronger.
"Let's see where this goes."