The embers of their small fire crackled softly, casting flickering shadows against the cavern walls. The air was cool, carrying the distant echo of dripping water, but Kael barely noticed. He sat a short distance from the others, his sword resting across his lap, his fingers tracing the worn grip out of habit.
The battle earlier had left them all exhausted. Aria sat cross-legged, lost in thought, her fingers absently brushing over her pendant. Finn and Lyric were locked in a familiar debate, Finn grinning as Lyric rolled her eyes. Quinn, as always, took the opportunity to attempt another grand display of affection, earning a swift smack on the arm from Lyric.
Kael exhaled through his nose, shaking his head at the antics. But his mind was elsewhere.
The ache in his muscles, the weight of his sword, the quiet expectation that he would always be the one to stand between danger and the others—it was nothing new. It was all he had ever known.
His grip tightened slightly on the hilt.
And then, as if drawn by an unseen force, his mind drifted.
A memory stirred.
---
Years Ago – The Training Grounds
A younger Kael stood at the edge of the vast arena, his hands clenched into fists. The midday sun beat down on him, beads of sweat forming along his brow, but he ignored it.
His father's voice echoed in his mind.
"You have the strength, Kael. But strength without discipline is a blade with no edge."
Kael had heard those words a thousand times before, but they never seemed to be enough.
He watched the older warriors sparring in the center of the training grounds, their movements sharp, practiced—perfect. He wanted to be like them. No, he needed to be like them.
A voice pulled him from his thoughts.
"You're next, Draven."
Kael turned. Standing a few feet away was Master Rhaegon, a towering figure with grizzled features and piercing eyes. His armor bore the scars of countless battles, and his gaze alone could cut sharper than a blade.
Kael swallowed his nerves and stepped forward, his sword firm in his grip.
Rhaegon studied him for a long moment before raising his training sword. "Show me what you've learned."
Kael barely had time to process the words before Rhaegon attacked.
The impact of their blades sent a shudder through Kael's arms. He staggered back but quickly adjusted his footing, bringing his sword up in a defensive stance.
Too slow.
Rhaegon's next strike came faster, knocking Kael's weapon aside with ease. A sharp pain bloomed in his ribs as the training blade struck true. He gritted his teeth, refusing to fall.
"Again," Rhaegon commanded.
Kael inhaled sharply, adjusting his stance. He struck forward, this time faster, more controlled—but Rhaegon still parried with ease.
Another strike. Another deflection.
Pain flared in Kael's arm as he was thrown off balance.
Frustration burned in his chest. He had trained for years, poured everything into this moment—so why did he still feel like a child wielding a wooden sword?
"Do you know why you're losing?" Rhaegon asked, stepping back.
Kael clenched his jaw. "Because I'm not strong enough."
The older warrior scoffed. "Strength isn't your problem. It's your mind." He tapped his temple. "You're too caught up in proving yourself. Power without focus is wasted."
Kael lowered his gaze, his breathing heavy.
"Again."
This time, when Kael moved, he didn't just attack—he observed. He watched the way Rhaegon shifted his stance, noted the slightest movements in his footing.
And then, he saw it.
A flicker of an opening.
Kael lunged, adjusting at the last second, his blade slipping past Rhaegon's defenses.
The older man blocked just in time, but for the first time, there was a glimmer of approval in his eyes.
"Better."
Kael's heart pounded, not from exhaustion, but from something else.
For the first time, he had not simply fought.
He had understood.
---
The memory faded, and Kael found himself staring into the flames once more.
His fingers twitched against the hilt of his sword, recalling the feel of that first battle.
That first realization.
"Deep thoughts?"
Aria's voice pulled him back to the present. She had moved closer, watching him with quiet curiosity.
Kael exhaled. "Something like that."
Aria studied him for a moment before offering a small smile. "You're always so serious."
He smirked slightly. "Someone has to be."
Aria nudged his arm lightly. "Well, maybe you should relax for once. We survived today, didn't we?"
Kael glanced at the others—Finn still pestering Lyric, Quinn nursing yet another bruise from his failed attempts at wooing.
A chuckle slipped past his lips.
"Yeah," he admitted. "We did."
And for the first time in a long while, the weight on his shoulders felt just a little lighter.