Chapter 9 - 09 - The Destiny Is Forged by Blood and Steel
POV Kilian Dedoldia
The rainy season was approaching. My nose itched, and the wind carried the scent of wet earth mixed with the fragrance of trees. Whenever that smell came, it meant the storm was near. It was familiar, but today, it felt different—heavier, almost suffocating.
While practicing fire magic, a flame dancing in my hand, I glanced at Rygar. He was sitting near the edge of the clearing, as sharp as ever, carefully adjusting his sword. I'd seen him do this before, but today, it felt like he was elsewhere. His eyes gleamed with determination, but there was something more—concern, perhaps?
Rygar was never like us. From the day I saw him leaping through the trees at just two years old, he already seemed different. Not just because he was astonishingly strong and talented. He was... more. Not in size, but in what he represented. He always knew what to do, always had a plan, even when everyone else was confused. When he stood, everyone stopped to watch.
I remember the day he started training us. I had just turned four, barely knowing anything about life.
That towering figure became my teacher. I would have called him "master," but he firmly forbade it. From that moment, I followed him wherever he went—except during his own training. When he wasn't around, we trained and played together, our group roaming the village under Rygar's banner. No other group of kids dared to challenge us, and we eventually absorbed any rivals into our own circle.
Even with this new, larger group, Rygar always remained impartial and fair, resolving every problem and complaint with ease.
My respect and admiration for him grew each day. Then came the day when Rygar was officially recognized as a warrior of the tribe—not just for his power but also for his intellect and maturity. I heard he had defeated his father, one of the strongest warriors in the village.
That day, we celebrated as if the achievement was our own. Despite his new responsibilities, he never abandoned us—not that anyone expected him to. He could do it all, and he never made mistakes.
I think it was on that day that I realized my goal. I was learning magic, and my parents and friends already found that impressive enough. But what Rygar was teaching me was a unique skill, one that I might never fully master.
"You can do it, Kilian. Just guide your mana naturally," Rygar said, pointing at my chest and then my hand. "Let it flow like a river. Don't try to control it all at once."