Coincidence.

The knight with the thick mustache exhaled, rubbing the back of his head. His expression was firm, but there was an underlying weight in his tone.

"We discussed the murder earlier," he said. "First, let me say—I'm truly sorry, lad. No one should have to go through something like this."

Alex remained silent, his hands curled into fists at his sides. He had nothing to say to that. He didn't need their pity.

The knight cleared his throat. "The Knight's Guildia will send an investigator. We'll do everything in our power to find out who did this."

Alex's jaw clenched. He doubted they would. He had seen their kind before—full of promises, yet empty of action.

The second knight, a younger man with a weary look, sighed and crossed his arms. "More importantly, we can't let you wander around unprotected. The murderer could still be out there. You'll come with us to the Guildia. You'll be safer there."

Alex barely heard him. His mind was elsewhere—until the knight said something that snapped his attention back.

"It's a shame you don't have a knight's license," the knight continued. "If you did, we'd be sending you to the capital instead. You'd have far better protection."

Alex froze.

A license?

His fingers instinctively dug into his backpack, rummaging through its contents. A moment later, his hand closed around something cold and solid.

He pulled it out.

An iron plate, dark and polished, bearing the unmistakable insignia of the Empire.

"You mean this?"

The knights' eyes widened.

"What?! You said you were fourteen!" The older knight gaped at him.

The younger one looked equally stunned. "How in the world do you have a license this new? Kids who bypass the usual training and earn their Silver Knight rank do so by twelve, not fourteen!"

Alex exhaled, staring at the plate in his palm. The weight of it felt heavier than before.

"When the bandit guild attacked my village, Imperial knights were there… testing us," he said, his voice quieter now. "I guess I passed."

He remembered that day—the way the Imperial knight had watched him, the way he had fought without thinking, without hesitation. At the time, he hadn't even understood what it meant. He still didn't. He had no idea what he had awakened as—Knight? Mage? Sorcerer?

But it didn't matter.

The mustached knight's shock slowly melted into approval. "Well, then. Looks like fate's on your side after all." He smiled and handed the plate back. "Come with us. You'll be resting in the Guildia before heading to the capital."

From the side, Mallisa watched the scene unfold, her face unreadable. After a moment, she gave a small, wistful smile.

"You're lucky, Alex," she said softly. "I wish I had been born into something… more."

Alex looked at her. He didn't know what to say to that. Instead, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a small gold coin, and pressed it into her palm.

Mallisa's eyes widened. "W-Wait, I can't—this is too much! This is—"

"Take it," Alex cut her off gently. "You don't know it, but your words helped me more than you think."

She opened her mouth, then closed it, staring at the coin in disbelief.

Alex turned without another word and followed the knights.

Behind him, Mallisa stood frozen, speechless.

--

The journey to the Knight's Guildia was silent. The city of Zagirad, usually lively even at night, felt distant to Alex. He barely noticed the glow of lanterns flickering in the cold breeze or the chatter of merchants closing shop. His thoughts churned, heavy but unreadable, as he followed the knights.

"You alright, kid?" The mustached knight glanced back at him.

Alex blinked, realizing he had been clenching his jaw. He gave a slow nod. "Yeah."

The Knight's Guildia loomed ahead—an imposing fortress of dark stone, its banners rippling in the night wind. The entrance was lined with armored figures, some sharpening weapons, others speaking in hushed tones.

Inside, the scent of oiled steel and parchment filled the air. The walls were lined with crests of various orders, and a grand spiral staircase led deeper into the stronghold.

"We'll get your paperwork processed in the morning," one of the knights said. "For now, you should rest."

A squire led Alex down a hallway to a simple room—stone walls, a small bed, and a washbasin. He set his backpack down and sat on the bed, exhaling slowly.

He should feel something—relief, exhaustion, maybe even gratitude. But all he felt was the weight of something unknown pressing against his chest.

And then—

His breath hitched.

The walls around him seemed to flicker.

The dim candlelight wavered, shifting into an eerie orange glow. The air thickened with heat. A distant sound, muffled but unmistakable—screams.

Flames danced in his vision, devouring wooden beams, black smoke twisting into the sky. He saw shadows running—people, figures he couldn't make out—before everything was consumed.

His pulse pounded. His hands shook.

Then, as suddenly as it came, it was gone.

The candle flickered back to normal. The air was cold again.

Alex sucked in a breath, staring at his trembling hands.

That place—

He didn't know where it was.

But something deep inside told him—

He had been there before.

"Will these damn dreams ever stop?" Alex muttered, rubbing his temples. "At least give me something real—something I can use."

Frustration simmered in his chest as he sat down at the small wooden desk. The ink bottle wobbled slightly as he pulled it closer, dipping the quill with a steady hand. If the dreams wouldn't leave him alone, he would force them into something tangible.

He sketched the flames first—twisting and wild, devouring everything in sight. Then came the building, long and unfamiliar, its four walls stretching in a way that made no sense to him. It wasn't like any structure he had ever seen before. And the people—faceless, screaming, swallowed by the inferno.

By the time he pulled back, a crude but unsettling image stared back at him from the pages. Only then did he notice what he had been drawing on—his mother's diary.

A small, bitter smile tugged at his lips.

"Guess I'll keep recording them here. Maybe if I piece enough together, I'll get an answer."

He exhaled sharply and pushed the diary aside, standing and stretching his sore muscles. The night was quiet outside his window, but the silence only fueled the storm raging inside him.

"It's time." His voice was steady, laced with quiet resolve. "Time to get stronger."

His fingers tightened around the chain on his neck, pulling the pendant from beneath his shirt. The necklace was simple but elegant, the diamond-shaped jewel encased in gold. His mother had worn it every day.

He clicked it open. Inside, a tiny, delicate painting of his mother and father stared back at him.

His throat tightened, but he refused to let the emotion take hold.

"I promise you, Mom," he whispered, his grip firm around the locket. "Whoever did this… I'll find them."

His eyes darkened.

"And when I do… they'll beg for a death far kinder than the one they gave you."

With that, he closed the locket, placed it back against his chest, and lay down. Tomorrow, everything would begin.

He would rest tonight.

Because once he started down this path, there would be no stopping.

End Of Chapter.

---

A/N: oh well, this did take some time but we are off from here to become stronger guys :D, I promise you this entire beginning arc was significant for the future story, if you were bored I apologize for that. From now on.

There will be carnage and fun.

And P.S: I will say the novel will take more power fantasy style from now on, writing this 'Professionally' :D made me lose a lot of brain cells. b b

Thank you for your time and I hope you will support me through powerstones.