Chapter 14: A Path to Strength

The fire crackled softly in the dimly lit camp, casting flickering shadows against the towering trees. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and charred wood, a quiet reminder of the vast wilderness surrounding them. Tanver sat on a rough log, his gaze fixed on the dancing flames, but his mind was elsewhere. The memory of Alric's attack still burned inside him—the suffocating pressure, the unbearable humiliation. He clenched his fists, feeling the phantom weight of gravity crushing him to the floor. His body had healed, but his pride hadn't.

He was weak. And weakness meant being at the mercy of others.

For the past few days, Tanver had traveled with the group he met in the forest. Though they had welcomed him easily, he had remained distant, speaking only when necessary. These people weren't his allies. Not yet. But they were the first to accept his presence without looking at him like an outsider, like a mistake. That alone made him wary.

They were heading toward a country Tanver had never been to before, but from what he had gathered, it was stronger than the one he left behind. More developed, more powerful. If he wanted to change his fate, it was a good place to start.

The leader of the group, a man with sharp eyes and an air of quiet authority, had been observing him since their journey began. It was as if he saw straight through him, peeling back layers that Tanver himself hadn't dared to examine. Now, after days of travel, the man finally spoke.

"You've been quiet," he said, breaking the silence. "I assume you have questions."

Tanver hesitated, then nodded. "How can I become strong?" His voice was steady, but beneath it lay a desperate hunger—a need that gnawed at him from within.

The leader smirked, crossing his arms. "Strength, huh? A vague desire. Do you even know what kind of strength you seek?"

Tanver met his gaze. "The kind that ensures no one can control my fate."

For a moment, the man simply stared at him. Then, unexpectedly, he chuckled. It was a dry, knowing laugh, as if he'd heard the same words from countless others before.

"Interesting," he mused. "Most people seek strength for revenge, power, or survival. But you… you don't want to be ruled by anyone. That's a rare ambition."

Tanver remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

The leader leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Tell me, boy. What will you do once you have this strength? Will you return to those who abandoned you and make them regret it? Will you crush those who wronged you?"

Tanver thought about it—the cold expressions of his parents, the way they discarded him without hesitation. He thought of Alric, standing there with his effortless power, looking down on him like an insect.

And yet…

"No," Tanver said firmly. "I don't care about them anymore."

A flicker of approval crossed the leader's face. "Good answer. Revenge blinds people. They think strength is about destroying others. But true strength… is the ability to shape your own path." He leaned back. "I've seen men far more powerful than me who are still trapped—by duty, by vengeance, by fear. Power alone won't free you."

Tanver absorbed the words carefully. He had spent years trying to please his so-called family, proving himself over and over, only to be cast aside. He had been bound by their expectations, their rules. And even after leaving, the chains still lingered.

"I understand," Tanver murmured. "Then tell me—where do I begin?"

The leader studied him for a long moment before finally reaching into his coat and pulling out a folded parchment. He tossed it onto Tanver's lap.

"That," he said, "is the address of an academy. If you want real power, go there."

Tanver picked up the parchment and unfolded it carefully. The name was unfamiliar, but he could feel the weight of importance in those words.

The leader smirked. "This world is vast, boy. What you've seen so far is nothing. But if you're truly determined, then go. Learn. Survive. And when you finally have the strength you seek… then decide what to do with it."

Tanver tightened his grip on the paper, his resolve hardening.

This was the beginning of something new. A path of his own making.

And this time, no one would decide his fate but him.

As Tanver sat in silence, staring at the parchment in his hands, a thought nagged at the back of his mind.

"The academy," he finally said. "What kind of place is it?"

The leader exhaled, leaning back against a fallen tree. "A place where the strong rise, and the weak disappear. It's not some noble institution that takes in students for charity. They mold warriors, scholars, and rulers. If you want to survive there, you'll have to prove your worth."

Tanver's grip on the parchment tightened. "What do they teach?"

"Combat, strategy, magic, survival. The academy isn't like the ones in your homeland. The Sunmoon Continent operates under different rules, and its academies reflect that."

Tanver frowned. "Sunmoon Continent?"

The leader raised an eyebrow. "You don't even know that much? Figures. Your former home is isolated, weak compared to the greater world." He gestured toward the sky, where the moon hung high above them. "This world is divided into vast continents, each with its own power structures. The Sunmoon Continent is one of the strongest, ruled by nations that have stood for centuries. Where we're headed is just one of its many countries."

Tanver listened carefully. He had never been taught these things. His knowledge was limited to the small, enclosed world he had been raised in. Now, for the first time, he was beginning to understand just how little he knew.

"I see," he murmured.

The leader smirked. "The country we're heading to isn't even the strongest. But it's a good place to start. You'll find plenty of opportunities there… if you're capable."

Tanver looked down at his hands. Capable.

Right now, he wasn't.

The realization didn't bring despair—it brought resolve.

The memory surfaced before he could stop it.

The last time he had seen Alric, it hadn't been just words exchanged between them.

The real son had beaten