Growth

The scabbards were perfect.

Smooth leather. Sleek, elegant stitching. Every detail felt deliberate, not just practical, but art.

They fit the swords like they were born for them—clean, snug, protective. A subtle shimmer traced the ornamentation, elegant patterns that whispered of craftsmanship, not vanity.

I couldn't help but admire the obsidian blade once more as I slid it into its sheath. It vanished into the dark leather like smoke into night.

Adrain, of course, was already swinging his.

"It's good... I like this," he said, giving it a few practice slashes. The ocean-blue blade caught the light like water, glowing faintly as if it breathed.

He turned to Nolan with a grin. "Thank you, Mr. Nolan."

Nolan chuckled, folding his arms. "Haha! Hope you liked our blade," he said, pride twinkling in his eyes.

Then his gaze shifted—mischief lighting his expression like a flame.

"Mr. Drake," he said, voice sly, "the blue sword, forged with dragon's breath? That one's six gold coins." He held up six fingers dramatically. "But... for the black one, I'll do a special offer—just one gold coin!"

He clapped his hands. "So, a total of seven gold coins! What a deal!"

Before Nolan could even breathe in again, Drake waved a hand dismissively.

"Nah. I'll pass."

He casually flipped out a sleek, silver knight card. The moment it appeared, Nolan's face froze.

Then it turned red.

"OH! That damned knight card!" Nolan clutched his head as if he'd been stabbed through the heart. "Nooo, not again! My profits! My soul! My—dignity!"

He staggered back like a stage actor, arms flailing, pretending to faint.

Drake smirked. Adrain snorted. I nearly choked trying not to laugh.

But Nolan wasn't done.

He straightened suddenly, eyes blazing like fire. "One day, I swear! I'll wipe all those blasted knight cards from existence! Justice shall be mine! JUSTICE FOR THE MERCHANTS!"

He shook his fist to the sky like he was cursing the gods.

Drake just turned to us with a grin. "Well, boys, I guess it's time we head home. Swords chosen, chaos delivered."

He turned and waved lazily over his shoulder. "Alright, Nolan. We'll come back again soon—"

"NEVER COME BACK!!" Nolan screamed, cutting him off like a madman. "NEVERRRRR!!"

We were still laughing as we stepped outside into the soft afternoon light.

The walk back was quiet at first.

The road curved gently through a sun-dappled field, the golden light casting long shadows behind us. A soft breeze carried the scent of pine and warm soil.

I looked up at Drake. "Hey Gramps, what's the deal with that knight card anyway?"

Drake glanced sideways, thoughtful. "It's a card given to the kingdom's chosen knights. In exchange for protecting the nation, we're granted privileges. Goods, services... pretty much anything."

My eyes widened. "Wait... so we got both swords for free?"

He gave a guilty smile. "Sort of."

Adrain cackled. "No wonder Nolan was so pissed. Uncle Drake just robbed the poor guy blind."

"Poor Nolan," I said, chuckling. "He probably needs a week to recover."

We stopped at the crest of a hill. Below, a serene lake stretched out like a mirror, the water catching the sky's brilliant colors—burning orange, pink, violet.

We stood there for a while.

No one said anything.

The wind was calm. The world, still.

Then, softly, I spoke. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Adrain nodded, eyes still fixed on the horizon. "Yeah... that's for sure."

Drake stepped ahead, just enough so the sun lit the edge of his face. "It sure is," he said, quietly. "Shining bright..."

He paused.

Then turned to face us.

"But it's done its job," he said. "Now it's your turn. Your time to shine."

His voice carried something more now. Not just warmth, but weight.

"Starting tomorrow, your real training begins," he said, his eyes steady. "Don't just carry your blades. Master them. Don't just fight. Win. Don't just live. Matter."

We didn't even think—our hands rose in unison, saluting sharply.

"Yes, sir!"

Months passed.

Adrain had grown comfortable around us—so much so that we had fallen into a familiar rhythm.

The three of us often ended our days in the hot springs, steam curling around us like lazy clouds, our sore muscles sinking into the warm water.

The springs were hidden deep in a quiet valley. Tall trees. Chirping insects. The occasional owl hooting in the distance.

Peace.

Or, well... temporary peace.

"Splash!"

Adrain hurled water at Drake's face. I followed with a bucketful.

Drake blinked, silent.

Then grinned like a demon.

"Oh, you're gonna regret that."

With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a tidal wave of water magic.

It crashed into us like a mini tsunami, sending us tumbling like dolls.

We surfaced, coughing and shouting, "That's cheating you can't take advantage of your water magic, you damn geezer!"

"Huh?! Geezer? Who you calling geezer?!"

"You, you, YOU!"

More splashing. More yelling. More laughter.

We trained by day. Fought by night. Laughed in between.

It wasn't just training.

It was becoming a family.