Aldoria: Am I a hero...or not?

{{Elf Kingdom – Night}}

As Kael and Lucien walked through the quiet streets, the elf gave him a sidelong glance.

"You shouldn't have interfered back there," Lucien said, his voice calm but firm.

Kael sighed. "They were going to kidnap her. What was I supposed to do? Just walk away?"

Lucien stopped walking and turned to face him. "It's not about that. It's about who you are. You're human."

Kael frowned. "And?"

Lucien let out a slow breath. "Elves don't take kindly to humans. Not in this kingdom. Many believe themselves superior, higher beings compared to your kind. To them, you're a trespasser, an outsider who doesn't belong."

Kael crossed his arms. "And what about you? You don't seem to have a problem with humans."

Lucien chuckled. "That's because I know better." He gazed at the night sky, his expression distant. "A long time ago, I was part of a party led by a human adventurer. He wasn't just strong, his aura was beyond anything I could comprehend. Even now, I don't fully understand his power."

Kael remained silent, sensing the weight of Lucien's words.

Lucien's gaze shifted to him. "The strange thing is… when I first saw you, I felt the same presence I once felt from that man."

Kael blinked. "You're saying I remind you of him?"

Lucien nodded. "I don't know what it is exactly. But there's something about you, something that goes beyond normal human limits. That's why I took you in."

Kael frowned but didn't press further. They continued walking in silence.

Soon, they reached Lucien's home, a modest wooden house nestled between towering trees.

"Get some rest," Lucien said. "Your training begins at dawn."

Kael nodded and stepped inside.

{{Lucien's Home – Night}}

Kael lay on the simple bed Lucien had provided, but sleep didn't come easy.

Instead, nightmares plagued him.

War. Blood. Suffering.

The cries of the helpless. The weight of loss. A life without family.

The visions felt too real… too familiar.

His breathing grew ragged. His body tensed.

Then...

A faint scent filled the room.

A mix of herbs and flowers. Calming. Soothing.

Lucien stood at the door, holding a small incense burner. The soft glow of the embers cast shadows across his face.

"I don't know what life you lived before," Lucien murmured. "But rest, child. Let me take away some of that weight you carry."

Kael's tense muscles loosened. His breathing steadied.

Darkness embraced him, but this time, it was peaceful.

Kael's Training Begins.

{{Lucien's Home – Dawn}}

A firm hand shook Kael awake.

"Wake up," Lucien said. "Your training starts now."

Kael groaned but got up.

No time for complaints.

Lucien led him deep into the forest, where the roots of the World Tree stretched for miles.

"Your training will be brutal," Lucien said. "And it starts with that."

He pointed at one of the massive roots, hundreds of feet high.

"You'll climb this every day," Lucien continued. "Only with your hands. No sword. No gear. Just you and your strength."

Kael stared at the colossal root. "You're joking."

Lucien smirked. "I never joke about training."

And so, it began.

{One Month Later – Awakening Strength}

Kael's progress was slow, but undeniable.

At first, he could barely climb a quarter of the way before falling. His arms screamed in protest. His fingers bled.

But with each attempt, his body adapted.

His aura, once faint, grew more stable. Light Yellow. A beginner's aura.

But it wasn't enough.

Lucien pushed him further.

Sparring was introduced. Every day, Kael faced Lucien. Every day, he lost.

Out of 36 spars, Kael won none.

Yet he kept standing back up.

Lucien watched him, silently impressed. "This boy… he refuses to break."

{Three Months – Breaking Limits}

Kael's aura had darkened. Yellow. The color of someone stepping beyond ordinary limits.

His endurance had tripled. His instincts sharpened.

Lucien increased the difficulty.

He had to fight blindfolded.

Had to dodge arrows in the dark.

Had to push his aura beyond his natural limits.

Still, he couldn't win.

Out of 92 spars, Kael won none.

But something had changed.

Lucien could feel it.

{Six Months – A True Warrior}

Kael's aura deepened. Dark Yellow.

The threshold before entering true warriorhood.

Lucien finally acknowledged him. "You're ready to learn aura control."

Kael learned to condense his aura, shaping it instead of letting it flow wildly.

By now, he could scale the massive root with ease. His movements became sharper, faster.

And for the first time.

Out of 176 spars, Kael won once.

Lucien smirked. "Finally."

{Ten Months – The Turning Point}

Kael's aura evolved once more. Light Orange. The sign of a warrior approaching mastery.

His strikes carried weight. His aura roared like fire.

Lucien watched as Kael's movements became… unnatural. Too precise. Too sharp.

"…I've only seen one other person with this kind of growth," Lucien murmured.

The human adventurer.

Still...

Out of 300 spars, Kael won twice.

{Final Month – The Last Battle}

Kael's aura had changed again. Dark Orange.

The level of those who stood on the threshold of greatness.

Lucien stood before him, calm as ever.

"This is our last match," Lucien said. "Show me what you've learned."

Kael didn't answer.

He moved.

Lucien's eyes widened. Fast. Too fast.

A fist to the ribs.

A kick to the leg.

An uppercut fueled with aura.

Lucien staggered, for the first time in years.

Kael didn't stop.

His aura burned. Dark Orange, flickering into Light Red.

A sign of something greater.

Lucien barely blocked the final strike. The ground cracked beneath them.

Then.

Lucien raised a hand. "Enough."

Silence.

Then.

Lucien smiled.

"You've won."

Kael exhaled.

After eleven months, he had finally defeated Lucien without getting himself injured.

Lucien stepped forward, placing a hand on Kael's shoulder.

"You're ready."

Kael clenched his fists. He could feel it, he had changed.

Lucien continued, "You've become stronger than even I expected. And now, it's time."

Kael looked up.

Lucien smiled.

"Go home, Kael."