“Anyone looking to double their gold coins from the last summer raid?” The young sailor threw the question at a group of 20 retired infantrymen resting under a dense banyan tree.
“Bet on what?” asked a curious old veteran who had accumulated a tidy fortune from years of successful raids.
“On the future of this young man. I bet he will be immortalized as a great warrior. Anyone dare to differ? I’ll put up all six gold coins.” The young sailor grinned as every gaze seemed to drift toward Orin, who was making his way to the training arena.
But even after a while, no one countered.
And why should they? At just 15, Orin had already built a reputation as one of the most promising swordsmen in the region.
He lived on the outskirts of the kingdom with his mother and younger sister. His father had been an accomplished archer – until the war with the neighboring kingdom of Arethos claimed him.
Carrying both his father’s legacy and a quiet rage, Orin had begun training at just 6 – a year after his father’s death.
His training guru noticed his natural curiosity for swords early. Within a few years, Orin had mastered cutting and thrusting, deceptive maneuvering, and rapid counter-attacking. By 11, he was competing – and hardly ever losing.
His body had been forged through hours of intensive training. His reputation in competitions was fierce. But it was his composure that truly set him apart at Ethoria.
Even King Aldric would visit the training arena to watch him. With only daughters to his name, the king sometimes found himself seeing the son he never had – in Orin.
“If he keeps training like this, he could very well lead my infantry one day,” the king would often tell himself.
After training, Orin’s walk home took him through the village.
Kids would spot him and call out, pulling him into their games. While a little tired, he always joined them for a game or two.
Animals sensed something different about him. Wherever he went, dogs, goats, and even sheep fell into step behind him.
Even girls waved as he walked by. He smiled and waved back, nothing more.
Back home, he gathered firewood for his mother to make dinner. Meanwhile, he would slip out to his makeshift garage and begin sharpening his sword for the next day.
But his day was far from done.
After dinner, he and a few friends from training would head into the nearby forest to hunt wild boar. Most nights they came back empty-handed. But some nights, they did strike a fortune.
The extra money he made selling the meat helped his mom to take care of the home and his younger sister.
But this perfect life – as is always the case – was hiding behind something sinister. And little did Orin now that one of his closest friend had already fallen prey to the trap. Will Orin meet the same end?
