2026-01-05 20:52:37"Today is a day of celebration. Today, we gather not to discuss threats to our borders or challenges to our peace. Today, we gather to honour the next generation of heroes. Today, we welcome new blood into the Elite Squad that has served this kingdom faithfully for three centuries."
A murmur of approval rippled through the crowd. Kael felt his cheeks flush with pride and embarrassment.
"But before we begin the formal induction."
King Aldric continued, reaching for a golden goblet that a servant had placed on a small table beside his throne.
"I propose a toast."
He raised the goblet high, and immediately servants rushed through the room with remarkable efficiency, distributing cups of wine to everyone present. Kael received his own cup, the metal cool against his palm.
"A toast."
The king repeated.
"To the young men and women who have trained tirelessly, who have pushed themselves beyond their limits, who have proven themselves worthy of standing among legends."
His eyes found Kael in the crowd, and for just a moment, his expression softened into something that might have been genuine paternal pride.
"To the inductees. May your blades stay sharp, your courage stay strong, and your loyalty remain absolute."
"To the inductees!"
The room chorused, voices blending into a single powerful affirmation.
Kael drank deeply, the wine sweet and strong on his tongue, warming his chest as it went down. Around him, others did the same, and the mood in the room lifted perceptibly, formality giving way to something more celebratory.
King Aldric set down his goblet and smiled.
"And now, let us begin. Will the inductees please approach?"
Kael's legs felt like water as he stepped forward with the other five young warriors being inducted today. They formed a line at the base of the dais, and one by one, the king called them up to receive their formal acceptance.
"Theron Blackwood, for exceptional skill in tactical combat!"
A muscular young man with dark hair climbed the steps, knelt before the king, and received a ceremonial pin marking his acceptance into the Elite Squad.
"Mira Ashenvale, for unparalleled mastery of healing magic!"
A slight girl with silver hair and gentle eyes repeated the process.
Three more names were called. Three more warriors knelt and rose as official Elite Squad members. And then…
"Kael Ashford!"
The king's voice rang out clear and strong.
"Son of... a loyal servant of the crown. Approach!"
Kael's breath caught at the odd phrasing, why hadn't his father mentioned his noble lineage? But he pushed the confusion aside. This was his moment.
He couldn't let strange thoughts ruin it.
The double doors at the throne room's entrance swung open again, this time for him. Kael walked through them, his spine straight, his chin up, his movements careful and measured.
He'd practised this. Master Rendall had drilled him on proper ceremony protocol for weeks.
Left foot, right foot. Don't rush. Don't drag. Look confident but humble. Eyes forward but not challenging.
The walk to the dais seemed to take both seconds and hours. He was hyper-aware of everyone watching him, of hundreds of eyes tracking his every movement. He could hear the whispers, some admiring, some sceptical, some he couldn't interpret.
Finally, he reached the base of the dais.
He climbed the three steps with careful precision and stopped directly in front of his father, no, in front of the king. Here, at this moment, Aldric wasn't his father. He was his sovereign.
Kael dropped to one knee, his right fist pressed over his heart in the traditional salute. He bowed his head, staring at the polished stone floor, and waited.
"Kael Ashford."
King Aldric's voice washed over him, formal and ceremonial.
"You have trained for this moment. You have bled for it. You have proven yourself worthy through skill, determination, and courage. It is my honour, as king and commander of all forces within this realm, to name you the sixth member of the Elite Squad's newest generation."
Applause erupted throughout the throne room, thunderous and genuine. Kael felt his eyes sting with unexpected tears. He blinked them back furiously, refusing to cry at his own induction ceremony.
The king stepped forward and pinned the Elite Squad insignia to Kael's chest, a silver emblem shaped like a phoenix rising from flames, the symbol that marked him as one of the kingdom's finest warriors.
Aldric's hands lingered for just a moment on Kael's shoulders, squeezing once, before he stepped back.
"Rise, Kael Ashford. Rise as a full member of the Elite Squad."
Kael stood and the applause somehow grew even louder. He turned to face the crowd and that's when he saw her, Lyanna, standing near the front, clapping enthusiastically. When their eyes met, she broke from the crowd's formal applause to wave at him, her smile radiant and genuine.
Kael couldn't help it. Despite the formality of the occasion, despite the king standing right behind him, he smiled and waved back. The gesture earned a few chuckles from the crowd and even a small laugh from his father.
Kael bowed to the assembled guild members, acknowledging their congratulations, then descended the dais. A servant guided him to a seat that had been reserved for him, directly next to
Queen Seraphine's throne was a position of honour usually reserved for the monarch's most trusted advisors.
As he sat, his mother leaned toward him slightly. Her voice was quiet, meant only for his ears, and it trembled just a bit.
"Congratulations, my son."
"Thank you, Mother."
Kael's voice was thick with emotion.
"Thank you for everything."
She reached out and squeezed his hand once and quickly, before pulling back. When Kael glanced at her face, he could have sworn he saw tears gathering in her violet eyes, but she blinked them away before he could be sure.
King Aldric returned to his throne, settling into it with satisfaction. He let the applause continue for another moment before raising his hand for silence. The room quieted immediately, all attention returning to him.
"Now then"
The king said, his voice taking on a more relaxed, conversational tone…
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CHAPTER 13
His eyes flipped open and immediately scanned his surroundings. He was clad in silk, top tender and warm.Wrapped perfectly well in soft clothes, he was kept to rest in a cradle in a room. The interiors were decorated with fine lined golden artifacts and very spacious. The air around him was smooth and warm, unlike what he had always known.His consciousness was still intact ans he knew he was alive but now in a different body.The goddess appeared suddenly before him and he jerked softly.“Child,” she called proudly, caressing his skin softly.“I don't like it here!” He begged, but she chuckled softly and vanished,but he words echoed across the room.“The journey begins here…”He tried to scream after she left, but his voice was a sharp contrast to what he had always known. He was crying like an infant, and this was when it dawned on him that he was actually an infant.The door flung open and a woman, clad in royal blue apparel rushed in, alongside a company of maids and a with a cur
CHAPTER 12
The darkness slowly brightened, and before the ground was a wounded soul, lying somewhat peacefully, floating in the void.His skin looked torn apart, more like it was joined together by some glue. His eyes flipped open and he stood up sharply, and fear enveloped him immediately. He scanned the area, noticing he wasn't standing on anything, just floating in an empty void. His heart raced hard against the slow-moving objects here, and everything seemed blurry before him.“How am I alive?” He asked himself, his face pale. “I'm supposed to be dead, right?”He took a careful look at himself and his face twisted into disgust. He just realised he looked like some pieces of bones glued together.“Where am I?” He screamed loudly into the void, but all he got was echoes from the emptiness. “Where am I?” He was unrelenting and still screamed, hoping maybe someone, maybe someone else, trapped in this hell as it seemed may reach out.“Hello?!” “Anyone here! Where am I?!”He wiggled himself, st
CHAPTER 11
Kael struggled to maintain his stance as the ground shook violently and his heart raced. “Marcus!” He cried, still not wanting to let go. It was still a shock to him that they actually left him here.“Lynna! Please! Don't do this to me!”But he got no response. The cold thick sound of the massive gates echoed loudly and shook me further. Goose bumps prickled his skin, and his heart froze.The constant rattling of the crystals that sealed the gates roared and his head pounded harder with aches.He saw death staring him right in the face and the thought of being disassembled, piece by piece sent cold shivers down his spine.His eyes scanned through the darkness closing in and his fist clenched. His jaw tightened as he maintained his stance, but the ground quaked with a force that overwhelmed him and threw him down to the ground.In that brief second, his poor life flashed before him. A short reflection of the last twenty-four hours projected before him.He remembered Lyanna’s warm tou
CHAPTER 10
He stopped as he began to sense something was wrong.The squad, seven figures in identical uniforms, stood in a line, perfectly still. Too still. They weren't talking, weren't moving, weren't doing anything a group of warriors on an active monster hunt should be doing.They were just... standing there. Watching him."Sir?" Kael's voice came out smaller than he intended. "What's going on? Why aren't they…""Kael."The voice came from the line of squad members. A woman's voice. Familiar and beloved and currently devoid of all warmth.Lyanna stepped forward from the group.She looked different in the Elite Squad uniform. More dangerous. Her golden hair was pulled back in a practical braid, and her sky-blue eyes, those eyes he'd stared into last night while making love, regarded him with the cold assessment of a butcher examining meat."Lyanna!" Relief and confusion warred in Kael's chest. "Thank gods you're here. Something's wrong, I think we need to…""Nothing's wrong, darling." The
CHAPTER 9
Kael caught them and swung himself up onto the mare's back. The moment he was seated, Marcus kicked his stallion into motion, and they were off at a gallop before Kael could even get his bearings.They thundered out of the castle grounds and onto the main road heading east. The morning air was cool and crisp, carrying the scent of pine and earth. Under different circumstances, Kael might have enjoyed the ride. But Marcus set a punishing pace, and Kael had to focus all his attention on keeping up.After what felt like an hour but was probably only twenty minutes, Kael finally worked up the courage to shout over the thunder of hoofbeats: "Sir! Where are we going?!"Marcus didn't slow down, but he turned his head slightly so his voice would carry back. "The Dungeon of Crystal! About ten miles east!""The Dungeon of…why?! What's there?!""We got a report last night!" Marcus called back. "Monster sighting! It's been killing travellers who venture too close! The squad was sent to inves
CHAPTER 8
Morning light crept through the window like a thief, golden rays stretching across the floor and climbing onto the bed where Kael lay. The brightness pressed against his closed eyelids, pulling him gradually from the deep, dreamless sleep he'd fallen into.He groaned softly, his body heavy and sore in unfamiliar ways. His muscles ached,a pleasant ache that reminded him of last night, of Lyanna, of everything they'd shared. A smile tugged at his lips before his eyes even opened.Last night…The memories flooded back in vivid detail: her skin under his hands, her voice calling his name, the overwhelming pleasure that had consumed them both. His smile widened. Today was the beginning of everything. His first official day as an Elite Squad member. His first day truly begins with Lyanna as equals in the same squad.Still half-asleep, Kael rolled over on the bed, his arm reaching out instinctively for her warmth. His hand patted the space beside him, expecting to find her soft curves, her g
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