From Rags to God of War

Claiming the Promise

When he was ten years old, Nicholas lost both his parents.

He didn't cry. A coldness gripped him. The world shrunk into ashes and silence. A few neighbors whispered, looking on with pity. No one came near. Everyone knew this child was alone now.

Suddenly, a small shadow stood before him. A girl, perhaps his age, with braided hair and clear eyes. She held something. A chocolate bar and a single white rose. The girl placed the chocolate and the flower on the ground, right at Nicholas's feet.

"Don't be sad, this is for you." Then, she turned and left. Her steps were small, quick.

Nicholas watched her back disappear into the crowd. He didn't know her name. But he knew the girl was from the Weber family.

Time sped by. Twenty-two years later, Nicholas Krause stood at the pinnacle. His name was renowned in special forces. He was the God of War, a moniker earned from his battle records and unparalleled strategies on the battlefield. Thousands of enemies had fallen by his hand; dozens of nations owed him their lives. He built his own fortune, an undeniable power.

Three years ago, the Weber family was on the brink of bankruptcy. Their business was in ruins, debts piled up, and their reputation was on the verge of collapse. Liam Weber, the family's patriarch at the time, pleaded for help.

Nicholas helped by crushing the Weber family's business rivals, settling their debts, and restoring their former glory.

Then, Liam Weber, on his deathbed, came to Nicholas. He promised to grant any request Nicholas made.

Now, Nicholas intended to collect on that promise. He wanted to marry one of Adam Weber's daughters, an heir to the Weber family. He needed a wife. And the woman who had haunted his dreams all this time was the girl from the Weber family who had once given him a piece of chocolate.

...

At International Airport A. Nicholas had just completed a secret mission, an operation that saved thousands of lives and shifted the regional political map. The nation rewarded him handsomely with a sum of money that could buy a small kingdom.

Nicholas could have returned with special services. But he chose to wear a plain dark gray t-shirt, slightly worn cargo pants, and military boots, along with his backpack. He looked like a manual laborer.

Nicholas navigated through the crowd. Suddenly, a small child ran past him and bumped into him. Nicholas's worn backpack slipped from his shoulder, falling onto the concrete floor. Its contents spilled out, and the bag blocked the way.

"Ugh, what is this thing?!" A furious girl saw the shabby backpack blocking her path. She was Elsa Weber.

Without hesitation, Elsa swung a small kick to shove the object aside. "Useless junk! Why is this left here?!" she grumbled, disgusted.

The backpack shifted a few centimeters. Nicholas, who had already bent down to retrieve it, straightened up. His sharp eyes fixed on Elsa's back.

"Excuse me!" Nicholas reprimanded. "That's my bag."

Elsa turned. She saw a man in a grubby shirt, with long, disheveled hair. A disgusted scowl appeared on Elsa's face.

"Good grief, your bag is so worn out? It's disgusting!" Elsa showed obvious revulsion. She looked at Nicholas up and down, as if he were a germ.

Nicholas showed no reaction whatsoever. He simply picked up his backpack, slung it over his shoulder.

"This bag? It's none of your business!"

"What?!" Elsa's eyes widened. She hadn't expected such a bold answer from a 'beggar' like him. "How dare you speak to me like that?! Do you know who I am?"

"No," Nicholas said, his tone unchanged. "And I'm not interested."

Elsa scoffed rudely. Her face was red with anger and disgust. "You insolent fool! Get out of my way! I don't have time to deal with people like you! I have to meet the legendary God of War. Your presence here is just bothering me!" She turned quickly, her steps stomping.

Nicholas laughed. "You won't be able to meet him."

Elsa flared up. She pointed at Nicholas. "Watch your mouth! If he *does* show up, I'll make sure you apologize to him on your knees."

Nicholas chuckled softly. Secretly, he sent a message to his assistant to spread word that he had already left the airport.

Nicholas then sat on a bench, crossing his arms. "I bet you won't meet him."

Elsa snorted. She waited at the pickup terminal. Not long after, she saw information on her phone. The Legendary God of War had already left the airport.

"Damn it!" Elsa decided to leave.

A luxurious black car, a brand-new Mercedes-Benz S-Class, slowly drove along the pickup lane. The back door opened. Richard, her boyfriend, sat inside with a faint smile. Elsa got in, slamming the door hard, without glancing back at Nicholas.

Nicholas laughed at her. He took out his satellite phone, dialing a number only he knew.

"Tell my driver to come in. Pick me up." He commanded curtly.

Within minutes, another black sedan stopped in front of him.

"To the Weber family home," Nicholas got in, his backpack placed on his lap.

"Yes, Sir."

The drive to the Weber family home wasn't far. Nicholas looked around, at the city streets he hadn't set foot on in a long time. Tall buildings, grand billboards. Everything seemed the same, yet different.

The car stopped in front of the gate. Nicholas got out.

"You can go," Nicholas commanded his driver.

"Sir, are you sure?" the driver asked, worried about Nicholas's appearance.

"Yes. Go. I can handle it myself."

The driver nodded obediently. He drove away slowly, leaving Nicholas alone in front of the Weber family's grand gate.

Nicholas walked towards the gate. He pressed the intercom bell. For a moment, there was no answer. Nicholas pressed again. Finally, a voice came through the intercom.

"What do you want?"

"I'm Nicholas Krause. I want to meet Adam Weber."

There was a long silence from the intercom. Nicholas could hear faint whispers, soft laughter.

"Mr. Adam is busy. Who are you?" the voice sounded more disdainful. "Dressed like that, do you even know whose house this is?"

Nicholas sighed. He had expected this. Everyone was obsessed with appearances.

"This is a letter from Liam Weber. Tell him I've come to collect on a promise."

Again, silence. This time longer. Nicholas stood calmly, his hands in his pockets. Finally, a click sounded. The iron gate slowly opened. A security guard stood behind the gate, looking at Nicholas suspiciously.

"Come in," the guard said commandingly. His eyes scrutinized Nicholas from head to toe. "Follow me."

Nicholas entered, following the guard across the expansive front yard.

They arrived at the main door. The guard opened the door, pushing Nicholas inside without a word.

"Who is this?" Adam Weber asked. His eyes glanced sneeringly at Nicholas, as if he were an insect. "Ben, what is this all about? Why did you let this person in?"

"He showed me this letter, Sir," Ben replied, handing the old envelope to Adam.

Adam Weber took it with the tips of his fingers, as if it were dirty. He opened the envelope, reading its contents. His expression, which had been sneering, now changed. His eyes widened, then reddened with anger.

"What is this?!" Adam yelled. He jumped from the sofa, his face flushed. He approached Nicholas. "Who are you?! This must be a scam!"

Sonia Weber also stood up. "What's happening, Adam? Who is this vagrant? Is he an intruder?" Sonia looked at Nicholas with a contemptuous gaze. "He must want to extort us! A high-class con artist!"

"I am Nicholas Krause," Nicholas said. "And that letter is authentic. Liam Weber himself wrote it, and it bears your family's official seal."

"Nonsense!" Adam bellowed. "My father is dead! There's no way he wrote a letter like this!"

"Three years ago, we made a deal. And my request is to marry one of your daughters."

The room fell silent. Adam and Sonia were speechless, their faces pale. They knew about Liam Weber's promise. All the Weber family knew. But no one expected that person to appear, especially in this appearance.

Sonia was the first to recover from her shock. "This is a joke, right?! You're crazy! Look at your appearance! You think you can marry our daughter looking like this beggar?! This must be a trick! A scam!" She sneered. "If it's just money you want, we can give it to you. Just tell us how much you want!"

Nicholas smiled bitterly. "Your money is useless to me, Madam."

"You arrogant jerk!" Sonia pointed at Nicholas, full of emotion.

Just then, Elsa Weber arrived home.

"What's going on? So much commotion?" Elsa stepped in, looking around. Her eyes fixed on the crowd in the living room. Then she saw someone she recognized, standing in the middle.

Elsa stared at him. Her eyes widened.

"You?!" Elsa shrieked, her voice cracking. She saw Nicholas. The shabby man she had met at the airport. "Are you following me here? How dare you!"

Sonia said, "Honey, he's here to marry you."

"Marry me?" Elsa couldn't believe it. "My pursuers are countless in the city. Only a man like the God of War could be my Mr. Right. As for you, shameless and ignorant, your having this thought would make me sick!"

Nicholas scoffed. He retorted, "I'm sure you still have another daughter. Even if I'm a tramp, I'm picky too."

Elsa was humiliated. She called her house security to kick Nicholas out. Then, footsteps from the second floor made them turn. A limping girl, seemingly struggling to descend the stairs.

Elsa smirked. She had a good idea for Nicholas. "You want to marry a girl from the Weber family, right?"

Nicholas listened, but his eyes were still focused on the girl coming down the stairs.

"Go on, marry my sister!" Elsa said again, laughing. "I think you two would be a perfect match."

Nicholas had found the girl he had been searching for all this time. There was no mistaking it. But why was she limping?