Valieon sat on a wooden stool in a dimly lit barbershop, shifting uncomfortably as the barber examined his long, untamed silver hair. His fingers curled into fists on his lap. He had never cared about how he looked before, but something about this moment felt… different.
Draven leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "It's time you started looking the part of a warrior."
Valieon scoffed. "I already look like one."
Draven smirked. "No. You look like a wild stray."
The barber chuckled and got to work. As the scissors snipped away, locks of silver fell to the ground. When it was done, Valieon looked at himself in the mirror. His hair was shorter now, styled in a way that made him look more refined yet still rugged. For the first time in his life, he didn't look like a street kid. He looked like someone with a future.
Next came the clothes. Draven took him to an armory where Valieon picked out a set of dark training robes with reinforced padding. They felt strange—too new, too clean—but also… good.
As they walked back, Valieon couldn't stop himself from grinning. "Tomorrow's the test to get into the academy. Any tips?"
Draven exhaled and shook his head. "You won't be taking the test."
Valieon stopped walking. "What?"
Draven didn't look at him. "You'll be taught personally. For some time."
Anger flared in Valieon's chest. "Why? What's the point of all this if I'm not even allowed to take the test?"
Draven remained silent.
Valieon clenched his fists. "Why are you doing this?"
Still, no answer.
Frustration boiled inside him, but he swallowed it down. Draven had helped him more than anyone ever had. If he wasn't explaining, there had to be a reason.
Later that evening, as Valieon sat in their shared quarters, Draven sighed, staring out of the window.
"The war between the God of Flames and the God of Thunder is about to start," he muttered.
Valieon's brow furrowed. He had heard whispers of tensions rising between the two elemental gods, but he never imagined a full-scale war was imminent.
Draven turned to face him. "I'll be gone for a long time."
Valieon frowned. "How long?"
Draven's expression darkened. "One battle between gods takes six to seven years, minimum."
Silence settled between them. Valieon looked down at his hands, gripping the edges of his robe.
"I understand," he said quietly.
Draven nodded. "I've made arrangements for you. You won't be alone."
The next morning, Valieon woke up to find Draven already gone. A note lay beside his bed, short and simple: "Stay strong."
Valieon clenched his fists and took a deep breath.
Determined, he got ready and made his way to the Academy of Strength. But just as he was about to enter, a hand landed firmly on his shoulder. He turned to see a tall, muscular man clad in dark blue training robes, his long silver hair tied back neatly. His sharp eyes carried both wisdom and mischief, and his posture radiated controlled power.
"My name is Master Zephyre Kaine," the man said with a smirk. "Draven entrusted you to me."
Valieon blinked. "You're from the Storm Citadel?"
Kaine gave a slow nod. "That's what they tell me."
Valieon narrowed his eyes. "Why are you stopping me from going inside?"
Kaine crossed his arms. "Because you will not train there."
Valieon's frustration returned. "Why? What's with all the secrecy?"
Kaine's smirk widened. "Ah, too many questions, kid. Come with me."
Grumbling, Valieon followed Kaine through a hidden passage near the academy, deep into its underground chambers. They entered a secluded training hall, ancient and untouched by time.
"This will be your home until Draven returns," Kaine stated, his voice calm but firm.
Valieon looked around the dimly lit space. There were no other students. No signs of elemental training equipment. Just stone floors, old training dummies, and an eerie silence.
His stomach sank. "What about my element? What am I going to master?"
Kaine crossed his arms. "You won't be playing with any of that elemental nonsense."
Valieon's heart dropped. "Then what?"
"You will master martial arts. I will make you one of the strongest warriors this realm has ever seen."
Valieon felt the sting of disappointment. No flames. No thunder. No magic. He would be different from every other student.
But then, as he looked down at his fists, he thought about the life he had lived. A life where he had nothing. Where no one believed in him.
This was still better than the streets.
He exhaled, pushed his doubts aside, and nodded. "Fine. When do we start?"
Kaine smirked. "Tomorrow."
Then, without another word, he turned away, his movements disciplined and sharp.
Valieon stared after him. "…What have I gotten myself into?"
-End Of Chapter 3-