The previous day had been a break from training, but now it was time to push harder than ever before. The days that followed were nothing short of grueling. Even though Kyota was only four years old, his training was relentless. His sister Ayame had received her sword and was already a prodigy with it. Kyota didn't stand a chance against her. Every time they sparred, he found himself outmatched. Despite this, he never gave up. He pushed himself, even as exhaustion set in.
Ayame, on the other hand, excelled with her sword, but she wasn't as talented with sorcery. Kyota, however, had a natural affinity for magic. He excelled where Ayame struggled. Her dream of attending the Northern Magic Academy fueled her desire to master both swordsmanship and magic.
Raito, their father, often spoke of the academy. "That place has both sword fighting and magic. Royals, nobles, and commoners alike go there," he explained one day. "I even spent a year as a sword instructor there myself."
His father also spoke of his own past—an event from when he was just twelve years old. He had faced an unimaginable challenge when a monstrous beast ravaged his village. It was a nightmarish creature, its teeth sharp enough to tear through steel. Raito had been forced into a brutal battle, where every instinct screamed for survival.
"I fought that beast with everything I had," Raito said, his voice low. "It nearly killed me... but I killed it instead. I was really scared. I saw it tearing a woman's head and ate it as if it was nothing. That monster was really terrorizing the village. I ripped out its heart with my bare hands. The blood was everywhere—mine and its. The fight changed me, Kyota. It made me stronger; after that, I was taken care of by knights of the royal palace."
Kyota and Ayame listened intently. The weight of Raito's words hung heavily in the air. The sacrifice, the violence, the brutality—this was what true strength meant. It wasn't just about skill, it was about surviving, no matter the cost.
The day continued, and Aqua arrived, bringing them the lunch she had prepared. They ate beneath the vast sky, the wind cooling their sweat-drenched skin. Afterward, they took a brief nap, their bodies aching from the constant training. As they rested, Raito turned to Aqua.
"Only four months left," he said softly. "Ayame will be at the academy soon, and I'm sure she'll stay there until she's sixteen."
Aqua sighed, her eyes distant. "Time passes so quickly... Our children grow up too fast."
Raito smiled, but there was sadness behind it. "Yes, they do." A quiet pause passed between them, and then they wiped away the tears that had formed. "We need to push them further. For their own good."
The Intense Training
When the next training session began, it was like nothing they had ever faced. The trials were designed not just to test their strength, but to break them. Raito summoned beasts, grotesque creatures with claws that could slice through flesh and teeth sharp enough to puncture armor. Every attack felt like a death sentence, but it was a lesson. A lesson in survival.
Kyota fought with all his might, magic crackling in the air as he summoned devastating spells. His body was battered and bruised, but he kept going. Ayame, too, proved her worth; her sword struck a blur as she cut down monsters with lethal precision. The training was violent but necessary. This was the only way they would grow stronger.
After hours of combat, their bodies were covered in cuts and bruises. Kyota's back was torn from a monster's claw, blood soaking through his clothes. Yet, he didn't stop. He couldn't stop. Not until he was stronger than his sister. Not until he was stronger than anyone.
By the time they reached home that evening, Kyota and Raito were both covered in deep, painful gashes. Aqua rushed to heal them, her magic soothing their wounds, but it couldn't erase the pain. After a bath and a simple dinner, Kyota and Ayame climbed to the roof of their house.
"What will you do when you leave for the academy?" Ayame asked, her voice quiet but filled with resolve.
"I'll become stronger," Kyota said, determination in his eyes. "I won't lose to you. I'll surpass you, Ayame. I promise."
Ayame smiled softly, her eyes shining with pride. "I know you will."
The Final Farewell
The last four months of training flew by in a blur of pain and perseverance. As the day of Ayame's departure drew near, her sword was reforged by Kyota's father, a skilled blacksmith. He enchanted it with amplifying spells, making it even deadlier. The blade shone with a bright, dangerous light, reflecting Ayame's growing strength.
The morning of Ayame's departure was filled with a heavy silence. She stood before her parents, Kyota at her side. They all knew this was the end of an era, but the beginning of something else—something they couldn't yet understand.
Tears flowed freely as Aqua embraced her daughter one last time. "Be safe," she whispered, her voice shaking. "I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too, Mom," Ayame replied, her own tears falling.
Kyota stood off to the side, silently watching the exchange. His throat was tight with emotion, but he refused to show it. He wasn't a child anymore. He was becoming stronger for his family and for his future.
Later that day, Raito called Kyota for one final lesson—a private training session, just the two of them. The fight that ensued was violent, each strike from Raito filled with the weight of experience. Kyota struggled to keep up, his arms trembling under the force of his father's sword.
"You've grown, Kyota," Raito said, breathing heavily. "But it's been too fast. You're not like other kids. You're more mature than I am... sometimes it feels like I'm the child in front of you; who are you, Kyota ?."
Kyota paused, his chest heaving. "Who am I, what did you mean Father"
Raito's face softened. "Who you are doesn't matter. What matters is that you're my son. And that will never change. Don't tell Aqua about this, alright?"
Kyota didn't respond. He couldn't. He could never tell Raito who he really was.
That night, as Aqua wept for her daughter's departure, Kyota's bruised and battered body didn't escape her notice. She rushed to heal him, her hands glowing with magic as she worked to ease his pain. But then, in a moment of frustration, she took a pan and hit Raito over the head.
"Are you insane?" she shouted. "Look at him! You're trying to kill him with this brutal training!"
Raito, shocked, raised his hands defensively. "It's for his own good, Aqua."
Aqua's eyes flashed with fury. "He's just a child! Can't you see what you've done to him?"
Raito pulled her into a hug. "It's alright. They have to leave eventually. Even a bird has to leave its nest to fly. They'll be back. They always come back."
Kyota stood quietly in the doorway, his eyes distant. "I'm just the background character now. Maybe I'll be the main character one day... who knows? I only want a peaceful life."
And with that, the story of their childhood came to a close. Ayame was gone, but Kyota's journey was just beginning. What would the future hold for him? The only thing Kyota knew for sure was that he would stop at nothing to become stronger. For his family. For himself.