Life in a new Kingdom

Walking out of the bath, freshly cleaned and refreshed, I slip on casual clothes. My hair is now past the length of my shoulders. The mirror in my room next to the window reflects my image. Silently, I take in my features. For being a child, it isn't weird how I feel being in this body. I haven't thought about it a lot recently, if ever. My past lives have nothing to do with myself now. Even the scars I still carry shouldn't affect me now.

What happened when I killed those bandits? It's not the first time I felt like that. My mind becomes empty, and my heart hollow. The presence of Sato Haruki, I can never forget that person. The person I once was. A chill down my spine as the thought hits.

"I am Caleb Aris now. Nothing wrong with living this life. I have a place here; I have people who depend on and care about me; I need to be Caleb Aris for as long as this life proceeds." God, I sound like a lunatic; the possibility of being one isn't off the table.

Growing exhaustion spreads through my body. The marks of my wounds are still healing, eventually adding to the scars that a child should not have—a comfortable bed to welcome me with the closing of my eyes. I drift off to sleep. However, a fleeting thought of something I must be forgetting drags me by a chain. An empty sleep encompasses me. I want to open my eyes, but the moment I do, I am staring into an abyss, a void, a space filled with nothing but myself. I try breathing, but I can't hear it—a slow panic riffles through my system.

"Tick-tock, don't worry about the time here." A voice, sudden, calm, mischievous. I try to speak; my mouth moves, but no words come out. The negative space hides this entity—a feeling I know too well that they don't want me to see them.

"Don't struggle, just listen. You have so much to do, but don't worry; everything will go as fate tells you." Sprouting nonsense, I force myself to wake, moving my body to knock myself to the morning light. It never arrives; my body doesn't want to move, like under a spell.

"Dear Caleb, let this be words you shall live by. Grow stronger. Stronger than everyone. Strong enough to crush all those who oppose you. Don't ever stop growing stronger; if you do, you'll find life's such miseries. I know this might be your first time hearing my voice, but I assure you, it won't be the last." What was he saying? I haven't heard his voice before; why does he want me to be stronger? Questions to a problem that I won't know.

"Now, Wake Up."

I gasp. My body was stiff and sore; whatever held me still held tight—the cracking of my bones ached shortly after. I get up from my bed and look in the mirror. Wondering what I experienced while I slept. The night sky slowly burned by the morning sun, yet there was still about an hour till it had fully risen.

Leaving my room, I looked for anyone still awake. A notion sprouted from the empty loneliness I felt in that dream. I don't know if it was a dream, but it made me anxious to be alone. Each lingering word the person spoke echoed within my skull.

"My Lord?" The familiar voice of Eckhart appeared behind. Turning his direction, he stood wearing his casual clothes. For a proud knight and highly praised, he certainly looked just a regular person.

"Oh, Eckhart. Sorry, did I wake you?"

"Not at all; I was just chopping some wood for the coming winter. What has you up at this hour?" Eckhart seemed more polite than usual. Even in a standard space like this, the tone of his voice would still stab like daggers. But now, he appeared more responsive to me—an observation to take note of.

"That's right, it is getting close to that."

"I heard you almost died protecting Celia." Eckhart spoke lightly, a clear sign he was holding back from yelling or expressing an aggressive tone.

"I moved on my own. I didn't want to see her die."

"If it were her, she would have let herself die if it meant you would be safe."

"That's why I moved. I am tired of people dying for me."

"Caleb?" Eckhart looks on with confusion. I realized what I really said at that moment and waved my hand in the air.

"Besides the point. I guess you are going to join the front lines with father and brother." Eckhart loses any positive features and relaxes to a neutral posture.

"Your father wrote a letter, didn't he?"

"Indeed. He will be visiting for my next birthday when I turn twelve. Afterwards, the town will lose its small army and the best warrior."

"Saiana is out of the way of combat or any advantage lines. Marching to this place would take far too long and take far too long to move out with a large invading force."

"Well, either way, I am losing my mentor. I still have a lot to learn, I know that."

"Who knew the bastard son I disliked maturing right before me." A sad look scrawls across his face. "Forgive me for calling you such." Eckhart bows his head in shame, a feeling of respect that I haven't seen him do in a while.

"I knew you despised me. You were born in the Empire. Of course, my blood would disgust you. I don't blame you; it is nothing new I have not experienced."

"My Lord... I-" He stumbles on his words.

"Eckhart, please. I am still a child in the end. One that knows too much about the cruelty of the world. I know; I was born into it. Yet, right now, I am a bastard. I always have been. I won't let that symbol stop me from becoming greater than everyone who would perceive me to be such. I am Caleb Aris, son of Valum Aris, regardless. So, what if I have the blood of Nix in my veins. If my hair is the color of something you despise. I am still your student, and I know I can learn more. I want you to teach me; I don't care if you are hard on me for those reasons or if you want me to suffer; I learn no matter what I endure." A long pause stills from Eckhart. A dark shadow is cast over his eyes before he speaks.

"I was ready to kill you, smother you the days I laid my eyes upon you. A monster with the blood of Valum? Preposterous. Absolutely vile. I could not accept it; I did not. Your father looked upon you with nothing but love and respect. Even if you disobeyed him, argued with him, and shouted at him. He never once took action. It drove me mad, mad like a rabid dog. I had my honor and would vow to keep it as long as I live. Despite my prejudice, I could never kill you; I would never disgrace Valum and his family, no matter who they were." He takes a moment to breathe and process himself.

"When the incident with the assassin occurred, it happened under my watch. When we found you and Tia, I hoped you would have died during the night. Yet you lived. It was the day you woke up when I saw your father weeping over you; it made me realize a crucial part of Valum. He didn't take you in because you had his blood. He didn't take you in just for some future decision that could have been made. No, I forgot how great of a man he was. A man I looked up to—a man I wanted to be his equal in honor and dignity. So, when that day arrived when I saw him hold you, I knew hating you was wrong. It was always wrong. My disdain for you lingered, but the seed of guilt consumed me." He pauses momentarily, clearing his throat and looking me in the eyes, a confident man ready to confront his conflicts.

"I had to train you under his orders. I hated it. But it was my duty, and I would fulfill it. Watching you struggle so hard even to hold a sword drove me insane. When you passed out after hyperventilating, I figured I would be stuck with you for a long time, seeing you as a disgrace. Then we made the deal. I never expected you to accomplish this after seeing how you acted. I am glad you proved me wrong. You came back, sword in hand, a fire in those eyes. A young child such as yourself, barely ten years old. The fire I saw was the same as Valum in his younger days. When he was climbing the ranks of knights and the orders and becoming the leading Lord of the Scarlet Order, I saw that same burning deep within you. I knew, right then, you were a true son of Valum, a true born child of Aris."

"And so, you trained me to the breaking point every day." A soft chuckle escapes my lips.

"It was what you needed to grow strong. I couldn't think of any other way to respect a child of Valum. I trained you hard. I trained you ruthlessly to see how far I can see that fire in your eyes. It only burned brighter. You and young Carlo have composing fires, but they both burn so brightly. I don't hesitate to say you two will become this kingdom's greatest knights, so I will do my best to get you as far as possible. Before I go with your father, before I say goodbye, I want you to get to a level that you can achieve. The level where you can land a solid strike on me. If you can do that, I won't have nothing to worry about with your growth afterwards." Smiling proudly, Eckhart gave his heart into those words. I felt them; it was true indeed.

"Eckhart, I won't be satisfied with that. You shouldn't be satisfied with a feat like that. No, the goal I intend to reach is to defeat you. I grow strong enough to disarm you in combat; I want to know I can beat you, no matter what it takes!" Fist raised in front of me, I declare my ambition.

"Caleb... Ha...Haha...Hahahahaha! I am glad to have trained you. Fine, if that is what you want, then every day, every single day, train until you want to die. Train till you want to kill yourself. Both you and Carlo keep growing stronger and winning one match against me within a year, and I will make you the best knights I have ever trained." Eckhart raises his fist and touches mine, showing admiration for my determination. "Let's finish training these young warriors; then, you can prove your fire to me."

"I look forward to it, Master."

The morning rays of sunshine hit our fists, a bond forged in respect, honor, and dignity. I stand tall, ready to take on the challenges that await me.