The forest shook with every clash.
CLANG!
Mason's axe collided with Rohan's, sending a sharp metallic sound through the trees.
Rohan pushed forward with his greater size and strength, forcing Mason several steps backward.
Mason quickly twisted his body, avoiding another heavy swing before stepping back into position.
Neither of them had noticed how much time had passed.
They were completely absorbed in the fight.
Rohan raised his axe again.
Mason tightened his grip.
They both charged.
Their weapons met in the middle—
CLANG!
And then—
"ROHAN!"
"MASON!"
The two boys froze.
Their eyes widened.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
A cold shiver ran down both their spines.
They slowly looked at each other.
Rohan's face went pale.
Mason swallowed.
The axes in their hands suddenly felt much less important.
They remembered.
The wood.
They had been sent into the forest to chop firewood.
Instead, they had spent most of their time fighting each other.
"…Oh no," Mason muttered.
Rohan lowered his axe.
"We're finished."
Footsteps approached through the trees.
Leaves rustled.
Branches moved.
Then Becca appeared.
Her expression was calm.
Far too calm.
Mason and Rohan exchanged a nervous glance.
Becca walked toward them without saying a word.
She stopped directly in front of them.
Then she grabbed both of their ears.
"OW!"
"AAAH!"
"BECCA!"
She twisted them both at the same time.
"You two!" she shouted. "What exactly do you think you're doing?!"
"We were just—"
"Chopping wood?" Becca finished.
Mason went silent.
Rohan looked away.
Becca twisted their ears harder.
"OW! OW! OW!"
"I sent both of you here to chop wood!" she yelled. "I was home thinking you'd be almost finished by now! I was preparing everything for the soup!"
She pointed toward the pile of uncut wood.
"And what do I find when I come looking for you?"
She looked at their weapons.
"You're fighting each other!"
Neither boy answered.
"I've been waiting at home thinking you were working hard!"
She finally released their ears.
Both boys immediately rubbed them.
"And now we still have to prepare the soup before Father gets home!"
Mason blinked.
"Father isn't home yet?"
Becca stared at him.
"He's already home."
Mason and Rohan froze.
"…He's what?"
"He's already home."
Rohan slowly lowered his head.
"We're dead."
Becca sighed.
"You two are impossible."
She pointed toward the pile of wood.
"Now chop."
Mason picked up his axe.
Rohan picked up his.
They looked at each other.
No more fighting.
For the next several minutes, the only sound throughout the forest was the steady rhythm of axes striking wood.
THUD!
THUD!
THUD!
Eventually, the pile of wood was large enough.
Becca looked over it and nodded.
"Finally."
Mason wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Rohan stretched his arms.
"Can we go home now?"
Becca turned around.
"Yes."
The two boys immediately followed her.
Later That Evening
The warmth of the small house filled the room.
The smell of freshly prepared food drifted through the air.
Mason sat beside Rohan, while Becca sat across from them.
At the head of the table sat their father, Chad Grace.
For a while, nobody spoke.
They simply enjoyed the meal.
Life in Cinderval Village was not luxurious.
The village struggled, and most families had to work hard simply to get through each day.
But moments like this reminded Mason of something important.
He still had his family.
After taking another bite, Chad suddenly spoke.
"Oh, before I forget."
Everyone looked at him.
"There is something I need to tell you."
Becca stopped eating.
Mason looked up.
Rohan listened.
Chad placed his spoon down.
"I received an order from Great Elder Neil."
Mason's expression changed immediately.
"Great Elder Neil?"
Chad nodded.
"I've been assigned a mission."
"What kind of mission?" Becca asked.
"A dungeon mission."
The room became slightly quieter.
Chad continued.
"It is a solo mission. Great Elder Neil wants me to investigate and clear a dungeon that has recently appeared in the region."
Mason stared at his father.
"How long will you be gone?"
Chad thought for a moment.
"Probably a day or two."
Becca frowned.
"Only a day or two?"
"If everything goes according to plan."
Chad smiled reassuringly.
"I'll return as soon as the mission is complete."
Mason nodded.
He knew what his father was capable of.
Chad Grace was a Lord.
If Great Elder Neil had personally entrusted him with a mission, it meant the mission was important.
"Just be careful, Father," Mason said.
Chad smiled.
"I always am."
He picked up his spoon again.
"But enough about that."
He looked around the table.
"I actually have some good news."
Becca immediately became curious.
"What kind of good news?"
Chad smiled.
"I received another letter today."
"From who?" Mason asked.
"Gem."
Mason's face immediately lit up.
"Gem?"
His eldest sister had been away in another kingdom, continuing her studies.
He had not seen her in some time.
"What did she say?" he asked.
Chad reached for the letter.
"She has found someone."
Becca's eyes widened.
"Someone?"
Chad nodded.
"Your sister has fallen in love."
Mason smiled.
"Seriously?"
"She also says she's getting married."
"WHAT?!"
Becca nearly jumped from her seat.
Rohan laughed.
Mason couldn't stop smiling.
"Our sister is getting married?"
"Yes," Chad said. "And apparently, the man she is marrying comes from a wealthy family."
Becca covered her mouth in excitement.
"Gem is getting married!"
Mason laughed.
"When is the wedding?"
Chad looked at the letter.
"She has invited all of us."
The table erupted with excitement.
Becca started talking about what Gem might wear.
Rohan joked about how strange it would be seeing Gem as a bride.
Mason simply sat there smiling.
His sister was happy.
That was all that mattered to him.
Chad watched his children.
A gentle smile rested on his face.
For a moment, he said nothing.
But behind that smile was another thought.
I wish she could be here.
His eyes lowered slightly.
I wish your mother could see this.
He looked around the table at his children.
Then his expression softened.
After a moment, Chad reached beside him.
"Oh, before I forget, Mason."
Mason looked up.
"Yes, Father?"
Chad pulled out a folded piece of paper.
He placed it on the table in front of Mason.
"I have something for you."
Mason stared at the paper.
Something about it immediately caught his attention.
Slowly, he picked it up.
He unfolded it.
His eyes moved across the page.
Then stopped.
His entire body became still.
His breathing slowed.
His eyes widened.
It was an application form for Legion Academy.
For several seconds, Mason couldn't speak.
The dream he had carried for so long was suddenly sitting in his hands.
Legion Academy.
The academy he had dreamed of entering.
The place that could eventually lead him toward the highest rank—
Great Elder.
A single tear rolled down Mason's cheek.
Not from sadness.
From happiness.
"Father…"
Chad smiled.
"You've worked hard for this."
Mason looked at the application again.
His hands trembled slightly.
Then he stood up and walked around the table.
He wrapped his arms around his father.
Chad's eyes widened for a moment before he returned the embrace.
"Thank you," Mason whispered.
His voice shook.
"Thank you, Father."
Chad gently placed a hand on his son's back.
Mason pulled away and looked directly into his father's eyes.
"I promise you."
Chad listened.
"When I enter Legion Academy, I won't stop at becoming a great scout."
Mason held the application tightly.
"I will reach the Great Elder rank."
His expression became determined.
"And when I do…"
He looked around the room.
"At that point, I won't forget Cinderval."
Becca and Rohan became quiet.
Mason continued.
"I know how hard you work, Father."
"You've spent so much of what you have trying to keep this village alive. Making sure people have food. Making sure families can survive."
His voice became stronger.
"When I become Great Elder, I will change that."
"I'll help this village grow."
"I'll make sure the people here have better homes, better lives, and opportunities they never thought they'd have."
Mason looked down at the application.
"This isn't only about me."
He looked back at his father.
"I want to become strong enough to give back to everyone who helped me get there."
Chad stared at his son.
Then he smiled.
A proud smile.
The kind only a father could give his son.
"You have a long road ahead of you, Mason."
Mason nodded.
"I know."
Chad placed his hand on Mason's shoulder.
"Then walk it."
Outside the small house, the night settled over Cinderval Village.
The village remained poor.
Its people still struggled.
But inside that little home, several things had changed.
Gem was preparing to begin a new life.
Chad was preparing to leave on a mission from the Great Elder.
And Mason Grace had finally received his chance.
His dream was no longer something he could only imagine.
He now had the application in his hands.
The road to Legion Academy had begun.