Steiten stood beneath the ancient trees, his clothes soaked, his hands trembling. He had walked for days without knowing where he was going. Every step carried the weight of memories he wanted to forget.
The voices of those he had lost still echoed in his mind.
"You were too weak."
"You couldn't protect anyone."
"You failed."
He clenched his fists.
"Enough..." he whispered.
A strange laugh suddenly came from the darkness.
"Hehehe..."
Steiten turned sharply.
Between the trees stood a man wearing a long black coat. His silver hair moved with the wind, and his eyes shone like he had seen thousands of battles.
"Who are you?" Steiten asked, preparing himself for danger.
The stranger smiled.
"That question again? Everyone asks the same thing."
He walked closer.
"I can tell you one thing, little boy..."
The man's smile disappeared.
"This world is cruel."
The forest became silent.
"People who are weak are eaten by those who are stronger. Kind hearts are broken. Trust is betrayed. Dreams are destroyed."
He looked directly into Steiten's eyes.
"But the ones who survive are those who learn to stand even after everything falls apart."
Steiten lowered his head.
"Then why did I lose everything?"
The stranger looked at him for a moment.
"Because you were not strong enough."
The words struck harder than any sword.
Steiten's eyes widened.
"You..."
The man laughed again.
"Hehehe... Don't misunderstand me. I am not here to insult you."
He placed a hand on Steiten's shoulder.
"I am here because you have something most people lose before they even realize they had it."
"What?"
"Pain."
Steiten stared at him.
"Pain?"
"Yes. Pain creates monsters... but controlled pain creates warriors."
The stranger turned away.
"You have two choices now."
The wind grew stronger.
"You can continue walking this path as a broken person, waiting for the world to finish destroying you."
He looked back.
"Or you can become someone the world fears."
Steiten remained silent.
The stranger extended his hand.
"My name is Arven."
Steiten hesitated.
"Why help me?"
Arven smiled.
"Because I was once exactly like you."
For the first time in many days, Steiten felt something he thought he had lost.
Hope.
But before he could answer, the ground shook.
A terrifying roar came from deep within the forest.
The trees cracked.
Something enormous was approaching.
Arven looked toward the darkness.
"Interesting..."
Steiten noticed the change in his expression.
"What is it?"
Arven's smile returned.
"Your first lesson."
The shadows between the trees moved.
"A warrior is not created when he wins."
A pair of glowing eyes opened in the darkness.
"A warrior is created when he faces something that can kill him..."
Arven stepped forward.
"...and chooses to fight anyway."
The creature emerged.
A beast covered in black scales, with claws larger than swords and flames burning inside its mouth.
Steiten froze.
"This is impossible..."
Arven laughed.
"Good."
He looked at Steiten.
"Impossible situations create impossible people."
The beast charged.
Steiten's heart screamed at him to run.
But his feet did not move.
For the first time...
He did not want to escape.
He wanted to survive.
He wanted power.
He wanted to change.
And as the monster reached him, Steiten raised his broken sword.
"Come."
The beast roared.
"I am not running anymore."
The forest exploded with a terrifying clash.
And somewhere in the darkness, Arven smiled.
The boy had finally taken his first step.