"By the stars, you've grown so much since I last saw you!"
As the light finally faded, Aiden could see who'd spoken those words.
Hovering before him was a female figure with sky-blue skin, flowing hair, generous curves, and a warm, affectionate gaze sparkling in her bright eyes.
Without touching him, she floated closer to his face, making him blush in the process.
"What's wrong, sweetheart? Don't recognize me? Well, I can't blame you. You were just a little tyke the last time I saw you. Now you're all grown up!"
Pushing past the flush her compliments sparked, Aiden racked his brain, recalling his studies.
The creature in front of him was one he'd read about.
'She's a star fairy,' Aiden thought.
"Tell me, handsome, why'd you summon me?"
Aiden's attention snapped to the battle unfolding nearby.
The mysterious girl was still dodging and countering the demon's attacks, firing arrows whenever she found an opening.
But her exhaustion was obvious, and Aiden knew he had to act fast.
Suddenly, he remembered what star fairies were capable of.
"I need your help. Give me something to defeat that demon."
"Give you something?" the fairy said, raising an eyebrow. "I doubt any weapon would do you much good right now."
Aiden's desperation surged, pushing him to a drastic choice.
'Only one option left,' Aiden thought.
"Then… activate my magic power. You can do that, right?"
The fairy's eyes widened, stunned by his boldness and sheer guts.
"Are you sure about that? Doesn't seem like you've got much control over your magic."
"Doesn't matter, do it now!"
"Alright. But you know you've gotta give me something first."
Aiden scanned the ground and spotted his money pouch lying there. He grabbed it, pulled out the three gold coins inside, and offered them to the fairy, who took them with a hint of indifference.
"Three gold coins ain't much for me, but I'll take 'em. Brace yourself—this might sting."
Without wasting another second, the fairy pressed a finger to Aiden's chest.
In that instant, she vanished. Aiden was confused at first, but after a few seconds, something inside him started to stir.
His heart pounded like a drum, and a reddish aura enveloped his entire body.
Aiden felt his muscles tense, surging with a strength he'd never known.
'This… is my power?' Aiden thought.
Suddenly, the demon ignored the girl and locked its molten gaze on Aiden.
Drooling lava in pure rage, it charged at him. Aiden, fueled by raw courage, channeled all his strength into his fist.
The demon swiped to tear Aiden's face apart, but he dodged and seized the moment, slamming a punch into its abdomen that punched clean through, ripping a pained "URRGGH!" from the creature.
Aiden stepped back, ready to throw another blow, but before he could, the demon disintegrated into its own flames, leaving only a trail of ashes.
The aura around Aiden faded, adrenaline giving way to crushing exhaustion.
Still, he didn't lose sight of his priorities and searched for the girl. He spotted her dusting off her clothes and adjusting her bow and arrows.
"Hey, you okay?" Aiden asked.
"Yeah, don't worry."
Aiden picked up the crystal orb he'd used earlier and moved to hand it back.
"Keep it," the girl said, catching him off guard. "Trust me, you'll need it from now on."
"What do you mean by that?"
"I'm not sure what's in store for you, but I've got a feeling that was just the first of many demons coming for you, Aiden."
"You… know who I am?"
"And I'm not the only one. Heir to the greatest empire of heroes. A title that heavy's hard to miss."
"Wait, you know about me, but I don't know a thing about you. Who are you? Why'd you help me?"
"My identity's not important. Though, given how things are looking, we'll probably cross paths again soon."
Aiden opened his mouth to protest, but the girl launched into a superhuman leap, landing on a nearby rooftop. Then she bolted, hopping across the town's roofs like a nimble cat, until she vanished into the distance.
'Seriously… what's her deal? She didn't answer a single thing,' Aiden thought, his body sagging with fatigue.
. . .
Aiden's exhaustion was nothing compared to the determination flooding his core. That's why he didn't mind trudging for hours to reach his grandfather's house.
He pushed open the ever-unlocked door and stepped inside with purpose.
Aiden's grandfather wasn't expecting his grandson to show up unannounced, especially at such a late hour. Even less did he expect the pair of eyes blazing with resolve staring him down.
"Aiden… what happened? You look worn out. Did something happen?"
"Grandpa… teach me."
"Teach you what?"
Aiden unslung the sword strapped to his back and tossed it at his grandfather's feet. The old man stared, awestruck, at the weapon that had claimed so many lives in a not-so-distant past.
"Teach me how to become a warrior, please."