Tim just nodded and turned around towards his house. Ezra was with Tim, but he was shooting Leon a vicious glare while the adults were conversing. Not knowing why Ezra would be so angry with him, Leon ignored the malevolent stare looking at the well to the left. Ezra finally turned around and followed his father back down the road.

"Well, son, let us prepare for this celebration, aye? I'm sure your mother is worried about us as well. Let's hope that we are allowed out the house after this stunt, "Garnt heartily laughed at his attempts at a joke headed towards home.

Leon was still stunned at why Ezra would send him such a vicious glare. He hasn't done anything terrible to Ezra before. They were never friends, but neither were they enemies. Both kids were always busy with their apprenticeships, not leaving much time to go out and cause problems.

This development made Leon nervous as Ezra was a well-developed kid for the arduous task that blacksmithing is. So getting in a fight with him was something best avoided.

"Are you ready for the new responsibilities next year bring for you now that you are twelve?" Garnt asked.

When any kid, boy, or girl turns twelve in the empyrean kingdom, they are automatically eligible for conscription. War is always constant, with neighboring kingdoms causing misogyny to dissipate. After all, it doesn't matter if a magus is a male or female when they kill you.

"But father, we live in Wood's Edge. The chances of any of us getting conscripted is super low."

When the military "recruits" people into the army, they take the people living at the boundary where they are fighting. Wood's Edge is so far from other kingdoms. Being in the corner of the Empyrean kingdom has its benefits.

"Don't get complacent, kid. We may never expect something to happen, but being prepared for it will save your life." Garnt warned sternly, looking Leon in his blue eyes.

"But tomorrow, after the festivities have died, we need to get your aptitude tested. Ide rather not do this in the first place, but capital punishment isn't perfect for your mother's heart, aye?"

Garnt says this aloud to remind himself of the reality of turning twelve. Your mana awakens at thirteen, but traces start to emerge at twelve. There are only two different aptitudes. Talented, where you can control and utilize mana, or absent, where your void of mana is entirely normal. About one in every 14 people is talented, meaning that the army is not mainly made up of mages. The knightly order of Empyria is where knights are trained to learn how to utilize their bodies to the utmost limit before being baptized in mana, unlocking the human body's true potential.

"If I am talented, I still wish to stay with you and mother. A war just ended, and it normally takes about 7 or so years between wars, so all I have to do is not volunteer before the age of 18."

"yeah, I hope it works out like that too, kid. It would be better for all of us. The kingdom sure won't send any volunteer soldiers away. I can promise you that"

Entering their family home Garnt and Leon both loudly announced their arrival after dropping off the butchered carcass out back. Leon's mother, Wendy, arrived hurriedly with anger and worry on her face. Wiping the sweat off her palms on the back of her yellow house dress.

"what's the meaning of this? A bear! Why do I have to hear this from the villagers instead of you, Garnt?"

Garnt cowering from his wife was a comical situation for Leon as his father standing six feet tall was being cowed by a five foot five inches blond haired housewife. Garnt kept opening and closing his mouth, trying to find the words to sufficiently appease his wife, but not finding the right words, he just looked down, reaching out to her hands and holding them.

"Mother, it wasn't a big deal. Father was awesome. He took out a big bear and not even getting anywhere close to it! You should have seen how he shot five arrows into its head" Leon began trying to save his father from being scolded.

"And you want me to be happy that I sent you out to help your father without knowing what he was supposed to do today? What if I lost both of you!" she exclaimed angrily. PP

"Honey, we had to…after mauling Tim's arm, there is a chance for it to kill next time, and I'm not going to gamble with your lives."

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Upon hearing his valid reasoning, wendy visibly deflated, grabbing fistfuls of Garnt's wool cloak and drawing close. She started crying into his shoulder.

"Just don't do anything stupid anymore, promise me." she croaked out weakly, crashing from the high emotion she endured.

"I swear we won't go out looking for any more bears," Garnt said while throwing Leon a wink over his mother's shoulder.

After deciding the fiasco was over, Leon went back to his room to change clothes and freshen up for his birthday party later tonight.

"When are we leaving? I really want to try out bear meat. I've never tried it before!" Leon asked

"Just a second. Go back and help your father with the bear, and I'll meet you outside."

Walking out back, Leon finds his father stuffing the cut-up bear into a sack and throwing it over his shoulder.

"Looks like I didn't even have to help you, hah," Leon said with a bright smile.

"Yeah yeah, come on, kid, it's time to head out, and we can't show up late to your own party. Now that would be bad form."

Now that everything was prepared, the trio met up and started heading to the town square. Upon arrival, they found a bonfire already set up in the middle with a giant cooking spit over the flames.

"We just lit the fire Garnt, so you best get to cooking." the mayor of Woods Edge said as he clapped garnet over his shoulder in a friendly gesture.

"Would be a shame if the bottomless pit of a son didn't get to eat, aye?"

Setting the sack down next to the fire, Garnt began preparing the bear with various spices and herbs naturally found within the dark forest. Having plenty of time to gather these with his different journeys hunting animals.

Skewering the bear all the way through and setting it on the spit. With the aroma of deliciously seasoned meat wafting throughout the square, many locals were waiting for when it would be done cooking.

"Now that the food is cooking, we got some spare time," Garnt stated. "Get over here, Leon. I got some presents for you."

Leon perking up at the mention of presents, hurried over to his father's side, as did his mother too, wanting to see Leon open his presents. Garnt pulled a package from behind his back, presenting it to Leon, who had sparkles in his eyes, obviously excited for what was to come.

"Can I open it now, father?!" Leon hurriedly asked.

"Sure, let me know what ya think about it. Your mother and I both worked on this one."

With his father's permission granted, he snatched the package from his father's outstretched arms. He started to unravel the twine keeping the brown paper box wrapped. Upon opening the box, he found a set of identical throwing knives his father had.

He always used his father's throwing knives to practice and occasionally during the few hunts he was allowed to participate in. Now he had his own set, never bothering his father to borrow his whenever he was bored enough to practice his throwing skills. Within this set, there were five throwing knives perfectly crafted and balanced.

"There is more. Keep looking." Wendy encouraged.

Digging deeper into the box, he found a leather sash, the same kind his father had but was smaller to fit his frame and in color black, matching Leon's jet-black hair.

"We figured you would need a place to store the knives. So your mother made the sheath for you," Garnt supplied merrily, and wendy had a proud smile on her face, being pleased with her work.

"Thank you guys so much! I Love you both very much."

Trying to show the extent of his words, Leon crashed into the both of them, wrapping his arms around them as much as his smaller arms could into a hug.

"Now promise me that you will only use the knives on animals while you are out hunting or for practice" his mother sternly warned while giving a predatory glare. "I can't have people saying bad things about my boy being violent and unruly."

The warning ringing loud and clear in Leon's mind quickly nodded his head, saying "I promise you! Only practice and hunting, nothing else."

"Good kid. Let's check on that bear and see how you like it."

Garnt turned back to the bear being cooked over the fire, turning it and inspecting its preparation. Noticing the golden brown meat and the glaze of cooked fat dripping down into the fire.

"Looks fully cooked to me. It's time to eat!" Garnt shouted across the square, getting the attention of the public.

The mayor brought a table close to the fire to place the bear onto, ready to start carving it up. Garnt pulled his dagger out of his hip sheath, cutting off pieces and distributing them to the villagers. Of course Leon got the best and first cut.

The family looked over the fire while sitting on a blanket in the square, talked about the future for Leon, and made jokes about Garnt's eventual retirement. This is a way off as Garnt wasn't older than 35 and still has plenty of life in him.

"When I get older, I will take care of you both. I'll always help you and stay here in Woods Edge," Leon declared to the surprised adults. They both knew Leon was interested in magic or the knight program in a worst-case scenario. Seeing his dedication towards them made them hold him closer and relax by the fire.

Eventually, the party started to wind down, with villagers returning to their homes ready to wake up early for tomorrow's tasks. Garnt and the mayor began to take down the cooking utensils while Leon was tasked with stopping the bonfire.

"Come on boys, it's time to head home!" Wendy shouted over to the father-son duo.

"And you can bet you're both not allowed back into my house without taking a bath. I won't have my house smelling like campfire so you better hurry up or you are going to have a really cold bath when it starts to get cold tonight"

Hearing these words, they both noticeably quickened with the designated chores hoping to get back before night sets in. winter baths during the day are unbearable so winter baths during the night would be unfathomable for them.

With all the chores being done at a record pace, the family headed home. Wendy barks orders for the boys to bathe, but only after she gets a bath first, of course. Garnt knowing when to argue and when to let things happen, just soundlessly nodded and let her use the bath first.

Leon, finally going last, was exhausted from today's trials with a bear that kept him tensed the whole time, adding to the pressure and making the exhaustion worse. Hurrying to finish cleaning himself, Leon hopped out of the tub, wrapped a towel around himself, and headed up the stairs to his room. Throwing his new knives onto the desk, flopping on the bed, and closing his eyes to unconsciousness.