Aelion woke with a start, the lingering images of his dream still clinging to the edges of his mind like dark shadows. His chest rose and fell with uneven breaths as he blinked up at the ceiling, the faint light of early morning creeping through the window. For a moment, he wasn’t sure if he was still trapped in the dream, the vividness of his father’s failure weighing heavily on him.
He slowly sat up in bed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The room was quiet, the fire long extinguished. The cold morning air had settled in overnight, and Aelion could feel the chill even through the thick blankets. He sighed, running a hand through his hair, feeling the tightness in his chest that the dream had left behind.
His father’s face, the pain, the anguish, it was still so clear in his mind. The crunch of bone, the blood, the feeling of helplessness. Aelion shuddered, trying to shake the memory away. But the more he tried to forget, the more it seemed to cling to him.
It was just a dream. Nothing more. He told himself, but the words felt hollow.
Pushing the blankets aside, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood, his muscles stiff from a restless night. The cold wooden floor sent a chill through his body as he padded across the room toward the small kitchen area in the corner of his house. The kitchen was modest, with a simple stone stove, a few wooden shelves lined with ingredients, and a small table pushed against the wall. It wasn’t much, but it was enough for one person, especially now that his parents were away on their fishing charter.
The absence of their presence was like a dull ache that he couldn’t quite shake. They wouldn’t be back for weeks, and while Aelion was used to being alone when they were out at sea, it felt different now. Different because of the dream, different because of the weight of his uncertainty about the future.
He moved through the kitchen with slow, deliberate movements, still trying to shake the sleep from his mind. He reached for the small metal pot that sat on the counter and filled it with water from a nearby jug. Setting it on the stove, he flicked his fingers, summoning a small flame that danced beneath the pot, heating it quickly. The magic came easily to him, though he had never been particularly interested in the more complex arcane arts. Just the simple, everyday spells his mother had taught him.
As the water heated, he rummaged through the shelves, pulling out a jar of coffee grounds and a small pouch of ice shards from the freezer box his father had built. Within minutes, the pot began to whistle, steam rising from its spout. He poured the hot water into a small metal pitcher, added the coffee grounds, and let it steep for a few moments before tossing in the ice shards. The sharp crack of ice meeting heat filled the room, and soon, the rich scent of coffee filled the air.
Aelion grabbed a small glass from the shelf and poured the iced latte, watching the swirling mix of coffee and cream settle into a smooth, dark brown. He took a tentative sip, the cold drink offering a small comfort in the quiet of the morning.
Next, he cracked two eggs into a pan, their yolks a bright yellow that contrasted against the dark iron. The sizzle of the eggs hitting the hot surface filled the kitchen, and Aelion couldn’t help but feel a little more grounded in the simple act of cooking. The dream, as haunting as it was, began to fade into the background.
As the eggs cooked, he added a few slices of sausage to the pan, the aroma of the meat mingling with the smell of coffee and filling the room. It was a familiar breakfast, one his mother had made for him countless times before. A simple reminder of home, of stability.
Sitting at the small table, Aelion ate in silence, his mind drifting back to the previous day. The excitement of signing up for the Archery Guild still lingered, but so did the nervousness. Today, someone would come. If he had been accepted, they would knock on his door with the news. If not... well, he didn’t want to think about that.
The hours stretched on, and as he finished his meal, Aelion found himself pacing the small room. He cleaned up the dishes, wiped down the counters, and then went to his room to inspect his outfit. Today had to be perfect.
He laid out a simple black tunic and tan pants, the same ones he had worn the day before. The tunic was plain but well-made, a gift from his father on his last birthday, and it fit him well. The pants were worn but comfortable, the fabric soft from years of use. Aelion smoothed out the wrinkles in the tunic, running his fingers over the stitching as he carefully pulled it over his head.
Standing in front of the mirror, he adjusted the fit, making sure everything sat neatly on his slender frame. His reflection stared back at him, the familiar sight of his white hair braided down his back, his green eyes sharp with focus. He looked the part of someone ready to join the Archery Guild, but the question remained, would they accept him?
Time seemed to crawl by. He moved from one task to another, doing anything he could to keep his mind busy. He polished his bow, checked the condition of his quiver, and rearranged the books on the small shelf in the corner of the living room. But every now and then, he found himself glancing toward the door, his heart skipping a beat at the faintest sound.
It wasn’t until midday, when the sun had begun to rise high into the sky, that a knock echoed through the small house. Aelion froze, his heart leaping into his throat. For a moment, he stood still, unsure if he had imagined the sound. But then it came again, a firm, confident knock.
He rushed to the door, his hand hovering over the handle for a second before he finally pulled it open.
Standing on the other side was a young man, perhaps a few years older than Aelion, with a broad smile on his face. He wore the deep green cloak of the Archery Guild, its silver crest emblazoned proudly on the left side of his chest. In his hand, he held a rolled-up piece of parchment, the wax seal of the guild still intact.
“Morning,” the young man said, his voice cheerful, almost too cheerful for how nervous Aelion felt.
“Hi, my name is Zuro, an apprentice of this city’s Archer’s Guild. Sorry it took me some time to get here today, but we have great news,” he paused for dramatic effect, “you’ve been accepted into the guild! All you have to do is sign this contract and bring it with you to the guild before next week. Training starts soon, so don’t wait too long!”
Aelion’s heart pounded in his chest as he listened, his eyes darting between Zuro’s face and the parchment in his hand. He could barely focus, his thoughts spinning with anticipation.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Zuro handed him the parchment, and Aelion hesitated for a moment before carefully breaking the seal. The scroll unfurled in his hands, revealing a carefully written contract outlining the terms of his acceptance into the Archery Guild. His eyes skimmed over the words, but his mind could barely process them.
It was real. He had been accepted.
Aelion felt a rush of excitement surge through him, the weight of his doubts and fears lifting slightly. This was the moment he had been waiting for. The dream of joining the guild, of becoming an archer worthy of his father’s legacy, was finally within reach.
Zuro’s voice pulled him back to the present.
“Now don’t go on thinking these things are just for fun, we’ve had much too many young men like ourselves try to do this just for money or a place to stay, it’s hard work. So if you sign this, mean it.”
Aelion nodded, though his thoughts were still buzzing with excitement. He took the quill that Zuro offered him and, with a steady hand, signed his name at the bottom of the contract. The ink dried quickly, sealing his fate.
As soon as the quill left the parchment, Zuro smiled even wider.
“Congratulations Aelion, we hope to see you in a few days!”
Aelion stood there for a moment, still holding the parchment, his mind racing with possibilities. He could hardly believe it, he was now a member of the Archery Guild. The nervous anticipation that had gripped him all morning gave way to a sense of purpose, of excitement for what lay ahead.
Zuro clapped him on the shoulder, a friendly gesture that snapped Aelion out of his thoughts.
“Take care of yourself.”
“You as well, thank you so much!”
Aelion watched as Zuro walked down the street, disappearing into the crowd of people that filled the city. The door closed with a soft click behind him, and for the first time since waking, Aelion felt a sense of calm settle over him.
He was no longer waiting. The future was set in motion, and his journey was about to begin.
Aelion set the signed parchment on the small table and sat down, staring at it for a long moment. The contract, simple as it was, represented everything he had been hoping for. But now that it was real, now that the excitement was starting to fade, the weight of what he had signed up for began to sink in.
The training would be hard. The expectations are high. And though he had dreamed of this moment for years, doubt still lingered at the edges of his mind. What if he wasn’t good enough? What if he failed, just as his father had?
The thought of his father’s injury flashed in his mind again, the memory of the dream still fresh. Aelion shook his head, pushing the fear aside. This was his chance, his opportunity to prove himself. He couldn’t afford to think like that.
Standing, Aelion walked to the window and looked out over the city. The afternoon sun bathed Aethercrest in warm light, casting long shadows over the streets. In the distance, he could see the spires of the guild halls rising above the rooftops, a reminder of what was to come.
Tomorrow, his training would begin. And though the road ahead was uncertain, one thing was clear, Aelion would give everything he had to succeed. He would not let doubt or fear hold him back.
Not now.
#
As the excitement of signing the contract slowly gave way to a quiet sense of reality, Aelion found himself sitting at the small table once more, staring at the parchment where his signature now marked his commitment to the Archery Guild. The house had fallen into a deep silence, the hum of the city beyond the windows barely registering in his mind.
His thoughts turned, as they often did, to his parents. They weren’t supposed to return for weeks, perhaps even longer depending on the success of the fishing charter. A part of him wished they had been here today, to see the parchment, to hear the news firsthand. He could picture the proud smile on his mother’s face, the quiet nod of approval from his father. But for now, they were somewhere far off at sea, working hard to provide for the people of Aethercrest.
Aelion stood and moved to the small writing desk in the corner of the room. There, tucked into a drawer, were a few sheets of parchment, a quill, and a small bottle of ink. He pulled them out carefully, setting them on the desk before lighting a small lamp to cast a soft glow over the paper.
He dipped the quill into the ink and stared at the blank page for a moment, wondering how to begin. There was so much he wanted to say, so much he wanted them to know.
Finally, the words came, and the quill scratched softly across the parchment as he began to write.
Mother and Father,
I hope this letter finds you both well and safe. I can only imagine the hard work you’re doing, and I wish I could be there to help, but as you know, things have been changing for me here.
I have some news I couldn’t wait to share with you. Yesterday, I signed up for the Archery Guild, and today, I received confirmation that I’ve been accepted. I signed the contract just hours ago, and my training begins tomorrow.
It’s a dream I’ve had for so long, one I know you both understand well. Father, I know what happened to you all those years ago, but I believe that’s made me even more determined to succeed. I’m ready to take on this challenge and see where it leads. I know the training will be difficult, but I’m ready for it. I have to be.
I wanted to let you know before you return home, as I may not be here when you arrive. Don’t worry if the house feels empty, I’ll be at the guild halls, focused on my training. But I promise I’ll come visit you as soon as I can. I can’t wait to tell you everything in person and show you how much I’ve learned.
Please take care of yourselves out there, and know that I’m thinking of you both. I love you, and I’m proud to be your son.
With all my heart,
Aelion
Aelion leaned back in his chair, letting the ink dry on the page as he read over his words. He hoped the letter would ease their minds, though he could imagine his mother worrying about him regardless. His father... well, his father might have mixed feelings about it all, but Aelion hoped that someday, he would see this as a second chance, not just for him, but for their family’s name.
He folded the parchment carefully, sealing it with a small piece of wax, before setting it on the table where they would easily find it when they returned. It would be weeks, perhaps longer, before they read the letter, but when they did, he hoped it would fill them with the same pride and hope he felt now.
The thought of them returning home to an empty house tugged at his heart, but this was the path he had chosen. They would understand. They always had.
The house fell back into silence as Aelion moved away from the desk. He extinguished the lamp, the room returning to the dim glow of the fading afternoon light. Tomorrow, everything would change. He would take his first steps into the life he had always dreamed of, into the guild his father had once aspired to join. And though doubt still gnawed at the edges of his mind, Aelion knew this was his chance.
The letter would wait for them. And when they returned, they would know.
He stood by the window for a moment longer, watching as the last rays of sunlight dipped below the horizon. The city beyond was alive with the sounds of evening, the hum of machines, the distant chatter of people, and the flicker of lights from the tall spires of Aethercrest. Somewhere out there, the guild awaited him.
With a soft breath, Aelion turned away from the window and prepared for bed. It had been a long day, and though his heart still beat with excitement, the weight of the coming days settled over him like a heavy blanket. He lay down, his body tired but his mind still buzzing with the possibilities of tomorrow, for he would be taking his contract to the guild first thing in the morning.