As the sun rose over the horizon, I stood covered in the dark blood of what I had just killed. With my voice hoarse and unable to scream any longer, I reached up to the sky and grasped at it. In that moment I felt like I could reach up to the stars and hold the clouds themselves in my grip, beholding the view reserved only for the Gods.

For I had caught up. Caught up to them. Those who were once my friends. Those heroes.

I did not know of their fate in the end, only that they listened to my plea to run away. I lay helpless in the grasp of a horrid beast, too frightened to save even myself. I was truly lucky to have escaped in the end.

I screamed victoriously again, once I had caught enough of my breath. No matter how I tried to brush it away and try to calm down, I couldn't. For I had finally did it. I had killed that thing so incomprehensible that it made my heart stop the second I saw it. And now I could stand side-by-side with all of them. I could return to my friends, restart my life and put my future back on track. I would no longer be worthless, reduced to standing on the side-lines and being a bystander. Now I would be just like them. A Saviour.

* * *

Starting from when I was 6 years old, I would wake up at sunrise and run around town for an hour. Everyday without fail I'd do this. Whether I was ill or injured or even if it was raining, I would do it. Even now when I'm 8 years old, I still do it. Though the only reason I do do it was because of them. Brenden, Aquila and Sebas.

Known as the three prodigies of Aldfield, from a young age they showed spectacular potential as fighters, wizards and channelers. Although all of them possessed talent in the three arts of battle, they had their specialties. Brenden, a fighter; Aquila, a wizard; and Sebas, a channeler. However, they weren't just talented in the basics of their fields. It could be said that they were destined to be the strongest in their respective specialities. Brenden would follow the Path of The Gentle End; Aquila the Archmage's School of Domination; and Sebas the Old Covenant of Aldrich.

Me, though?

I am an ordinary child, in an ordinary family, in ordinary circumstances. I was with them all since I was young, before their talents were even recognised. Yet, I could feel myself being left behind. So I trained. I trained and trained and trained. I trained until I wasn't ordinary anymore. Yes, I became something other than ordinary!

I, Thanren of the Town of Aldfield, through all my trials and tribulations, became something a step above ordinary: uncommon.

Although I had trained, although I had suffered, all I was rewarded with was something barely better than ordinary. A talent in swordsmanship. When King Jerrick himself came to town with the Head of The Royal Guard in tow, the head declared that I had a talent. A talent that could make me a squire. A squire. Nothing more, nothing less. That man inadvertently doomed me to mediocrity. Not a knight or even a soldier, but a squire.

A man who would be trained and then kept forever as an attendant. I would never be a blademaster, or an archmage or a high priest, but a squire. Not even a squire for those three prodigies, but most likely a squire for a random knight who would abuse and mistreat me as I wasn't of proper heritage.

I would be left behind, those three never looking back at the puny boy trying desperately to catch up. Everyone in the town told me I was amazing. That I could be something as great as a squire! But it was all fake. They only put on those smiles and laughs to cheer me up after my dreams of being with the prodigies were crushed. Their real praises were towards them, and them only.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

I reckon even Brenden, Aquila and Sebas find me a nuisance, talking about me behind my back wishing that I would just leave them alone.

Yet I still followed. I refused to be just a squire. I would be with them, side-by-side, forever. I vowed to. So I still trained. I still ran every morning and practiced fighting in the afternoon. Those who saw my expression during training might call it sad or gloomy. But no. I was only determined to catch up.

"Ren!" Aquila called out to me. Knowing that I woke up earlier than Bren and Sebas, Aquila always tried her best to keep me company in the mornings so that I wasn't running around town alone just in case a beast came out and attacked me.

"You're up early again!" I beamed, making sure to put away my 'sad' face in exchange for a gleeful one. One more suitable for a child 'my age', whatever that meant.

"Yep. I'd be a sorry excuse of a mage's student if I didn't wake up and train earlier than someone half my age." Aquila said, running up to me and matching my pace as we jogged past someone's home.

"I see!"

No I don't. You don't need to wake up this early. You could wake up at midday and be just as good of a mage in the future than if you didn't. That was just how talented you were.

"Anyways, the speed's a bit slow for me. Mind if I quicken up the pace?" Aquila smiled eagerly.

"I don't mind at all!"

Yes I do. I'd be out of breath in a single lap at the pace you go.

"Thanks!" Aquila said, instantly zooming ahead of me at break-neck speed while barely breaking a sweat.

I tried my best to catch up but I realised it was futile when she lapped me in no time. I doubt she even saw me trying to speed up at how fast she was going. It was only when I slowed down that she made sure to remind me that I 'shouldn't be slacking' if I wanted to train effectively each day.

I couldn't tell if she was so self-deluded that she didn't notice me trying to train harder or that she was making fun of me. Either way I couldn't help but feel hopelessly frustrated.

Before I knew it, the sun was high in the air and Sebas and Bren had woke up. With that my morning run had ended.

"Good morning Aquila, Ren..." Bren said sleepily, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Good morning!" Me and Aquila said in unison, both of us slowing down to meet them.

"I'm still surprised you two actually wake up this early... You know you could just train longer in the night and forsake the early start?" Sebas asked, coming up from behind Bren.

"For a wizard trainee like myself, the mana concentration is the greatest in the mornings and weakest in the nights. It's far better for me to train earlier. And I can't go leaving little Ren on his own at the crack of dawn can I?" Aquila said, patting my head.

"I suppose not... Shall we get on with it then?" Sebas grinned, his gaze landing towards the edge of town where they all usually trained.

"Sure!" Bren replied, excited as always by training.

"Are you joining us, Thanren?" Sebas said, looking down on me.

"I can't join you just yet or I'll be late for breakfast!"

"That's a shame, we always enjoy your company."

How blatant. Leave it to Sebas to mock me in front of everyone. And knowing Aquila and Bren, they won't even acknowledge it. Their refusal to recognise it is in itself a form of encouragement.

"See you later then, Ren!" Bren and Aquila said, before joining Sebas as they walked to their personal training grounds.

I couldn't help but look at them in contempt. Every day they were like this. Patronising, humiliating and mocking. And they all pretended it didn't happen. As if they knew that the small, naïve child in front of them wouldn't know that what they were doing constitutes as bullying. Yet I knew. And I hated them all for it. I hate their power. I hate the town that worship them for it. And most of all, I hate myself for not being strong enough.

I don't care if I'm a nuisance. I don't care if they torment me. I will follow them. Follow them to the ends of the world just to get close enough. Close enough to destroy them all. To trample over their undeserving power. And this time, I would be the one leaving them in the dust.

I will earn what it rightfully mine.

Or else.

It was then that a voice I could not hear announced,

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