It was a warm and sunny day, with a gentle breeze rustling through my hair as I reclined in the lush green grass. The melodious songs of birds filled the air, their colorful feathers catching the sunlight as they danced through the sky. The softness of the grass beneath me invited me to take a peaceful nap, while the scent of blooming wildflowers wafted through the air, adding a touch of sweet fragrance to the surroundings.

"Lewin!"

I let out a groan, reluctant to be disturbed from my moment of tranquility. I slowly cracked open one eye and glanced around. Neb, a tiny white griffin, was quickly searching for something presumably me. I debated with myself for a moment. Ignoring him would let me go back to my nap, but after a few seconds of thought, I decided against it and set up.

"What's the hurry, Neb? Can't I enjoy a few moments of laziness?" I grumbled, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

Neb fluttered excitedly, his beak widening into a grin. "I've been looking everywhere for you! Your uncle sent me to fetch you."

Letting out a dramatic sigh, I stretched my limbs and pulled blades of grass out of my hair. My sleep addled senses perking up a bit at the view before. From the grassy hillside, I could see the rolling landscape stretching out into the distance, dotted with vibrant wildflowers and ancient trees. The sunlight filtered through the leaves, creating a dappled pattern on the ground.

"Alright, Neb. Give me a moment and I'll go see what he wants."

Neb's smile widened, his wings flapping eagerly. "Your uncle said that if I bring you back within the hour, he'll give me a silver coin!"

I raised an eyebrow, That was a bit much for a simple passing of a message. Whatever it was Uncle probably weren’t to see me as soon as possible. Without hesitation, I reached into my bag and tossed a small silver coin to Neb. The sunlight glinted off the coin as Neb caught it with wide eyes.

"There you go, Neb. Now go tell my uncle I'll be on my way shortly. And make sure not to buy too many sweets. Your mom wouldn’t be happy with me if you got too fat to fly. "

With a quick salute, Neb took off into the sky, his wings propelling him towards the castle. I sighed, realizing that I had just spent all the money I had brought with me. No snacks for me today, but perhaps a visit to the castle kitchen would be in order later. I picked up my bag, feeling the weight of the book within, and began walking back towards the city of Grifden.

As I made my way through the peaceful path, surrounded by the harmonious sounds of nature, I couldn't help but whistle a tune, adding my own spirit to the melody. The path was lined with tall, majestic trees, their branches reaching towards the sky. Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the foliage, casting a warm glow on the path ahead. The occasional rustle of small animals scurrying through the underbrush added to the symphony of nature.

The time seemed to pass all too quickly, the city of Grifden came into view. Nestled amidst the grasslands and protected by hills and ridges; the city had grown quickly in the past few years, expanding from a small village to what it was today. From my vantage point, I could see the sprawling cityscape, the buildings made of a mix of wood and stone, blending seamlessly with the natural surroundings. The city walls, still under construction, were beginning to take shape, their sturdy structure promising protection and security.

I observed the bustling activity of people going about their daily lives, the sounds of haggling, cart wheels on stone streets, and the laughter of children filling the air. The vibrant market stalls lined the streets, displaying a colorful array of goods, from fresh produce to intricately crafted artisan wares. The aroma of freshly baked bread and aromatic spices wafted from the nearby food stalls, enticing passersby with their tempting scents.

As I approached the city gates, I noticed two familiar figures engaged in a heated argument. Henry, the architect, with his burly physique and white beard, stood tall and imposing. Galen, the chief magical advisor, may have appeared older, but his sharp wit and knowledge made up for his aging appearance. Their voices echoed through the air as they passionately debated their differing opinions, their gestures animated and expressive.

Trying to avoid being caught in the middle of their argument, I attempted to slip past unnoticed. But just as I thought I had succeeded, their voices grew louder and closer, making it clear that my stealthy escape would be harder than I thought.

“ I told you, you crazy old twat that we need to lay the protective enchantments after the wall is finished so that it will be one cohesive hole.

“And I told you Overgrown ox that if we lay the enchantments as we go the wall will be ten times stronger.”

A spark of the annoyance lit up in me. These two had always been at each other’s throat even before my uncle commissioned them to build the wall. ever since then the fighting seem to have gotten ten times worse and no one in town could get a lick of sleep. I had almost made it past them through the main gate when my attempt at stealth was nearly foiled.

“Hello my Lord back already are you.” One of the guards at the mostly finished gate was waving me over. I quickly sprinted to the other side of the wall and pressed that back to it. After waiting a few seconds and not hearing any breaking of the fighting on the other side of the wall I relaxed. I looked over at the guard with a frown as he waved me over.

“Are you trying to get me caught up in all of that? In the next thirty minutes being forced to pick aside on whether a stone should be two inches to the left or two inches to the right.” I looked the guard up and down. He was giving me a sheepish grin. I couldn't remember his name but I did recognize him.

“Sorry, my lord. You just surprised me by returning so soon. Normally when you go for your walks you're not back till late.” He scratched the back of his head as he said this giving an apologetic grin for his near blunder. I sighed as I looked back at him my annoyance fading.

“No, it's fine. I'm back early because my uncle wants to see me for some reason. I just don't have any time to get caught up and all the drama over there.” I pointed my thumb over my shoulder toward the argument that was still going on. “I swear if they put half as much effort into working as they do fighting they could have finished this entire project in the first day.

The guard grinned showing his teeth. “You're telling me, my lord. At least you don't have to stand out here and listen to him every day. Sometimes I wonder why I even need to be out here at all. With those two going at it every day any troublemakers steer clear of the area.

We shared a quick laugh as I turned back to continue my walk. As I did I was struck once again by the simple beauty of my home. Sure it might not be as elegant or as masterfully made as some of the larger cities in Concordia but there was just something about it. Stone brick streets, wood and stone buildings. It might not be much to some but it was still home to me. Moving deeper into the city I walked onto the main Commerce Street. The sounds of vendors loudly shouting their wears while customers haggled for a more reasonable price played on my ears as I walked steadily forward. My eyes danced as I took in all the different colors and moving shapes of all the citizens in the market today. Many different shapes stood out in the crowd. True most of them were human but I could still make out the form of a few Wolfkin that stood about a head taller than most of the crowd. My eyes also caught a few glimpses of sunlight reflecting off scales as a few lizard folk made their way through the crowd. Easiest of all to see were the few griffins flapping their wings overhead as they carried baskets from merchant to merchant picking up their daily needs. I slipped quickly into the crowd the motion familiar to me. Dodge basket here, wait for a man in front of you to move, step over that person's tail. I always seemed to lose myself when I was in a crowd. All the different shapes and bodies moving around always seem just to swallow me up and make me just another ordinary person without any responsibilities. I wouldn't say it was relaxing like it was out in the forest. There was just too much movement.

Soon enough I found myself leaving the crowd as I exited the main Market Street. Grifden castle wasn't really a castle. Sure it had a few parapets and had servants quarters and a main hall but from my experience, it's what most Lords would refer to as their summer getaway cottage. Now that didn't mean it was a small building far from it. The tall towers stood 50 ft taller than any other buildings in town. It's flags waving merrily is it stared benevolently down at the city below. I watched as a few grins flew in and out of some of the taller towers most likely delivering messages or bringing an important paper for my uncle to sign.

It wasn't long before I found myself at the main entrance. Green banners with golden trim decorated the hall. They blended nicely with the mostly wood interior. A soft forest smell tickled my nose as I passed through the familiar halls. Servant bustled back and forth carrying sheets and other laundry, some held few plates and I was pretty sure that one was dusting the same few suits of armor that she was this morning when I left the castle.

Now on its own it wasn’t odd to see a few servants here and there cleaning or doing laundry but it was very unusual to see so many so busy all of a sudden. Usually, we only had a few on staff at a give him time. My uncle wasn't known for throwing large parties like some other nobles did. For the most part he kept to himself and only interacted with other nobility when working on a business contract.

“Maybe this has something to do with why he called me back to the castle so early?” I mumbled as I climbed the staircase. I thought about asking one of the servants about it but thought better of it. No need to bother them when I would know soon enough.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

As I reached the top of the staircase, I turned left to head towards my uncles study. Suddenly, as I rounded the corner, I nearly bumped into a large man. His imposing figure stopped abruptly, and he stared down at me. On either side of him stood two massive dogs. The one on the right seem to radiate heat as a red glow seem to emanate from deep within its chest. The other dog looked at me. It’s eyes piercing and cold. It’s blue fur seem to shimmer like frozen crystals. The man was adorned with several rings on his fingers. Each of them held gemstones that seem to have a faint glow. Looking up at his face, I was struck by how similar his cheekbones made him look to a bulldog. A flicker of memory stirred within me. After a brief moment of recognition, a name started to come to me. I think I went with my uncle to one of the parties that he had hosted. While my uncle wasn't one for hosting parties, he certainly wasn't one to turn them down. Typically, when he attended, he would bring either me or Aster. I think his name was Dogmile, or was it Dogman? Well, I knew it at least started with "dog" something. I could only remember that because I knew that whoever he was, his family owned one of the largest beasteries in the known world. He looked down at me, and his eyes narrowed for a second before opening, and he gave me a warm smile.

"Ah, Lewin! It's good to see you again. I think the last time I saw you, you were only up to my waist. You've grown so much since the last time I saw you," he remarked, his expression dimming a little as he paused, as if he was thinking about what he was going to say next. "You look so much like your father. Sure, you're not as tall as him, but I'd say in a few years, you'd be the spitting image of him. I knew him back from the old days when we were both attending the Masterwork Academy. I remember it like it was yesterday. It was our third year, and we were entering the fighting tournament during the winter solstice festival. I can still hear the applause of the stadium as the battle went on. Oh, what a fight it was. Eventually, it was just me, two of my dogs, and one of my other teammates, and there standing alone was your father. For a minute, we thought we had him cornered. We gave him the option to surrender right there," Dogman stopped and gave out a short bark of a laugh. "Do you know what he said? He said, 'Why, it's just starting to be a fair fight.' Oh, that man, he fought like a beast. One moment we were patting ourselves on the backs for our victory, the next we were lying in the dirt," Dogman's tone became wistful as he reminisced about the past. But slowly, the smile began to slip from his face again.

"When I heard what had happened, I was up in arms. Everbloom had fallen, impossible. How was I the first to send troops and supplies?" The silence stretched on for a moment, and I didn't know what to say. Old memories began to twist and rise, trying to come to the surface, but I pushed them down and ignored them. I always found a difficult thinking back to that night. And anytime someone brought up my father old fear would begin to try to claw its way back up to the surface.

I tried to come up with a response, but before I could, he spoke again.

“ Well it was wonderful seeing you again Lewin. But I’ve got to go you know how busy life can be.” Finished speaking he stopped past me, putting his hand on my shoulder for a second. The two dogs trail behind him.

I was left for a moment. had you really just had a whole conversation basically with himself? I shook my head, casting the thoughts out and turned to continue my way to my uncle. It wasn’t long before I made my way to the end of the hall and took another flight of stairs. before I knew it, I’d already made it to.

The study door creaked open as I entered, revealing a room bathed in warm, natural light. Sunbeams danced through the windows, casting intricate patterns on the walls. The air was filled with the scent of old books and the faint aroma of ink. Filing cabinets and stacks of papers lined the room, a testament to my uncle's meticulous nature. But what caught my attention was the ornate wooden desk that stood at the center, adorned with exquisite carvings of intertwining leaves and blooming flowers.

Seated behind the desk in his wheelchair, my uncle looked up from his work, his eyes lighting up with joy as he saw me. His smile was radiant, capable of melting away any worry or sorrow. He beckoned me to come closer, his voice filled with warmth.

"Ah, Lewn, my dear nephew. I apologize for interrupting your day off, but I have something important to discuss with you."

Intrigued by his tone, I moved closer. There was an air of excitement surrounding my uncle, and I couldn't help but feel a bit of anticipation.

"Uncle, what is it?" I asked, curiosity bubbled over.

With a twinkle in his eye, my uncle posed a question that caught me off guard.

"Do you know what you want to do in life, Lewn? Have you thought about the path you wish to pursue?"

For a moment, I was taken aback. The question seemed to hang in the air, begging for introspection. I had always assumed that my future lay in assisting my uncle with his merchant business or serving as an advisor to my cousin Aster, who was set to inherit the lordship. But my uncle's question hinted at something different, something beyond the realm of familiarity.

"I... I had always imagined myself supporting Aster and managing the land, Uncle. Besides that I haven’t really given it much thought.," I replied, my voice tinged with uncertainty.

My uncle chuckled, his laughter echoing through the study. It was a sound that filled the room with joy and reassurance.

"Ah, dear Lewn, your dedication to our family is commendable. But I had something else in mind for you," he said, his eyes gleaming with a secret.

My curiosity peaked, I leaned in closer, eager to hear his revelation.

"I have recently sealed a contract with Lord Hounden, and the upfront costs alone would allow me to sponsor both you and Aster to attend the master work Academy to become adventures.," my uncle declared, his voice brimming with excitement.

The words hung in the air, and my heart skipped a beat. Become an Adventure? The idea awakened a dormant flame within me, igniting a mix of exhilaration and trepidation. Images of heroic knights, powerful wizards, and intrepid explorers flooded my mind, evoking childhood tales and legends.

My mind raced, torn between the security of the familiar and the allure of the unknown. how many times have I dreamed of this opportunity? How many nightmares had I had?

I just stood there for a minute. Not knowing what to say the silence seemed to ripple and rive like a serpent ready to strike. My throat seem dry. I was finding it hard to find words.

“I…. I don’t know. It's every kid's dream to someday become an adventurer and have Legends and stories told about them but I don't know if I can take those kinds of risks.”

I don't know if I can be a hero.

The last was a whisper in my head. Because that's what they were weren't they? Heroes. Adventures traveled the land fighting monsters slaying evil helping those in need. How could that be me. Sure I received some basic training in how to use a sword but so did most nobles. I was strong for my age but nothing special. What part of me could possibly be a hero that they would write legends about.

My uncle's eyes turn sad for a moment. A soft expression replaced his grin. He slowly reached down and wield his chair out from behind the desk.

“Look at me Lwen.”

I did. I saw the two stumps where his legs used to be. I saw how his back twisted in the wrong way. And I knew why his body was like this. Guilt flooded me and I looked down. Stones had crushed his legs and needed to be amputated, As he was pulling me from Everbloom Castle, ten years ago. His back was broken and twisted because he shielded me with his body. My uncle was a hero. And the part of me that thought that I could be a hero was scared, Because I knew what it cost to be one.

Lwen listen to me. When I was young my father gave me and your father the choice of going to the Masterwork Academy. I decided to pursue a life as a merchant while your father chose to go to the academy. I know without making my choice or people would have suffered even more because I wouldn't have been able to render them the sanctuary and aid that I have otherwise. But some days I wonder if I had gone to the academy when I still have my legs. Would I have had the strength to save more of our people. I see so much of your father in you and he was something special. If you don't want to go and take a different path I will support you but I want to make sure you have the opportunity to have the strength that I didn't.” As he finished his eyes almost pleaded with me. I could see the pain of years heavy on him. And I believed that he genuinely was trying to give me the chance to not make the same mistakes he did but yet I still wasn't sure.

"Uncle, I... I don't know. I want to, but I don’t know if that’s me. ," I admitted.

"I know just how you feel. I felt the same fear when my father gave me the choice. And I when I felt that fear I ran from it. I'll tell you what, I'll have you enrolled. The term doesn't start for the next two months. If you decide to do something else, we can have you unenrolled, and I'll support whatever you decide to do instead. If you change your mind, let me know."

"Thank you, Uncle. I truly mean it," I said, giving him a smile.

"Go ahead and think about it. I have paperwork to do, and you still have a day off to enjoy," he replied, the earlier light returning to his eyes as he smiled and waved me away.

As I left the room, the weight of my decision hung heavy in the air. The castle corridors were dimly lit, casting long shadows on the walls. The sound of my footsteps echoed through the empty halls, matching the turmoil in my mind. I wandered aimlessly, lost in thought, as the afternoon sun slowly began to set, casting a warm golden glow through the stained glass windows.

My stomach grumbled loudly, reminding me of the passing hours since I last ate. I made my way to the bustling kitchens, where the aroma of freshly baked bread and simmering soups filled the air. The cooks glanced at me curiously as I stumbled in, lost in my thoughts. I grabbed a chunk of cheese and a bit of dried meat, hastily assembling a makeshift meal. The flavors were lost to me, as my mind was consumed by the decision at hand.

Lost in my own world, I continued to pace through the castle, murmuring to myself, oblivious to the strange looks from the staff I encountered. At one point, my distraction nearly led me to collide headfirst into a wall. I managed to halt my steps just in time, my heart pounding in my chest as I regained my bearings.

It was then that Neb swooped over to me. His tiny wings flapped excitedly as he asked about my conversation with my uncle. I explained my dilemma, and his eyes widened with a mix of awe and admiration.

"So you're going to be an adventurer?" he exclaimed, his voice filled with boundless enthusiasm. He couldn't contain his excitement and began to do little loops in the air, as if already envisioning the grand adventures we would embark on together. "That's so cool! I've always wanted to be an adventurer."

I couldn't help but crack a smile at Neb's infectious enthusiasm. "Well, I'm not sure if I'm going to. I haven't decided..." I trailed off as he fluttered away, undoubtedly off to share the news with the other children, who would undoubtedly embellish the tale of Lewn the Great and Powerful.

As evening fell, the castle came alive with the warm glow of candlelight. The grand dining hall was filled with laughter and chatter as the nobles and servants gathered for their evening meal. But for me, the food on my plate remained untouched as I continued to wrestle with my thoughts. The debate raged on in my mind, each argument battling against the other, until exhaustion finally took hold.

When I finally rested my head against my pillow, the moon casting a soft glow through the window, a final thought of hope emerged. Could that be me, I wondered, my heart filled with a glimmer of possibility. Could I truly be a hero, an adventurer.