Resident warrior

Chapter 9

Years later, Ethan, now 15, was relentless in his training, pushing himself to become a warrior. He was alone, missing his mentor, Dustin, but determination fueled his every move. "You'll never make it, Ethan," he heard Flora's voice call out from behind him. Just then, Flora rushed in, her eyes sparkling with urgency.

"Ethan! Someone's here to see you!"

"I'm coming!" he shouted back, curiosity piquing as he hurried downstairs. To his surprise, he found a commanding figure waiting for him—the leader of the Dragon Clan.

"Who are you?" Ethan demanded, eyes narrowing.

"I'm Kane, the commander of the Dragon Clan," he replied, his voice steady. "I need to talk to you."

"Fine. Just give me a second," Ethan said, waving Flora to wait. "What is going on?"

"He just wants to speak with you," Flora reassured him.

"Whatever. Why's he here? I'm not just leaving with him," Ethan insisted, crossing his arms defiantly.

"But Ethan, this is your chance to become a warrior!" Flora pleaded.

"I can't just up and leave you! You've taken care of me like a mother. I want my dream, but I can't abandon you," he replied, a hint of desperation in his voice.

"Listen to me, Ethan," Flora urged, her tone serious. "Dreams don't die. It's okay to stumble and fall; only those who never try truly fail. If you have a dream, chase it!"

Taking a deep breath, Ethan realized he needed to see what Kane wanted. "Alright, I'll talk to him," he decided, determination hardening his resolve.

Kane smiled. "Good! So, Ethan, how's your training going?"

"I'm doing well, just training hard," Ethan replied.

Kane nodded, intrigued. "Training alone?"

"I was with Dustin when I was a kid. He found me when I was born, after my parents died. He was going to kill me, but then Flora's sister stopped him. She took me in and named me Ethan. Dustin wasn't pleased, but he trained me. Then one day, something happened during training—I passed out. When I woke up, Flora was there, and I didn't see Dustin again after that..." Ethan's voice trailed off, haunted by memories.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Kane said, his tone softening. "But I'm here to help you start anew. I want you to join us, Ethan. Together, we can build a kingdom of our own!"

"Please, join me, Ethan," Kane urged, his eyes gleaming with ambition.

Ethan took a moment to consider. "Fine. I'll do it!"

"Great! I'll see you soon then," Kane promised, a satisfied grin on his face.

Eager to share the news, Ethan rushed back to Flora. "Flora, I'm joining him!"

"What? You need to enter a tournament to join any clan. You have to win!" Flora reminded him, her brow furrowed with concern.

"I'll train hard to win that tournament!" Ethan declared, fueled by unwavering resolve.

"Whatever you decide, don't stop! Keep pushing forward!" Flora encouraged him.

With steadfast determination, Ethan dove into his training, preparing for the tournament that would change his life forever. Four months of sweat and toil passed, and he was ready.

"I'm going to the tournament!" Ethan exclaimed, confidence radiating from him.

"Be careful, Ethan! This won't be easy," Flora warned, her voice laced with concern.

With his heart pounding and dreams shining bright, Ethan stepped into the unknown, knowing this was just the beginning of his journey.

To be continued...