The morning air hit Kael's face as he made his way toward the Order. He had left behind the cold bench where he had spent the night. Although he hadn't slept well, he kept going without faltering. The night had been uncomfortable. He woke up with a stiff neck and the feeling that he hadn't rested at all.
The bench wasn't the most comfortable, so he had to find a place to spend the night. He stretched his body, watching as the streets of Valmeria began to come alive with the hustle and bustle of the morning.
The smells of food, the bustle of merchants opening their stalls, adults doing their morning shopping, and soldiers patrolling with a steady gait.
Valmeria was a city that never seemed to stop, but Kael barely noticed the life around him. His head was filled with other thoughts: his mission, the reason he was there, the mystery behind his parents' death. Everything else was background noise.
When he arrived, the large iron gates of the barracks opened before him, and Ragnar greeted him with a gesture that left no room for questions.
—Go take a shower— he ordered bluntly, pointing to a nearby hallway. —Then head to class. You have a lot to learn if you want to stay here.
Kael nodded silently. The hot water in the shower relieved his fatigue, but the discomfort of the night did not disappear. When he got out, he got dressed and walked to his classroom. The Order was a place that breathed discipline, and everything around him reminded him of how alien he felt.
The classroom was full when Kael arrived. Several recruits were already seated, looking disdainfully at the newcomer. He didn't worry about that. He sat at the back, not wanting to draw attention to himself, as the instructor began to talk about magic and combat tactics.
The information was foreign to him, as if he were listening in a language he did not yet understand. He knew he should concentrate on the lessons, but his thoughts constantly drifted to the past.
As the class progressed, his eyes met Amara's. She was sitting next to him, watching everything with an air of disinterest. When she noticed Kael looking at her, she raised an eyebrow, gave him a piercing look, and looked away, annoyed.
The class continued, and Kael tried to stay focused, even though the instructor's words were going in one ear and out the other. He knew that all of this was just part of the process. But he was struggling to want to learn.
When the class ended, the other recruits quickly got up. Many of them gathered in small circles, chatting and laughing among themselves. Amara, however, did not seem to be in a hurry to leave. When she passed by Kael, she said to him.
—I don't understand what Ragnar saw in you— she said, in a dry, almost annoyed tone.
Kael didn't look at her. Instead of answering, he got up from his seat and left the room, feeling her gaze fixed on his back. He didn't want to waste time with her, not when he had something more important on his mind.
He walked through the corridors of the barracks, and when he reached the exit, Ragnar was standing in front of him, as always, with a serious expression and his arms crossed.
—I hope you're adjusting to this?— he asked, looking at him intently.
Kael looked at him without speaking, without giving an immediate answer. Ragnar always had that way of looking at him, as if he could see right through him. It wasn't easy to contradict him, but he didn't need words of encouragement. He already knew what awaited him.
—Don't expect everything to be handed to you on a silver platter— Ragnar continued. —Here, as anywhere else, you have to earn it. Every day will be a battle.—
Kael didn't respond. He knew Ragnar was right, but what mattered to him was what would happen next. He didn't plan on staying there long. When he found the opportunity, he would move forward with his true mission.
Night was falling, and the barracks were still a strange place for him. However, he couldn't afford to stay there all the time. He needed to find at least somewhere to spend the night again.