The bird that doesn't leave

Ren had long since stopped expecting anything.
The world around him continued as it always did—moving forward, changing, leaving him behind. The school halls were filled with students who carried strong titles, their names alone granting them power and authority.
Lightning Prince.Titan’s Fist.Phantom Blade.
Titles that inspired fear and respect.
And then there was him.
Cowardly King.
A title that invited nothing but laughter.
Ren didn’t care. Or at least, that’s what he told himself. He stayed in the background, watching, never standing out.
But even if he wanted to remain unnoticed, there was one undeniable truth:
A king, even a cowardly one, still carries a presence.
People didn’t fear him. They didn’t admire him.
But they never forgot him.

One day, something strange happened.
Ren was sitting on the school rooftop, away from the others, watching the sky. It was one of the few places he could be alone.
That’s when it landed in front of him.
A black crow.
It cocked its head, studying him.
Ren stared back, confused. Crows weren’t rare, but this one was… different. There was something unsettling about its gaze, something that felt almost too intelligent.
He gave a small command in his mind.
"Come closer."
The crow did.
Ren frowned. Normally, when he controlled creatures, there was a feeling—a connection, a subtle force that linked him to them.
But this crow… it moved on its own.
It listened without being controlled.
That had never happened before.
He watched as it took a step closer, then another.
For the first time in years, something curious sparked in his chest.
"What are you?" he wondered.

Ren continued his usual life of avoiding attention, but the crow never left.
It followed him.
Everywhere.
On the rooftop. In the streets. Even outside his home.
No matter how many times he ignored it, it stayed.
He tried controlling it again—forcing it to leave, to fly away.
It refused.
This wasn’t like the other creatures.
This was something else.
Ren couldn’t understand why, but for the first time, something about his title—his supposed weakness—felt off.
If he was nothing but a coward, if his power was so useless, then why…
Why was this bird different?

Unfortunately, Ren’s peaceful existence was about to end.
People started noticing the crow.
Some found it strange. Others found it annoying.
Leon Varien, however, found it amusing.
"Still playing with weak little things?" he sneered one day, cornering Ren in the hall. "You're like a beggar pretending to be royalty."
Ren didn't respond.
Leon’s smirk widened. "What’s so special about this one?"
Before Ren could react, Leon's hand ignited, fire dancing in his palm.
The crow, sitting on Ren’s shoulder, cawed loudly, its wings flaring.
Leon lunged forward.
And then—
It happened.
The First Command 
Ren moved before he could think.
A single command rang in his mind.
"Dodge."
The crow vanished in an instant. One moment it was on his shoulder, the next it was behind Leon—untouched by the flames.
Leon stumbled forward, his attack missing completely.
Silence filled the hallway.
Ren’s eyes widened. That wasn’t normal. No creature had ever reacted that fast before.
Leon turned, furious, ready to attack again.
Ren didn’t think.
He didn’t plan.
He just commanded.
"Attack."
The crow struck.
It was too fast for anyone to react.
It wasn’t just a simple peck. The crow’s talons dug into Leon’s cheek, leaving three long, red marks across his face.
Leon staggered back, eyes wide with shock and rage.
Ren froze.
He had never ordered an attack before. Never made something harm another person.
And yet—
Something about it felt right.

Leon was furious, but he didn’t strike back. Not immediately.
He touched his bleeding cheek, glaring at Ren.
“You…” His voice was low, dangerous. “You actually did that?”
Ren didn't answer.
Leon took a step forward. The air grew hotter.
But before he could do anything, a teacher arrived.
“Enough,” the teacher said firmly, eyes moving between the two. “You know the rules. No fighting inside the halls.”
Leon clenched his fists but said nothing.
Instead, he simply smiled.
Not a kind smile. Not even an amused one.
A dangerous one.
“You’ll regret that, Cowardly King.”
With that, he walked away.
Ren didn’t move.
His heart was still pounding.
Not from fear.
From something else.
Something that felt like power.
A King’s First Step 
That night, Ren sat in his room, staring at the crow.
"You’re not normal," he muttered.
The bird stared back, unmoving.
For the first time in his life, Ren felt like his title wasn’t completely useless.
For the first time, he felt like he had something.
A small piece of control.
A small piece of power.
And yet, he didn’t understand.
Why?
Why was this crow different?
Why had his title allowed him to give a command like that?
And most importantly—
Why did he feel like this was only the beginning?