Chapter 8 — A Chance Encounter

Kaelen walked through the bustling streets of Valenheart, his cloak pulled low, his hood casting a shadow over his face. Merchants shouted their wares, children darted between stalls, and the distant clang of a blacksmith’s hammer echoed in the air. Yet Kaelen noticed nothing but movement, timing, and intent—patterns in everything.

Near the town square, a commotion caught his eye. A young swordsman, barely more than a boy, was being challenged by a group of local ruffians. They swung recklessly, underestimating him, but he met each attack with skill and instinct, though not perfect.

Kaelen watched silently, analyzing every step, every swing, every defensive maneuver. The boy’s eyes burned with determination, a raw energy Kaelen hadn’t seen in years.

When the leader of the ruffians lunged with a wide, clumsy strike, Kaelen stepped forward, moving faster than the eye could follow. In a single motion, he intercepted the attack, disarming the man without harm, and sent him sprawling. The crowd of onlookers gasped.

The boy stared at him in wide-eyed amazement. “Who… who are you?”

Kaelen said nothing, merely sheathing the Morphblade beneath his cloak. “Potential,” he said quietly, almost to himself. “I see potential in you.”

The boy, still catching his breath, straightened. “Potential… I want to fight someone like you! Someone strong! Will you… train me?”

Kaelen paused, considering. He had no ties, no obligations, no desire for fame. Yet the spark in this boy reminded him of something long forgotten—the thrill of growth, the joy of teaching, the challenge of shaping raw potential.

“Very well,” Kaelen said finally. “But know this—training with me will not be easy.”

The boy grinned, eyes gleaming. “I wouldn’t have it any other way!”

Kaelen nodded subtly, his mind already calculating what lessons would come first. Outside the city, shadows moved. Monsters stirred. And somewhere in the distance, a story was beginning that would intertwine the fates of a boy and the legendary Mirrorblade.