"Shoot, boy," Elias hissed, his face flushed with the rare sting of imperfection. "Or are you waiting for the wind to apologize for your lack of talent?"
In that moment, Kaelen realized that if he won, he would be doing exactly what Elias had done: tying his entire worth to a piece of metal and the roar of a crowd. A Test of Pride
For Kaelen, the Kingdom’s Archery Trials were the only way to restore his family’s disgraced name. Every arrow he notched was a debt he intended to pay. For Elias, the reigning champion, the tournament was a formality—a pedestal he believed he owned by divine right. "Shoot, boy," Elias hissed, his face flushed with
Kaelen left the silver behind. He had entered the trial to save his name, but he left having saved himself from the pride that had nearly swallowed him whole. Every arrow he notched was a debt he intended to pay
Kaelen stepped to the line. He felt the weight of his father’s old bow, scarred and unpolished. He watched the grass. He waited.
Kaelen shifted his stance. He didn't aim for the gold. He aimed for the very top of the target frame—a nearly impossible correction for the wind he felt coming. He released.
The arrow soared, caught the thermal, and slammed into the dead center of the bullseye, splitting the air with a definitive thwack . The silence was absolute. Kaelen had won.