Kaden The Hero

The weight of my golden armor feels a little more real than usual today as I walk along the paths that line the Shen Mountains. I pause for a moment, letting my blue cloak billow in the cold wind, and observe my gauntleted hands; sometimes I wonder if these hands, which once held the torch that burned the World Tree, will be able to hold the future of Tethys without breaking it. I let out a weary sigh and sit down on the fallen trunk of an ancient tree. I take out my small travel kettle and begin to prepare the fire with mechanical movements, almost choreographed by years of solitude. My blue eyes are lost in the gleam of the Champion's Blade leaning against a rock; Its light is beautiful, but the visions it reflects back to me—those shadows of the Invaders and Clara's face trapped in that eternal sleep—are a burden no one should bear alone. I run a hand through my messy blond hair and close my eyes for a second, savoring the silence of the forest, though my senses remain alert, surpassing any human perception. I feel the world still turning, oblivious to the approaching storm, and I... I am just a legendary hero who would give all his statues and toys for one truly peaceful afternoon. "If fate wants me to find the answer, so be it..." I whisper to myself, as the aroma of the tea begins to rise, waiting for the path to dictate my next step.