I was 9 years old and I had a small sword that was the length of my forearm and with the monsters that I had killed, little by little my strength increased tenfold but also my resistance.

Dad trained me every day and Father Damien made sure that I knew my lessons well if one day I could enter the academy at Britannia.

I was very careful to watch out for the guards and not to be noticed when I went to the capital to join Beth and her friends.

They came too, but Saphie was jealous.

She only had eyes for me... the other girls in the village too.

But when a nobleman appeared, it wasn't long before the eyes turned elsewhere. It hurt me, and although my father was a secondary hero, he wasn't a noble, and neither were his friends...

It undermined them to see us as second class citizens and he missed the good old king.

It was while listening to the affairs of the great ones that I learned that dad had a secret room with a secret passage behind the hearth and he used to meet with the old heroes.

Iolo: "I have the proof. Lord British did not abdicate...He was kidnapped. Your testimony agrees...Lord Blackthorne is an impostor and he would work for the three specters, the three vices."

Ragul: "Yes...That's when Esme and I went to get Torin..!!!!"

Ragul: "Yes, he was given to us by Thor. At the entrance of the Covetous dungeon.."

Iolo: "The specters must have passed by... and they didn't do anything to the child?"

Ragul: "They had Lord British... the child must have been of no importance to them... but I remember... there were roars and then cries of pain and a beast crying and it flew away and we were sprayed with blood just before, when we were hidden in the fir trees."

(Me, attracted by the voices in the heart..)

I couldn't hear their conversation very well but I heard "Covetous", "dungeon", spectres and kidnapped British Lord and Blackthorne impostor.

But the word Thor and Torin came up sometimes. Suddenly I was more curious, but Dad kept me away. One day Esme caught me listening.

"Torin... If you want to know, ask Dad. If the soldiers were hurting Dad, it's better that you don't know anything, it's to protect you..."

"But, mom... what's going on? What are you up to???"Esme took me by the hand... "

You see, we live in fear all the time and public executions are a crime. The regent is a criminal and has all these innocent people killed. They have families too who are left to misery.

They also execute the children. Your father worked for Lord British and we have to be careful. We may be watched and sometimes by your friends.

Imagine that one of your friends has his father or mother threatened with death and that he is asked to betray or deliver one of his friends in exchange for the life of his parents... you understand?"

"Yes mom...But what is this story about giant spectres and blood rain...?"

She took my head and held it against her shoulder. Then she gave me a kiss on the head

"You're getting big but you'll always be my little one... you'll be 10 soon and... You still have so much to discover. "

I felt that mom was hiding something from me and I had every intention of finding out.

In my village, the atmosphere had fallen apart because of the chief, a baronet who had been promoted to baron. Immediately, he had raised taxes in order to build a manor.

And, walking along the main street... I was going to join my buddies to go hunting for giant bats and make some pocket money.

Mostly to get a studded leather breastplate.

I was dreaming of my adventurer's outfit. The dream being to have a steel plate and to become a knight.

I was pulled out of my reverie.

"So, Torin... are you training to be a squire? Your father should get back into the good graces of the kingdom...You live so much in the past that one day you will have no future...hahah"

That was Silon. He wasn't very nice when his daddy was only a baronet and he was leading the band against the peasants.

Although I lived on the same side of the riverbank as him, I never got involved in this war between children.

"And you, Sylon, can argue all you want and have all the gold in the kingdom, Saphie has rejected you..."

"Lord Sylon... Torin. you must now call me Lord Sylon... and with my authority, I have the right to whip you if I want"

Me": Why do you hate me...Lord Sylon...?"

(I didn't want to take any chances on mom and dad. I knew this guy was trouble)

"Do you have mud in your ears or something? Your parents worship the old king and if by chance we find out they are plotting against our good king Lord Blackthorne, I will gladly punish you personally."

"Lord Blackthorne is regent, not king! Lord British is still alive! "

From his stallion high above, Sylon sneered like "Do you think he's still alive???"

but his non-verbal communication spoke volumes about the clique he was part of.

"Watch out for Selene she is watching you and if you continue to do harm by killing innocent people a hero will come"

I was naive...

Sylon: "HAHAHA... We can see that you're just a kid who still believes in fairy tales..."

then, between two laughs... "Watch out, if I'm the hero! watch your ass Torin..."

I wanted to shove his head into his horse's butt, but his horse couldn't help it. But Sylon had his eye on Saphie. She had become a real ranger, a hunter, from being around me.

Manu became Father Damien's sidekick. He would make an excellent clerk.

Cedric, another of my friends, who was very much in the background, had managed to become an apprentice to a mage and was preparing to enter the magic academy.

Luck...Today the four of us went back home to say goodbye to mom and dad.

Milo followed us and played with us all the time.

Cedric, Saphie and Manu were waiting outside and we would go camping at dad's cabin, higher in the mountain.

Esme: "You got it... If there's any problem, send Milo. He runs fast! And be careful.Then dad and I would like to talk to you, but only after your friends have returned."

"It's okay, Mom, right?"

"But no, Torin... You're our treasure, it's just that you're becoming a man and you need to learn some things about men now that you're grown up."

"I promise nothing serious then???"

"No. Don't worry about it. Go have fun and don't get hurt!"

We then headed north.Meanwhile Esme looked at her greying husband.

"Will you still go take a look?... It's almost 10 years old and the Gypsy girl has never been wrong."

Ragul watched through the open door as we walked away and crossed the small bridge. The winter had given way to spring and the whole mountain was in bloom. On the way I heard a voice behind me.It was the stranger from many years ago.

"Ah... Torin..Hello...I hope I didn't scare you again???"

Me: "I had smelled you...."

Astonished the boy who was an adult now smiled. Indeed, I had a remarkable hearing, and overdeveloped senses. I hadn't told anyone but I could see perfectly well in the dark.

I thought it was normal and that my friends were the same way. Anyway, it must have been Thor's blessing.

I prayed to him every day for giving me life and a loving, kind family.

"Lex... my name is LEX. But what are the four of you doing?"

"We're going to the mountains to train. I'm going monster hunting!"

Lex was very impressed."At your age? You must be 10 years old and you go hunting giant bats by yourself?"

"I've killed plenty of them.... I want to be a hero like dad! and I'm not alone... these are my friends and they're really strong too!"

Lex was thoughtful but looked at my necklace.

Me: "What are you doing in Cove, Lex? We never see you there.."

Oh, I'm here for "The Call". You see, I work at Britannia with the knights...

"Ohh You're a knight.. Then I must call you Lord Lex..."

"Never mind the title, but I appreciate your politeness... Our order has sworn fealty to the people of Britannia... and my role is to scour the kingdom for young talent. "

"But I am not a nobleman..."

"That does not matter. In the face of the eight virtues, it is of no value..."

We continued walking together at 5."So you are looking for squire candidates then?"

"You could say that, but our order is different. Those who are in it are the best of the best and are as strong as Hero Shepard. "

Me: "Why? He was the strongest. He's the one who eliminated Exodus.."

Lex: "But you see... Exodus...how can I put it...he was a victim and couldn't help what he was doing. If our order had existed earlier, we might have been able to save him, finally eliminate the threat. "

"So you like dragons? "

Lex: "What about you? Do you like dragons???"

"They're big and scary but I have no reason to hate them. It must be really cool to fly on them..."

Lex: "And you wish you could fly on a dragon?"

"Yes... but it's impossible..."

Lex: "You have to be chosen... It's the dragons or their eggs that decide who they'll hatch with."

"And they talk? "

Lex: "Not exactly, but they can make themselves understood. Exodus was the only known intelligent dragon."

"And have you ever flown on a dragon?"

Lex: "No dragon knight will reveal their identity, even to their children or family. They are so rare and valuable that other kingdoms and worlds covet them and they must protect themselves and their families.

But I am an intermediary between the different orders.

If you are chosen or Called, you will soon know it yourself and know what to do in due course."

Me: "And the hero, how does he know? "

"I'm not allowed to say, but that's how it is too. He feels it and others too. But when he calls, a moon door appears and then it turns red.

That's why the hero never knows in advance that he is. It is always a terrible surprise. Sometimes they are torn away from their world and again it is the gate that decides if they can go back. It depends on the Gods....not on the humans...It also avoided the appearance of self-proclaimed heroes and false prophets...

Britannia, in a way is a well made world...except for the monsters..Finally, it also gives work and allows the poorest but brave to get by."

"Thank you Lord Lex...it was very informative...."

My classmates were also interested and dreaming of adventures...