The heavy doors of the Warrior Headquarters creaked open as Alex pushed his way inside, and he stepped into a world unlike any he had ever known. The grand hall before him was vast, its high ceilings supported by intricately carved pillars that seemed to stretch up to the heavens. The air was filled with the low hum of conversation, punctuated by the occasional clang of metal as warriors sparred in the training areas or adjusted their armor.

  Alex’s eyes widened as he took in the sight of the many different beings that filled the hall. Elves with their graceful, slender forms and pointed ears walked alongside towering giants whose footsteps seemed to make the ground tremble. Dwarves, sturdy and broad-shouldered, moved about with a determined purpose, their thick beards flowing down to their chests. There were other, more mysterious figures as well—beings he couldn’t quite identify, their forms hidden beneath cloaks or their features obscured by shadow. This was a place where the diverse races of Evermore came together, united by a common purpose.

  For a moment, Alex felt a surge of self-doubt. How could he, a simple boy from a small village, possibly belong in a place like this? But then he remembered Miku’s words, her belief in him, and he squared his shoulders, pushing the doubt aside. He had come this far—he wouldn’t let fear stop him now.

  Navigating his way through the crowd, Alex spotted a large wooden desk at the far end of the hall. Behind it sat a woman who looked to be in her late twenties, her auburn hair tied back in a neat bun. Her sharp eyes scanned the room, catching every movement, every detail, with a practiced ease. She wore a simple yet elegant uniform, the symbol of the Warrior Headquarters—a crossed sword and staff—emblazoned on her chest.

  As Alex approached, she looked up, her expression professional but not unkind. “Can I help you?” she asked, her voice clear and direct.

  “Yes,” Alex replied, trying to keep the nervousness out of his voice. “I’m here to apply for the warrior exams.”

  A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. “Another hopeful, huh?” She gestured for him to step closer. “You’ll want to fill out this form then. Name’s Maria, by the way. I’m the receptionist here, and I’ll be the one processing your application.”

  “Nice to meet you, Maria. I’m Alex.” He took the form she handed him and began to fill it out, his hand slightly shaky as he wrote down his information.

  As he worked, Maria continued, her tone conversational. “So, Alex, what brings you here? Most applicants I see are either looking for glory or running from something.”

  Alex paused, considering how much to share. “I’m here to become a warrior and honor my mother’s memory,” he finally said, his voice steady.

  Maria nodded, her eyes softening a bit. “A noble reason. But being a warrior isn’t just about honor, you know. It’s a dangerous life. We go on missions that often lead us into the darkest corners of Evermore, facing monsters that most people only see in their nightmares.”

  Alex looked up, his eyes shining with determination. “That’s exactly what I want. I’m not afraid of the danger. I want the adventure, to see the world, to protect it.”

  Maria raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised by his response. “Adventure, huh? You’re a rare one, I’ll give you that. Most are terrified of the monsters we face—the Shadows, the Orcs , and the occasional vampires and dragons. But it’s good to see you have that fire in you. You’ll need it.”

  Before Alex could respond, a sudden hush fell over the hall, and the air seemed to grow heavy with anticipation. Maria straightened, her professional demeanor snapping back into place as her eyes flicked to the entrance of the hall.

  Alex turned to see what had caused the change in atmosphere, and his breath caught in his throat. The doors to the hall had opened, and in strode a figure that commanded instant respect. The man was tall, with a muscular build and a presence that seemed to fill the room. His armor was black and silver, polished to a gleam, and on his chest was the unmistakable insignia of a seven-star warrior. His face was partially obscured by a helmet, but his piercing blue eyes shone with an intensity that seemed to see right through to one’s soul.

  “Commander Kamal,” Maria whispered, her voice laced with reverence. “You’re about to meet one of the most powerful warriors in all of Evermore.”

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  Kamal’s gaze swept over the room, taking in the fifty or so applicants who stood at attention, awe and nervousness etched on their faces. When he spoke, his voice was deep and commanding, yet there was an underlying warmth that hinted at the heart of a true leader.

  “Welcome, applicants,” Kamal began, his voice carrying effortlessly through the hall. “Today, you stand at the threshold of a path that few are brave enough to walk. The path of a warrior.”

  With a wave of his hand, Kamal made a quick, intricate gesture in the air, and before anyone could react, the entire group of applicants was enveloped in a flash of blinding light. Alex felt a strange sensation, as if the ground had been pulled out from under him, and for a brief moment, he was suspended in nothingness.

  When the light faded, Alex found himself standing in a completely different room—a large, circular chamber with walls made of polished stone. The chamber was dimly lit by torches that flickered with an eerie blue flame, casting long shadows that danced across the walls. The fifty applicants stood around him, all looking just as disoriented as he felt.

  Kamal appeared in the center of the room, completely unfazed by the sudden teleportation. “This is where your journey begins,” he said, his voice echoing slightly in the chamber. “To become a warrior is to take on the responsibility of protecting Evermore from the forces that seek to destroy it. It is not a role to be taken lightly.”

  He paused, letting his words sink in before continuing. “Warriors are ranked by their skill, experience, and power. The rankings range from one-star warriors, who are still learning the basics, to seven-star warriors, the most powerful of our kind. In all of Evermore’s history, there have only been two warriors to reach the rank of seven stars. I am one of them, and the other was the great warrior Rama.”

  At the mention of Rama, something stirred deep within Alex. His vision blurred, and before he could stop it, a memory came rushing to the forefront of his mind—a memory from six years ago, a memory that had shaped the course of his life.

  ---

  He was just a small boy then, only ten years old, standing at the edge of the forest near his village. The sun was setting, casting long shadows through the trees, and the air was thick with the scent of pine and earth. Beside him stood his father, Rama, a towering figure who seemed larger than life to Alex’s young eyes. His father was dressed in his warrior armor, the same black and silver that Alex had seen on Kamal, and in his hand, he held the sword that had always fascinated Alex—a blade said to be forged in the fires of the Evermore mountains, capable of cutting through even the toughest of enemies.

  “Do you have to go?” Alex’s voice was small, trembling with the fear of a child who didn’t want to be left behind.

  Rama knelt down beside him, his large hand gently ruffling Alex’s hair. “I have to, Alex. I am a warrior, am I not? This is what I was born to do.”

  “But… what if you don’t come back?” The question slipped out before Alex could stop it, and he immediately regretted it, fearing the answer.

  Rama smiled, a sad but determined smile. “Then you must be strong, my son. Stronger than you think you can be.”

  Before Alex could say more, another figure stepped into view—his older brother, Max. Max was only a few years older than Alex, but he already carried himself with the confidence of someone much older. His dark hair was cut short, and his eyes, the same piercing blue as their father’s, sparkled with excitement.

  “Max, are you ready to go?” Rama asked, his tone shifting to one of command.

  “Yes, Father,” Max replied, his voice steady. He turned to Alex, pulling him into a tight hug. “I’ll be back, little bro. Don’t worry.”

  Alex clung to his brother, his small hands gripping Max’s tunic as if he could somehow hold on to him, keep him from leaving. But Max gently pried him loose, giving him one last reassuring smile before stepping back.

  Rama placed a hand on Max’s shoulder, and together, father and son turned and walked into the forest. Alex watched them go, their figures slowly fading into the trees until they were gone.

  He waited there until the last light of day faded from the sky, his heart heavy with a sense of loss he didn’t fully understand.

  Months later, a letter arrived at their home. Alex’s mother read it in silence, her face pale, her hands shaking. When she finally looked up at Alex, her eyes were filled with tears.

  “They’re missing,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “Rama and Max… they’re missing. Presumed dead.”

  Alex wanted to cry, wanted to scream, but instead, he swallowed his grief, his young heart hardening in a way that no child’s heart should. He had to be strong, just as his father. he had promised his father. While his mother wept, Alex stayed by her side, comforting her as best he could, hiding his own tears and vowing silently to never give up hope. He refused to believe they were gone forever. They were out there, somewhere, and one day he would find them.

  ---

  The memory faded, and Alex blinked, bringing himself back to the present. The dimly lit chamber was still around him, Kamal’s voice still echoing in the air. But now, Alex’s heart was racing with a renewed sense of purpose.

  "My reason" Alex thought, the words echoing in his mind. "My reason for becoming a warrior isn’t just to honor my mother. It’s to find my father and brother. They’re not dead—I know it. And I’ll do whatever it takes to bring them back."

  Kamal continued speaking, unaware of the storm of emotions swirling within Alex. “The path of a warrior is not for everyone,” Kamal said, his voice steady. “It demands sacrifice, discipline, and above all, a reason to fight that burns within your soul. Whatever that reason may be, hold on to it, because it will be tested.”

  With another wave of his hand, Kamal gestured to the wooden floor beneath them. The ground shifted and creaked, and before the applicants’ astonished eyes, tables and chairs began to rise from the floorboards as if they were being pulled up by invisible hands. In seconds, the room was filled with rows of desks, each one with a sheet of parchment and a quill resting on top.

  “This,” Kamal announced, “is the first part of your warrior exam—a written test. It will assess your knowledge of Evermore, its history, its creatures, and the code by which warriors live. Remember, being a warrior is not just about physical strength. It’s about wisdom, understanding, and the ability to think in the heat of battle.”

  Alex moved to one of the desks, his mind still buzzing with the memory of his family. As he sat down, the quill felt light in his hand, almost as if it were an extension of himself. He glanced at the blank parchment, and for a moment, his mind flashed with an image of his father, his brother, and his mother—smiling, alive, and together.

  *I’ll pass this test,* Alex thought, a determined smile forming on his lips. *I’ll pass all of them. Because I have a reason—a reason that no one can take away from me.*

  The room was silent as the applicants dipped their quills in ink and began to write, each of them driven by their own dreams and desires. But for Alex, his reason was clear: to find his family and bring them back home.

  The exam had

  begun, and with it, the first true step on Alex’s journey to becoming a warrior of Evermore.