Role

Chapter 6

After speaking he merely raised his hand and I was flung away in a ball
of fire. I do not remember much more of the fight, I believe the words,
or the flames, had ignited my fire blood and I was not able to fully
comprehend what happened after that. But I do remember bits and pieces. I
remember my face burning as if it were on fire, I remember pieces of ice
as large as my fingers piercing right through my arms, my legs, my body.
I remember winds trying to tear me apart and I remember more fire, more
heat, more pain, as if I was lying in a forge. But the one last thing I
remember was that each time I was knocked down, each time he thought he
had won, I rose up. I brought my sword to a ready position and advanced
once more. I did not give up, I would not give up, I COULD not give up. I
would defeat him, I would win the clasp and I would win the honor for my
father and my family!

I was told after, while I was healing in the Kings Guards barracks that
my father watched every gruesome moment of my battle and when he saw that
I did not rise anymore he turned and strode from the castle, tears
falling from his eyes. The King had taken pity on me and had called the
fight himself. He had ended it by letting a human take one of our most
glorious honors. He had let a wizard, a magic user, a weak bodied slave
to the veil of magic take the greatest honor of those who dedicate their
life to the arts of combat! It was a disgrace. I was a disgrace. I left
the barracks and the healers as soon as I could, against their worries of
permanent scarring to the majority of my body. These would be my personal
marks of shame for the rest of my life. They would be there to remind me
of what I was capable of when the my bloody was ignited by the rage, the
hate, the anger that was dwelling and waiting to come out. I went home in
the middle of the night, collected what few belongings I would need and
left. I left my family as they had left me. I left my family so they
would not need to bear the shame of a failed soldier, of a failed son, of
a failed honor. I will return one day. I will return one day after I have
done enough to bring honor upon my entire family for all eternity. I will
train myself harder then they believe possible, until I am stronger then
they could ever imagine, and I will become the soldier that I know I can
become, and he will be proud. My father will forgive me and be proud and
all will be just once more.