Chapter 3

  The Army Trials

  Taro counted the coins in his pouch again. Only a hundred remained, along with the book his mother had given him.

  “I won’t survive like this,” he muttered to himself. “I have to do something.”

  If he could find work, he could earn money. The easiest path was the army—but that path was soaked in blood. Still, he had no choice. If he stayed as he was, he would die slowly anyway.

  The training camp lay on the far side of the kingdom. Thankfully, the kingdom had shrunk after losing large portions of land to the shadows.

  Let’s go, he thought.

  As Taro walked through the streets, stalls lined both sides of the road. Vendors shouted, advertising hot meals and sweet bread. The smell made his stomach ache, but he forced himself to look away. He couldn’t afford waste—not even a single coin.

  “Dad, this boy isn’t giving my toy back!” a rich child cried.

  “It’s mine!” the poor boy argued desperately. “I won’t give it back. You’re lying, and no one will believe you!”

  The rich man stepped forward and glared at the child.

  “Give my son the toy,” he said coldly. “How did you get it anyway? You must have stolen it, you pest.”

  Then he turned to his son and smiled.

  “My dear, why do you even want it? It belongs to a pest’s child—but if you want it, you shall have it.”

  The poor boy’s father hurried forward and bowed deeply.

  “Sir, I’m sorry,” he said shakily. “My child meant no harm. Please forgive him.”

  Turning to his son, he whispered, “Give him the toy.”

  He held it out with trembling hands. “Here, sir.”

  The rich man scoffed.

  “Drop it on the ground and leave,” he said. “I don’t touch pests.”

  Taro watched silently. This kind of discrimination existed everywhere in the kingdom. He wanted to stop it—but he knew better. He was poor too. If he spoke, he would be crushed just the same.

  He glanced down at his pouch again. A hundred coins.

  Stale bread now cost ten coins instead of five. Survival itself had become a luxury.

  After days of walking, Taro finally reached the capital at the center of the kingdom.

  “Wow…” he whispered. “Everything here is so organized. So beautiful.”

  Stolen story; please report.

  He looked at the tall buildings and wide roads.

  “I want to be free,” he said softly. “I want to build houses like these for my future family one day.”

  His eyes drifted upward to the massive castle towering above the city.

  “That must be where the King lives,” he said. “Those must be the King’s guards.”

  Three days had passed since he left home. When he reached the Army Training Camp, only seventy coins remained.

  A soldier blocked his path.

  “Hey, kid, what are you doing here?” he asked. “Don’t tell me you want to join the army. Go home while you still can. We didn’t have a choice—that’s why we joined.”

  “I want to join,” Taro replied calmly. “And I have nothing left to lose.”

  The soldier laughed.

  “Fine,” he said. “We can always use more sacrificial material, can’t we?”

  Another soldier smirked.

  “Looks like he has a death wish.”

  “Come in, boy,” the warden said, his voice firm. “That room is yours. Change into the uniform.”

  Taro nodded without a word. He changed quickly and returned.

  “To become a soldier,” the warden began, “you must complete three trials. You’ll learn what they are when the time comes.”

  He continued, his voice steady.

  “These are the ranks of the kingdom. At the top is the King—absolute power. Below him is the General, the highest position a common man can reach. Then come the three Commanders.”

  “The first protects the King.

  The second leads suicidal missions and captures territory.

  The third holds the enemy back until reinforcements arrive.”

  “Below them are the wardens. There are many of us—I am one. We recruit soldiers. And at the bottom are the soldiers themselves.”

  “Upper ranks guard the King. Lower ranks hold the enemy. Middle ranks finish the fight.”

  He paused and looked at Taro.

  “Everyone here has a dream,” he said. “What is yours?”

  Taro took a breath.

  “I want to be free,” he said quietly. “I want to explore the world and destroy the shadows. I want to climb mountains and drink crystal-clear river water.”

  The warden studied him for a moment.

  “That is a difficult dream,” he said. “But also a peaceful one. I hope you achieve it.”

  “You should rest now. Training begins soon. The trials start next week.”

  Next Saturday

  Dream