The Beginning

The white light of dawn bathed the halls of the Order of the Heavenly Hammer. Karthas, a disciple knight, diligently swept the floors as part of his daily routine, his mind wandering to the illustrious stained glass windows depicting warriors from ages past. At fifteen, he was considered a mature man in the kingdom of Radmeroan, yet his life felt stagnant, his dreams of glory overshadowed by mundane tasks.

"Karthas!" called a deep, elderly voice.

"Yes, Master!" Karthas replied, setting aside his broom.

He found his elderly master, Gunther, who was like a second father to him, his actual father, Kerenas Wildhammer, too occupied with wars to be present.

"Karthas, my boy," greeted Gunther, his eyes kind. "How's your practice going?"

"You mean cleaning the floors and swinging the hammer every day?" Karthas retorted, a hint of bitterness in his tone. "It's going as well as can be expected." He sighed, feeling the weight of his unfulfilled aspirations.

"You know it's for your own good," Gunther replied solemnly. "Discipline is the most important virtue of our order," he added, his voice gentle yet firm. "You will understand when you join your father on the battlefield."

"Who would want to join him?" Karthas muttered, feeling a mix of defiance and longing for something more.

"Enough of that. Let's go outside. I have something to show you," said Gunther as he stood up and gestured for Karthas to follow.

Curiosity sparked within Karthas as he stepped outside, the sunlight momentarily blinding him. As his vision adjusted, a sight filled his heart with excitement.

"Master, is it what I think it is?" Karthas exclaimed, his eyes wide with wonder.

"Hah, what do you think?" Gunther replied with a knowing smile.

Before them stood a horse, sleek and strong, just the right size for Karthas. Despite his muscular build, he was still dwarfed by the massive warhorses favoured by many knights, but this horse seemed perfect for him.

"Karthas!" Gunther called out in his deep voice.

"Yes, Master!" Karthas saluted.

"From today onwards, you are no longer a disciple of our order. I hereby promote you to the rank of knight aspirant and assign you your first mission. You are to join our order's knights to quell an orc uprising near Wielchstone."

Karthas felt a surge of excitement and pride at his promotion. Finally, his moment to prove himself had arrived. 

"I'll be on my way then," Karthas said, his eyes bright with anticipation.

"Hold on, lad! I'm joining you," replied Gunther, his tone firm.

Karthas frowned slightly. "Don't you trust me? I've been training for this since I was five."

"It's not about trust, my prince. Your father entrusted me with your safety," Gunther said solemnly.

"Let it be!" Karthas said, waiting as Gunther mounted his horse. Together, they galloped towards Wielchstone village.