2 Chapter 002 - Alex Volff

Alex Volff is looking in the mirror on the wall of his bedroom. There he can see a nervous 15 year old teenager with short dark hair, sharp blue eyes, and strong jawline looking back at him. He just turned 15 yesterday. His body looks quite muscular for a teenager. He pats his cheeks twice to get rid of his nervousness and swap his nervous look with a smile.

"Okay, today is the day," said Alex while smiling.

"Alex, Elsa, come out! Breakfast is ready."

"Okay mom, I'll be right there," replied Alex while changing his clothes.

"Okay mom," Elsa replied soon after Alex.

Alex soon came out of his room after finished changing his clothes to see his little sister and his mother already waiting at the table. His mother, Erina, still looks beautiful despite being 37 years old this year. She is half Asian and half Caucasian. Her long dark hair and clear brown eyes accentuates her beauty. Her face though is showing how time and hardness of life is catching up with her.

"Come sit down quickly and have breakfast," said Erina while smiling to her son.

"Yes, mom," Alex replied while sitting down at the table.

"So, big bro, are you really going to register as a Defender today?" asked Elsa while chewing on her french toast.

Elsa, his little sister looks just like his mother, if their mother were 25 years younger.

"Hmm.." Alex nodded to his little sister while also chewing on his french toast vigorously.

Their mother flashed a nervous smile while looking at her son's reply. She had tried to talk to him to not do it or to delay it until he's older, but she couldn't change her son's mind.

Alex saw his mother's brief change of expression and felt a pang of guilt in his heart. He can understand why his mother didn't want him to become a Defender. His father, Pavel, became a Defender to support their family after the Elsa's birth 12 years ago. Pavel did really well as a Defender. He was very careful every time he entered the Realm and always came back within 2 weeks. But, suddenly 10 years ago their father never came back.

Alex looked at a ring on his finger his father gave him 10 years ago before his last trip to the Realm of Defenders. Everybody around him is sure that Pavel has met his demise in the Realm, but Alex refuses to believe this. He is sure his father is still alive and there is another reason why he can't come back. That's why 5 years ago Alex made his resolve that he will become a Defender as soon as he meets the age requirement. He has to become a Defender. First, to search for his father, but also to provide for his family. He has seen how hard his mother had to work to provide for him and Elsa.

To enter the Realm of Defenders for the first time, there's an age restriction attached to the portal itself. The person has to be at least 15 years old but not older than 25. Most people waited until they are older than 20 to enter the Realm. The years before that were used to train their physique to increase their chance of survival.

Alex has started training 5 years ago when he was just 10 years old due to his resolve. He never missed a day of training. If adults could see his training menu, they would vomit due to the harshness of it. He has trained in various martial arts just to prepare for this day. That's how much he wanted to become a Defender. And that's why nobody can stop him now. He can't wait another 5 years. He's afraid that his father won't be able to wait that long. His mother's health has also started deteriorating due to overworking herself. That's why although he feels a bit guilty for making his mother worry, he still has to do it.

Alex soon finished his breakfast and said goodbye to his mother and little sister, stepping out of his home to go to the Defender registration office.