The boy had been only a child when he was forced to flee his home, abandoning everything he had ever known. The young prince of Narthos, Leo, barely escaped with his life, thanks to his mother’s desperate efforts. Now, alone and far from the home he once cherished, he ran. But he knew—this would not be the last time he saw it. Drifting down the river, Leo allowed himself a moment of hope. Perhaps his pursuers had given up. Perhaps, for now, he was safe. But hope was fleeting. A lone warrior, relentless in his pursuit, was determined to claim glory by delivering the prince’s head. Leo would have to fight. A voice bellowed behind him. “Stop, boy!” Leo’s heart pounded as he turned to see a man in another boat, his powerful strokes cutting through the water with deadly intent. But Leo had no intention of surrendering. His father, mother, and brother were all gone—slaughtered. Their legacy now rested on his shoulders, and he would not fall so easily. The river grew shallower, slowing Leo’s boat. He had no choice but to jump into the water, bracing himself against the current as he tried to push the vessel forward. But the enemy was already upon him. The man was massive older, stronger, a battle-hardened warrior. Leo had no chance in a contest of brute strength. His only weapon was the short sword his father had given him before they fled the castle. He clutched the hilt tightly, whispering a silent prayer. **_Let this be enough_****.** “Just give up, boy!” the warrior snarled, breathless from the chase. His frustration was evident his prize so close. “Never!” Leo shouted back, raising his sword. Every sparring session with his brother, every lesson drilled into him, would be tested now. The warrior pushed through the water, his blade glinting as he advanced. Fear clawed at Leo’s chest, but he refused to give in. He couldn’t afford to. He channeled the grief, the pain, the loss turning it into something else. **Rage.** Steel met steel. The force of the warrior’s strike sent shockwaves through Leo’s arms, knocking him backward into the jagged rocks of the riverbed. Pain seared through him. The man lunged to finish him off. Desperate, Leo scooped up a handful of water and flung it into the warrior’s eyes. The man faltered, cursing, blinded for just a moment but a moment was all Leo needed. His fingers closed around a smooth, heavy stone beneath the water. Without hesitation, he hurled it with all his might. The rock struck the warrior’s temple with a sickening crack. Blood splattered as the man staggered, disoriented. Leo didn’t waste a second. He lunged forward, driving his sword into the warrior’s chest. The man’s body stiffened, his final breath escaping in a strangled gasp. Then, asif the river itself rejected him, the corpse was carried away by the current, vanishing into the depths. Leo stood there, chest heaving, his hands slick with blood. He watched the body drift away, the water erasing the evidence of what had just happened. But he knew. It had happened. And it would not be the last time he would have to kill… or be killed.