"Dad! My brother is born!"

A boy, eight years old, exclaimed excitedly, pointing to a newborn wrapped in a white cloth, barely moving.

A middle-aged man, with black hair and a neatly groomed blonde beard, stood holding the baby in his arms, his eyes gleaming with mixed emotions.

"He’s beautiful... His hair is as white as snow, and his eyes are emerald green... It's like he was woven from light. But... why isn’t he crying?"

A few silent moments passed.

No crying. No screaming.

Instead... the baby was thinking.

> "...Where am I? Didn’t I die? Wasn’t that the final experiment?"

Suddenly, a calm, deep voice, not of this world, pierced his mind:

> "The experiment is over. This is your reward. From now on, your journey begins... to achieve whatever you desire."

---

The sky was clear, and the sun cast its rays on the training grounds, where the sound of horses neighing and swords clashing could be heard.

At the heart of the Kingdom of Apindor, on a high hill, stood an imposing palace guarded by white walls and towering spires, symbolizing centuries of glory and sovereignty.

From one of its windows, a sixteen-year-old boy stood, lost in thought.

His body was average, neither thin nor muscular. His hair was black, and his eyes were dark, his appearance unremarkable. From a distance, you might mistake him for a servant.

> "The weather is perfect today... the training would be fun, if only the coach hadn’t scolded me yesterday. I lost again to Jin... but he was strong."

His thoughts were interrupted by a voice behind him:

"Master Linder, the king requests your presence at the meeting."

The speaker was Marcus, the head butler of the palace. A well-dressed man in his fifties, his face marked by a mix of respect and exhaustion.

Linder sighed and said: "Again... meetings and gatherings. No one listens to me anyway."

He then spoke calmly: "Alright, I’ll come."

After Marcus left, Linder put on his family’s formal attire: a white robe embroidered with silver threads, with a blue eagle emblem in the center of his chest, the symbol of the Rain family.

The Rain family, the ruling dynasty of Apindor for generations. Famous for its wisdom, immortalized in history by its power. The current king, Edward Rain, was known as "The Mind of the Crown," and under his reign, the kingdom had reached its peak glory.

He had three sons:

Cain, the eldest, 23 years old. A natural genius, master of horsemanship and strategy. Everyone saw him as the future king.

Ned, the middle child, 20 years old. A born leader, fierce in battle, the right-hand man of the army’s commander.

Then there was the youngest... Linder. He was unlike his brothers.

He resembled his mother, the king's first wife, with black hair and dark eyes. No talent with a sword, no brilliance in learning. From a young age, he had been rejected by those around him, even some of his brothers.

He had been called a failure more than once.

But he didn’t give up.

His ambition was different. He didn’t want to be just a prince... or even the king of Apindor. He wanted to unite the five kingdoms under one banner.

A dream everyone mocked, but he never stopped chasing it.

Linder left his room, greeting the servants and workers with a slight smile. It wasn’t forced, but natural. And so, they didn’t see him as a prince... but as a normal person.

He reached the meeting hall and opened the door.

Inside, Cain and Ned sat with an air of authority that felt like a repeated picture. Their blue hair, blue eyes, and dignified demeanor filled the room.

Cain said coldly: "You’re late. The king will be here soon."

Ned replied, smirking: "It’s fine... the important thing is that you’re here."

Linder sat quietly.

Moments later, the door opened.

King Edward Rain entered. His hair was as blue as the sky, and his white beard gave him a regal presence that couldn’t be bought. Everyone stood in respect.

"Long live the king!"

The king sat on his throne, and then they all sat down.

A man wearing a green robe, with the emblem of the Kingdom of Quandor, stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"Your Majesty King Edward, I come as a representative of my kingdom to sign a peace treaty with Apindor."

The war between the two kingdoms had lasted five years. Quandor was bleeding, and Apindor was advancing, especially in controlling the Nawar River trade route.

The king spoke sharply: "You are the ones asking for peace. We are the victors. Why should we sign?"

Cain stepped forward with confidence: "Father, we accept the treaty... but on our terms. We take full control of the trade route, and for five years, they will send us their timber."

The minister from Quandor objected: "But, Your Highness, these are harsh terms! We fought this war for that trade route. If we give it up, what have we gained?"

The king responded sternly: "Gain? We lose nothing. You are the ones losing, and that’s why you’ve come to us as the weak ones."

The minister fell silent, then left with his delegation, disappointed.

The king remained with his sons.

The king said: "I want your opinions, honestly."

Cain said: "The terms are fair, Father."

Ned: "I agree with him."

Linder remained silent for a moment, then spoke calmly: "Father... it’s true we are the victors, but too much pressure causes an explosion. If we gave them something small, like 20% of the profits, we could gain their temporary loyalty and reduce the chances of them allying with our enemies."

Cain shouted: "Why give them anything? We are the strongest!"

The king raised his hand, signaling Cain to be silent. Then he looked at Linder and said:

"Your words make sense... but don’t forget, even with good intentions, betrayal doesn’t need a reason. Only strength can deter it."

Linder bowed his head silently. He knew his experience couldn’t compare to his father’s.

The meeting ended, and everyone left.

Linder headed to the training ground, where Coach Joe was waiting for him. A stern man, but with a kind heart, and he trusted Linder despite his repeated failures.

Linder spoke confidently: "Today, I will defeat Jin."

Coach Joe laughed: "If you do, dinner is on me tonight!"

Jin, a young man around Linder’s age, a genius in swordsmanship, loved by everyone. The students gathered to watch them.

"Jin will definitely win, just like every time..." one of them whispered.

The duel began.

Linder fought fiercely. Every strike, every step, carried the weight of his previous failures. He had learned from each defeat, and he was close to victory.

But Jin dodged his final blow, taking the opportunity to knock Linder’s sword out of his hand.

Jin smiled and said: "You were great, Prince. You forced me to fight seriously."

Coach Joe said, patting him on the shoulder: "This was the closest you’ve come to winning. Well done."

But no one praised him.

The students gathered around Jin, clapping and complimenting him. As for Linder, he didn’t even receive a single compliment.

He bent down to pick up his sword, his thoughts swirling:

> "Why do people only admire geniuses?

Why should I be saddened because I’m ordinary?

Aren’t geniuses the exception to the rule? Isn’t the majority ordinary?

But still, I won’t accept being a shadow in other people’s stories.

I will fight, even if I know I’ll lose.

I will continue, even if the path is harsh.

I will enjoy every moment, every attempt, every step in my journey to the top.

I may be alone... but that’s okay.

Today I step forward, and tomorrow I will arrive.

Linder embodied ambition rooted in defiance.

He refused to be defeated, to be forgotten, to be insignificant.

He falls? Yes.

He fails? Many times.

But failure was never the end, it was proof that he was trying.

For from the womb of hardship, success is born."

He believed in only one thing:

That his path would be forged by determination.

---

In the Kingdom of Quandor, the minister stood before King Nork.

"Your Majesty, I tried to negotiate, but King Edward refused to yield."

Nork said, placing his hand on his chin: "Their terms are insulting. But our losses... are catastrophic."

A tall man stepped forward, his eyes narrow and his smile devious.

"Your Majesty... I have a proposal... about Prince Linder Rain."

The king turned his head towards him, a sinister smile spreading across his face.

---

On the other side, Linder sat in a small tavern, disguised as usual.

He laughed with the people, drinking fruit juice, unaware that the hour of his destiny had begun to tick...

And that his name... was about to be used in a plan that would change the course of his life forever.

---