A Test Of Pride -

Kaelen ignored him. He saw a hawk dip in the distance—a sign of a rising thermal. He drew back, his muscles screaming. But as he aimed, he noticed Elias’s hand trembling. The champion wasn't looking at the target; he was looking at the crowd, terrified of their judgment.

"I didn't win because I'm better than you, Elias," Kaelen said quietly, turning to walk away without the prize. "I won because I was willing to lose. You’re still at the line, even though the match is over." A Test of Pride

The final round was "The Gale’s Breath," a shot across a canyon where the winds shifted like a restless beast. Kaelen ignored him

The arrow soared, caught the thermal, and slammed into the dead center of the bullseye, splitting the air with a definitive thwack . The silence was absolute. Kaelen had won. But as he aimed, he noticed Elias’s hand trembling

Kaelen stepped to the line. He felt the weight of his father’s old bow, scarred and unpolished. He watched the grass. He waited.