In Kris's memories, passing has always been a thing she's accustomed to. Father and mother passed away when she barely remember a thing, the last faint memory of her parents consists of them asking her if she wanted a little brother. That hope for a new sibling, was of course sunk down along with her unknown parent's graves. How could 5 years old remember much anyways?
In Sera village, many children suffer the same fate, so she's not alone. Each time the church bell tolls, Kris feels more familiar with passing. It's not like she has all day long to mourn, as there's more training to do. As grandfather always scolds her, "Not enough become a knight of Atlea!" Working her to the bone. The training was satisfying and tiring at the same time. Albeit maybe a little too intense as she realized she didn't know any other things unrelated to battle. Perhaps one day she'll get better at cooking so that grandfather wouldn't make such a scene whenever she gets close to the kitchen. Honestly, it was funny for the first time and gets stale and infuriating at the fifteenth. The boys in the village made fun of her because she broke their training swords when play fighting. Norne gets worried about her complete obliviousness to sewing.
Death was not strange to her, as a brutal war had just passed and scars on the land remain. Kris believed that she's trained enough to not be affected.
Now she watches the casket lowers. Engraved on there is her grandfather's name, Maclir, the knight of Atlea —the title he wore so proudly. She suddenly has this revelation, a strange awakening.
That Kris was such a fool.
Only a fool would misjudge her capabilities when it was obvious that she was sheltered by her grandfather's care and guidance. This fool lacks the strength to bear her only family member's passing. This fool lacks the humanity to accomplish anything as a knight because she selfishly dwells on her own misfortunes for too long. She has begun to doubt, "Is her intense training becoming more of a burden to her?" In such a peaceful time, what does her knowledge of battle benefit the people she wishes to serve?
The priest began chanting his prayers, praying for the deceased a good afterlife. Maybe Kris's having hallucinations, but the more the priest chants, the more she feels alienated and alone. Like her grandfather's leaving her. Norne left her a few years ago whereabouts unknown. Now the great knight of Atlea, Sir Maclir, has left Kris to do better things.
The sounds of the shovel digging into dirt awaken Kris from her endless self-pity. She stood there, watching her grandfather getting buried. She stood there until the funeral ended. Amongst the wind, in her trance, she heard the wind speaks in her grandfather's voice. Almost frightened and uncertain, she stumbled home and pondered what the voice meant. Even as she lay in bed at night, this voice was engraved into her memory.
"Kris, become Atlea's sword. Acquire unbreakable power and loyalty."