A new day rises.
Fog blankets the quiet town of Sumiko, soft and pale beneath the early light. Hide is already awake, offering his goodbyes to Jisan and the others before setting off to meet his old friends. He promises to send a messenger raven once he finds them.
Jisan warns him of fiends that roam the roads toward Lona, especially at night.
Hide nods. He'll be careful.
Some hours pass.
Outside the borders of Sumiko, near a quiet river, Hide sets up camp. The crackle of charcoal fills the air as freshly caught fish cook over the fire. The scent drifts into the cool night.
He lies back against a rock and looks up at the starry sky.
"It sure seems lovely tonight… I wonder what the others are doing right now. It won't be long until I reach Lona."
He closes his eyes briefly.
"I heard the city is a place to learn magic. Master once told me that if I had a knack for it, I should go there and study properly."
He sighs.
"She taught me the basics, but I wouldn't say I'm talented. One thing I learned is that magic comes from the EverGleam… or more precisely, from Evers."
The fire pops softly.
"Evers are said to be the life force of the world. They exist in every living being. They're what allow magic to take form."
He stares at his hand, faint light flickering between his fingers.
"Master told me legends of a race that once fully mastered the Evers—shaping the world itself. But that race is long gone."
The flames dance in his eyes.
"Magic now is about understanding your own Evers… learning how to manipulate them into elements and wonders. The tricky part is understanding yourself first."
A new day begins.
The campfire has burned to ash. Hide stretches as the morning air brushes against him. Dark clouds gather faintly in the distance, but he continues on.
Hours later, he arrives at a small town and stops to gather supplies.
As he walks through a narrow street, he passes an alleyway—and freezes.
A child lies collapsed on the ground, barely breathing.
Without hesitation, Hide lifts the child and carries them to the nearest inn.
The inn is quiet, filled with the soft hum of conversation and clinking dishes. Hide sits across from the child, watching as they devour a warm meal as if they haven't eaten in days.
When the child finally slows down, they glance up at him shyly.
"Thank you…"
Hide smiles gently.
"Why did you save me back there?" the child asks quietly.
He scratches the back of his head. "I couldn't just leave a dying kid in an alley. What's your name?"
"Iona."
"Cyrus," Hide replies, using his alias.
"So, Mister Cyrus… what are you doing in this small town?"
"I'm heading to Lona. Just stopped for supplies."
"I'm sorry you had to waste your Kez on me."
"It's fine. I'm an adventurer. Earning Kez isn't too hard."
Iona's eyes widen. "You're an adventurer?"
"Uh huh."
"Aren't you a bit young?"
Hide chuckles. "I'm fifteen. That's the minimum age to join the Adventurer Guild."
She studies him curiously. "Why did you become one?"
He pauses.
"At first, I wanted to search for my friends. But somewhere along the way… I realized I also wanted to explore the world."
He notices her fingers fidgeting.
"What were you doing in that alley?"
Her voice trembles. "I'm a slave… to a manor not far from here. I ran away so I wouldn't have to suffer under the man who bought me."
Her hands tighten.
"My friends are still there. I don't know what happened to them after I escaped. But I promised I'd save them."
"I see…"
Hide leans forward.
"I spoke with the innkeeper. You can work here. You'll have food, a room, and some Kez."
"You really didn't have to…"
"It's the least I can do."
She looks at him. "Why are you helping me so much?"
Hide's expression softens.
"I was once in your shoes."
Silence lingers.
"But what if they find me?"
"They won't," Hide says firmly. "And I'll make sure of it."
He stands.
"If you see any of your friends, tell them to ask the innkeeper for work too. It'll keep you all safe."
Iona suddenly hugs him.
Hide stiffens in surprise—then gently hugs her back.
"Thank you so much, mister…" Tears roll down her cheeks.
That night, Hide walks toward the manor Iona mentioned.
Clouds swallow the moonlight.
The estate stands silent.
No guards. No lights.
Too quiet.
As he approaches the main gate, he sees blood staining the ground.
Two decapitated guards lie at the entrance.
Hide's eyes narrow.
"Someone's here…"
He rushes inside.
The manor is filled with more corpses—guards, all decapitated. But there's no sign of children.
A scream pierces the air from the second floor.
Hide bolts upstairs.
He bursts into a room and sees a hooded figure standing over a large man pinned to the ground, a sword poised to strike.
The man spots Hide.
"You there! Kill this intruder! I'll pay you anything! Money! Fame! Children—!"
His plea is cut short.
The blade plunges into his chest.
Silence follows.
The hooded figure pulls the sword free and wipes the blood clean.
"It's over," a calm voice says.
Flames suddenly erupt around the room, spreading rapidly.
"Wait!" Hide shouts. "Where are the other children?!"
The hooded figure ignores him and leaps out the window.
Hide jumps over the spreading fire and looks out just in time to see the figure disappearing into the darkness.
A ribbon is tied around their right arm.
Hide's eyes widen.
The manor burns behind him.
He retreats outside, watching the flames devour the estate.
Then—
Movement in the bushes.
Several children emerge, trembling but alive.
Relief washes over him.
Morning arrives.
Hide is already back on the road.
In the small town, Iona wakes to find a note and a small box beside her bed.
She reads:
Iona, if you're reading this, I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye. I hope what I left behind will be enough. Maybe when I find my friends, I'll come back and tell you about my adventures.
She opens the box.
Inside lies a small green ribbon.
"Iona, are you up? We've got work to do!" one of her friends calls.
She smiles, tying the ribbon into her hair.
"I'm coming!"
Back on the dirt road, Hide walks beneath a bright blue sky.
The wind brushes against him as the sun rises ahead.
"At least now I know they're alive out there…"
His smile carries quiet determination.
"Hold on, you guys. I'll be there soon."
And with that, Hide continues forward—walking toward the rising sun.