"Sometimes the strength you possess is not a sword or magic, but the courage to keep living, even when you want to give up."
My body felt heavy. Every step felt like dragging hundreds of kilos. After the battle with Grimmaw, I forced myself to walk away from the battlefield. With no clear direction, just trying to find a safe place to rest.
But the night offered no peace.
The sky was dark. The forest wind bit into my skin.
And... strange sounds began to echo.
I quickly turned. A low growl. Footsteps. Rustling leaves.
Another monster? Before I could prepare, my steps halted. A faint voice broke through the night.
"...help..."
It wasn't a monster's voice. It was human.
A girl's voice—weak and barely audible.
I quickened my pace, following the voice.
Soon, I arrived at a clearing surrounded by dark trees. Moonlight spilled down onto the center of the area.
And there she was.
A young girl, about my age, her body covered in wounds, her clothes torn and stained with blood. She sat collapsed, out of strength. Around her, five Great Orcs circled, their sharp teeth glinting in the darkness.
She couldn't move. But her eyes were still fierce, burning with the will to survive.
Without thinking, I stepped forward.
"Don't touch her," I said softly. But loud enough for the five Orcs to turn their attention toward me.
My body wavered. My magic reserves were almost depleted. But I couldn't let the girl die.
One of the Orcs leapt at me. I dodged clumsily and swung my sword at its abdomen. The sound of metal tearing through flesh rang out.
The Orc collapsed, but the remaining four advanced, furious.
I fell to my knees.
The wounds from my previous battle reopened. Blood began to flow.
But I forced myself to stand.
"Just one more strike... just one..."
I grasped the air with my left hand, gathering the last remnants of my magic.
"Ignis... NOSTRAAAAAA!!!"
Flames erupted around the area. Two Orcs were burned alive.
The rest fled in fear. But I...
My body could no longer stand. The world spun. My vision blurred.
I collapsed, and everything faded to black.
I woke to the sound of soft sobbing.
It felt like a dream. But the warmth spreading through my body was real.
Healing magic.
"Hey... you're awake...?"
Her voice was gentle, hoarse from crying.
I opened my eyes and saw her face.
Beautiful. Her long hair was disheveled, her skin pale, but her eyes shone softly. Tears still streamed down her cheeks.
"You... you saved me... thank you..."
I nodded weakly. "I'm... fine," I replied with the breath I had left.
She smiled—and immediately started crying again.
Somehow, seeing that... warmed my heart.
It had been so long since I had seen someone cry because they cared.
After some time passed, we sat together by a small fire I had made from what little dry wood I could find.
She stared at me in silence for a while before finally introducing herself.
"My name is Elvira... Elvira Caeloria. I'm a wandering mage apprentice from the North... but we were attacked... I'm the only one who survived."
I looked at her, understanding the pain of loss all too well.
"I'm Minato Ascheveil. Just an ordinary person... on a journey toward his goal."
Elvira sighed softly, then looked at me with hope in her eyes.
"Where will you go after this?"
"I don't know exactly.
But I want to become stronger. To change this world... starting by saving myself."
She bowed her head for a moment. Then, in a soft but firm voice, she said:
"Can I... come with you?"
I looked at her.
The gaze of a girl who had almost died, yet now carried a new spark of life.
I knew the road ahead would only grow more dangerous.
But I also knew—not everyone could survive this world alone.
"If you're ready, then let's go together."
A small smile appeared on her face.
And for the first time in what felt like forever... I didn't feel alone anymore.
Beneath the faintly shining night sky, two people who had lost everything found a reason to keep moving forward.