The Next Morning…
Kyro and Tharic were up before sunrise, their breaths forming faint clouds in the crisp morning air. Both trained outside in the yard, honing their skills separately but with equal determination. Tharic focused on refining his spear thrusts, each strike of his spear slicing through the air with increasing sharpness. Meanwhile, Kyro struggled with the heavy axe in his hands, trying to swing it faster and faster while keeping his stance grounded and balanced. Sweat rolled down his forehead, but he refused to slow down.
"My, look at you two go, huh?" chuckled Elaara as she stepped outside, following the sounds of clashing steel and heavy thuds.
Kyro glanced over his shoulder with a grin. "If we're going to save Sylmora, we have to stay ready at all times, you know!"
Tharic rested his spear against his shoulder and turned toward her. "Sorry about the noise this morning. I hope we weren't too loud."
"Don't apologize," Elaara replied warmly, a wide smile on her face. "I was only curious to see what was going on."
She waved them toward the door. "Come inside. You must be starving."
Kyro and Tharic exchanged a quick glance and nodded, following her in.
Inside, Elaara set down two steaming bowls of soup and thick slices of bread at the table. It was an unusual breakfast, but she explained it was leftover from last night's meal—she hadn't had the time to prepare anything fresh that morning.
Neither boy minded. Hunger had long since erased any thought of being picky. They eagerly dug in.
"This food is amazing!" Kyro exclaimed between spoonfuls.
Tharic nodded in silent agreement, already halfway through his portion.
"I'm glad you enjoy it," Elaara said, beaming.
For a moment, the only sounds in the room were the slurps of soup and the crunch of bread. Then Elaara pulled out a chair, sat down beside them, and fixed her gaze on Kyro.
"So," she asked, "what are the next steps in your grand plan?"
"Ideally, I'd like to head to the capital first," Kyro replied calmly.
The words made Tharic choke on his soup. He quickly coughed into his fist, staring at Kyro as though he had just proposed something insane.
"Exc—"
But Kyro cut him off. "However I fear it's easier said than done. A better approach probably would be to explore the country first, learn from its citizens, and maybe uncover the true motives of the Aether Hunters. There's still so much we don't know. If we march into the capital without understanding the bigger picture, it could be disastrous."
"My, what sound thinking…," came a familiar voice from the front door.
All three turned. To their shock, Rena stood there, hand resting casually on the hilt of her katana.
"Rena!" Kyro shouted, springing to his feet.
She smiled faintly. "Long time, huh?"
"Are you alright? Tell us everything that happened after we left!" Tharic said, pushing his bowl aside.
"I will," Rena replied, her eyes narrowing as she glanced toward Elaara. "But first… who are you?"
"My name is Elaara," she said warmly. "I've been taking care of these two since they arrived here. They've told me a great deal about you. Please, come in!"
"…Eh? What did these idiots say about me?" Rena thought, but she stepped inside regardless.
She took a seat and, after a moment, began recounting in detail what had happened after Kyro and Tharic's escape from the battlefield.
"I see," Tharic said when she finished. "Thank you for holding them off until we got away."
"It's a shame we couldn't stop them there," Kyro added grimly.
Rena shook her head. "Don't worry. They didn't seem all that strong. It wasn't much of an inconvenience."
Kyro clenched his fist. "Next time… we'll finish this once and for all."
Rena gave him a small nod before turning to Elaara. "Thank you for looking after them. I hope they haven't caused you too much trouble."
"Not at all," Elaara said quickly. "They've been a joy to have around. Both of them have shown me their conviction to fight for Sylmora's people."
"Is that so? Both of them?" Rena asked, curious.
Before Kyro could answer, Tharic spoke up firmly. "That's right. I intend to follow Kyro's plan to save Sylmora—by his side."
Rena blinked, surprised. "When did he suddenly start believing in Kyro's plan?"
A slow smile tugged at her lips.
"Whatever had happened, the tension between the two boys seemed to have lifted. Tharic's resolve now matched Kyro's."
"Interesting. I'm glad to hear that," she said.
Kyro leaned forward. "We helped defend Hosta from a pack of wolves—though they weren't normal. The white wolf leading them… when we killed it, it turned back into a human."
Rena spoke up, "A Hybrid Species, correct?"
Kyro nodded. "Exactly."
Rena sighed. "So much chaos in this cursed country…"
"Even so, we'll save it," Kyro said firmly. "No matter how long it takes."
"Then tell me your plan once more," Rena requested.
Tharic raised a brow. "Are you implying…"
"Yes," Rena interrupted with a smirk. "I'll be joining you. My goals don't perfectly align with saving Sylmora, but this journey might bring me closer to my own answers."
Kyro's curiosity burned. "You mentioned it before, but… what is your goal?"
Rena hesitated before shaking her head. "That's not your concern as of this moment. For now, it would only confuse things."
Kyro's shoulders slumped. "I see…"
Tharic stepped in. "The plan is simple: gain the trust of Sylmora's citizens while gathering information on the Aether Hunters. That way, when we finally approach the capital, we'll understand what we're walking into."
Rena listened carefully, then added, "That makes sense, but I still believe heading to the capital first has merit. If conditions are this dire in the countryside, what do you think is happening in the heart of the kingdom? Seeing it for ourselves might reveal truths no one else can."
"But more importantly," Rena continued before turning fully to Kyro, "I promised to get you help regarding your memory and aether issues. The people I know now live in Ironbark."
Kyro's eyes lit up hearing that.
"Now that you put it that way, I do agree," Tharic said. "We'll head for the capital, but we'll learn all we can on the way. All while hopefully curing Kyro's problems."
Kyro said excitedly, "Yes!"
Elaara clasped her hands together. "Promise me you'll visit Hostra again. I'd love to hear of your victories one day."
"We promise," Kyro said confidently. "And by then, I'll be much stronger—strong enough to protect entire villages by myself!"
Tharic sighed, shaking his head. "Don't get ahead of yourself. You still don't even know how to use Aether properly."
"Ugh, it'll happen soon—I can feel it!" Kyro shot back, frustrated.
Elaara chuckled while Rena smirked in the background. The atmosphere in the house was warm and hopeful. Elaara let them rest for the remainder of the day, while Tharic and Kyro returned to training in the yard. Rena stayed inside with Elaara, sipping tea as they quietly discussed the journey ahead. Though the boys brimmed with ambition, Rena knew she had the experience to guide them and quietly resolved to do just that.
Later, she stepped outside, drawn by the sound of sparring.
"Ugh!" Kyro grunted as Tharic's flurry of spear thrusts pushed him back.
"You're too slow!" Tharic taunted, a smirk tugging at his lips. With a burst of wind Aether, he propelled himself high into the air.
Kyro tightened his grip on his axe, planting his feet firmly into the dirt. He braced for the incoming strike.
CLASH!
Spear met axe in a fierce collision. This time, Kyro held his ground.
"Good—you're holding your own and using your positioning well!" Tharic praised. "But…"
He tried to channel his Aether more deliberately, remembering Rena's effortless control in the forest.
"If I'm to grow stronger… I have to master my Aether."
For a fleeting moment, power coursed through his body in a controlled surge. But it slipped away, breaking his stance and allowing Kyro to push him back.
"Ugh!"
"That was a good attempt," Rena called from the sidelines, watching closely.
"Tch. Not good enough," Tharic muttered, frustration etched across his face.
Rena chuckled. "You can't expect mastery in one night. It takes time, and patience."
But Kyro wasn't listening. With his axe raised high, he charged at Tharic again, yelling with raw determination.
"RAHH!"
"Allow me," said Rena, looking at Kyro charging in.
Rena placed her hand on the hilt of her katana, her breath steady and controlled, as if she were preparing for battle herself. The air grew dense and suffocating, pressure pressing down on the yard as she amplified her Aether tenfold. Then, in the blink of an eye, she vanished.
Kyro barely registered her movement before she reappeared in front of him, catching the blade of his descending axe with her bare hand.
"What power!" Kyro gasped, straining to push through her grip.
Rena glanced over her shoulder at Tharic, holding Kyro back with effortless strength. "This is the difference—someone who can fully command their Aether."
Her eyes flicked back to Kyro, sharp as steel. "As for you…"
KICK!
Her foot slammed into Kyro's stomach, the force sending him flying into a nearby tree with a sickening crack. He coughed violently, but forced himself to rise, clutching his ribs.
"Th… thank you…" he wheezed.
"Kyro," Tharic spoke up, tightening his grip on his spear, "before we leave, I want to try one more move. I haven't used it since our fight against the white wolf."
Kyro, recognizing the technique immediately, managed a smile. "Sure thing."
Rena stepped aside, intrigued to witness it for herself.
Tharic's stance shifted. He clutched the spear with both hands, veins of Aether sparking down its shaft as energy flared around him. Then—boom—his body rocketed upward in a single explosive leap. The wind itself howled in his wake, spiraling into a furious vortex that wrapped around him like a coiling dragon.
"Wind Technique: Tornado Dive!!"
The sky split open as the roaring tornado descended. The cyclone tore downward with terrifying speed, shaking the earth and ripping the ground apart in a storm of debris and dust.
Kyro stood his ground. His gaze sharpened, resolve burning in his eyes. He slammed his feet into position, his aura flaring outward like fire resisting the storm as he met Tharic's attack with the swing of his axe.
CLASHHHHH—BOOOOOOM!
The impact shook the village to its core. Shockwaves erupted outward, flattening the grass, tearing at the soil, and echoing for miles. Kyro staggered under the assault, every muscle in his body straining, but he refused to collapse.
When the dust finally began to clear, Rena clapped, her expression unreadable but her eyes glinting with approval. "Impressive, Tharic. You've grown."
"WHAT ARE YOU FOOLS DOING?!"
The shout cut through the air. The three froze, turning toward the edge of the yard where a group of villagers had gathered. Their faces were twisted with anger and fear.
"Do you want to get us killed?!" one man barked. "If the Aether Hunters sense power like that, they'll come here!"
Tharic lowered his spear instantly, bowing his head. "I—I apologize, I didn't—"
"Save your apologies," another villager snapped. "We don't want them. We want you gone. Now."
A woman's voice trembled as she added, "We just want to live in peace… no more fighting, no more death. Please… you must understand."
Kyro clenched his fists. "But we saved you! We killed the white wolf! Without us, this village would have been destroyed!"
For a brief moment, silence fell. Kyro's chest swelled with hope—until one villager stepped forward, voice cracking.
"Why… why would you do such a thing?"
Kyro blinked, stunned. "What?"
"Because of you, the Aether Hunters will come!" another shouted, panic rising in his tone. "They'll search for whoever killed the wolf, and when they find out it was connected to us… our village is doomed!"
The crowd erupted in shouts—anger, fear, despair.
Rena's eyes narrowed. They're right. The white wolf was no ordinary beast. And now… with this reckless sparring, the Hunters' attention is all but guaranteed.
At that moment, Elaara stepped out of her house, alarmed by the noise. Before she could speak, one of the elders pointed a trembling, accusatory finger at her.
"You. It was YOU who brought them here, wasn't it?"
Elaara froze, her lips parting but no words coming out. The guilt in her silence was answer enough.
The elder's voice turned cold. "Have you learned nothing? Years ago, you brought outsiders too—and they brought ruin down upon us. Death, destruction… and now you've done it again."
Kyro surged forward, shouting, "Hey, she—"
"Quiet!" the elder barked, silencing him.
"You don't understand the pain this village has endured. The graves, the sorrow, the blood spilled because of reckless outsiders. And yet—" he jabbed a finger at Elaara, voice trembling with venom—"some of us are too blind, too ignorant, to stop repeating the same mistakes!"
"STOP!" Tharic roared, his voice cutting through the chaos.
The villagers fell silent, startled. Tharic stepped forward, eyes burning with conviction. "If there is blame, put it on me. I brought myself here when Kyro and I were injured. Elaara did nothing but save our lives. It was our ignorance that endangered you, and ours alone."
Rena added coolly, "He's right. We'll leave immediately. The last thing we want is to bring further danger upon you."
Kyro's jaw clenched as he gripped his axe, rage boiling beneath his skin. They had done nothing wrong—yet the villagers were right to fear. Slowly, he exhaled, forcing himself to hold back.
"…Let's go," Rena ordered, already turning toward the forest path leading south to the capital.
Kyro lingered a moment, staring at the angry, fearful faces. Then he shouted, "We will return! Once we save Sylmora, you'll see. Mark my words!"
"Kyro!" Tharic hissed, urging him to stop.
The villagers burst into bitter laughter. Some bent to pick up rocks, hurling them at the trio. Stones pelted their backs as insults and curses rang out.
Elaara cried out, tears streaming down her face. "Please—stop! This isn't right!"
"Not right?!" one villager spat back. "Protecting our home is not right? Keeping our peace is not right?!"
Another sneered at her. "You don't protect anyone but yourself. You never have."
More stones flew. Kyro, Tharic, and Rena shielded themselves as best they could before fleeing down the forest path. Their silhouettes vanished into the trees, the villagers' angry shouts chasing after them.
Elaara remained frozen, clutching her chest. Her heart ached as she watched them disappear—three young souls cast out, burdened with a destiny the village could no longer shoulder.