After they finished stacking their supplies inside the hut, Qen stepped out into the open air. The village smelled of fresh earth and grain, and the sound of laughter drifted from children playing nearby. He stretched his arms, breathing deeply. It felt good to be here again—far from the endless chaos he had known in the forest.
Hert followed him out, bumping his elbow against Qen's shoulder with a sly grin.
"You can do whatever you want now," Hert said teasingly, his wolfish ears flicking at the sounds of the village.
Qen chuckled. "Then I'll do just that."
As he strolled through the dirt path, the children he had met on his very first visit came running. A little girl shyly offered him a small bundle of wildflowers. Others tugged on his sleeve, asking if he could play. To his surprise, several children surrounded Hert too—staring at his furred tail and ears with wide eyes.
"Are you a beast?!" one boy exclaimed.
"No, silly, he talks like us!" another argued.
"Do you eat raw meat? Do you howl at night?"
Hert looked utterly overwhelmed as dozens of questions poured from their mouths. Qen laughed so hard he nearly doubled over, watching the stoic wolfkin swarmed by giggling, curious kids.
In the distance, Qen noticed the village elder supervising the harvest. The old man stood with a cane, watching farmers stack sacks of grain into carts. Qen approached, brushing the flower petals from his clothes.
"Elder," he said respectfully, "can I ask you something?"
The old man turned, smiling faintly. "Of course."
Qen hesitated, then asked, "How does it feel… to lead people?"
The elder blinked, surprised by the question. Then, suddenly, he burst out laughing so hard his shoulders shook. "Ah…! Boy, if you experience it yourself, you'll know. It's heavy and light at the same time. Painful, yet fulfilling." He smirked, his wrinkled eyes narrowing. "Perhaps you'll discover it sooner than you think."
Qen fell silent, pondering his words. After a short moment of quiet conversation, he left the elder to his work and joined the children again, chasing them across the fields. For the first time in years, he felt… free.
---
By evening, the sun dipped below the hills, casting the fields in gold. The elder rang a bell, calling everyone together for the Harvest Festival. Villagers set up long tables, laying out roasted meat, fresh bread, and baskets of fruit. Lanterns glowed warmly, and laughter filled the air.
Qen and his companions were seated at the head table, with Lady Elira seated gracefully beside him. She turned to Qen, her smile calm but her eyes searching.
"You're good at this," she said softly. "Forming bonds with others, making them to trust you. I think you'd be a fine leader for those who choose to believe in you."
Qen blinked, caught off guard. He scratched the back of his head and gave a small, embarrassed smile.
"I… I'm no leader. Just a man passing through."
She shook her head gently. "You saved me last time and I'm very thankful, mark my word! I'll pay you some day."
Her words lingered with him as the night wore on. They drank, laughed, and celebrated until the lanterns burned low and music gave way to drowsy silence.
---
The next morning, Qen stirred awake with a dull ache in his head from the drink. The sunlight seared his eyes as he stepped outside, rubbing his temples. A strange glimmer caught his eye at the horizon—dust rising, a faint shimmer of metal.
He squinted, then froze. His vision cleared, and his stomach sank.
A group of raiders was approaching fast.
"Wake up!" Qen bellowed, his voice ringing through the huts. "Wake up! Bandits are coming!"
Doors flew open. Villagers spilled into the streets, frightened and clutching farm tools. Chren and Hert stormed out with swords in hand, followed by Keir and Freon.
Qen unsheathed his blade with a metallic hiss, mounted his horse, and rode forward. Chren quickly mounted behind him, gripping his own weapon.
The bandits arrived with a roar of laughter, their leader—a fat, scarred man—shouting,
"Villagers of Guana! Did you miss us? I hear you feasted last night. Hand it all over!" His men howled in cruel amusement.
Qen urged his horse forward, glaring. "Leave now. Don't come back."
The bandits burst into mocking laughter, drawing their swords and leveling them at Qen. Chren immediately raised his weapon in defiance, his voice fierce.
"Don't you dare point your filthy blades at him!"
At that moment, Hert, Keir, and Freon arrived to stand beside Qen. Freon positioned himself slightly ahead, his stance sharp and protective. The villagers, inspired by the sight, raised their scythes, axes, and rakes. Fear turned to courage.
The bandit leader's smirk faltered. "Tch… stubborn fools. Kill them all!"
Steel clashed as the raiders surged forward. But then—
The air shifted. A golden-yellow aura erupted around Qen, rippling like fire. Half of it sank into his sword, the blade glowing with dangerous brilliance.
The bandits stumbled back, eyes wide.
"What the—?!"
The leader panicked, his voice cracking. "Back off! Don't fight him!"
But it was too late.
Qen surged forward in a flash, his glowing sword cutting down five men in a single sweep. He moved with terrifying precision—every strike quick, lethal, and controlled. Hert and Keir, stunned by the sight, remembered the mysterious power that had saved them before.
The villagers roared, their courage swelling. They fought with everything they had, emboldened by Qen's presence. Panic spread through the bandits as their numbers thinned rapidly.
The fat leader, trembling with fear, turned his horse and fled without looking back. The rest of his men broke and scattered, leaving the field littered with the fallen.
Qen raised his glowing sword high. The villagers cheered, their voices echoing into the hills.
Chren approached, his face a mix of awe and confusion.
"I have to ask… are you some kind of commander? Or perhaps a hero?"
Qen laughed lightly, lowering his blade. "No. Just a soldier. Nothing more."
Chren fell silent, unconvinced.
The villagers quickly began to clean the bloodstained earth, hauling buckets of water to wash away the stench. The elder walked up to Qen, tears glistening in his eyes.
"You gave us courage. You gave us victory. If ever you need my help, I will give it, without question."
Qen placed a hand on his shoulder, smiling faintly.
"It was nothing. Just… repaying the happiness this village always gives me."
The elder's lips trembled as he nodded, silently grateful.