Arrival
The journey was long. Dust clung to Kaen's boots, and his shoulders sagged with the weight of exhaustion. Yet as he crested the last hill, his breath caught.
Before them stretched Eldoria.
It wasn't like Orvale—scarred by flames, swallowed by death. Eldoria seemed almost unreal. Wide emerald fields swayed in the breeze, dotted with farmers tending their crops. The scent of earth and fresh grass replaced the choking stench of blood. Beyond, a river shimmered under the sunlight, its waters running endlessly, carrying life instead of loss.
And towering around the village, a wall of stone, not cold or oppressive, but strong—like arms wrapping around its people.
Kaen slowed his steps. Riku walked at his side, her hand brushing his as though to make sure this wasn't another illusion. Behind them, Daren limped, leaning on their other friend for support. The wounds were healing, but the grief still weighed on them all.
For the first time since the night of the attack, Kaen allowed himself a small, fragile smile.
"This place… it's alive," he whispered.
Riku nodded, her voice soft. "It feels like… home."
The Villagers
At the gates, guards in simple armor greeted them. Not with suspicion, but with warmth.
"You've come from Orvale, haven't you?" one asked, his eyes dimming at the mention of the ruined village. When Kaen nodded, the guard bowed his head. "Then you're survivors. That alone makes you strong. Welcome to Eldoria."
Inside, the village was even more alive. Children ran barefoot across the grass, chasing one another with laughter that felt like music after days of silence. Women carried baskets of vegetables, men repaired roofs, and everywhere, neighbors helped neighbors.
Kaen felt a strange ache in his chest. Orvale had once been like this. Maybe… maybe one day, it could be again.
A Moment of Quiet
They were given a small hut to rest in near the riverbank. That night, as the sun bled orange across the sky, Kaen sat outside, knees pulled to his chest.
Riku joined him quietly, holding two cups of water. She passed one to him. "You haven't spoken much today."
Kaen's fingers tightened around the cup. "…I keep thinking it's not real. That any second, the sky will burn again. That all this will… disappear."
Riku leaned closer, her shoulder brushing his. "I think that too. But maybe… that's why we need to fight. So this—" she gestured to the children playing by the river, to the laughter in the air— "doesn't vanish."
Kaen glanced at her. Her eyes, though rimmed with sorrow, still held light. And for the first time, he allowed himself to believe in the possibility of tomorrow.
The Training Grounds
The next morning, the survivors were gathered at the center square. A tall man with sharp eyes and a scar running across his jaw addressed them. His voice carried strength, but not cruelty.
"I am Commander Reius, head of Eldoria's defense squad. Many of you have lost everything. But here, we rebuild. Here, we learn to protect what remains."
Behind him, a vast training ground stretched out, filled with wooden dummies, sparring rings, and racks of practice weapons. Dozens of children, roughly Kaen's age, were already there—some nervous, some eager, some hardened by loss like himself.
Reius's gaze swept over them. "If you choose, you may join the trainee squad. You will be tested. You will bleed. But you will also grow strong enough to protect others. That strength comes not from the blade, but from the will to stand."
Kaen's fists clenched. His heart pounded. This was it. This was the path forward.
Riku whispered at his side, "Kaen… are you sure?"
He turned to her, his eyes burning. "If I don't… then everything we lost would mean nothing."
Meeting the Others
The trainees were split into small groups. Kaen, Riku, and Daren found themselves with a handful of new faces.
Lyra, a sharp-tongued girl with fiery red hair, who crossed her arms and said, "Try not to slow me down."
Finn, a timid boy with spectacles too big for his face, who stammered, "I-I'm not good with weapons, but I'll try."
Sora, quiet and observant, who simply gave a nod.
It was awkward at first, the silence heavy. But soon Lyra broke it. "So you're the ones from Orvale? I heard what happened. I… I'm sorry."
Kaen didn't answer immediately. His throat tightened, but he forced himself to speak. "Don't be sorry. Just… fight beside me. That'll be enough."
Lyra blinked, then smirked. "Hmph. Fair enough."
Riku gave a small smile. "Looks like we won't be alone anymore."
The First Lesson
Their instructor barked, "Form lines!"
They were taught the basics first—stances, balance, and movement. Kaen felt awkward at first, his grip on the training spear too stiff. Memories of that night haunted him—the blood, the beast, his first kill. The spear had felt heavy then. It felt heavier now.
But as he practiced, step after step, strike after strike, something changed. The rhythm steadied his breathing. The repetition anchored his mind. The ember his mother spoke of… flickered.
Across from him, Riku struggled to lift her wooden sword, sweat dripping from her brow. Kaen stepped beside her, adjusting her stance gently. "Keep your feet apart. You'll feel stronger."
She glanced at him, cheeks flushing faintly. "…Thanks."
Nearby, Lyra was already striking with fierce precision, muttering, "Faster… stronger…" while Finn stumbled over his own feet, earning laughter from a few others. Kaen offered him a hand up. "Don't worry. You'll get it."
Finn looked at him in surprise. No one had said that before. He nodded, determination sparking in his eyes.
Motivation
When the drills ended, the trainees gathered under the shade of the old oak near the field. Conversations buzzed—about the training, about the future.
Kaen sat quietly, staring at his hands, raw from gripping the spear.
Sora, the quiet one, finally spoke. His voice was low, but steady. "You fight differently. Like someone who's already faced death."
Kaen froze. The images flashed in his mind again—the beast's blood, the weight of the spear in his hands, Riku's terrified eyes.
"…I have." His voice was barely above a whisper.
The group went silent for a moment. Then Lyra muttered, "That explains it. No wonder you don't flinch."
Riku placed a hand on Kaen's shoulder. "He fought because he had to. Not because he wanted to."
Kaen swallowed hard, then lifted his gaze. "That's why I'll fight again. So none of you… ever have to feel what I felt."
The words hung in the air, heavy yet inspiring. For the first time, the group wasn't just strangers—they were comrades.
That night, the stars blanketed the sky above Eldoria. Kaen lay on the grass outside their hut, staring upward.
The walls of Eldoria stood tall behind him, the river's song steady, the air filled with the faint sound of laughter from the village.
He held the strange glowing stone in his hand, its warmth steady in his palm. His heart ached with the weight of his past—but for the first time, he felt a thread of hope weaving into his grief.
Riku's voice called softly from the doorway, "Kaen… come inside. Tomorrow's another day of training."
He glanced back at her, then up at the stars again. His grip on the stone tightened.
"I'll get stronger," he whispered to the night. "Stronger than I ever thought possible."
And with that vow, Kaen rose, stepping into the light of the home they had found—not the one they lost, but the one they would protect.