As dawn broke over the silent ruins, the air felt strangely still. Preparations for the coming enemy had been temporarily halted—the kabolts had finished transporting the bandits' corpses to the mound, the very place where Kairo had claimed his first victory in this new world.
Now, Kairo walked alongside Shiri, Theo, and Flint, their steps slow and heavy upon the cracked stone path leading one kilometer away from their territory. Behind them, Lilian followed hesitantly, clutching her broom close, unsure why everyone seemed so quiet.
The ruins whispered with the wind, carrying a solemn weight that none dared disturb.
The group reached a crumbling ledge, the same one Kairo had crossed what felt like ages ago. He took a slow breath, his expression unreadable as they stepped into a part of the ruins untouched by time—older, darker, and heavy with memories. The air here carried a weight that pressed on the soul. Lilian followed close behind, brushing away the faint traces of smoke that drifted lazily across the ruins. In the distance, the faint clatter of bones echoed.
They soon spotted movement—the scavengers Kairo had once encountered during his first venture here. But now, instead of prowling for prey, the creatures shrank into the shadows, hiding from Flint's imposing presence. Flint's eyes glowed faintly as he followed silently behind his lord, every step of his heavy feet echoing authority.
Lilian's hands tightened around her broom. She hated this place; every breath felt colder than the last. "This is a bad idea…" she muttered. Suddenly, her foot pressed down on something that creaked. Confused, she glanced down—and froze. A skeleton's hollow gaze stared back at her.
"Eek!" she screamed, jumping back. "This place gives me the creeps! Why do I even have to be here!?"
Theo looked over his shoulder with a teasing grin. "Well, we didn't ask you to tag along. What's wrong, scared?"
Lilian puffed her cheeks, her hat slipping forward. "I-I'm not scared! You're the one who's scared!"
Shiri groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. "Quit it, both of you, don't fight like little children. We're almost there."
Still, even he couldn't shake off the unease creeping through his spine. His mana senses twitched—like something unseen was watching them.
At the front, Kairo stopped. His voice came out steady but low. "This place… still feels as eerie as ever." He took a deep breath, glancing at everyone before saying, "Alright everyone, here we are."
Before them lay a wide clearing—a mound of corpses stacked high, soldiers who felt prey to a war unknown to time. Besides the mound, the corpses of bandits along with the corpses of the kabolts and ghouls, that had fought and died in the raid were placed alike. The kabolts stood silently besides the coprses, awaiting Kairo's command to lay the corpses who were waiting to be put to rest.
Kairo took a deep breath and looked over the silent clearing. "Let's start," he said calmly.
At his command, the kabolts began to move, their claws scraping against the stone as they scattered through the ruins, gathering dry wood and stacking it near the mound.
Shiri stepped closer to Kairo, wiping a bit of dust from his hands. "So," he asked quietly, "what do you plan to do with the corpses?"
Kairo's expression softened, a faint smile tugging at his lips as Shiri's words echoed in his mind—"Killing doesn't take away your humanity; it ignites it. Its up to you to Keep that flame burning."
Kairo spoke as determination flared in his eyes,"After thinking about it for a while," he replied, "I decided to burn them. I didn't know what was more appropriate—burying or burning—but this feels right. Maybe it's the least we can do for them."
Shiri's crimson eyes glimmered under the dim light. "You're burying your enemies with respect," he said with a small grin. "These people probably had no one left to remember them. Giving them a proper farewell—it's more mercy than they deserve. But it's also what makes you different."
Theo and Lilian quietly watched as the kobolts worked in silence, their movements steady and respectful. They carried the bodies of the fallen bandits, the slain kobolts, and even the ghouls, placing them carefully in neat, organized rows before the growing mound. The smell of smoke and dust hung heavy in the air. As Theo's eyes wandered, he noticed the kobolts also retrieving the corpses of strange, unfamiliar soldiers from within the mound itself. Their armor was rusted, their banners faded and unrecognizable.
"Hey, Kairo," Theo asked, curiosity piqued. "Who were these other corpses?"
Kairo scratched the back of his neck, his expression uncertain. "I don't know," he admitted. "They were here even before I arrived."
Shiri's serpent eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Our forbidden continent truly hides countless mysteries. These soldiers might just be another one of them."
Kairo nodded slowly, his gaze drifting across the ancient ruins, he remembered retrieving the blood-stained banner here—its description spoke of soldiers who fought in a war lost to time. "I can feel it. These ruins… they're hiding something important. I don't know what, but we have to find it."
Theo smiled firmly and said, "I'll help you find them."
Shiri laughed softly. "Exactly. That's the spirit."
Meanwhile, Lilian folded her arms, glaring at the group with clear irritation. Why did I have to get stuck with these fools? she thought bitterly. (They're just old corpses… just hurry up already. I want to go back)
Some time had passed. The corpses were now laid in orderly rows, surrounded by dry wood carefully gathered from the surrounding ruins. A pale wind carried the smell of dust and ash through the silent clearing. Kairo, Shiri, Theo, and Flint stood in front of the mound while the remaining kobolts gathered behind them, heads lowered in quiet respect.
Lilian stood off to the side with her arms folded, her expression mixed between boredom and unease. "Are we done yet?" she muttered under her breath.
Kairo exhaled, gazing at the prepared pyre. "Now that everything's ready," he said, "we just need to light the fire." He looked around, then stooped to pick up a small stick. For a moment, he simply stood there, lost in thought, before turning to Shiri. "Can you light it?"
Shiri rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Uh… I can, but it'll take a bit. Fire magic isn't really my specialty."
Theo brightened immediately. "Don't worry, I'll help! How hard can it be?"
Kairo sighed, his tone half-exasperated. "Did no one think to bring something to light a fire?"
Shiri shot back, "You're the one who decided to burn them, genius. Shouldn't you have brought it?"
Flint tilted his head at the two bickering figures, his eyes blinking slowly as if questioning their intelligence.
Lilian sighed heavily and stepped forward. "Boys will always be idiots."
The three turned toward her in unison. She flicked her hair back with mock pride. "Step aside. It seems the legendary witch has to save the day again."
Without waiting for a reply, Lilian took the stick from Kairo and focused. "Come on… come on…" she muttered, holding out her palm. Theo chuckled, crossing his arms. "Let's see if this 'legendary witch' can even spark a flame."
A faint glow appeared—then flared brightly. The stick caught fire, and Lilian's eyes lit up in triumph. "Ha! See? Easy!"
Her celebration was short-lived. The fire puffed into smoke, bursting into a small cloud that covered her face. Coughing, she stumbled back, hat tilted awkwardly over one eye.
Kairo quietly took the half-lit stick from her hand. "Thanks," he said with a small smile.
Lilian wiped soot from her cheek, muttering, "No worries. The legendary witch is always ready to help."
Kairo turned toward the pyre, raising the burning stick. "Alright," he said firmly, voice echoing through the ruins, "let's do this for real."
Lilian puffed her cheeks in silent annoyance—but as she watched them prepare the farewell, she thought, (These idiots… yet, they're doing all this for people they didn't even know.)
Her gaze softened. (My family would never have done that.)
Silence fell over the clearing once again. The bickering, the laughter, the light-hearted moments—all of it faded into nothing as the air turned heavy with quiet reverence. The kobolts stood motionless, their heads bowed. The wind stilled, as if the ruins themselves were holding their breath.
Kairo stood at the front, the flickering flame dancing in his hands. He inhaled deeply, his expression calm yet distant. "Alright," he murmured softly. Then, with a single motion, he lowered the fire to the stacked wood.
A faint crackle broke the silence. Then came the roar. Flames surged upward, devouring the wood and corpses alike. The fire climbed high into the sky, painting the ruins in gold and crimson light. Ash began to rise, carried by the wind—tiny specks drifting like stars in the darkening air.
Kairo watched quietly, eyes reflecting the blaze. "Goodbye," he whispered.
Theo closed his eyes beside him, remembering the battle—the sweat, the exhaustion, the lives lost. "Rest well," he said softly, almost to himself.
Shiri lowered his head, offering a silent prayer.
Lilian stood a few paces away, arms lowering as she stared at the burning pyre. The flames reflected in her eyes, and for once, she didn't speak. She simply watched—quietly moved by the sight before her.
The fire burned for a long time before finally beginning to fade. The once-roaring flames dimmed into embers, the light softening into a warm glow before vanishing entirely. All that remained was a mound of gray ash, shifting gently with the wind.
Kairo watched in silence before turning to the kobolts. "Dig a hole," he ordered softly. "Gather the ashes. We'll give them a proper place to rest."
Without hesitation, the kobolts obeyed. Their claws scraped against the earth as they worked, digging a wide, shallow pit while others carefully gathered the ashes with small wooden bowls. Even the ghouls helped—quiet, respectful, their usual ferocity replaced by solemn focus.
When it was done, Kairo stepped forward, watching as the last of the ashes were poured into the hole. "Cover it," he said. The kobolts complied, sealing the mound under a layer of soil.
Kairo closed his eyes, bowing his head. "May you find peace," he whispered, offering a brief prayer.
When the moment passed, he opened his eyes and turned to the scattered weapons. Among them lay Raghul's twin axes, Zeven's sword, and the purple bead once worn by Ardan.
Theo bent down, lifting Zeven's blade. The memory of that battle flashed in his mind. "Don't worry," he murmured. "I'll keep your father's sword safe."
Flint picked up the twin axes, running his claws over the steel. "These are strong," he muttered. "I'll put them to good use."
Finally, Kairo reached for Ardan's bead. The moment he touched it, the Command Nexus flickered.
"Unknown energy detected," it said.
Kairo's eyes narrowed in interest. "I'll keep this," he said, tying the glowing bead around his wrist.
Shiri stepped beside him, smiling faintly. "You did well," he said softly. "Let's hope they find peace… and the love they lost."
Shiri's gentle words lingered in the still air, carried by the soft wind that brushed across the ruins. The ashes from the pyre drifted upward, glowing faintly in the morning sun before scattering into the sky—tiny, silver embers of the fallen. They swirled, lifted by the wind, floating higher and higher until the world seemed to fade into silence.
One flake of ash glimmered brighter than the rest, carried far beyond the ruins—far beyond Kairo's territory—until it descended into darkness.
The faint glow dimmed as it landed inside a vast cavern, its air thick with smoke and dust. The same ash that had risen from the pyre now fell softly onto the damp stone floor, where the clinking of chains echoed faintly.
There, among rows of dimly lit torches, a boy with purplish-black hair struggled forward. Shackles bound his wrists and ankles, dragging across the rough ground as he toiled under the watchful eyes of beastly guards—tall figures with wolf-like faces and cruel expressions.
The boy stumbled, collapsing onto the cold earth. One of the wolf-faced guards snarled, cracking his whip. "Get up, you useless bastard! Keep working!" he shouted as he brought their whips down. The sound cracked through the air.
He didn't scream—only whispered through trembling lips, his eyes half-open.
"Someone… help me… Father… where are you…"
The last of the ash settled beside him—silent, glowing faintly, as if listening.