A week had passed. As the sunlight hit the ground, people in the camp started to wake up. As the new day began, it was a peaceful one.
All the people gathered around, taking food from the knights. They walked in a line, holding bowls for the stew that was being served. A knight ladled stew from a large pot into each bowl.
A small girl came to the front of the line. She stood on her toes, pushing her bowl forward. "Please give me too."
He took the bowl from her hand. As he poured the stew, she leaned onto his foot for balance. Suddenly, the stew inside the pot began to shake along with the table.
The knight turned his head, looking far away toward the road. 'They arrived earlier than I thought.' He quickly handed the filled bowl back to the girl. She clutched it in her small hands and started to walk away, while he continued serving the others.
As she walked, she noticed people gathering and looking toward the road. A kid ran past her, and she followed. Behind the crowd, she could not see anything. She jumped to peek and tried to look from the side, but nothing helped.
Taking a deep breath, she squeezed between people until she reached the front. She gasped for air and looked ahead. A huge number of soldiers were coming down the road. Many carriages, pulled by horses, followed them. Their silver armor flashed in the light as they marched, and the ground trembled beneath their steps.
Alric stood at the entrance of the camp, connected to the road. As the convoy arrived, the man leading the group dismounted from his horse and walked toward him. Both shook hands.
Alric spoke with a smile. "It is nice to see you arrived earlier than the schedule."
"Yeah. The king ordered us to get here as fast as possible. Shall we continue with our plan?"
Alric nodded. "Yes, we can start." He turned toward the knight standing at the entrance, holding a spear. "Go gather the people. We shall make an announcement."
The knight bowed and walked toward the giant bell.
Alric looked back. "So everything went smoothly?"
The man nodded. "Yes, everything went as planned." He turned back to his soldiers, raised his hand, and ordered, "We are going to stay here. Get things done and rest."
The soldiers dismounted their horses and began to ease up. He turned back to Alric. "Let us go tell the people."
As the bell rang, people began gathering. While walking together, he looked at Alric with concern. "It is troubling that demons are becoming more powerful, destroying half a city in a blink."
Alric laughed and patted his back. "We are helpless for now. I hope we can become powerful too."
He laughed as well. "We will. For now, we should take care of our people."
Both stood before the crowd. Alric took a deep breath and raised his voice. "My fellow people, we have received the king's order. Those who were enslaved underground shall be moved to a new place. Those who lived in the upper city will remain here, as the city is to be rebuilt. Those who are to be moved, gather your things. We leave in three hours."
As the people dispersed to pack, Alric coughed. "These announcements take a toll on the throat."
"Mages in the Union Magic Academy are researching a magic for that, but who knows how long it will take."
Alric put a hand on his shoulder. "Take care of this place. I will be off."
"You too. Take care of yourself."
Alric went toward his tent, while Edric was inside his own, gathering his bed and belongings. 'It is nice that we are being taken to a new place. I could start a new life with my friends.'
He stood up, stretching his back. 'I should go get those fools into the cart. They can barely walk, still healing as they are.'
He rolled his mattress, lifted it onto his shoulder, took the bag of belongings, and started to leave. At the door of the tent, his steps stopped, and he smiled. 'Fin was such a fool. He died protecting that kid, but he saved us all.'
He walked toward the medical tent, where Darik, Mira, and Brian were healing. Passing between tents, he saw people packing and readying their luggage. 'Everyone is preparing to move. Hopefully we can all live happily there.'
He stood before the medical tent and opened the flap. Inside, Brian and Darik were fighting over a piece of bread, while Mira pleaded with them. "Please, stop you two. You are both hurt."
Edric's eyes narrowed with anger as he barked, "What are you doing?"
Both froze and looked at him. Brian stammered, "Nothing, we were just playing." Darik quickly added, "Yes, nothing."
He turned to Mira. "Let us go. It is time to move."
The four of them walked toward the carts. People were boarding while others loaded food and supplies. Edric climbed into a cart and pulled the others up. Once they settled, he said, "Let us go and start our new life."
The cart jerked forward as the convoy began to move. Soldiers and carriages stretched out across the road.
As they rode, Mira noticed a bird with a cyan body and black wings land on the cart. She gasped with delight. "Look, it is beautiful."
The cart hit a bump, and the bird flew up into the sky. Mira sighed with sadness. "Aww, it flew away."
The man beside them smiled. "Children, it is a good omen. That bird is rare to see."
Brian nodded. "Yes. We are on our journey to a new life."
The bird soared across the river, fields, and forest. Finally, it crossed the boundary of a mansion and perched on the window of a room. Inside, Ren slept, lost in thought.
He floated in darkness. A vast, endless void. No light. No sound. No weight. He did not feel his body. Just being. His thoughts echoed quietly, dreamlike.
'What a strange dream. I need to get home. I have school tomorrow. Or… did I just come from school?'
The silence stretched until a voice broke through, soft and distant.
"Ren…"
Then again, closer.
"Ren… Ren…"
His eyes clenched shut.
A flash.
A warm afternoon. A familiar voice.
"Come back from school and we will go buy toys," his sister said, smiling from the kitchen doorway. His chest tightened.
Another flash.
Pain.
He clutched his head. 'Why… why does it hurt?'
More fragments crashed in.
The canteen. Cold metal trays. A boy with messy hair and a bruised cheek smiled at him.
"My name is Fin."
Then screams. Fire. Chains. Blood.
Fin, standing before Skarith. A blade flashing.
Fin slashing with a sword.
'No… no!' Ren screamed. His voice echoed through the void.
He saw it all again. The moment Fin was struck down. The glint of Skarith's sword. The blood.
His scream ripped through the dream.
Ren gasped as his eyes flew open.