The dawn was a sluggish intruder, its light a tentative glimmer on the village outskirts. The Elf felt its approach with the groan of someone not quite ready to face another day. Her auburn hair fell in tangled disarray over her face, concealing bloodshot eyes that watched the dirt path without enthusiasm. She cradled a tin cup in one hand and a bottle in the other, neither bringing her the solace they promised. The Elf blinked, her gaze catching the movement of a small, wiry figure making its way up the trail. It was the boy, his stride a mix of trepidation and resolve. She should have known he'd come.
"Teach me to be strong like you," he said, as he reached her side. His hand clutched a frayed strap that seemed too big for him.
The Elf sighed and took a swig, letting the bottle rest between her knees. "Strength isn't somethingyou learn overnight," she snapped, her voice more resigned than harsh. But the boy's earnestness was as relentless as it was gentle. Each word he spoke was a hesitant step toward her, an unsteady advance that she found both irritating and endearing. Against her better judgment, she began to talk, her voice low and measured, her words the kind that carried too much truth to be comfortable. She gestured vaguely toward the horizon, its distant scars visible even in the morning's muted light.
The Elf wrapped her arms around her knees, as if trying to keep herself from unraveling. The morning mist clung to the grass like a stubborn memory, refusing to dissipate. Her head pounded in time with her heartbeat, each throb a reminder of last night's poor decisions. She lifted the bottle, half-empty and chipped at the rim, and tilted it to her lips. The taste was sharp, biting.
The boy took a step closer, his wiry frame silhouetted against the morning sky. "Please," he said. His voice was a mix of pleading and determination. "I need to be strong."
The Elf squinted up at him, taking in his rumpled appearance—the worn jacket that seemed a size too large, the scuffed boots. He looked like he'd walked all night. She ran her thumb over the dented tin cup, considering his words with a skepticism that bordered on disdain. "Go home," she said. "This isn't a game."
The boy's shoulders slumped, but he stood his ground. "I'm not going back," he said, his voice trembling with the effort to sound steady. "I saw what you did. I want to learn."
The Elf's laugh was more of a snort, dismissive and a little sad. "What you want is a good night's sleep. Strength," she said, her gaze drifting to the scarred horizon, "isn't something you learn like a party trick."
The boy took another step, closing the gap between them with a hesitant shuffle. His persistence was infuriating and strangely compelling, a stubborn flicker of hope in a world that had taught her not to hope for much.
"You can't keep following me around," the Elf said, the words coming out harsher than she intended. But there was a part of her that didn't mind, a part that was curious to see how far he'd go.
The boy dropped to his knees beside her, his hands resting on the ground as if to steady himself. "I'll keep asking until you say yes," he said, and though his voice was quiet, there was steel in it.
The Elf looked at him for a long moment, the silence stretching between them like an unspoken dare. She sighed, a deep and weary sound, and shook her head as if trying to shake off something she couldn't quite name. "You're serious about this, aren't you?" she said at last, her tone softer, almost amused.
The boy nodded, a quick and eager motion that reminded the Elf of a puppy she'd once had, a lifetime ago. "I won't give up," he said.
"Was it true, what they said? Were you a great warrior?"
The Elf flinched, the question piercing through the fog of her headache. "You mean was," she said, her voice edged with bitterness. "It's been a long time since anyone called me that."
He watched her closely, his young face a picture of concentration and confusion. "But you fought against the King," he persisted, "with the rebels. Everyone thought—"
The words stirred memories the Elf had tried to drown in drink, memories of battles fought and loyalties betrayed. Faces blurred together—some lost, some left behind. Her hand tightened around the bottle, knuckles white where they pressed against the glass. Her blood boiled up at the memory, rising with a ferocity she thought she'd forgotten.
"It doesn't matter what you thought," she hissed, before the fierce tide receded, leaving her unexpectedly cool. "I was wrong about a lot of things," she finished, her voice quieting to a near whisper.
The boy seemed undeterred by her outburst, his eyes still fixed on her with relentless curiosity. He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off with a sharp wave of her hand.
"Enough." Her tone is soft.
The simplicity of his words cut through the Elf's defenses in a way she didn't expect. She found herself leaning forward, speaking before she could stop herself. "I used to lead the Kingsguard," she said, the admission tasting strange on her tongue. Her voice was low and measured, each word carrying the weight of things she'd rather forget.
The boy's eyes widened, his mouth falling open in a small, astonished 'o.' "Really?" he breathed, the awe in his voice making the Elf shift uncomfortably.
Could this truly be the same Kingsguard warrior that the old timers in the tavern speak of with such awe? They tell tales of their unmatched courage and prowess, especially during the Siege of Storm's End. When the castle was encircled and hope seemed lost, he orchestrated a bold night raid through a hidden passage, surprising the enemy and shifting the war's outcome. His clever strategy not only rescued the fortress but also forged a lasting legend of inspiration.
"Don't look so impressed," the Elf said, a touch of sarcasm coloring her words. "It wasn't what you think." She gestured vaguely, her hand sweeping the air as if trying to dispel the memories that crowded in.
The boy inched forward, his eyes fixed on the Elf with an intensity that spoke of endless questions and a hunger for answers. To her, the look was all too familiar, a spark of curiosity mingled with what she quickly recognized as admiration—a look she'd seen in other young faces, long ago.
Sitting here, in tattered clothes and the morning's chill, she seemed more a mystery than a legend. "You don't look like much," he said with a cautious grin.
She looked down at her worn, rumpled clothing, the frayed threads and dirt-streaked fabric that told its own story. Her slender frame still held an air of strength despite everything, though it was masked by a few too many hungover mornings. "Shows what you know," she replied, smirking. She raised the battered tin cup to emphasize the point, its metal glinting dully in the weak dawn light.
The boy hesitated, as if weighing her words and her appearance against one another. For a moment, the doubt in his eyes was plain. But there was something in her expression—an echo of regret, perhaps, or a flicker of truth she couldn't quite conceal—that made him rethink. "So you were," he said slowly, as though the realization needed to be spoken before he could believe it himself.
She felt the weight of his anticipation, felt it press against the worn shell of her indifference. She looked away, feigning interest in the grass at her feet.
She took a deep breath, trying to gather the fragments of her composure. This was the moment, she knew, when she could still send him away, when she could still pretend she didn't care. With a dismissive tilt of her head, she tried to shake off the memories that were closing in on her. The boy's presence, so persistent and full of hope, was like a mirror she didn't want to face. She hesitated, the silence stretching between them, charged with unspoken things.
The Elf's gaze traveled to the distant horizon, its edges blurred by the haze of early morning. "It was a long time ago," she said, her words clipped, almost defiant. But as she spoke, something inside her loosened, a knot of resistance giving way to the quiet persistence of the boy's presence.
He watched her, waiting, and the Elf felt the old scars aching with the promise of something new. She let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and let the words spill out in a rush. "I was just a kid, by my people's standards, not much older than you. Thought I could change the world."
The boy's brow furrowed, his face a picture of concentration as he absorbed her words. "What —happened?" he asked, his voice tentative, as if afraid to break the fragile thread of their conversation.
The Elf hesitated, the silence between them heavy with unspoken truths. "Reality," she said at last, her tone flat, almost bitter. "Turns out the world doesn't change so easily." She let her gaze fall to the ground, tracing patterns in the dirt with the toe of her boot.
The boy shifted, pulling his knees up to his chest in a mirror of the Elf's posture. "But you tried," he said, and there was a fierce kind of hope in his voice that made the elven heart twist in a way she wasn't prepared for.
She nodded, a small, reluctant motion. "Yeah," she said, her voice rough around the edges. "I tried."
For a moment, they sat in silence, the world around them slowly waking to the day. Birds called to each other from the trees, and the faint smell of smoke drifted in from the village. The Elf felt the weight of the boy's gaze on her, his eyes filled with questions he didn't know how to ask.
"Look," the Elf said, breaking the quiet with a suddenness that made the boy startle. "This isn't going to be easy. I'm not some kindly old wizard here to hand you magic powers and a destiny. You still sure about this?"
The boy met her gaze, his expression more serious than she'd ever seen it. "I'm sure," he said, the certainty in his voice surprising them both.
The Elf studied him, the earnest set of his mouth, the way his eyes didn't waver. She felt a flicker of something like admiration, something she'd buried deep a long time ago. "Alright, kid," she said, the words feeling strangely right. "But don't say I didn't warn you."
A slow smile spread across the boy's face, bright and unexpected as the morning sun. The Elf found herself smiling back, a small, wry twitch of her lips that surprised her almost as much as it did him.
The moment stretched, a fragile thing that neither of them dared to break. But the past was a tenacious specter, and it hovered over the Elf like the clouds creeping across the sky. She looked away, pretending to focus on the tin cup as she rolled it between her hands. Her fingers trembled, a subtle shake that belied the calmness of her expression.
"I can still hear their voices sometimes," the Elf mused, her tone more introspective than she realized. "Shouting orders, planning battles. It's almost as if they're right here, even after all these years."
The boy leaned forward, his eyes wide and attentive. The Elf sensed she should stop, aware she was on the verge of revealing too much. Yet, there was something about the boy's openness, his readiness to listen without judgment, that made her feel like she could continue.
"I thought I knew what I was doing," the Elf reflected, her words cascading out in a torrent. "Believed I could fix everything. But I was wrong. I was—" She paused, her breath catching on the word.
"Was what?" the boy prompted, his voice gentle but insistent.
The Elf shook her head, a sharp motion that sent her hair flying into her eyes. "Never mind," she said, a brittle edge creeping into her tone. "It's not important."
The boy opened his mouth to protest, but something in the Elf's expression stopped him. She turned away, her gaze fixed on the horizon as if daring it to look back.
The morning light cast long shadows across the ground, stark lines that seemed to echo the divisions in the Elf's heart. She felt them pulling at her, a persistent tug that she couldn't quite ignore.
"You should get some rest," the boy said, surprising them both with his sudden boldness.
The Elf raised an eyebrow, the gesture more playful than offended. "You're giving me orders now, huh?"
The boy blushed, a furious red that clashed with the earnestness of his expression. "I just mean—well, you know."
The Elf smiled, a crooked, reluctant thing that softened the angles of her face. "Yeah," she said, and this time there was no sarcasm, only a tired kind of affection. "I know."
They sat together in silence, the air between them alive with possibilities. The Elf watched the horizon with new eyes. She knew it wouldn't be easy, that the road ahead was as uncertain as the dawn's first light. But for the first time in a long time, she didn't mind.
When the boy spoke again, his voice was a whisper, barely more than a breath. "Thank you," he said, and the Elf felt the words settle into her like the promise of a new beginning.
"Don't thank me yet," she said, the hint of a challenge in her tone. "You've got your work cut out for you."
The boy grinned, the brightness of it chasing away the last shadows of doubt. "I will," he promised, his voice cracking with youthful enthusiasm.
The Elf shook her head, bemused and exasperated, but not altogether displeased. "You're a strange kid," she said, her tone softening to something that might have been fondness.
A moment's silence followed, and the boy broke it with a sudden burst of realization. "Oh!" he exclaimed, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck. "I never even... My name's Caden."
The Elf raised a quizzical eyebrow, caught off guard by the abruptness of his introduction. She laughed, an unexpected sound that rose from deep within her. "Just realized you're dealing with a stranger? And here I thought you were fearless."
Caden flushed again, managing to look both sheepish and resolute. "Well?" he prompted, waiting.
"Ana," she answered finally, allowing her name to hang tentatively in the air, like an invitation. The simplicity of it felt like a revelation, and she watched Caden absorb it as if it were a precious secret.
He nodded, satisfied and still glowing with the earnestness that seemed to define him. "Nice to meet you."
Caden grinned, his face alight with a joy that was infectious. Ana felt it seep into her bones, a warmth that chased away the chill of the morning air. She reached for the tin cup, letting her fingers close around it with a newfound sense of purpose. The tremor was still there, but it no longer felt like defeat. It felt like hope.
The scream tore through the morning like a jagged blade, its echo slicing into the quiet. Ana felt it before she heard it, a sharp jolt that snapped her upright. Her gaze shot toward the village, where a single, wailing note hung in the air like the cry of a wounded animal. She could almost taste the panic, metallic and electric, on the back of her tongue. Beside her, Caden sprang to his feet, clutching his jacket with trembling hands. Ana's lips pressing into a thin line while Caden's jaw stiffened with determination. "Let's go," Ana said, her voice taut with urgency. She hurled her empty bottle aside and took off toward the village, the bottle spinning and catching the light before clattering to the ground. The noise of footsteps joined the clamor of shouts and confusion as they ran, the abandoned hangover scene already a distant memory.
They sprinted down the path, the dirt and leaves scattering in their wake. The morning, once so sluggish and reluctant, now seemed to surge with life, each heartbeat pounding in time with their steps. Ana's hair whipped behind her like a banner, her focus unyielding as the sounds of chaos grew louder. Caden struggled to keep up, his wiry frame fueled by determination and the adrenaline that coursed through his veins.
"Is it them?" Caden yelled hoarsely, his voice barely cutting through the oppressive air as he coughed, gasping for breath, already at his physical limit.
"Keep moving!" Ana replied, the words more breath than sound. Her mind raced with possibilities, each one more dire than the last. She pushed harder, her limbs straining with the effort to close the distance. The village loomed ahead, its outlines blurred by the haze of dust and confusion.
Caden's face was pale, but his eyes were fierce, a reflection of Ana's own resolve. She spared him a quick glance, a momentary flicker of approval, before refocusing on the task at hand.
They dashed through the trees, the undergrowth clawing at their legs like insistent hands. The noise from the village was a living thing now, pulsing and chaotic, its heartbeat erratic and frenzied. Ana felt it pull at her, a magnetic force that urged her onward.
"Faster!" she yelled, though she wasn't sure if the command was for Caden or herself. She could sense the urgency like a fire at her heels, threatening to consume everything if they didn't reach it in time.
Caden nodded, breathless but determined. His jacket flapped around him like a second skin, too big and too familiar. He clutched it tighter, as if the fabric could shield him from the unknown. Ana admired his tenacity, the way he pushed through fear and exhaustion without hesitation. It reminded her of someonce, once.
The village rose before them, a scene of utter pandemonium. People ran in every direction, their faces masks of confusion and terror. The screams had multiplied, a chorus of panic that filled the air like a swarm of locusts. Ana and Caden plunged into the fray, their presence a steady line through the swirling chaos.
They wove between bodies, the world a blur of noise and movement. Shouts rang out, each one distinct yet part of the overwhelming cacophony. "What happened?","Who is it?","Are they back?" Ana tried to make sense of the voices, to pick out something she could latch onto, but the words slipped through her grasp like water.
Caden stumbled beside her, trying to steady himself by reaching for Ana's arm. She didn't notice, her eyes wide with panic, focused solely on the chaos ahead. As he missed his grip, he fell to the ground, unseen and overlooked in the frenzy.
"This way!" Ana shouted, veering toward a knot of villagers clustered around a toppled cart. The wood splintered beneath their feet as they ran, the sound like gunfire in the tense air.
Caden's breath came in ragged gasps. He stood up, trying to keep pace with Ana, his expression a mix of determination and disbelief at the chaos unfolding around them. "What's going on?" he yelled, the question half drowned by the din.
Ana didn't answer, her mind too focused on finding the source of the commotion. She could feel it now, a tangible presence that drew her closer, its pull inexorable and demanding. The fear and confusion only made her more certain, more determined. She wouldn't let the past repeat itself, not here, not now.
The noise pressed in from all sides, a relentless barrage that threatened to overwhelm even Ana's iron will. But she held steady, her resolve like a beacon in the storm. She led Caden through the tangle of bodies and debris, their path a straight line through the madness.
They sprinted the final distance, dodging and weaving until they broke through the outer ring of onlookers. The scene before them was one of raw, unfiltered chaos.
People milled about, shouting over one another in a frenzy of panic and disbelief. A group of children huddled together, their eyes wide and frightened. A woman sobbed into her hands, her cries lost in the clamor. An old man waved his arms, trying to bring order to the scene but only adding to the confusion.
In the center of it all was a massive cart, its contents spilled across the ground in a tangled heap. Clothes and household goods lay scattered, trampled underfoot in the rush. A broken wheel lay nearby, its splintered edges a testament to the speed of its fall.
Ana's gaze swept the area, searching for anything that would explain the pandemonium. Her eyes narrowed as she spotted a cluster of men near the wreckage, their expressions grim and determined. They worked with furious urgency, their hands darting over the debris with precision and speed.
"What is it?" Caden gasped, pulling up beside Ana. His eyes were wide with both fear and curiosity, the adrenaline making him almost giddy.
"I don't know," Ana replied, her voice tense with the effort to understand. She felt a flicker of something she couldn't quite name, a sense of impending revelation that sent her heart racing.
The men by the cart shouted to each other, their words sharp and urgent. "Get it clear!","Move, move!","Over here!" Ana caught the tail end of their conversation, the fragments weaving together into a tapestry of action and intent.
"Help me with this!" one of the men yelled, his voice cutting through the noise with the clarity of desperation.
Ana didn't hesitate. She dashed forward, motioning for Caden to follow. Together they joined the men, their hands scrabbling over the mess in a frantic effort to make sense of it. The urgency was infectious, a wildfire that spread through the crowd with electric speed.
The onlookers seemed to draw in a collective breath, their murmurs of panic replaced by a tense, expectant silence.
"There, we got it!" one of the men exclaimed, his voice ringing with triumph. He lifted something from the wreckage, cradling it in his arms like a newborn child.
Ana stared, her mind struggling to process what she was seeing. It was a large, intricately designed contraption made of thin metal pipes and gears, the craftsmanship exquisite even in its broken state.
"Mithril," she whispered, the word barely more than a breath. She felt the enormity of it hit her, a realization that sent shockwaves through her already racing heart.
Caden stared at the contraption, his mouth hanging open in disbelief.
Ana nodded, a quick, fierce motion that seemed to convey both certainty and astonishment. "Mana-tech," she said, the implications swirling around her like a living thing. "I thought it was—"
She didn't finish the sentence, but the unspoken words hung in the air, heavy and ominous. Thought it was the Reapers. Thought it was another attack. Ana felt the anger rise, a tide of frustration and fury that threatened to choke her. Her hands curled into fists. She'd been so ready, so prepared for another fight, another battle she wanted no part of. The realization hit like a physical blow, and she clenched her teeth against it. Damn it all. She cursed herself for getting caught up again, for letting the ghosts of past conflicts drive her without thinking.
Booting aside a loose bucket. A sudden rush of energy coursed through her legs, making them tingle and hum with power as if an electric current had sparked to life. Her muscles twitched involuntarily, and she felt a warmth spread from her thighs down to her toes, as if her body had tapped into a hidden reservoir of strength. The kick sent the bucket flying like a missile, soaring over the crowd and disappearing from sight. Heads turned to follow its arc, and a new wave of confusion swept through the onlookers.
A distant crash echoed back toward them, followed by a raucous fluttering as startled birds erupted into the air. Ana didn't bother to look, the commotion only adding to her frustration.
The man holding the contraption glanced up, his eyes meeting Ana's with a confused look.
The tension in the air broke, dissolving into a mixture of laughter and tears. The villagers hugged one another, their faces shining with the joy of relief.
Ana stood in the midst of it all, her expression unreadable. The morning light caught the sheen of sweat on her skin, the rapid rise and fall of her chest. She looked down at Caden, who was still catching his breath, his face flushed and exhilarated.
"You did good, kid," she said, a rare note of warmth in her voice.