Lyra and Kairis followed him through a narrow passage.
The walls were shattered and broken but enough to give shelter. Every step they took made a sound that echoed in the silence.
When they finally reached the end of the passage, it opened into a small market built between ruined houses. People sat under dim lanterns, pale faces — there were still people.
Some of them were not just survivors but fighters wearing armor taken from soldiers. Some carried swords, axes, even bows — and some swords were too big for them. Each of their eyes showed a different story; some showed despair, fear, madness, and much more.
Then, just as Lyra and Kairis entered the square, every gaze turned to them — sharp. A kid hid behind his mother's torn skirt. Lyra turned to Kairis, who had her hand hovering around her sword. Just as Kael had appeared from the shadows, he disappeared into the crowd. Lyra remained calm. So he left us here to test us, I see.
But Kairis bit her lip in irritation. Lyra turned to her and whispered, "We need to keep our ground."
Kairis, annoyed, nodded slightly, murmuring to herself, cursing Kael.
Then ahead—
THUD!
A little boy fell on the ground, dirt on his face and bandaged clothes. A man wearing silver armor kicked the boy. The boy coughed; his chest was visible through the torn clothes, but he kept a beard barely eatable.
The man shouted, "Thief!"
The other men blurted, "He deserves it!"
Some of the men surrounded the boy and cheered for the man who kept hitting him, as if his cruelty was something to admire.
Lyra stopped there, and Kairis put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't…"
But before she could say more, Lyra had already moved. She pulled the hood of her cloak over her head, and Kairis sighed, murmuring to herself, Here we go again — troublemaker.
Kairis followed Lyra, pulling her hood on her head.
Lyra then spoke, keeping her head low. "Enough."
All the men turned to Lyra.
"Who are you? Oh, the newcomers?" the man snorted.
And another leaned closer. "And if we don't?"
He took out a knife from his back pocket and slowly put his knife on Lyra's neck. Kairis took out her sword, but before she could act, the air turned sharp — heavy. One by one, all of the men knelt in front of Lyra. Lyra stared at them, her Crimson eyes shimmering under the pale light of the lantern. The boy bolted without even saying thank you.
One of the men spoke, his voice low and cracking at the end out of pain. "What is this… I can't move."
Everyone in the square looked at Lyra. Children hid behind their mothers, and survivors looked terrified. Lyra sighed pinching the bridge of her nose . "If you have power… don't abuse it on the weak."
Before walking away,as she slowly walked the air became lighter again. The men slowly stood, grinding their teeth, stretching their arms, and whispering something among themselves.
Lyra didn't look back, and Kairis slowly followed her. Lyra lowered her hood and sighed softly. Kairis turned to her — pride in her eyes but worry still on her face. "You've just made us a target."
Lyra smiled faintly. "I can handle them."
Kairis sighed dramatically but still grinned.
Beneath the shadows, Kael watched them, leaning against a cracked wall. "Interesting," he muttered.
He looked at Lyra once more before turning his face away. "Chaos, I see."
***
Later, Kairis and Lyra found a quiet corner with cracked walls and a roof made of thin white cloth that had long turned the color of dirt. There was also a bench at the right side of the corner.
Lyra leaned against the wall, arms folded, eyes closed, while Kairis sat on the bench stretching her arms.
"Why did you do that, by the way?" Kairis asked.
Lyra opened her eyes and looked at her, her gaze cold. "I just wanted to be different from them "
Lyra looked ahead; her expression changed.
Of course, I wasn't saving the boy I just needed to keep my ground which I did...
Lyra looked around. Some people in armor stood by a cage, watching a man fight, while a woman wearing armor that looked like a metal cage barked orders at them. Otherwise we might get watched by them , Lyra thought.
Then out of the shadows, Kael appeared again, leaning against a small shop that stood beside them. Before he could walk up to them, Kairis took out her sword and pointed it at Kael's neck in a flash. Lyra looked at him — he smirked.
Lyra leaned closer to him. "So, what do you want now?"
He grinned. "I don't want anything."
Lyra walked a bit away, looking at the bench.He is really a strange man.I can't sense any sort of energy from him is he suppressing it..
"Or maybe," Kael said, "it might benefit you too."
Lyra tilted her head slightly, her gaze sharp. "What's the deal then?"
Kairis kept her grip tighter on his neck. Lyra signaled for her to let him go.
Kairis lowered her sword but threatened, "Next time, you won't get away alive," gritting her teeth.
Kael stretched his arms. "Deal. I see it benefits us both. You get your answer, and I get mine."
Lyra put her hand on her jaw, looking away, pretending to think.
Kairis turned her face away, pretending to look elsewhere, but her gaze stayed fixed on Kael.
After a moment, Lyra spoke. "Sure. Deal's done."
Kairis stared at Lyra, hand lowering in disbelief. "Did I hear you correctly?"
Kael nodded slightly, smirking.
Lyra nodded back. "But at early morning."
Kael looked at her for a moment. "Alright," he said, before walking into the shadows and disappearing.
Then Kairis finally spoke what she'd been holding in all this time. "Are you really gonna trust him that easily?"
"We just…"
Lyra leaned against the crumbled wall and closed her eyes. "Look around, Kairis. Do you think we'll find answers here?"
Kairis turned and looked around. People fought bare-handed in the dirt while others shouted bets. Small stalls sold cheap wine and stale bread, their owners watching with dull eyes. A few children slipped through the crowd, snatching what they could. Near the center, a cage fight drew cheers and laughter, the weak forced to entertain the strong.
Kairis lowered her head, understanding what Lyra meant.
Lyra put a hand on Kairis's shoulder gently. "We need to find why Eryndor is in ruins, and we can't find it here — not in a place like this."
Kairis slightly nodded, holding Lyra's hand and smiling faintly. "I understand."
***
Then morning came — no sun, no birds, no warmth, only a pale light enough to know that it was morning, and a silent breeze. The ruins were quiet, the streets cold. Lyra and Kairis walked out of the square; Kairis stretched her arms while Lyra looked ahead, her gaze cold and serious.
Kael stood with one foot on a rock, watching ahead. For a moment, he looked at Lyra and then pretended to look away as if he hadn't seen them.
Lyra walked up to him. "Don't pretend that you didn't see us."
Kael tilted his head slightly and smiled faintly, not answering.
"So, where are we going?" Lyra asked curiously.
Kairis turned her face away, annoyed, cursing something under her breath. Kael noticed and grinned, knowing she didn't like him. Then he pointed north. "To the north."
Lyra looked where Kael had pointed. North… I see. It's where the Quanix village is.
Before Lyra could speak, Kael turned and began walking. "Let's go."
Lyra lowered her head, shaking it slightly, her hand on her forehead, and slowly followed him.
As they began walking, Kairis muttered, "I'm gonna smash that smirk off his face."
Lyra only smiled faintly, brushing her hair aside. Then she looked ahead — a field stretched open, broken and burnt-out trees stood tall, blackened and reaching high.