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The landscape had changed.
The moment that ominous, chilling figure appeared no longer seemed like anything but the prelude to a battlefield where someone would have to die.
The feeling wasn't unknown to some: it ran in the rising air currents, permeating everything with a sharp, cold uncertainty.
—Guys... —muttered Kerl, his voice so low it seemed part of the wind itself—. Two of you must return to the palace. Those with better skills, stay and support me. That guy... he has some kind of control over those beasts. I can't handle him and protect you at the same time.
"They're smart, but more importantly, they're young... I want them to aim even higher.
Luck is never on the side of those who need it most... I hope today that doesn't apply to any of them."
Kerl thought, looking at the youngsters with a small, encouraging smile.
—You don't actually think I'll let you leave that easily, do you? —said the man, descending from the tree with a calmness that froze the blood.
He positioned himself behind the creature he had summoned and then walked to stand right beside it.
"What kind of power is this?
This man... feels like imminent danger.
I'll have to test how good he really is."
Kerl thought, keeping his gaze locked onto the newcomer.
—Master… I think someone's trying to compete with you in the 'intimidating baldness' category —said Yeroy, flashing a mischievous grin.
"His bravery contrasts his fear..." Kerl thought.
—I like that attitude, Yeroy. You, Darel, and Kalesh will be my support.
Aethen, don't separate from Keia; you two need to recover and retreat as soon as you have enough strength —said Kerl, with a small smile that, for some reason, inspired confidence.
The youngsters walked slowly towards Kerl.
At that moment, Kerl watched how they prepared for battle, especially Yeroy, who was already focusing his Lysae as Kerl had taught him.
"Arrogant brat...
Developing that technique took me years of practice..."
Kerl thought, showing a faint smile to himself.
Repeating Kerl's teachings, Yeroy began the Lysae condensation process.
Kerl, a true master, possessed extraordinary perception —almost as if he had an eye on his back.
Thanks to his Inner Vision —a technique that allowed him to visualize the Lysae of everything around him—, he had learned to focus only on what he truly needed to see.
Thus, he clearly perceived the movements of his young students, who were preparing their Lysae for the imminent battle.
—Don't look away. I'm just one, and I won't be able to defend if both attack. You must stay focused —said Kerl, noticing Yeroy trying to glance at his teammates.
As soon as Kerl spoke, the enemy gave an order:
—Fine. Uv13, take care of the brats.
The creature reacted instantly, moving with brutal speed.
Kerl tried to maneuver to protect the youngsters, but the enemy had planned everything from the start: he launched himself like an unstoppable projectile toward him, wielding a black dagger that looked forged from pure Lysae.
Seeing the direct attack, Kerl made a decision: he would leave the task of defeating the creature to the youngsters.
"Damn it... That was a dirty move. I hope the kids are up to the fight."
Kerl thought, hastening his steps toward his opponent.
Kerl reacted in a fraction of a second, launching a direct knee strike to the arm holding the dagger, deflecting the attack just in time.
There was no respite: the enemy counterattacked with his other hand, throwing a brutal punch that Kerl blocked with both hands in front of his face.
The impact was brutal, a force that defied all logic.
The air around them exploded, as if the forest itself had been pierced by an invisible hurricane.
"Not only is he fast... he's also beastly strong."
Kerl thought, feeling the impact's pressure sink his feet slightly into the ground.
—What's your name? …I think I've heard of you somewhere. —asked Kerl, his voice strained from the struggle.
Receiving no answer, Kerl prepared himself. In a blink, he gathered three layers of Lysae, compressing them into a single blow. With an explosive movement, he leapt toward his opponent, ending up right above him.
—Solar Impact! —he shouted, launching a flame-wrapped punch.
The enemy reacted instantly, concentrating his Lysae to form a shield that deflected the attack to the ground with a roar of energy. The impact resounded like thunder in the air, but the enemy, agile, jumped back with relentless determination.
—Hmm... —the man muttered, clearly evaluating Kerl's strength.
Quickly, Kerl shot toward his enemy, who had just landed hard on the ground.
He punched the air, unleashing a burst of flame that morphed into a fire dragon soaring straight upward.
—Draconic Fang! —Kerl roared, his voice full of fury and determination.
The flames were powerful, reaching the enemy within seconds. The man reacted by raising both arms, wrapping his chest in a dense layer of Lysae.
The impact of the blaze roared like an enraged dragon, the wind exploding around them with storm-like force.
But the enemy didn't stop there. With titanic effort, he gathered an absurd amount of energy. His eyes gleamed in a dark blue tone, and the energy he released was so intense that the air itself froze.
With a vertical slash of his Lysae blade, he split the flames in two. In a fluid motion, he swept the fiery bridge aside with a blow of his arms, breaking Kerl's attack and sending a blast of energy straight at Kerl's chest.
Kerl was pushed back a few inches, the impact leaving a burning mark on his skin.
Meanwhile, the youngsters battling the creature on the other side launched a combined attack so powerful that it caught the enemy's attention. For a brief instant, his eyes fixed on Kalesh and Darel, who executed an attack so violent the air itself seemed to crack.
—Hahaha! Those kids are amazing. Now I understand why my trackers didn't come back —muttered the man, his twisted smile revealing a macabre satisfaction, as if he were enjoying the chaos he had unleashed.
Kerl seized the moment to launch himself at his opponent, unleashing a series of powerful punches. Each of his blows was met by the enemy's fists, vibrating with brutal force upon impact.
—You said it —Kerl replied, his voice filled with determination, not losing that grin of satisfaction as he countered with a direct punch to his opponent's face—. Those brats… are the pride of the clan.
"I think they'll be fine... It's time I got serious against this guy."
Kerl thought, determination reflecting in his eyes.
With his doubts swept away, he began channeling his Lysae. In the blink of an eye, he formed 12 layers of energy, compressing them precisely into his body. Flames, furious, began to pour from his head, while his entire body ignited in a blinding glow, overflowing with Lysae.
His eyes shone intensely, so much that his pupils completely vanished, as if the fire of his power had fully consumed him.
Kerl glanced quickly at Yeroy and thought:
—Brat... Bet my bald head looks awesome now, huh? HAHAHA! —he laughed to himself, enjoying the little internal joke.
Turning his attention back to his rival, who now looked at him with a mix of surprise and disdain, Kerl couldn't help but throw the next question in his usual defiant tone:
—I'm not one for many questions, but you've piqued my curiosity deep in my gut. Who the hell are you?
The enemy, unfazed, answered calmly:
—Aderas...
As he spoke, he began to channel power with precision.
Before him, an enormous magic circle appeared, glowing with a light so intense it was almost blinding.
—Ushua stof koil —he whispered in a low tone, and the circle shone even brighter, almost as if summoning something from another world.
From that circle emerged a huge, menacing creature, its presence almost crushing. But Kerl, with his experience, recognized it instantly.
—Hmm... A Rakshasa... Been a while since I've seen one. —Kerl said nonchalantly—. So that's one of your trump cards, huh?
In an attempt at intimidation, Kerl unleashed a massive amount of Lysae, the heat of his power so intense it felt like the sun itself was drawing dangerously close.
Still, he knew that wouldn't be enough. Without thinking twice, he hurled himself at the Rakshasa with impressive speed. With each leap, he unleashed Draconic Fangs one after another, shouting:
—Ascending Dragons! —and, with ferocious momentum, launched himself directly at Aderas.
Sensing Kerl's move, Aderas reacted swiftly. He located the dagger that had been taken from him, casting a Lysae lasso to retrieve it. Just as he grabbed it, Kerl was already upon him.
With monstrous speed, Kerl delivered a punch that sent Aderas flying straight into the Rakshasa, who was still amid the smoke from Kerl's previous attack.
The Rakshasa took the impact of Aderas, staggering back, using three of its four arms to stay upright.
—Ho ho! You destroyed one of the mighty monster's arms. Looks like your strength is nothing to mess with… —said Aderas with a sinister grin—. But you shouldn't underestimate me... —he added, quickly summoning another magic circle, from which another Rakshasa emerged.
Clenching his fists in fury, Kerl dashed like a lightning bolt toward the two opponents, movement after movement, his speed an unstoppable storm.
In an agile move, he slipped over the shoulder of one of the monsters and, with a spinning kick, struck the wounded Rakshasa's left shoulder, driving his feet into the ground and brutally shattering its bones.
However, the other Rakshasa reacted quickly, launching a surprise attack to Kerl's back, sending him flying like a projectile into a wall hundreds of meters away.
—HAHAHA! Incredible! You'll make a fine addition to my collection —said Aderas, laughing macabrely.
—You'll need way more than that to kill me, or even scratch me. Your monsters hit like little girls... —Kerl retorted as he emerged from the crater in the hillside.
As soon as he got out, he lunged at the Rakshasa again. His leg ignited, like magma bursting from his skin.
—Uaaaaagh! —he roared, delivering a devastating kick.
The attack landed square on the dying Rakshasa's torso, blowing a massive hole in its chest and instantly engulfing it in flames, burning it alive. In the same breath, Kerl dashed toward the second Rakshasa with impressive speed, appearing right behind its back.
—Eat magma, you giant sack of lard —he growled, as his hand transformed into an erupting volcano. Magma burst out furiously, and he quickly drove it into the Rakshasa's back, the pressure of the molten liquid tearing it apart from within.
Across the charred forest battlefield, a brutal explosion echoed. "Yeroy just used a technique combined with the Lysae condensation method he learned recently. That brat's a genius, no doubt he'll catch up to me in no time," Kerl thought as he let the second Rakshasa's lifeless body drop to the ground.
—Your youngsters are quite talented, fighting against Uv13 like that. I'd like to take one with me —Aderas remarked with a small, wicked laugh.
Kerl gathered Lysae like an endless well, raising his hands to the sky. He condensed and compressed the Lysae, transforming a sphere over five meters wide into a tiny ball barely a few centimeters across. Suddenly, it began to radiate intense heat; it looked like a comet about to crash down. With the projectile in hand, Kerl leaped into the air and hurled it.
—Descending Comet! —he shouted.
The speed at which it fell wasn't entirely surprising. Aderas had time to dodge the impact zone, but just when he thought it would simply crash into the ground... BOOM! The explosion expanded, like the death of a star, devastating a considerable part of the forest and dragging Aderas along with it.
The attack caused Kerl's armor to start wearing down, and his breathing became visibly labored. Aderas emerged from the smoke, hurled backward. His clothes, mostly burned away by the blast, revealed his scarred skin, each scar marked with names and codes tattooed into them.
On the other side, another powerful rumble echoed: a massive dark explosion shot toward the sky, with black flames that captured both Aderas's and Kerl's attention for a moment.
—Those brats are getting ridiculously strong in no time... what a devastating attack —Kerl commented, showing a proud smile.
—Looks like they took down Uv13... I think I underestimated those kids. They have incredible strength for their age —Aderas muttered to himself.
When the black flames finally dissipated into the sky, both turned their attention back to each other. Kerl, already feeling the heavy toll of battle, took a deep breath and forcefully exhaled.
—Aderas, huh? I think it's time to finish you off... and then go eat! The kids have earned themselves a feast! —Kerl bellowed with a wide grin.
"It's been a while since Darlon and Flumir went to fetch backup, and they still haven't returned..." Kerl thought, narrowing his eyes with a faint, strained smile.
Aderas sprang into action. One of the scars on his arm began to glow, and as if a sack were being inflated from within, a cocoon burst out of his skin and fell heavily to the ground, about the size of a human.
—Huh? What the hell now...? —Kerl muttered, arching an eyebrow.
The cocoon began to split open—or rather, something inside was tearing it apart. Emerging from within was a creature: a humanoid lion, standing tall on two legs, surrounded by an incredibly menacing aura. It wielded a golden hammer that glimmered faintly under the sun.
Its body was imposing: a muscular figure, with a golden mane that swayed gently in the breeze. Scars, burns, and dents marred its skin, evidence of countless battles. It wore only a loincloth, leaving every earned mark visible.
When it opened its eyes—completely red, with bright yellow pupils—the air around it trembled under the sheer intensity of its presence, defying all logic.
With a sharp snort, the lion unleashed a brutal roar: a call to battle that shook the very air. As it finished, it gripped its hammer tightly, locked onto Kerl without hesitation, and charged forward with overwhelming power. With a swift, tense movement, it swung a devastating lateral blow.
Kerl, quick on his feet, dodged the attack by jumping and using the hammer itself as a springboard, flipping sideways.
—Damn demi-humans, always causing trouble... —Kerl growled, his voice strained by the effort.
The moment he touched the ground, Kerl immediately retreated, the lion relentlessly pursuing him, swinging another hammer blow in a wide arc.
"If that thing hits me, it'll be a huge problem," Kerl thought, evaluating the size and weight of the weapon.
Without missing a beat, Kerl concentrated all his Lysae mantle into his right hand and left foot. Grabbing the hammer with his hand, he unleashed an explosive kick against the lion with his foot. The strike cracked through the air like a detonation, ripping the hammer from the beast's grasp.
"Good," Kerl thought, quickly condensing three layers of Lysae, forging a new, reinforced mantle.
The lion rolled several meters, but midway through, it dug its claws into the ground to slow down and stop. As soon as it halted, it charged at Kerl again, unleashing another fierce, earth-shaking roar.
Seeing that the lion was keeping his opponent well occupied, Aderas quickly moved toward the young warriors who had just finished their battle. It took him some effort, as his last summoning had drained much of his Lysae.
When he arrived, he saw the group gathered, resting after their fight.
They hadn't noticed Aderas approaching, and suddenly—
—You think you're safe just because you defeated Uv13? —he sneered sinisterly—. Ushua stof koil. Come to me, my little ones.
Aderas had summoned five more creatures... Five Urvargs now towered over the young warriors, who were still gasping for breath from the previous battle.
The youths immediately stood up; two who had been unconscious jolted awake, alerted by the oppressive pressure of five extremely dense and sinister Lysae presences rising before them.
—What the hell is happening? Why are there five more of those damn things?! —Darel cried out, terror etched across his face.
—I have no idea, but this is not the time for explanations. We need to run, now... —Kalesh said, frowning deeply.
—I'll stay. You all go—run as far and fast as you can. I'll try to stall them so you can escape —Yeroy said as he stood up.
"My legs won't stop trembling... all that training, and now, in a moment like this, I'm losing my calm and focus," he thought as he walked forward to stand before the enemies.
—Heh! You've got guts, runt, I'll give you that. Fine... I'll let my little ones play with you. Hope you don't break too quickly... —Aderas said with a macabre smile.
With a leap, Aderas distanced himself from the scene, leaving the monstrous Urvargs facing the young warriors.
Yeroy, standing firm, began to use the technique he had perfected during this battle. He concentrated five layers of Lysae and compressed them, but his body, exhausted after so many fights, already felt the crushing toll. He grimaced as he coughed up blood, frowning hard. Yet he opened his eyes, now filled with renewed determination.
With a brutal shout, Yeroy unleashed his attack. He charged at the first Urvarg, his fist engulfed in flames. He narrowly dodged the beast's punch, leapt nimbly, and delivered a direct blow to its face, triggering a brutal explosion that shook the monster's head.
As soon as he landed, Yeroy dropped to one knee, gasping heavily and clutching his chest. His body trembled—wear and tear beginning to take its toll.
But the remaining Urvargs gave Yeroy no time to breathe: they immediately attacked.
Suddenly, a voice rang out behind him:
—WIND SLASH!
A bright green light burst behind Yeroy, followed by a sharp blade of wind that screeched as if ripping apart the very surface of the world.
Kalesh emerged from the dust, wrapped in ten compressed layers of Lysae. His eyes emitted a green plasma that danced like a breeze across a meadow.
Kalesh's attack pushed the Urvargs a few inches back, leaving small wounds on their steel-like skins. Without slowing, Kalesh dashed toward them, raising his sword, which shimmered under the overwhelming Lysae buildup.
—Piercing Thrust! —he shouted, unleashing a brutal surge of energy into his weapon.
He charged at the nearest Urvarg, striking its chest directly. His sword pierced through the monstrous flesh like an unstoppable drill, splitting its chest open from side to side.
—Aaaaahg! Run! —roared Kalesh, as he pierced straight through the Urvarg.
But in that very instant, three of the beasts blocked his escape route. They surrounded him and, mercilessly, began to pummel him. Each blow landed brutally, shattering his defenses, breaking his bones one after another under the Urvargs' relentless strength.
Yeroy, witnessing the scene, froze, his mouth hanging open in a silent expression of horror.
He watched, unable to move, as the Urvargs massacred Kalesh's body, mercilessly crushing him.
Tears began streaming from Yeroy's eyes, an overwhelming roar of despair trapped in his throat.
—KALEEEEEEEEEEEEEESH! —he screamed with all the strength in his lungs, over and over, his voice cracking between sobs.
His face flushed, trembling. His body wouldn't respond. He was pinned to the ground by fear, guilt, and helplessness.
It was then that Darel ran to him, grabbed him forcefully, and without giving him time to react, began to drag him away from that hell.
Yeroy struggled, flailing his arms wildly, trying to reach his friend, trying to break the distance between them.
He kept shouting his name, again and again, as if he could bring him back just by his voice.
But there was no answer anymore.
—Damn it, Yeroy! —shouted Darel, his face twisted in anguish—. Don't let his sacrifice be in vain! Move, damn it, we have to go!
And as Darel dragged him away, Yeroy felt something shatter inside him. A void that could never be filled again.
Darel, with trembling hands and a face streaked with tears, slapped Yeroy hard, trying to snap him out of his shock.
Yeroy barely reacted, his eyes cracked and his face dirty with tears and snot, while his entire body shook uncontrollably.
Keia, unable to bear it, collapsed to the ground, covering her face with her hands, sobbing with heart-wrenching intensity.
Aethen stood there, brow furrowed, unable to hide the tears streaming down his face —but there was something else. His expression was no longer just grief, but something darker, more sinister.
The group's cries were like an open wound, a silent scream that drowned everything.
No one could hold back. Everyone broke, barely resisting the urge to crumble into pieces.
Far away, in the middle of the battle, Kerl —still fighting the lion and Aderas— felt the internal fire of Kalesh's Lysae snuff out in an instant.
The shock hit him so hard his movements faltered, as if the world had lost its balance.
A roar of fury and helplessness burst from his throat.
His body began to exude magma, like a volcano on the verge of eruption.
—You...! You've just made me forget all warrior honor! I'll burn down this damned forest if that's what it takes to kill you and drag you to the ashes, you beast! —bellowed Kerl, engulfed in a rage that set the very air on fire.
—HAHAHAHAHA! That's it, destroy everything for me! Don't hold back, kill everything around you! —howled Aderas, letting out a macabre laugh that shook the air.
—So that's how it is... —came a calm voice behind Aderas.
—Huh? —muttered Aderas, spinning around and leaping back.
—Shut up, Solhen! That bastard deserves to die, even if it's the last thing I do! —roared Kerl, his voice dripping with hatred.
—I'm here now. I don't think you need to burn the world down —said Solhen, his tone serene but firm—. Two Masters against one should be enough, don't you think?
Meanwhile, near the young ones, a piercing screech cut through the air.
One of the Urvargs' heads flew off, leaving a bloody trail.
—Seems we're late. Should've ignored that damned protocol. —said a sharp-eyed woman who had arrived with impossible speed.
Without wasting a second, the woman dashed forward like a lightning bolt. With precise, lethal strikes, she tore apart the remaining Urvargs one by one, as if they were nothing but toys.
When she finished, she approached the young ones, her face full of concern and sadness.
—Are you all alright? —she asked urgently, her voice warm.
—Master Jorly! —exclaimed Darel, still trembling from the shock—. How are you here?
—Darlon and Flumir arrived, frantic, saying something terrible was happening. They explained the situation... —she sighed heavily—. But I never imagined it would be this awful.
What happened here?
Darel and Aethen began explaining, their voices still caught by the lump in their throats.
Meanwhile, Yeroy got up with difficulty and walked toward Kalesh's lifeless body.
He was so broken he could barely recognize his face.
Without saying a word, Yeroy took off his shirt and, with trembling hands, gently covered his friend's face, wrapping him carefully.
—I'll take you back to the clan, my friend... —he whispered with a broken voice—.
Your sacrifice saved us. Thank you, my friend... even though you stole the spotlight, you show-off bastard. —Yeroy added, letting out a strangled laugh between tears.
At that moment, Keia ran to him, throwing herself into his arms, hugging him tightly.
She was trembling as much as he was, sobbing against his chest.
—Yeroy... —she whimpered through her tears—. If you die too... I won't be able to bear it.
Yeroy's body shook under the weight of those words.
He didn't know what to say. He couldn't.
He just closed his eyes tightly and returned the embrace, feeling with every heartbeat that at least he was still there for them.
Keia said nothing else. She just cried, clinging to Yeroy as if her life depended on it.
And in the middle of all that pain, a tiny bit of relief bloomed in her heart: he was still alive.
Among the Urvargs' corpses, Yeroy spotted the shining silhouette of Kalesh's short sword, stuck into the ground. He gently moved Keia aside and staggered toward it.
When he picked it up, his hand trembled.
He pressed the sword tightly against his chest, observing the emblem of Clan Valarion, House of Wind. He gripped the hilt even harder, as if trying to absorb the weight of memory, then tucked the sword into the belt of his tunic.
Across the battlefield, we see Kerl, who, after hearing Solhen's voice, managed to control his fury, though his sharp gaze remained locked onto Aderas.
Solhen, calm and composed, studied the enemy and the lion, now wounded and exhausted after the long fight with Kerl. He frowned slightly, thinking: "This opponent is dangerous... to hold back Kerl for so long..."
—Don't look at me like that, pretty boy... —said Aderas, smiling as he focused on Solhen—. Now that there are three Masters here, it would be useless to continue. Besides... —he added, licking his lips like a satisfied predator—, I already claimed the life of one of your little ones. That's satisfying enough for me. I think it's time I leave this filthy place.
—You think it's that easy to escape from two Masters? —replied Solhen, keeping his tone steady—. I understand you gave Kerl trouble... but now there's two of us. Don't underestimate us.
—Underestimate you? —Aderas laughed, his grin sharp as a blade—. You're wrong. It's because I don't underestimate you that I say I'm leaving.
—In fact —he added, his voice dropping lower and darker—, it's you who are underestimating me... if you think you can catch me after all the preparations I've made.
—Preparations? What are you tal—? —Solhen was abruptly interrupted.
A massive magic circle activated under their feet, and the ground shook violently.
From it, a colossal stone giant more than eight meters tall erupted, its monstrous figure rumbling like thunder.
The Masters staggered at the sheer magnitude of the summoning.
However, just as it seemed they would have to fight it, the giant collapsed suddenly into rubble, sucked back into the magic circle. In that same instant, both the lion and Aderas vanished, as if they had never been there.
A faint echo, almost like a whisper carried by the wind, swept across the devastated battlefield:
—We'll meet again... when you have nothing left to protect.
After those words, the Masters felt a deep, gnawing frustration.
They had never suffered such mockery before.
Turning toward the others, they began walking, slow and heavy steps dragging the darkness that blanketed the scene.
Yeroy was holding Kalesh's body in his arms.
Keia, behind him, clutched the side of his tunic silently, offering support.
Darel walked with hollow eyes, his body exhausted.
Aethen, on the other hand, wore a face twisted by rage and contempt.
—Time to head back... Sorry if I sound insensitive, Yeroy. If you want, I could— —Solhen began to offer, but Yeroy cut him off.
—No need to offer, Master. I'll carry him. —Yeroy replied, never taking his eyes off his fallen friend.
—Alright. —Solhen murmured.
The journey back was a long funeral march of silence.
Some had no strength to speak. Others simply didn't want to.
Every step sounded like a stone hurled against the ground, and the distant battlefield sounds now felt muted and hollow.
When they arrived at the clan gates, the guards received them with shock.
They hadn't expected to see the students and Masters so broken, carrying the invisible weight of an irreparable loss.
Yeroy kept walking, pushed only by sheer willpower, carrying the cold, rigid body of his friend.
In front of Kalesh's family home, they hesitated.
For long minutes, no one dared to knock. Everyone understood the grim task ahead.
—Yeroy... the rules say we must take the body to the sanctuary. We can't deliver it here... —Solhen said, voice trembling.
—It's fine, Master. Someone else can take him. I... I'll speak with his mother. —Yeroy answered, swallowing the bitterness.
—No! —exclaimed Kerl, stepping forward.
—You take him to the sanctuary, Yeroy. I'm responsible for what happened. I... I'll tell her.
As Kerl advanced toward the door, Yeroy stood still for a moment, feeling the weight of the night crushing his shoulders.
He looked once more at Kalesh's body, now wrapped in the solemn folds of the ceremonial tunic.
Each step toward the sanctuary tore at his soul.
At his side, Keia clung silently to a piece of his robe, as if fearing that Yeroy too might vanish if she let go.
The path to the sanctuary was just as silent, broken only by the crunch of leaves underfoot.
Yeroy kept his eyes forward, but in his mind, a tide of memories swept him away: Kalesh's laughter, his stubborn glare, his jokes during training...
A burning knot tightened in his throat.
He couldn't let go without remembering who he had been.
The cold wind blew through the trees, and Yeroy closed his eyes for a second, allowing his friend's memory to live once more.
Kalesh's story wasn't over yet.
At least, not for him.