"Caden… Caden, wake up."
A muffled voice echoed in his ears.
Slowly, he opened his eyes and saw the vast blue sky above him. For a moment, everything felt distant—forgotten. But as he looked around, the truth came crashing back. The village was in ashes. The charred bodies of the villagers lay still, frozen in their final moments.
"Thank the gods you're awake. I've been trying to wake you for a whole day. Come on, Caden—we need to leave. We're not safe here. The witches of the White Forest were having their tribal dance not long ago. They'll come for us," said Celestine.
"Lady Celestine… where are my father and mother?"
His voice was calm, but his wide, hollow eyes betrayed him.
"I'm sorry."
His heart sank. But with all his strength, he pushed himself to stand. A faint, trembling smile touched his lips.
"I see. You're right… we should leave. It's not safe here, Celestine."
"Caden! Before we go, there's something I need to tell you."
"What is it?"
"Your father… when I woke, he was lying next to you. There was a wound in his chest, but he was still conscious. He asked me to tell you this—
'My son… I know we didn't get to spend much time together. Nor could I see you off at the academy. But know this: Layla and I, no matter what happens, will always love you, Caden. Celestine will take care of you—she's the only one I trust. Be a good person, son… and never walk into the eternal night alone.'"
"…Where is my father now?"
"I buried them. Your parents. So they could rest—for the eternity to come."
"…Can we go to the grave first?"
Both Celestine and Caden slowly walked toward the grave, nestled behind the remains of his home.
"Father… Mother… I haven't always been a good child, but I promise you—
from now on, I'll be better. I won't cause trouble for Lady Celestine, or for the world.
I hope… you rest in peace."
"Call me Celestine. 'Lady' sounds too formal," she said with a faint smile.
Caden gave a nod, then paused.
"Umm… what about those two? I remember someone attacking our house. I think… Kilmer and Varek, right? What happened to them?"
"Oh, those two? Don't worry. I took care of them."
She turned, her cloak catching the wind.
"Come on now. We need to leave before the witches arrive."
"But where will we go? I don't have money. I don't have anything."
"We're going to Noxthistle. I know someone there."
"The capital? But it takes two days to get there by carriage… more than five on foot. How are we supposed to reach it?"
Celestine glanced over her shoulder with a sly look.
"How much do you know about magic, Caden?"
"A little… My mother told me some things. Like… you can make fire from anything, or even make the fire really cold or something like that?"
"I suppose then it is time for your first lesson." said Celestine with a smile on her face.
"Here, hold my hand." Celestine raised her hand and Caden held it firmly.
Celestine's eyes closed and gradually, both Celestine and Caden's feet rose from the ground. Slowly they reached the skies above. Caden's eyes widened from awe as he gazed at the vast land beneath him, stretching forever and ever. The Azkaroth behind them and the vast White forest beneath them.
He looked down at the ocean of clouds below, then at her.
"This… is magic?"
A strange calm washed over him, even as the wind roared in his ears. For the first time since it all happened, he felt weightless—in more ways than one.
"This," she replied, her eyes locking on the distant horizon, "is only the beginning."
Celestine moved forward, with Caden's hand in hers, they both flew with great speed. The winds lashed against Caden's face. His eyes tearing from icy gusts. He could barely keep them open for few seconds.
Caden looked over his shoulder and saw the Azkaroth slowly diminishing into the horizon and in just a matter of few minutes, they landed right on the gates of the Capital, Noxthistle.
Meanwhile in the village, the witches had already raided.
They gathered the half burnt corpses leaving the rest to rot where they lay.
"You think these witches will dig those two up?"
said one of the two men who were watching it all happen from the skies. They wore white-and-gold robes draped over their shoulders—regal, imposing, and nearly identical to Varek's.
One of them was bald with a dark skin while the other had fair skin and long hair which reached down to his waist.
The one with long hair bore a strange mark on his forehead—a star etched within a circle, with a black eye at its center.
"What happened to Varek and his dog? Cedric, search for them." spoke the one with long hair, his voice as calm as the ocean yet terrifying.
"Mind your tone, you maybe a rank higher than me but that doesn't mean you can order me around, Seraph." said Cedric.
Seraph drearily tilted his head towards Cedric, his grim red eyes locking onto Cedric's and for a moment Cedric felt a lingering despair on his shoulder which forced him to the ground, knocking him unconscious.
"Fool."
Seraph then closed his eyes and went into a trance state, tracking Varek.
"Found him."
Suddenly, Cedric teleported right next to Seraph from the ground, rubbing his head, he said,
"That hurt you know, why must you be so tough. I was just joking."
"Cedric."
"Yes!"
"Tell me, why do people kill other people?"
"That's a weird question but coming from you, I am not surprised."
"Is it for revenge? For money? Or for desire? People say that those who kill others are evil but what if those poor souls never knew what love meant?"
"Now you're really messing with my head Seraph."
"Does evil really exist? I believe that it is the absence of good. For those who do not have the presence of good in them will always forever be evil! But that doesn't mean they chose to do it. It was how they were born, with inherent evil."
Cedric's face turned serious and with a stern voice, he asked,
"Seraph. What are you planning to do."
"The Azkaroth. The frozen volcano. When is it going to erupt?" asked Seraph as his gaze locked onto Azkaroth without a single expression on his face.