The veil of darkness covered the land of Vengaria. Lir leaned his back on the rough bark of the tree and stared into the distance. He could see yellow lights faraway but he couldn't determine if it was another village or people camping out.
Because of his and the other villagers' situation, it wasn't impossible for him to imagine other people in the same predicament. He kept his eyes fixed and his mind wandered. "I hope you are safe!"
Unbeknownst to him, at the foot of the hill looking up, Elena stood there with her hands on her heart. His soft voice was perfectly audible to her ears. She knew who he was talking to, but for Elena, it was still unbearable to hear or watch. She let out a sigh and went back to the village.
The villagers met the following morning with the chirping of birds, like a melody to the ears of people who woke up in the middle of their burnt village. Thankful of being alive, the villagers surrounded Elena and bowed before her.
This reaction caught her by surprise. Lost for words, she simply bowed back and smiled. In the corners of her eyes, she tried to locate Lir, but to no avail. He wasn't present, which saddened her.
A woman with brown hair tied in a bun approached Elena. Leaned to her ear and whispered in her alluring voice. The crimson haired girl blushed and her heart fluttered. "Lir is still up on the hill."
She pondered for a while whether she should go, but a ringing in her ear redirected her focus. Merlin's voice echoed in her head.
[Good morning. In about an hour, you will receive your first quest. Successfully completing it will reward you with 100 EXP and in addition two Skill Points.]
Elena turned to the villagers and uttered. "I will be in the woods if you need me."
She turned around and ran, vanishing from their sight in mere seconds.
Lir, who received the same notification in his head, remained seated. In his heart, he felt anxious and pondered over it, trying to guess what it might be.
One hour arrived relatively quick and in front of him appeared a translucent brown screen with silver decoration.
---Quest---
[|Find and go to the tallest position|]
Time Limit: 30 minutes
Rewards: 100 EXP
Bonus for completing within 15 minutes: Extra Skill Point
---Quest---
The screen in front of him vanished. As he was about to stand up, before the young man could make a move, a new message appeared in the same colored window.
---Quest Completed---
Time: 00:00:01
100 EXP rewarded.
Extra Skill Point Gained.
---Quest Completed---
"Huh?" A bored and confused Lir sighed. "That's it?"
Even though he expected to do more than sit around, he rejoiced with his luck. As he was about to fiddle with his newly earned skill points, Merlin's voice interrupted him.
[Everything ok?]
"Yeah! Apparently I completed the quest."
[So soon? Commendable!]
Lir chuckled. "I just got lucky…"
Several minutes passed and Merlin said little after their latest interaction. The young man fidgeted until he couldn't wait anymore. "Hey, Merlin… Any news about Tilly?"
[... I'm sorry!]
Lir felt a sharp pain in his heart. His breathing became erratic and everything around him turned into a blur. "What do you mean? Speak clearly!"
[The spell to locate a person is not exact, but the possibility is high…]
Lir gasped for breath. He din't want to believe it. "What are you saying…?"
[I'm afraid, your friend Tilly… Is dead!]
The pain in his heart grew stronger. He grubbed his chest and plunged his nails in until blood spilled out. "W-What?!"
[It's not clear, but I believe it happened at the palace…]
A while passed, and Merlin didn't hear from Lir, even though she called him several times. She wasn't sure how to about it. Being impartial as an administrator was her job as the greatest witch in the land, but for reasons she couldn't understand, Merlin felt compelled to support Lir.
In a soft voice, before interrupting the telepathy spell, she uttered. [I can't tell you more unless I examine the crime scene!]
Lir remained silent and stared toward the Royal Palace. Tilly's carefree face popped into his mind. Tears flowed endlessly and his eyes glistened an ice cold blue. Veins bulged on his forehead. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.
"Aaaaargghh!"
The powerful tone sent shock waves and raised winds. The ground trembled, and the tree behind him shook. He drove his nails deeper into his chest, as if he tried to pull his heart out.
His pained voice echoed throughout the land. The villagers felt the pressure of his scream. They had good relations with Lir, but they never bonded to the degree Tilly and her family had, but that shout alone was good enough to grasp the situation. He never expressed himself unless it regarded Tilly and her family.
After he vented, Lir slid down the hill and walked towards the village at a steady pace. He didn't know how to break the news to her parents. It ate him from the inside. Something like this... They shouldn't cling to the hope of her return, but it wasn't his intention to crash them either.
As soon as they saw him, Tilly's parents ran to him. The woman with the brown hair tied to a bun cupped his hands together and inside she placed a pebble. Her face, painted with a smile of accomplishment, forced Lir to break down in tears.
They both hugged him and comforted him. They already guessed what had happened when they heard his scream and they spared him from telling them. Though losing a child was still unbearable, they couldn't keep a straight face for much longer.
Elena heard the commotion and rushed back to the village. She understood what happened when she saw Lir and Tilly's family kneeling and hugging, trying to console each other.
The villagers approached without alerting them and sat down in silence. They fixated their gazes on the ground. No matter how hard they tried, they still couldn't keep their tears in. One of their own, a young girl at that, full of life, met an untimely death.
They knew what this loss meant for her parents and for Lir, who grew up with her. There were no words they could utter or something they could do. Elena watched from the distance.
She had her interactions with Tilly and created an unexpected friendship in the middle of the forest. They spent little time together, but she treasured it. Her knees weakened suddenly, and she sought support from the nearby tree to keep herself standing.
Uncontrollable tears gushed out of her eyes. Her knees gave up, and she fell to the ground.
Lir's heart ached like nothing he felt before. He bit his lips until blood dripped. It forced him to regain his composure. He knew that no matter how much he cried or wanted this to be a dream, nothing would change. Tilly was dead.