"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." she repeated, unable to find her words or explain the situation. All she could do was apologize. In response, Kae-zêl gently reassured her, saying everything would be alright.
"Calm down, now." Zêl refrained from pressing her for details, although the situation worried him. The other two present, silent, finally led him to his wife's lifeless body, Aniche.
He stood there for a long time, silently, before asking Lore to explain what had happened and how Aniche had died. Lore told him everything, and Zêl listened calmly. When he requested help to bury his wife, Lore and the others then realized that Zêl no longer had arms, which prevented him from holding his wife himself. Overcome with emotion, Lore approached him.
"What happened to you? Where are your arms? How did you get here in this condition?" she asked.
"I'll explain later," he replied simply.
Resigned to this series of misfortunes, Lore nodded sadly.
Keita, his son, had awakened and, upon seeing his father, broke down in tears once more, feeling overwhelmed by the pain and the impression that he had failed in all his duties. With Krys's help, they buried Aniche along with the other victims. All the survivors gathered together.
Zêl supported the decision to head to the capital, believing it was the safest choice. However, he insisted that everyone spend one last night in the village, as he felt that a rushed departure would be too risky. Though reluctant, everyone trusted him despite his current state; after all, he was still a knight.
As night fell, Zêl gathered the survivors in his home and briefly explained the situation, mentioning the threat that loomed over isolated villages, but without revealing more about the source of this danger. He asked them to stay inside. Krys and Josh, former hunters, offered to keep watch, and Zêl allowed them to do so with two other survivors. Once he was sure Keita was asleep, he left the village alone, despite Lore's attempts to stop him, which were hindered by Josh and Krys.
He ventured into the forest.
At dawn, he returned. Everyone was ready to leave, having completed the last-minute preparations. A cart they had found nearby and the only remaining horse in the village, which had remained tethered, would serve to carry their belongings, in addition to Zêl's own mount.
Before leaving, Zêl took Lore aside.
"What are you saying, sir?" asked Lore.
"I would like you to take care of my sons, Lore."
"Sir, is this a joke?" she asked, trying to laugh despite the sadness on her face.
"No."
"But why? I don't want to, I refuse..." replied Lore, troubled.
"Calm down and listen to me. When I lost my arms, I was seriously injured. I won't be able to make it to the capital."
Lore listened, but tears silently streamed down her face.
"Since you became part of our family, you have helped us a great deal. I consider you my daughter. Forgive me for this ungrateful request, but please watch over your brothers."
"Yes, father, I will protect my brother, and sister Lore no matter what."
"Good. When you reach the capital, look for a man named Vishernuk. Tell him you are my daughter. He will need to introduce Theos to the Li family. Life will be difficult for you, but everything will be alright. I love you all."
Lore embraced Zêl, who held her tightly.
"Now, I will give you a part of my magical power. It will be useful, especially for protecting my sons."
After this exchange, they rejoined the others and continued with the preparations for departure. Krys saw Zêl and his second son heading toward the forest while supplies were being loaded into the cart.
Nervously, Keita followed his father, who led him to a deep ravine that cut through the forest, creating an ideal training ground.
"Now, show me what you're worth," Zêl said, handing his son a real sword.
"But father, without your arms..."
Zêl pushed Keita into the ravine. Keita landed on one knee, stood up, and took a step back. Zêl then pronounced his son's full name.
"Keita Mâ GIN, show me what you're worth. This time, I will not hold back."
Zêl jumped into the ravine, landing with his legs slightly bent to absorb the impact, a sword firmly held between his teeth. He fixed his gaze on his son with an intense look.
Surprised, Keita increased his reflexes using lightning magic and enhanced his speed and blade sharpness with wind magic. Though aware he wouldn't be able to rival his father, he hoped to hold his ground. Zêl gradually intensified the frequency of his attacks, combining kicks with sword strikes. After a few minutes, Keita, exhausted, collapsed to the ground. His father then lifted him onto his back.
"My son, you must be strong and intelligent. Because of my origins, you will face many challenges, but remember: take care of your brother. Your mother and I love all three of you."
As they returned to the village, they were joined by the others, and Keita, exhausted, was placed in the cart by Krys. Zêl sat with his back against the village fence, and Lore came to inform him of their departure. It was at that moment that she realized.
Kae-zêl Mâ GIN had just passed away. Her adoptive father, her benefactor, was gone forever. Lore wept for the loss of yet another family member. Despite the danger, they delayed their departure to give him a proper burial, laying him to rest beside his wife at the village entrance and placing his breastplate atop the grave.
A few hours later, the convoy set off towards the capital, Amalek.
Survivors of the Village of Autarcie:
Total number: 17
Women: 6
Men: 4
Children: 7
Names of the Survivors:
Lize Garban
Lore Mâ-GIN
Krys
Josh
Dya
Morphus
Sitrus Val
Améline
Conté Zouk
Makaya Nice
Poaty
Floid
Léo
Claire
Rodwin
Keita Mâ-GIN
Theos Mâ-GIN
Total number of habitants: 68
Number of deaths: 51