"So, what exactly happened to you earlier? It's rare to see you looking so disheveled, to be honest," Eldric asked, his voice calm but curious. He leaned back against the tree behind him, his gaze fixed on the vast expanse of stars scattered across the night sky.
Lucas hesitated, his fingers lightly brushing against the hem of his sleeve. The memory of the alley flashed through his mind, vivid and sharp.
'Is he talking about what happened back there?' he wondered, his expression shifting to something more guarded.
He exhaled softly, the cool night air brushing against his face. "Eldric," he said, his tone more serious now, "do you remember when I told you I met a human on this land?"
Eldric tilted his head slightly, his eyes still fixed upward. "Yeah, I remember," he replied casually. "What about it?"
Lucas lifted his gaze to the sky as well, his eyes drawn to the twin moons glowing faintly above. Their soft light bathed the landscape in a silvery hue, making the shadows of the forest seem even deeper.
"Well," Lucas began, his voice steady but quieter, "you know how rare it is for a human to be here. This land isn't exactly welcoming, especially with the Barrier Forest. But the human I met wasn't just some random traveler or skilled adventurer. He was Kael Deryn—a knight of Avaloria."
Eldric's posture stiffened, his calm demeanor faltering. His eyes widened slightly as he turned to look at Lucas. "Kael Deryn?" he repeated, disbelief evident in his tone. "Are you serious? What would someone like him be doing here of all places?"
Lucas nodded slowly. "I thought the same thing. He said he was on some kind of mission, but he didn't share many details. Still, just meeting someone like him here… it caught me off guard."
Eldric let out a low sigh and leaned back again. "If someone like him is here, it must be for something important. Avaloria isn't exactly close, and knights like him don't travel without a good reason."
Lucas hesitated for a moment, his fingers brushing the ground beside him as if grounding himself. "That's not the main point, though," he said quietly, shifting the conversation back. "Earlier, I went into the main city."
Eldric glanced at him briefly before returning his gaze to the stars. "And?"
"It wasn't great," Lucas admitted, his voice tinged with frustration. "The way people were staring at me… it felt suffocating. I wanted to get away, to find somewhere quiet. That's when I saw an alley. It looked empty, so I decided to go there."
Eldric stayed silent, waiting for him to continue.
"At first, it was peaceful," Lucas said, his tone softening as he recalled the moment. "The noise of the city faded as I walked deeper. But then… I heard something."
"What did you hear?" Eldric asked, his voice calm but laced with curiosity.
"A commotion," Lucas said. "Voices, angry and loud. I followed the sound, and when I got closer, I saw a group of guys surrounding someone. They were… beating up a kid."
Eldric's brows furrowed, his calm exterior cracking slightly. "And what did you do?"
Lucas exhaled, his breath visible in the cool night air. "They noticed me," he said slowly, his voice quiet. "One of them threw a fireball at me."
Eldric turned to look at him fully this time, his brows rising in surprise. "A fireball? Did you dodge it?"
Lucas gave a small, uneasy laugh. "Barely," he admitted. "It was slow—nothing like your spells. If it had been any faster, I wouldn't be here right now." He paused, then added, "Before they could attack again, Sir Kael arrived. His presence alone was enough to scare them off. He gave them a warning, and they ran."
Eldric studied Lucas for a moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he shook his head. "This all sounds so unreal," he said, his tone thoughtful. "But looking at you, I can tell you're not lying. Still… why do you keep ending up in these situations, Lucas? If Sir Kael hadn't shown up, you could've been seriously hurt—or worse."
Lucas lowered his gaze, his fingers digging lightly into the earth beneath him. "You're right," he admitted softly. "I don't know. Maybe I'm just unlucky."
Eldric let out a soft chuckle, the sound low and brief. "Unlucky, huh?" He paused, then asked, "What happened to the kid? Is he okay?"
Lucas's expression darkened. "I tried to talk to him," he said quietly. "But he was too scared. Sir Kael offered to take care of him, so I left him with him."
Eldric's eyes narrowed slightly, his thoughtful expression returning. "I think I know why that kid was being targeted."
Lucas looked at him sharply. "You do?"
Eldric nodded, his face serious. "The kid was probably a dark elf. They're hated almost everywhere. People see them as a curse, a bringer of misfortune. It's cruel, but that's how things are."
Lucas's face paled. "That's horrible," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "How can people be so heartless?"
Eldric sighed, his voice quiet. "It's the harsh reality of this world, Lucas."
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The night stretched on around them, the air heavy with the weight of the conversation. Lucas stared at the ground, his thoughts swirling.
Eventually, Eldric broke the silence. "Anyway," he said, his tone lighter, "have you made any progress with magic?"
Lucas glanced at him, hesitating. "Kind of," he admitted. "I've learned a little from the books, but I still can't perform even a basic spell. The steps are just so confusing."
Eldric smirked faintly. "Then how about I teach you?" he offered. "Our elements are different, but I can help you with the basics."
Lucas blinked, his surprise evident. "Wait, you could've just taught me this whole time? Why make me read those books?"
Eldric chuckled. "Didn't the books help you gain some knowledge?"
Lucas paused, his brows furrowing as he considered it. "I guess they did," he admitted reluctantly.
"Good," Eldric said, standing up and stretching. "We'll start tomorrow. Meet me where you first found me."
Without waiting for a response, he added, "I'm heading in. I'm tired."
Lucas watched as Eldric walked back to the house, his figure disappearing into the shadows. Left alone under the stars, Lucas tilted his head back, staring at the moons above.
The silence of the night wrapped around him, his thoughts still lingering on everything that had happened.