The morning sunlight trickled into the small inn room, casting warm beams across Aiden's face and pulling him out of a restless sleep. For a moment, he forgot where he was. But then he saw Elara curled up in the other bed, her face peaceful, the events of yesterday's rejection already weighing heavily in his chest. It wasn't a dream—they really were stranded here, without powers, without purpose.
He stretched, wincing at the soreness in his shoulder. Quietly, he dressed, trying to push away the lingering frustration. If they were going to survive here, they'd need to find work or something to keep them going. They were low on money, and what they'd spent on the inn was a painful reminder of how limited their resources really were.
Elara stirred as he moved around, blinking sleepily as she sat up. She looked around, taking in the simple room, and then looked at Aiden with a frown.
"Morning already?" she murmured, rubbing her eyes.
"Yeah," he replied. "I was thinking we should find some work. We can't stay here without any coin. Maybe the innkeeper knows of something."
Elara nodded, getting out of bed. "Good idea. Let's see what he says."
They headed downstairs, where the innkeeper was already busy serving breakfast to a few early patrons. The smell of fresh bread and eggs made Aiden's stomach growl, and he was relieved when the innkeeper waved them over with a friendly nod.
"Sleep well?" he asked, setting down a tray of bread and butter in front of them. "Looked like you two needed it."
Aiden gave a short laugh. "Yeah, it was… a long day."
The innkeeper raised an eyebrow, not pressing for details. "So, what brings you here? You don't look like the usual travelers."
Elara glanced at Aiden before answering. "We're… looking for work," she said carefully. "Anything we can help with around here?"
The innkeeper rubbed his chin, considering. "Well, it's mostly small chores and fieldwork, I imagine. Villagers around here always need an extra pair of hands. The mayor sometimes hires people to help reinforce the outer fences—keeps out stray demons and creatures."
Aiden and Elara exchanged a glance. Fieldwork and fence-mending were not what they'd had in mind, but it was a start.
"We'd be willing to help," Aiden replied.
"Good." The innkeeper nodded approvingly. "Talk to old Loran at the end of the main road. He's got some work lined up and could probably use the help."
They finished breakfast quickly, eager to get started. The village was small, its roads little more than dirt pathways winding between stone houses and the occasional shop. A few villagers eyed them as they walked past, but most seemed too busy with their morning routines to pay much attention.
They soon found Loran—a wiry man with weathered skin and a gruff demeanor—standing by a broken fencepost near the village's edge. He looked them over, eyes narrowed with skepticism.
"You two look like you're from nowhere around here," he said, squinting. "Ever done fence work before?"
"Not exactly," Aiden admitted, trying to keep his tone respectful. "But we're willing to learn."
Loran grunted, not looking entirely convinced, but he gestured to the pile of wood and tools at his feet. "Fine. Patch up these posts, and I'll pay you for the day. Keep it sturdy—last thing we need is stray demons breaking through."
Aiden's hand tightened on the hammer as he picked it up, the weight familiar but still strange in this new context. Fixing fences to keep out demons. In his mind, demons were mythical, creatures from old legends, but here, they were a regular part of life.
They worked in silence, falling into a steady rhythm as they replaced broken wood and reinforced weak spots in the fence. Hours passed, and though the work was simple, it was exhausting under the sun. Aiden could feel sweat trickling down his neck, and he noticed that Elara looked equally worn out but determined to keep going.
By the time they finished, Loran returned to inspect their work, nodding grudgingly. "Not bad," he muttered, handing each of them a small handful of coins. "If you're still here tomorrow, I might have more work for you."
"Thank you," Elara said, pocketing the coins carefully.
As they walked back to the village center, Aiden felt a strange mix of relief and frustration. They had a way to earn money, but it wasn't anything close to the destiny they'd been promised. The disappointment simmered beneath the surface, and he wondered if Elara felt the same way.
"So… this is it," he muttered, staring at the handful of coins. "We're just… laborers now."
Elara looked at him, her expression thoughtful. "It's not ideal, but it's a start. We're surviving, Aiden. Maybe that's all we can do for now."
Her words were steady, but he could see the shadow of doubt in her eyes too. He wanted to say more, to express the frustration boiling inside him, but he bit his tongue. They were both struggling, and they had to rely on each other now more than ever.
They returned to the inn that night with just enough money for another meal and the promise of a room. They sat together at a table near the corner, the buzz of conversation around them both comforting and isolating.
Aiden poked at his food, unable to shake the feeling of inadequacy. "Do you think they're watching us?"
Elara raised an eyebrow. "Who?"
"The people who summoned us," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "They brought us here, rejected us, and now… they don't even care what happens to us."
Elara's gaze grew hard. "I don't know, but I won't let them control us—even from a distance. We'll figure this out, Aiden. We might not have powers now, but that doesn't mean we're helpless."
The conviction in her voice was a balm to his doubts. He nodded slowly, feeling a flicker of determination reignite.
That night, sleep came in fitful bursts. Aiden dreamed of fire—bright and uncontrollable—swirling around him as he tried to tame it, feeling its heat and wildness. He was powerful, but the fire slipped through his fingers, untamable. He woke in the middle of the night, his heart pounding, the image of flames etched into his mind.
The next morning, they returned to Loran's work, repairing another section of fencing. As they hammered and sawed, the monotony of the work almost felt meditative. But halfway through the morning, they were startled by the sound of distant cries and hurried footsteps.
Aiden and Elara dropped their tools, turning toward the sound. Loran came sprinting down the path, his face pale. "Demons! A small pack—they've broken through from the east!"
Aiden's heart raced. They weren't prepared for this. He and Elara exchanged a look, but without hesitation, they both followed Loran to the village's edge, where a small crowd had gathered, armed with pitchforks and whatever weapons they could find.
The demons—a trio of shadowy creatures with glowing red eyes and sinewy limbs—were prowling at the edge of the village, their snarls filling the air. Aiden felt a surge of fear and excitement as he gripped a discarded staff, standing beside Elara as the villagers tried to fend the creatures off.
One of the demons lunged toward him, and he swung the staff wildly, barely managing to keep it at bay. Its claws grazed his arm, and he felt a jolt of pain, but he didn't back down. Elara was by his side, her face pale but resolute as she kicked at another demon that came too close.
In the heat of the moment, something within him stirred—an energy he couldn't fully grasp, something raw and untapped. For a brief instant, he thought he saw a spark of flame in his palm, a flicker that vanished just as quickly as it had appeared. But there was no time to dwell on it; the demons were relentless, and he was barely keeping up.
The villagers managed to drive the creatures back, their shouts filling the air as the demons retreated into the trees. Aiden stood there, breathless and shaking, the strange sensation of warmth in his hand lingering even after the danger had passed.
Elara looked at him, her eyes wide. "Did you… did you see that?"
He shook his head, unsure of what he'd seen himself. "I… I don't know. It was like… like fire. Just for a second."
She nodded slowly, as if processing it herself. "Maybe… maybe there's something in us after all."
The realization settled over them like a fragile hope. They didn't have the powers they'd been promised, but perhaps there was still something inside them—something that hadn't fully awakened yet. And as they looked out toward the dark line of trees where the demons had vanished, they both felt a renewed sense of purpose.