Dremora, a small island village near the Southern Black Ocean, was a quiet and peaceful place. The only commotion came from the storms that ravaged the forests and fields from time to time.
To the east of the island, there was a small forest filled with animals and birds. The only predator in the forest was a silver fox, but even it rarely hunted.
Nearby, there was a pond with various types of fish, and a somewhat large tree stood beside it. At the top of the tree, there was a crude treehouse.
"I want to become a seeker!" a shout came from the treehouse, startling the small birds perched on the branches.
The voice echoed through quiet forest, and then a boy jumped down from the treehouse, landing swiftly on the grass. That boy then slowly walked towards the pond on his hand there was a book with torn leather cover, he was holding it tightly.
When he reached near the pond he sat down and opend the book, at that time heard twigs snapping behind him. Someone was approaching. A moment later, his childhood friend Lyra stepped into view, her wooden staff slung over her shoulder. She was wearing her usual cocky grin.
"Still reading that old book?" she asked.
Eren frowned but didn't respond.
Lyra rolled her eyes and plopped down next to him by the pond. "Let me guess—you're dreaming about being a Seeker again."
Eren sighed, closing the book. "I'm not just dreaming, Lyra. I'm going to do it. I'll pass the examination and join the Nomad's Guild."
Lyra snorted. "Yeah, sure. And I'll be crowned queen of the forest."
"I mean it!" Eren said, his voice was firm.
Lyra looked at him, surprised by the seriousness in his tone. "What's so great about becoming a seeker? You always talks about them what the are they even do?" She asked to him while slightly tapping the wooden staff on the ground.
Eren's eyes sparkled as he clutched the old book in his hands. The torn leather cover looked like it might fall apart any second, but to him, it was his greatest treasure.
"Seekers are amazing," he said, his voice filled with excitement. "They go on adventures, find treasures, and do things no one else can. They're the coolest people in the world."
Lyra raised an eyebrow and rested her chin on her hand. "Coolest? All I've ever heard is they run around chasing danger. What's so great about that?"
"They don't just chase danger," Eren said, sitting up straighter. "They do what no one else is brave enough to do. They're not afraid to take risks and make the world bigger for everyone else. They're heroes."
Lyra rolled her eyes. "Heroes, huh? Sounds like a good way to get yourself hurt. Or worse."
Eren frowned but didn't back down. "Not everyone wants to stay in one place forever, Lyra. Some people want more. To see more, do more. That's what Seekers do. They make the impossible possible."
Lyra tapped her wooden staff on the ground, thinking. "And you want to be one of them?"
"Of course," Eren said without hesitation. "One day, I'll take the Seeker exam and pass. Then, I'll get to see things no one else has. I'll be part of something bigger."
She smirked, leaning back. "You? A Seeker? You'd trip over your own feet before you even got started."
Eren glared at her. "I'm serious, Lyra. I'm going to do it. You'll see."
"Yeah, sure," she said with a shrug. "Let me know how that works out for you."
Eren's jaw tightened as he turned his gaze back to the pond. He didn't need Lyra to believe in him—not yet, anyway.
"Fine," he said, running his fingers over the worn edges of the book. "Laugh all you want now, but one day, I'll prove it. When I'm wearing the Seeker's badge and traveling across the world, you'll wish you'd believed me."
Lyra smirked, nudging him with her elbow. "If that ever happens, maybe I'll think about it. But for now, I think you're better off not getting yourself killed chasing some dumb dream."
"It's not dumb," Eren snapped, turning to face her. "Why do you always act like nothing matters? Don't you have anything you want to do? Anything you care about?"
Lyra paused, her teasing grin fading for a moment. She looked at the pond, the reflection of the sky rippling on its surface. Then she shrugged, her grin returning. "I care about making sure you don't do something stupid."
Eren sighed, shaking his head. "Thanks, Lyra. Really inspiring."
She laughed, leaning back on her hands. "You're welcome."
The two sat in silence for a moment, the sounds of the forest filling the air. Birds chirped in the trees, and the gentle splash of fish breaking the water's surface echoed around them.
Finally, Lyra broke the silence. "So, what's in that book, anyway? You're always reading it."
Eren hesitated, then held it out to her. "It's stories about Seekers—what they've done, where they've gone. It's not just a book to me, Lyra. It's proof that there's more out there than this island."
She took the book, flipping through its pages. The handwriting was messy, the ink faded in places, but she could see why Eren cherished it. Each page was filled with adventure—maps, sketches, and notes about faraway places she'd only heard of in passing.
As she handed it back, her grin turned mischievous. "Wow, you really are hopeless. All this talk about Seekers… It's like you're in love with them or something."
Eren's cheeks reddened as he grabbed the book. "I'm not in love with them!" he sputtered.
Lyra leaned closer, her smirk growing. "Are you sure? You get that same dumb look on your face when you're staring at the book as you do when—"
"When what?" Eren cut her off, his face practically glowing now.
Lyra paused, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Never mind," she said, turning away to hide her own slight blush.
Eren frowned but didn't press further. Instead, he quickly changed the subject. "So… if you think being a Seeker is so dangerous, why do you even bother hanging around me?"
Lyra stood up, brushing her hands off on her dress. "Because someone's gotta keep you from tripping over your own feet, obviously. Plus…" She hesitated for a second, her usual confidence wavering before snapping back into place. "Plus, it's fun watching you make a fool of yourself."
Eren scowled and got to his feet. "You're the one making a fool of yourself!"
"Sure, Eren," Lyra teased, poking his shoulder. "Keep telling yourself that."
As they started walking back toward the village, Lyra kept throwing playful jabs at him, grinning every time his face turned red.
"Honestly, if you do become a Seeker," she said with a smirk, "I'll probably have to come with you just to make sure you don't get yourself eaten by some monster."
Eren glanced at her, his blush still lingering. "And what makes you think I'd want you around?"
Lyra's teasing grin faltered for a brief second before she rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. You'd miss me if I wasn't there."
Eren didn't respond, but the way he avoided her gaze said enough.
For a moment, neither of them said anything, the quiet sounds of the forest filling the space between them. Lyra's smirk softened into a small, genuine smile as she glanced at him from the corner of her eye.
"I heard a news about seekers examination" he paused, "The first exam is scheduled on the Verin city on this week, so I need to go there by tomorrow its a five days trip from here to Verin city by ship."
Lyra's teasing grin didn't last long. Her expression darkened, and she suddenly stepped in front of him, blocking his path.
"You're seriously leaving tomorrow?!" she exclaimed, gripping her wooden staff tightly.
Eren sighed, already anticipating the storm brewing. "Yeah, Lyra. I told you—it's now or never. I can't miss this chance."
She jabbed the staff into the ground, glaring at him. "And you just decided this without telling me? What, were you planning to just vanish and leave me to find out later?"
"I didn't think it was that big of a deal," Eren muttered, avoiding her gaze.
"Not a big deal?!" she repeated, her voice rising. "You're running off to who-knows-where for some dangerous exam, and you didn't even think to mention it?!"
Eren frowned. "What do you want me to say, Lyra? That I was scared to tell you because you'd just make fun of me again?"
She looked taken aback for a moment, then huffed and crossed her arms. "You're so dumb, Eren. I tease you because—because—" She paused, her cheeks turning faintly pink. "Because someone has to keep you grounded! You always get these ridiculous ideas and rush off without thinking things through!"
"It's not ridiculous!" Eren snapped, his own frustration bubbling up. "This is my dream, Lyra! Why can't you just support me for once instead of trying to hold me back?"
"Hold you back?!" Lyra shot back, stepping closer. "You think I'm holding you back because I care about whether you live or die?!"
"Maybe I don't need you to care!" Eren shouted, his voice louder than he intended.
For a moment, there was silence between them, the sounds of the forest fading into the background. Lyra's face fell, and she took a step back, clutching her staff tightly.
"…Fine," she said, her voice quieter now. "If you don't need me to care, then I won't. Go ahead and leave. See if I care."
Eren opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, Lyra turned on her heel and started marching off toward the village. Her shoulders were stiff, and her pace was quicker than usual.
"Lyra, wait—" he called after her, but she didn't stop.
"Don't bother!" she shouted over her shoulder, her voice shaking slightly. "Go chase your stupid dream! I'll be fine without you!"
Eren watched her retreating figure, feeling a pang of guilt. "Lyra…"
Just as she reached the edge of the forest, she turned back, her face scrunched up in a pout, though her cheeks were clearly red. "And don't come back crying to me when you realize you can't even tie your boots without tripping over them!"
He blinked, startled by her sudden outburst, but before he could respond, she stomped away, leaving him alone by the pond.
Eren sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Why does she have to make everything so difficult?"
Despite his frustration, he couldn't shake the feeling that he'd messed up. He glanced down at the old book in his hands, gripping it tightly.
"I'll make it up to her," he muttered to himself. "When I come back as a Seeker, she'll understand."
He returned to the treehouse and packed his things in the small bag that he had, an old green covered book, a small bottle containing small balls, a pair of his clothes and some money that he saved from doing odd jobs at village. It wasn't much but it was enough for the journey.
The morning light crept over the dock as Eren stood near the ship, ready to leave. The bustle of the port surrounded him, but a heavy silence hung in the air as he adjusted his pack. He wasn't sure if he was ready to leave, but there was no turning back now.
Just then, he felt someone standing behind him. He turned and saw Lyra, her expression hard and angry. She didn't say a word at first, just held out a small, roughly wrapped parcel.
Eren blinked in confusion. "Lyra?"
She didn't meet his eyes. Her voice was sharp as she handed him the parcel. "Take it," she said, almost in a hiss. "Just take it and go."
Eren hesitated before accepting it, carefully unwrapping the cloth. Inside, he found a dagger and a pair of gloves. The gloves were simple, made from worn leather, but there was something special about them. They had clearly been hand-stitched with care, and the stitching wasn't perfect, but it was sturdy and solid, as though they had been made by someone who knew how to create something that would last.
"You made these," Eren said softly, his fingers brushing over the rough seams.
Lyra nodded, her lips tight. "They're not much. But they'll hold up."
"Lyra, I—"
"Just don't," she snapped, cutting him off. Her eyes were fierce, but her voice faltered. "I told you not to go, but you never listen. You always think you're better off on your own. But you're not, Eren."
Eren stood there, holding the gloves, feeling the weight of her words. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I just… I thought it was something I had to do alone."
She didn't respond at first. Instead, she just looked away, her face flushed with frustration and something else—something deeper. Finally, she took a step back, turning toward the edge of the dock.
"I won't say goodbye," she said, her voice was barely a whisper. "You don't deserve it."
Eren's heart sank, and as she turned to leave, he saw it—her shoulders shook as she tried to hide the tears that were now slipping down her face. The sight of it hit him like a punch in the chest.
Without thinking, he shouted, his voice loud and filled with emotion. "Lyra, wait!"
She stopped but didn't turn around.
"I swear," Eren said, his voice raw, "I'll come back. I'll definitely come back. I won't leave you like this. I promise!"
For a long moment, she didn't move, her back still to him. He could see her shoulders quivering, but she didn't speak. The air between them was thick with the unsaid things, with the pain of separation and the hurt of unspoken words.
"I'll return," he repeated, his voice steady now, filled with determination.
Finally, Lyra wiped her face with the back of her hand and gave a soft, bitter laugh. "You better," she said, her voice still shaky.
Eren's heart ached as he watched her turn and walk away, her form blending with the bustling crowd of the dock. But his promise rang clear in his ears—he would return, no matter what it took.
As the ship slowly began to pull away from the dock, Eren glanced back one last time.