(Arun's Pov)
As I descended into the dark depths of the well, an overwhelming sense of unease began to creep over me. The air grew heavier, denser—each breath felt like a battle. Despite the suffocating tension, I forced myself to remain calm. There was no time to waste.
At the bottom, I found myself in a long cave tunnel. A faint, dark-red light glimmered at its far end, pulsing weakly as though its vitality was slipping away. My fear tightened its grip on me, and I could feel anxiety building in my chest. "What is this place?" I murmured under my breath, my voice barely audible as I scanned the cave walls. Ancient ruins adorned the entire cavern, their intricate carvings etched into stone—a forgotten relic hidden beneath a lonely well.
As I moved closer to the tunnel's end, I saw it: a strange crystal jutting out from the ground. It had been the source of the red glow, once radiant and alive, but now it was dim and lifeless—a pale, dull white shadow of its former brilliance. Lying next to it was Kailu, sprawled motionless on the ground.
The moment I saw Kailu, I acted without hesitation. I scooped him up and hoisted him onto my back. There was no time to linger or investigate further. Something was wrong in the village—I could feel it in my very essence. My mana, intrinsically linked to my wife's, allowed us to sense each other's emotions when they grew intense. And now, her feelings flooded me, sharp and urgent. She was struggling with something, but I didn't know what.
I turned to leave, but before I could take a step, a voice rang out. It was disjointed and cryptic, the words fragmented and hard to decipher. Then, a single phrase emerged clearly, piercing through the confusion and sending a chill down my spine. I stood frozen, shaken by the words, unable to make sense of their meaning.
Confusion swirled within me, compounded by the torrent of emotions I was absorbing from my wife's struggles in the village. It was almost too much to bear. But I couldn't allow myself to falter—not now. I needed to stay composed.
With Kailu secured on my back, I retraced my steps through the tunnel and reached the base of the well. The climb back up was grueling. Kailu's weight bore down on me, as though an invisible force was trying to drag us back. My foot slipped once, my heart skipping a beat as I teetered on the edge of disaster. But I clenched my teeth and pushed forward, regaining my balance and continuing the ascent.
When I finally reached the surface, I lifted my head over the edge, scanning my surroundings. Seira was nowhere in sight. "Seira?" I called out, my voice echoing into the silence. There was no reply. A gnawing fear clawed at my mind, the possibility of having lost her flooding my thoughts. Where could she have gone? What could have taken her from here?
"Seira?!" I shouted once more, my voice so loud that it sent birds scattering into the air. But once again, there was no reply. Panic gripped me as I scanned the surroundings in every direction even more, desperately hoping to hear even the faintest sound of her—just the smallest noise from that little girl was all I needed. In a fit of desperation and frustration, I charged forward, determined to scour the forest, turning it upside down if I had to.
And that's when I heard it. "Stay away!"
Seira's voice rang out, tiny and fearful, and it was clear that she was terrified—she needed my help. Instantly, I knew where it was coming from. I raced toward the sound of her cry, my heart hammering in my chest. When I finally reached her, I found Seira sitting on the ground, leaning against the trunk of a tree, her ankle clearly sprained and her body drenched in sweat. It seemed she had run herself ragged, pushing herself too far until exhaustion caught up with her, and that's probably when she'd tripped.
But my attention was quickly diverted as I saw what loomed over her: a massive celestial mana beast, its massive teeth bared and ready to sink into its prey. It must have been drawn to Seira's divine mana essence, sensing it when she was alone. She had never once been by herself until now. The elders had ensured that she was always accompanied by someone, ever since they first learned of her birth. But now, here she was, vulnerable. And the beast was about to strike, poised to end her life.
Without a moment's hesitation, I surged forward, moving as fast as I could. But deep down, I knew there was no way I could close the distance in time. The mana beast was already too close, and I was too far away. If I didn't imbue my body with wind, I wouldn't make it.
"O boundless winds, guide my soul and shatter the chains of stagnation. Grant me the swiftness of light! Zephyr Step: Argent Glide!"
I whispered urgently, and in the blink of an eye, I felt the magic take hold. With Kailu still clinging unconscious to my back, I sliced effortlessly through the air, cutting straight through the celestial mana beast with barely any resistance, closing the gap in an instant. My blade passed through it like a hot knife through soft leaves.
When I reached Seira, I saw the mixture of emotions on her face—confusion, fear, and then, at last, relief. I tried to reassure her, my voice gentle as I knelt beside her. "It's okay, Seira," I murmured, reaching out to take her trembling hand. "I'm here now."
I wiped the tiny tears from her cheeks and pulled her into my arms, holding her tightly. The sun had fully set, and the creeping darkness made me realize just how much time we'd lost—how much time I had wasted in the well. "Oh no, the village," I whispered, the sudden weight of the situation crashing over me. I had been so focused on saving Seira that I hadn't given a thought to the village or to my wife.
We pushed through the forest, a thick fog beginning to cloud my vision. "Is everything okay? Is Kailu okay?" Seira's voice came from beside me, laced with confusion and fear. She was afraid of the worst. I paused, gathering my thoughts before responding.
"Yes, everything's fine," I assured her. "Kailu's just taking a little nap. But we need to hurry back to the village."
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(Seira's Pov)
The urgency in Arun's voice was unmistakable. My mind raced with fear of the worst, and the look in his eyes was fierce and frightening, like he was angry at someone, or maybe even angry on someone else's behalf.
As we ran through the dark, foggy forest, we slowly began to approach the hill overlooking our village. Even I could start to feel something wrong, a heavy, uncomfortable feeling, like my heart would leap out of my chest or my stomach would explode. Just as my heart was about to burst from my chest, Arun gently set me down. We gazed down at the village, and that's when my heart completely dropped.
There was smoke in the air, and I could hear tiny screams that echoed all the way up to us on the hill. The air felt thick, heavy, almost suffocating.
The village is burning.
My eyes widened in horror as I looked down at the village. The flames were everywhere, fiery and destructive, devouring every home in their path.
"W-What's going on?" I asked, my voice trembling, confusion mixing with the words. I couldn't understand why this was happening, or why now. That's all my mind kept repeating over and over again. Arun didn't look at me. He paused for a few seconds before he answered. "I don't know. Come on, we need to hurry. Stay close."
We kept walking fast down the hill towards the town. Arun held my hand tightly, like he was afraid I might run away, pulling me close. The closer we got to the village, the harder it became to breathe, like something was choking me.
Finally, we reached the bottom, and that's when I felt the horror completely overwhelm me. My heart sank, and my legs began to feel weak, like they might give out at any moment. "Why is this happening?" I said softly, speaking aloud this time, my voice filled with confusion and fear. Arun looked at me and gripped my hand even tighter. "I don't know. But let's go."
My foot still hurt from tripping earlier, and it didn't help the sinking feeling in my stomach, the fear that I might not be able to keep up much longer. I could see townspeople running for their lives, screaming in terror, begging for the madness to stop. Some people I even knew were lying in the streets, blood everywhere, the ground dirty and wet.
"Please! Stop this!" I heard one villager scream as he stumbled, trying to escape, while a bad man with a large club stood over him. The man struck him again and again. I couldn't bear to watch. I turned my face away instinctively. "Run! They're everywhere!" another villager shouted. But before he could even flee, they beat him to the ground, stabbing him repeatedly. I wanted to look away, but it was too late. I had already seen the man drive his knife into the villager. My mind kept repeating, "Mama. Papa. Help me. I'm scared." over and over, like a prayer.
We kept running through the village, and for a moment, I saw something that broke my heart in ways I couldn't explain. "We have to go now. We have no choice," Kailu's papa murmured, almost a whisper, but loud enough for me to hear. His voice was trembling, filled with guilt. Kailu's mommy looked desperate, searching for something in the distance, looking for something none of us could see. Kailu's parents didn't even glance back. Their eyes were darting between the flames and the bandits, and their feet moved, as if pulled by some invisible force.
"They're leaving Kailu?" I said quietly, barely able to believe what I was seeing. "They're abandoning him?" Arun saw it too, and his face looked so angry, not just at the bandits but maybe at himself too. "I know. I'm sorry, Seira. But we need to find your parents right now."
We ran quickly, getting closer and closer to my house. I could see it in the distance, getting bigger as we moved. But when we reached the streets near my home, someone suddenly appeared behind us, running fast. "Arun, there you are! We need you!" he gasped, out of breath like he had run all the way across the city just to find him. It was another soldier from the village guards, probably around Arun's age but much smaller, much weaker. He took a second to catch his breath before speaking again. "The rest of the Village Guard Brigade has fled. It's just us and your wife left."
Arun stared at the young soldier. "What do you mean they fled?! What about the elders?" Arun's voice was full of fury. "They fled too. There's no one left, just us, a few of the village doctors, and some of the residents." the solider replied.
Arun looked stunned, yet he seemed to know this would happen one day. "Those bastards," he muttered through clenched teeth. "Show me to the injured. Where's Saphielle?" I watched them talk, but my heart was beating faster and faster, like it knew I needed to find Mama and Papa.
Without thinking, my feet started moving on their own, and I slipped away without Arun or the guard noticing me.
The streets near my house were strangely quiet, even though everything else was full of chaos. The air felt heavy and thick, like the smoke and silence were too much, making it hard to breathe.
Finally, I reached the house. The door was wide open, hanging from its hinges and banging against the wall. My eyes felt dry from crying, and they started to itch. I slowly walked toward the door and gently pushed it open. My fear grew stronger, and the wood creaked like it was scared too.
Inside, everything was so quiet. The air was full of smoke and fog, making everything look blurry. I heard Mama's voice from the kitchen. "She's not here, go away! Even if she was, I would never give her to you!" Something didn't feel right, like something bad was about to happen.
"Mama?" I called softly, my voice all wobbly. "Papa?"
"No, Seira! Run away!" I heard Papa shout from the kitchen as he saw me. My legs felt so heavy and shaky, like they wouldn't move. And just then, a big man came charging toward me from the direction of Mama and Papa. He looked so angry.
That's when my Papa came charging out from the kitchen too, jumping onto the man in front of me. My knees finally gave out, and I fell to the ground, sitting on my butt, unable to move, completely filled with fear. All I could do was sit there, frozen. As both of them tumbled to the floor, Papa's fists hit the bandit's face with a sickening crunch, the sound of bone echoing in the room. But the victory didn't last. They kept fighting, throwing punches harder than the last.
"Seira, get back!" Mama shouted from the kitchen as she leaped toward me, pulling me close since I couldn't move on my own, holding me tight. I didn't understand what was happening, why it was happening, and why it was happening to me.
"Your brother… and sister… Kaelen… Lura… they're gone," Mama whispered, tears streaming down her face. "I'm so sorry, my love… I'm so sorry…"
What did she mean, they're gone? I could barely speak or ask because I was too scared, and everything was happening so fast.
The bandit growled, his knife flashing in the firelight as he lunged forward, driving the blade deep into Papa's stomach. Blood splattered onto the wooden floor, dark and thick, as Papa collapsed, blood pooling around him. His lips moved a little before his eyes closed forever. "I never wanted it to get this far… I'm so sorry, Seira. Darling… I love y—"
"Papa…" I whispered softly, not believing it, but Mama held me tighter, blocking my view so I wouldn't see any more.
"Don't look, my darling," Mama whispered, her voice trembling. "Don't look…"
But I had already seen it. Papa's body lay still on the floor, surrounded by his blood. Then the bandits turned their attention to Mama.
Mama squeezed me even tighter and faced the bad man, never letting go. "You'll not touch her!" she screamed, her voice full of a mother's fury. "I will protect you, darling. Close your eyes. It will be okay."
The bad man came closer, looming over us. Mama turned her head, glaring at him, still holding me, and she looked so angry. The bandit slapped Mama across the face, and the sound of it echoed in my ears. She was knocked to the ground, the floor shaking as if it was going to break. But Mama didn't give up. She sat back up, clutching me even tighter, like she was shielding me from everything. "Stay away!" Mama cried, her voice rough and strong. "I won't let you hurt my daughter!" Her voice filled the room.
The bandit seemed irritated, and then, in that moment, my whole world shattered apart. I didn't know this would be the last time I'd ever get to feel the warmth of Mama's hug. The bad man attacked Mama with his knife—once, twice, three times. Over and over. Mama's screams turned into gasps as she collapsed on top of me. With her last bit of strength, she smiled at me, and with one final effort, she whispered, "It will be okay, little Seira. You will be okay. I will always love you, my little star…"
I couldn't move. I couldn't scream. I was stuck under Mama's body, frozen in shock. Everything was falling apart. Mama, Papa, Kaelen, Lura—gone in an instant, taken from me, and I couldn't do anything. I could only stare, feeling so empty inside.
The bandits, done with whatever they came for, picked me up like I was nothing. "We got what we wanted," the bandit said, grinning. "You'll make us rich."
They dragged me out of the house, pulling me through the streets. The village was still burning behind us, but I didn't feel anything. My heart felt hollow, like everything good had been taken away. But there was a small light deep inside me, something that tried to reach out. It didn't matter, though, because the horrible things I had just seen were too strong on my mind to overshadow the light in my soul.
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Just before Seira slipped away from Arun's sight amidst the chaos.
(Arun's Pov)
"Arun, there you are! We need you!" The voice came from Alwin, a young soldier and my best friend, breathless and frantic, as if he had sprinted across the entire town just to find me. Exhaustion was written all over him.
He steadied himself, taking in a deep breath before continuing, "The rest of the Village Guard Brigade has fled. It's just us and your wife left." His words hit me like a cold slap, and my eyes locked onto his, filled with urgency. "What do you mean they fled?! What about the elders?" My voice cracked with fury.
"They fled too," Alwin replied, his tone grim. "There's no one left, just us, a few of the village doctors, and some of the residents."
A thousand thoughts raced through my mind, but deep down, I knew this day would come. I had always known the elders would abandon us when it mattered most. "Those bastards," I muttered under my breath, gritting my teeth. "Show me to the injured. Where's Saphielle?" I demanded.
I took a moment to steady myself, but as I turned to look for Seira, a sudden wave of panic surged through me. "Wait, where's Seira?" I asked, my voice thick with anxiety, desperation clouding my thoughts.
"She was here just a moment ago." Alwin replied, confusion in his eyes. Without wasting another second, I motioned for him to follow. "I need to find her now. You can manage without me for just a little while longer, can't you?" I asked, my voice sharp and demanding. Alwin nodded, agreeing without a word, before sprinting off in the opposite direction.
With purpose, I made my way toward Myrin and Zal's house. They had to be there. There was no way they'd abandon their daughter. As I neared their porch, I could hear the sounds of a struggle coming from inside. Without hesitation, I gently lowered Kailu, who had been strapped to my back, in front of the door. Before I could even attempt to open the battered door that barely clung to its hinges, I felt a blow to the back of my head, and everything went black.
When I regained consciousness, panic shot through me. My heart raced as I sprang to my feet, rushing through the door. But as I burst into the house, a gut-wrenching scene unfolded before me, and I froze.
Myrin and Zaleria's lifeless bodies were sprawled on the floor, surrounded by pools of their own blood. Their once bright eyes now vacant and dull. A chill ran through me, freezing me in place. Seira, Kailu, Kaelen, Lura—none of them were anywhere to be found. The house had been completely ransacked; everything was in chaos, thrown about, abandoned.
I couldn't bear the sight for another second, but I had no time to grieve. I had to move. Desperately, I pushed through the house, running through the back door and into the cold night air. My eyes darted across the horizon, scanning for any sign of them. And then I saw them.
I saw Seira and Kailu, along with several other village children, being carried away by bandits on horseback. Their figures were shadowed against the darkened sky. The image seared into my mind, filling me with a cold, uncontrollable rage, but I was helpless. There was nothing I could do.
My stomach twisted, and my chest tightened as a suffocating guilt gripped me—an all-consuming weight that felt like it was tearing me apart from the inside. I had failed them. I had failed the one responsibility I swore to uphold: to protect them. I had promised to keep them safe, and I couldn't.
The bandits were already a distant blur down the road, their figures fading into the dark horizon. My fists clenched so tightly that my nails dug into my palms, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the storm raging inside of me.
I had promised them.
Myrin's voice echoed in my mind, unbidden, pulling me back to that day months ago. I had stood in their doorway, sunlight spilling across the floor as Seira played with Kailu by the hearth.
"You're a good man, Arun," Myrin had said, his hand heavy on my shoulder. "Zaleria and I… we trust you to keep them and her safe, if anything happens."
I'd nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat, trying to keep it together. "Nothing will happen," I'd said, forcing every ounce of confidence into my voice. "I swear it."
He had smiled then—one of those smiles that reached his eyes. "Good. Seira is our entire world, Arun. Never forget that."
The warmth of that moment—the sound of Zaleria's laugh, Kailu's giggles, Seira tugging at Myrin's sleeve—flickered and died, like a candle snuffed out by a gust of wind.
The present crashed down around me, the reality too sharp, too cruel. The smell of burning wood filled my nose, and my eyes fixed on the spot where Myrin and Zaleria's bodies lay still, lifeless. My promise, now a mockery, clawed at my soul.
I was too late. The hope that once burned brightly inside me was gone, swallowed whole by the crushing weight of the truth. I had failed to protect them. And now, they were lost.