The crowd's murmurs grew louder, but there was a sense of agreement among them. Several people stepped forward, voicing their interest in joining the village.
Kael smiled. "Good. We leave at dawn."
Later That Night
Evanna stood on the castle's outer wall, gazing out at the moonlit Wildlands. Glow sat beside her, his glowing fur casting a soft light around them.
Kael approached, his footsteps quiet. "You're thinking about the village," he said, stopping beside her.
Evanna nodded. "It feels like home already. But I worry… what if something comes for us there?"
Kael's expression darkened. "Let them come," he said. "We'll be ready."
Evanna turned to him. "You really think we can rebuild a kingdom?"
Kael met her gaze, his golden eyes unwavering. "With you by my side, I know we can."
For a moment, the weight of their challenges seemed to fade, replaced by a quiet determination.
As the torches flickered below, the two stood together, ready to face whatever the Wildlands had in store for them.
"Loyalty is born not of blood, but of the hands that save us."
Orin's earliest memories were of fire. Flames consuming the modest home where he'd been born, his parents screaming as the shadows devoured them. He hadn't understood then—he was just a boy, barely five years old. All he knew was fear.
When the chaos finally subsided, he'd been left alone, crouched amidst the ashes of his family's life. That was when Kael found him.
Kael had been no more than a teenager himself, struggling to survive in the Wildlands after his mother's death. Yet, when he stumbled upon Orin, the boy clutching a charred toy in trembling hands, Kael couldn't bring himself to walk away.
"Are you alone?" Kael had asked, kneeling to meet Orin's tear-streaked face.
Orin had nodded, too frightened to speak.
Kael had sighed, his golden eyes softening. "You can stay with me, if you want. But you'll have to work hard, okay?"
Orin had nodded again, clinging to the only shred of hope left in his world.
From that day on, Orin became part of Kael's strange, wandering life. He fetched water, helped tend to Kael's beasts, and eventually learned to fight. Kael taught him everything he knew—not just about survival, but about strength, loyalty, and justice.
"You've got to be strong, Orin," Kael would say, ruffling the boy's hair. "Strong enough to protect the ones you care about."
Orin had taken those words to heart, vowing to repay Kael's kindness tenfold.
Years passed, and Orin grew from a frightened boy into a capable young man. Though he lacked Kael's commanding presence or his connection to the beasts, Orin was fiercely loyal and eager to prove himself.
When Kael reclaimed the Beastlord's Castle, Orin was among the first to step forward, offering his unwavering service.
"This place will need someone to keep it in order," Orin had said with a grin. "And who better than me?"
Kael had laughed, clapping him on the back. "You'll make a fine steward, Orin. I trust you."
Those words had meant everything to him.
Though Orin had been too young to remember the details, he'd later learned the truth about his parents' deaths. They hadn't been victims of some random attack. No, they had died during the chaos that followed the betrayal of the late queen's advisor, Malrik.
Malrik, with his dark magic and his hunger for power, had orchestrated the downfall of Kael's family, tearing the Wildlands apart in the process.
When Orin learned this, his resolve only deepened. Protecting Kael was not just a duty—it was his life's purpose.
The Beastlord's Castle was eerily quiet. Most of the servants and beasts had gone with Kael and Evanna to the village of Evanna, leaving Orin alone to watch over the ancient halls.
As the hours stretched on, Orin busied himself with his chores. He fed the remaining beasts, swept the courtyard, and checked the gates. The silence didn't bother him. He'd always been comfortable in solitude.
But as night fell, a sense of unease crept over him. The beasts began to grow restless, pacing in their enclosures and growling at the shadows.
"What's wrong with you lot?" Orin muttered, trying to calm a particularly agitated wolf.
That was when he saw it—a figure approaching through the darkness, moving with the confidence of someone who belonged.
"Who's there?" Orin called, gripping his pitchfork tightly.
The figure stepped into the light, revealing himself. A tall man with a pale, angular face, dressed in a long cloak that seemed to blend with the shadows. His left eye was covered by an ornate eyepatch, and his right gleamed with unsettling intelligence.
"I am Malrik," the man said, his voice smooth and cold. "And you must be the caretaker. How quaint."
Orin's blood ran cold. He'd never met Malrik, but he knew the name.
"What do you want?" Orin demanded, trying to keep his voice steady.
Malrik smiled faintly. "I want what's mine. Where is Kael?"
Orin tightened his grip on the pitchfork. "I won't tell you."
Malrik's smile vanished. "How predictable."
The air around Malrik darkened, and from the shadows emerged a monstrous beast—a dragon-like creature twice the size of any Orin had ever seen. Its eyes glowed crimson, and its breath steamed in the cold air.
Orin's heart pounded, but he didn't back down. "You'll get nothing from me!"
The beast lunged, and Orin swung the pitchfork with all his strength, managing to graze its side. The creature howled in pain but didn't retreat.
"You're brave," Malrik said, almost amused. "But bravery won't save you."
The dark beast attacked again, this time knocking Orin to the ground. Its claws raked across his chest, and pain exploded through his body.
Orin gritted his teeth, refusing to cry out. "You won't win," he spat. "Kael will stop you."
Malrik knelt beside him, his expression cold. "Kael…
.
.
.
is a fool, and so are you. Loyalty is meaningless when it leads to death."
The beast sank its fangs into Orin's shoulder, and he knew his time was up.
As the pain consumed him, Orin's thoughts drifted to Kael. He remembered the boy who had saved him from the ashes, the man who had given him a home, a purpose, and a family.
"I'm sorry, Kael," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "I couldn't protect you… but I tried."
With that, the world went dark.
Malrik stood, brushing dust from his cloak. He glanced down at Orin's lifeless body, then turned toward the castle.
"Let this serve as a warning," he murmured, his voice carrying through the empty halls. "I'm coming for you, Kael. And this time, nothing will stop me."