It has been six months since I started living at the orphanage, and in that time, I have grown close to every single one of the kids—including Ronix. He was very quiet and shy at first, always keeping to himself, but now he has opened up to me. Though he still doesn't talk as much as the others, his actions speak louder—always helping out when needed, always listening.
As for my memories, they still haven't returned. To this day, I don't know who I am. But with the kids and Sofie around, I never felt left out—I felt right at home.
"Hey, Kathleen, do you think this much will be enough?" Ronix called out to me from behind,
"Yeah, that should be good enough for at least three days," I replied with a smile, adjusting the bundle of firewood in my arms.
"Let's head back then."
"Yeah."
The evening sun cast long shadows across the forest floor as we made our way back. This place—where Milly had first found me unconscious—was now familiar to me. I had been here several times before, sometimes with the kids, sometimes with Sofie. The scent of fresh earth, the soft chirping of birds, and the occasional snap of twigs beneath our feet made the forest feel alive.
Ronix, walking a few steps ahead, had taken a large stack of Sticks on his back, his small frame struggling slightly under the weight.
"You sure you got that?" I asked, glancing at him.
He gave a small nod, determined as ever.
I chuckled and shook my head before shifting my grip on the rest of the firewood. With that, we started heading back to the village.
.....
"Wait… did you hear that? It sounded like someone screamed just now," I asked, stopping in my tracks.
"No, I didn't hear anything," Ronix replied nonchalantly, still carrying the firewood without a hint of concern.
"Are you sure about that?" I asked again, scanning the surroundings.
The forest was quiet, too quiet.
As we got closer to the village, I heard it again—footsteps, hurried and uneven, followed by another scream. It sounded like someone was being chased.
Then, the weight of the situation finally settled in—I understood what was happening. I had heard about this from Sofie. Because this village is far from any big town, sometimes bandits attack.
A chill ran down my spine.
"Wait, Ronix, don't move!" I whispered sharply. "Let's get to the orphanage through the forest route. It's not safe to go into the village."
He nodded, his expression turning serious as he grasped the danger of the situation. This was why I liked him—he wasn't a typical kid. He was always calculating, always thinking before acting. If it had been Rodrick in his place, he would've rushed straight to the village without hesitation. Bravery isn't foolish, but charging into a group of bandits without knowing how many you're up against—that's just plain stupid, no matter how strong you are.
We rushed along the edge of the forest, finally arriving at the orphanage.
My heart sank at the sight before me.
The bandits were already there.
Nine of them, all carrying large swords, smirking like they owned the place. The air around them was filled with the stench of sweat and steel. In front of them stood Rodrick, Mark, and Edger, their small bodies tense with fear, while down on the ground, Sofie lay motionless.
Blood.
From where I stood, I could clearly see blood.
"Mama!" Milly cried, clutching Sofie's arm, her voice breaking.
In front of her, Rodrick and Mark and Edger stood their ground, gripping their weapons tightly. They were shaking, but they didn't back down.
Where were the rest of the children? Were they hiding?
"Hahaha!"
"You puny little kids think you can fend us off? Don't joke around!" one of the bandits sneered before swinging his longsword toward Mark.
Mark barely managed to block it with his own sword, but the sheer brute force of the attack knocked him to the ground.
"Mark!" Rodrick screamed, panic in his voice.
"I'm… okay," Mark groaned, struggling to get up, clutching his sword.
I was about to rush in, but Ronix grabbed my wrist. His grip was firm, unshaken.
its ok don't panic and don't come out!" I hissed, my heart pounding.
He held my wrist tightly. "I'm coming with you," he said, his voice steady.
Who was I kidding? This was the only family he had—of course, he wanted to protect them.
"Alright, let's go then," I nodded
"We'll sneak behind them. I'll use my light magic to blind them temporarily, and then it's up to you," he whispered, already forming a plan.
My god… Not only was he calm in this situation, but he was also strategizing how to take them down.
"Alright, let's do this."
Without hesitation, Ronix sprinted toward the bandits, yelling, "MAMMA!" His voice was filled with fake panic, making it seem like he was rushing to help her. Not once did he give a hint that he was actually chanting a spell with low voice .
"Don't come here!" Rodrick screamed, his voice cracking.
The bandits all turned toward Ronix, their backs now exposed.
At that moment, a bright, blinding light burst from Ronix's body, illuminating the entire area like a sudden explosion of daylight.
"My eyes!"
"I can't see!"
The bandits staggered, completely disoriented, covering their faces as they groaned in pain.
That was my cue.
I dashed forward, drawing my practice sword—the same one I had been using regularly for training. My body felt unbelievably light as I weaved through the stunned bandits, striking at every opening I could find. The thrill and the rush of battle—it all came naturally, as if my body had been waiting for this moment.
Rodrick and Mark were far enough away that they weren't affected by the light. However, the one bandit who had been attacking Mark earlier wasn't blinded either.
In the midst of the chaos, when he saw his subordinates getting cut down one by one, he panicked and charged toward me.
That was a massive mistake.
He left himself wide open to Rodrick, who took the chance and slashed the bandit from behind, his blade cutting deep.
The bandit staggered, then collapsed.
And just like that, all of the bandits in front of the orphanage had been neutralized—thanks to the brilliant strategy of Ronix.
.....
We had neutralized the bandits who attacked the orphanage with ease, but we still didn't know how many were left in the village. Because of that, we all remained cautious.
"Mama!" Milly cried once again, clutching Sofie. Apparently, she had tried to protect the kids by negotiating with the bandits, but it didn't work. One of them attacked her—that's when Mark, Rodrick, and Edgar took up their swords and charged at the bandits, trying to fight back.
"By the grace of the sacred star, let wounds be closed, and life restored. Heal."
Ronix cast a healing spell on Sofie. Her wounds closed, but she didn't wake up.
"She's going to be fine," Ronix said before collapsing to the ground. All of this had taken a great toll on his small body.
Suddenly, a sound echoed in the distance.
I gripped my sword once again, readying myself, thinking more bandits were approaching. But Rodrick quickly reassured me.
"It's over. The bandits have fled. That sound—it was their retreat signal. That means the village is safe now."
Footsteps. Multiple people were approaching us.
To be continued....