The air was still as Kain stared at the horizon beyond Reynes, his thoughts tangled in Galen's parting words. The last flickers of daylight stretched across the sky, fading into deep indigo. Beside him, Sera sat with her arms wrapped around her knees, her small frame silhouetted against the crumbling stone wall.
"You're thinking about what he said, aren't you?" she asked quietly, not looking at him.
Kain didn't answer immediately. Instead, he leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees as he rubbed his temples. "Maybe. Maybe not."
Sera frowned. "You are. You're doing that thing where you get all quiet, and your eyebrows scrunch up like—"
"They do not scrunch up," Kain said, cutting her off with a faint smirk.
"They do," Sera insisted, her voice lightening. But the smile faded as quickly as it came. "Are you going to meet him?"
Kain leaned back against the wall, exhaling. "I don't know yet. I told him I'd think about it."
"Why wouldn't you?" Sera pressed, turning to face him fully. Her hands fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, nervous but curious. "If they're fighting the Syndicate, isn't that what you want? To make things better?"
"It's not that simple," Kain said, his voice soft but firm. "I want to help people. But if I join a group that only knows how to fight, then I'll just be part of the same cycle. That's not how change happens."
Sera tilted her head, her brow furrowing. "So what's the plan, then? Just keep walking forever?"
Kain didn't answer right away. He glanced at her, noting the frustration in her tone. She had every right to be frustrated—she wanted a clear path forward. He wanted that too, but clarity was a luxury he hadn't had in years.
"I don't have all the answers, Sera," he admitted finally. "But I know rushing into something without thinking it through won't help. Galen's group… it could be something good. Or it could just add to the chaos."
"You think they're like the Syndicate?"
Kain shook his head. "Not like them. But anger and desperation make people do things they wouldn't normally do. If they aren't careful, they'll become the thing they're fighting against."
Sera fell silent, her gaze dropping to the ground. For a long moment, they sat there, the sound of the nearby river filling the silence between them.
Later that night, as the town settled into stillness, Kain couldn't sleep. The crumbling wall offered little comfort, and his mind refused to rest. Galen's words echoed in his head: "If you want to change the world, it starts here."
Did it? Was this the step he had been waiting for all these years? Or was it just another distraction, another group of people trying to solve a broken system with broken tools?
He stood, stretching his stiff limbs. The stars above were faint, veiled by the haze of the day's heat. Sera was asleep a few feet away, her breathing soft and steady. He glanced at her for a moment before turning and walking toward the edge of the camp.
He didn't get far.
"Couldn't sleep either?" Galen's voice cut through the quiet.
Kain stopped, turning to see the wiry man leaning against a nearby tree, arms crossed. His sharp eyes glinted in the dim light, and his smirk was as unreadable as ever.
"Were you watching us?" Kain asked, his tone calm but wary.
"Not exactly," Galen said, shrugging. "I wanted to make sure you hadn't left town yet. Figured you might try to disappear in the middle of the night."
Kain frowned. "Why would I do that?"
"Because people like you don't stay in one place for long," Galen said simply. He straightened, stepping closer. "You don't trust anyone. And I get it. You've probably seen enough of the world to know that trust is a dangerous thing."
Kain's eyes narrowed. "If that's supposed to convince me to join your group, it's not working."
Galen chuckled softly. "I'm not trying to convince you. I just want you to see that we're not your enemy. We've all been hurt by the Syndicate. We've all lost people. And yeah, we don't always agree on how to fight back. But at least we're trying."
"And what happens when you push too hard?" Kain asked, his tone sharp. "When the Syndicate decides to make an example of you and this town? How many innocent people will pay the price for your fight?"
Galen's smirk faded. For the first time, his expression was serious, even pained. "People are already paying the price. Every day the Syndicate stays in power, more people suffer. I'm not saying we've got it all figured out. But if we don't do something, who will?"
Kain looked away, his jaw tightening. He didn't have an answer.
Galen took a step closer, his voice dropping. "Look, I'm not asking you to pick up a weapon and start charging into battle. But we need people like you—people who can inspire others to stand up, to believe things can be different. That's what this group is about. It's not just about fighting. It's about hope."
Kain's chest tightened. Hope. It was such a fragile thing, so easily snuffed out. But it was also powerful. And Galen was right—if no one else would stand up, then the Syndicate would keep winning.
"I'll think about it," Kain said finally, his voice quiet.
Galen nodded, satisfied. "That's all I ask." He turned to leave, but paused. "We're meeting tomorrow night, just outside town. If you decide to come, you'll know where to find us."
With that, he disappeared into the darkness, leaving Kain alone with his thoughts.
The next day passed slowly. Kain and Sera spent most of it wandering the outskirts of Reynes, keeping their distance from the busier parts of town. Kain's unease from the previous night lingered, a gnawing feeling that something was brewing just out of sight.
As the sun dipped low on the horizon, Kain found himself standing at the edge of town, staring at the road that led to Galen's meeting place. Sera stood beside him, watching him closely.
"You're going, aren't you?" she asked.
Kain nodded slowly. "I need to know what they're really about."
Sera hesitated, then said, "I'm coming with you."
Kain looked at her, surprised. "You don't have to. It could be dangerous."
"I don't care," she said firmly. "You've been looking out for me this whole time. If you're walking into something dangerous, I'm not letting you go alone."
Kain smiled faintly, his heart warming at her determination. "Alright. But stay close. And if anything feels wrong, we leave. Agreed?"
"Agreed," she said, her tone resolute.
The meeting place was a small clearing in the woods, lit by a single lantern hanging from a low branch. About a dozen people were gathered there, their faces tense but determined. Galen stood at the center, his sharp gaze scanning the group as he spoke.
"We all know why we're here," he said, his voice low but commanding. "The Syndicate is tightening its grip on this town. If we don't act soon, we'll lose what little freedom we have left. But we can't do it alone. We need people who believe in this cause—people who are willing to stand up and fight."
Kain and Sera stayed at the edge of the group, listening silently.
"And if we're not careful, we'll get more people hurt," Kain said, stepping forward.
All eyes turned to him. Galen's smirk returned. "You decided to show up after all."
"I came to see if you're serious about helping people," Kain said evenly. "Not just throwing them into harm's way."
Galen's expression hardened slightly, but before he could respond, Arna—the tall, broad-shouldered woman Kain had noticed the day before—stepped forward. "Enough talk," she said. "If you're here, then you're part of this now. We'll see soon enough what you're made of."
Kain frowned but didn't argue. Sera moved closer to him, her small hand brushing against his arm.
"Are we really doing this?" she whispered.
Kain didn't answer. He wasn't sure himself.
But as the group began to discuss their next move, a cold wind swept through the clearing, carrying with it the faintest whisper of something darker. Kain couldn't shake the feeling that they were standing on the edge of something dangerous—and that once they stepped forward, there would be no turning back.